Originally Posted by
Fly_IAD
Apologies if I missed a reference to this already but I think the outside pool area at the RC Doha is pretty poor. Its lagoon style which doesnt appeal to me at all and looks straight out of the 80's. The few times I attempted to enjoy myself in the pool area I thought service was really lacking, towels laying everywhere and tatty chairs.
They have done a good job refurbishing the interior of the hotel but the pool area is in desperate need of a major overhaul. I also found the club lounge aesthetically pleasing but the food and beverage pretty basic compared to other club lounges in the region.
If wanting to go with a Marriott property I'd pick the St. Regis. I am also curious about the new Luxury Collection property Al Messila. It will be great when the Four Seasons reopens as this was a pretty decent property.
You might be right about the outside pool, I did not take a look.
As per my review I agree that F&B in the lounge in the evening is not the most impressive compared to alternatives such as Sheraton Grand, even compared to Grand Hyatt, Westin, or Marriott Marquis. It's better mid day or early afternoon when others offers next to nothing; the only problem is that most people use the lounge in the evening, not at 1pm. I guess it depends what each individual traveller is looking for.
I will stay at St.Regis in a few days so I will be able to provide a better comparison with RC. Al Messila is intriguing but for a longer stay the location and the lack of lounge makes it a tougher sell for me. For a short layover those criteria would be less important and if I am only going to be in the hotel for less than 12 hours I am often willing to pick a hotel in a lower price range than a Luxury Collection and/or something closer to the airport.