I'll be at both STRs later this week. To Marsa Arabia's credit, they upgraded me to a two-bedroom suite on a points stay weeks before my stay.

I am hopeful about LRM - I booked rooms at St. Regis, LRM and JWM Marquis over the weekend for later this week as wasn't sure which to go for. LRM is the only hotel that has bothered to reach out with a pre-arrival email. JWM Marquis in particular is a four night cash booking in a suite as an Ambassador and they still haven't bothered (booked as I quite liked the Shangri-La when I stayed a few years ago but will now cancel today before the deadline)...

This is excellent to know as we are 3 so I will inquire about an upgrade to a 2BR if not offered proactively as we would love 2BRs versus a pullout or cot. We’ll be there from the 11-13.

We'll see if the upgrade sticks in a few days, but I noticed the updated room type even showed up in the "reservation details" section of the pre-arrival email from the butler team, so I have strong-ish hopes (not that I can sleep in multiple beds at once).

Same here - they seem generous when it comes to MB benefits. I declined the upgrade as I was on my own and the 1BR was more than sufficient, but nevertheless a nice gesture.

be interested to hear your feedback on the Marsa Arabia STR, I stayed here on its opening and was a bit of a disaster stay but that could be because it just opened, I just much prefered the service and the hard product of the original STR.

Battle of the STRs!!! It's so funny how everyone has such different opinions on these two.

I was bemusing about this with my family and suggested that we stay at both for one night each but it wouldn't be worth the hassle of moving our stuff.

We most likely will check out the beach at the StR Doha though.

I'm far behind on my trip reports, but I have just arrived at STR Doha after spending yesterday at STR Marsa Arabia. I think both properties are the same ownership or at least operator based on nametag style and a few other details. I thought I wouldn't get an upgrade at STR Doha as my reservation changed to a Grand Deluxe Sea View (base room with sea view) the morning of arrival, but around Noon, my room type changed to a Caroline Astor Suite.

Marsa Arabia had a massive two-bedroom suite (really three if you count the butler's quarters off of the kitchen), but there is still construction and related noise going on (even in the hotel side). Service was top notch. The hard product feels a bit McMansion in areas - though most of the important points are comfortable.

I can already tell that STR Doha has a beautiful hard product. The color scheme and design here is exquisite. The arrival experience was less personalized, but I was asked to get out of line to come to a sit-down desk, and the agent was very friendly.

Both have left massive dessert assortments along with the requisite fruit bowls of the Middle East.

I'll have full trip reports with photos in the master threads at some point.

Where is your butler having to stay tonight...? :)

My mother asked the same question - perhaps, my new review criteria will be that a hotel is only passable if it comes with butler's quarters.

Now that my Doha legs of my trip are completed, I thought I would share my subjective ranking of the properties I tried while in Doha - as always, full reviews and photos are in the respective master threads:

1. St. Regis Doha - fantastic room design and amazing bed
2. Westin Doha - lovely two bedroom suite, great bed, great shower pressure, good value, tasty breakfast
3. St. Regis Marsa Arabia - lovely soft product, huge two-bedroom suite, some build quality concerns and ongoing construction
4. W Doha - great bed, great breakfast, bad shower
5. JW Marquis City Center - lovely breakfast, generally comfortable
6. Sheraton Grand - old world styling, pretty comfortable, chaotic breakfast
7. Marriott Marquis City Center - pretty dated, bed and shower could be improved, nice service attitudes

What is going on with MB hotels in Doha for January ( last 3 weeks) only showing four points available can’t understand as hotels.com showing most bonvoy hotels as availability, could it be an IT glitch?

AFC Asian Cup 2023. Will be held from the 12th of Jan to the 10th of Feb.

ugh! So not one MB hotel available for any dates. To be honest you could even book for the World Cup back in November. All other chains within Doha have availability does MB have a sponsorship agreement? Seems very strange only the FOur Points is available. Guys I will have to give MB a miss on a stopover