Sofitel recently celebrated its 50th anniversary by hosting a contest asking the masses of what makes them 'magnifique'. Knowing that I've visited it plenty times before, I decided to submit my own entry as per below:
Lo and behold, I was actually one of the 50 winners selected to avail a wonderful 5 night stay at Sofitel here in Bahrain! I didn't know of my luck until quite later after the announcement since e-mail confirmation had gone to my spam...Only with some more help of lady luck did I decide to go through my spam did I venture into my winnings!
With much courteous correspondence to and fro with the Reservations Manager, Mr. Khalid Hassan, I had booked conveniently after our trip to Manila (much to the merriment of my wife). We opted to upgrade our room for the final 2 nights to avail the swanky Club Millesime out of our own pockets to give an end to our hefty vacation a righteous good bye but amazingly, Mr. Khalid Hassan and management decided to give us a complimentary upgrade for the entire stay hours before our check-in. It was beyond words and true to the magnifique brand. Thank you Mr. Khalid, and to the entire management for adding to the magic of it all!
So let's get to the nook and cranny of our stay shall we?
One of the main facets of all the Sofitel rooms is the gorgeous view. Overlooking the soothing pool, well-manicured gardens, and ultimately the beach and the sea makes for great relaxing coffee breaks. Topped with the sound of waves (if not a busy day at the pool) and the ambiance music (from the pool area), it makes for a very relaxing read for your favorite books.
Next up is the room itself! It boasts a wonderful rustic and elegant theme to the overall design. A splendid touch I might add, is the fragrance added to the rooms to soothe you in from the hustle and bustle that is your life. The overall touch (fragrance included) is well maintained regularly by the amazing room service throughout our stay, of which I might add, more than several times in one day. It is as if they were hidden in every corner waiting for the tenants to leave!
Another amusement I found is the bed arrangements throughout the stay, which have been creative as above. A definite commitment to standards I might add!
What of the bed itself? Simply luxurious. Pampered with soft pillows (though you can change them to whatever you like, the list is extensive), the bed is a cloud. It eats your pains away and you wake refreshed. Le wife has complained that I stay in bed for far too long...I think I'll be purchasing one of their pillows for my naps home.
Next up are the bathroom amenities. Sporting an excellent rain shower to wash away your worries, a soothing bathtub to relieve stress, its all held up with the wonderful Hermes toiletries that are just great (as a man, my input would be, they just uh, smell good).
In-room dining is tasty if a bit too extravagant. Their pasta is one of the best around comparing to in-room dining around the country. If that fares too tame for you, Sofitel offers a myriad of restaurants to choose from. The scope is large enough to catch the eye of a picky eater. The restaurants visited so far:
Of all things said and done, Sofitel has again proved to be one of the worthwhile stays in the country. This was not my first time staying here, and will definitely be not the last. I look forward to my next stay, which I'm sure will be soon, but to my readers, as my mother would always say "If I was you, I'd do it."
 |
| Le entry. (har har) |
Lo and behold, I was actually one of the 50 winners selected to avail a wonderful 5 night stay at Sofitel here in Bahrain! I didn't know of my luck until quite later after the announcement since e-mail confirmation had gone to my spam...Only with some more help of lady luck did I decide to go through my spam did I venture into my winnings!
With much courteous correspondence to and fro with the Reservations Manager, Mr. Khalid Hassan, I had booked conveniently after our trip to Manila (much to the merriment of my wife). We opted to upgrade our room for the final 2 nights to avail the swanky Club Millesime out of our own pockets to give an end to our hefty vacation a righteous good bye but amazingly, Mr. Khalid Hassan and management decided to give us a complimentary upgrade for the entire stay hours before our check-in. It was beyond words and true to the magnifique brand. Thank you Mr. Khalid, and to the entire management for adding to the magic of it all!
So let's get to the nook and cranny of our stay shall we?
 |
| Panoramic view from our room balcony |
One of the main facets of all the Sofitel rooms is the gorgeous view. Overlooking the soothing pool, well-manicured gardens, and ultimately the beach and the sea makes for great relaxing coffee breaks. Topped with the sound of waves (if not a busy day at the pool) and the ambiance music (from the pool area), it makes for a very relaxing read for your favorite books.
Next up is the room itself! It boasts a wonderful rustic and elegant theme to the overall design. A splendid touch I might add, is the fragrance added to the rooms to soothe you in from the hustle and bustle that is your life. The overall touch (fragrance included) is well maintained regularly by the amazing room service throughout our stay, of which I might add, more than several times in one day. It is as if they were hidden in every corner waiting for the tenants to leave!
Another amusement I found is the bed arrangements throughout the stay, which have been creative as above. A definite commitment to standards I might add!
What of the bed itself? Simply luxurious. Pampered with soft pillows (though you can change them to whatever you like, the list is extensive), the bed is a cloud. It eats your pains away and you wake refreshed. Le wife has complained that I stay in bed for far too long...I think I'll be purchasing one of their pillows for my naps home.
Next up are the bathroom amenities. Sporting an excellent rain shower to wash away your worries, a soothing bathtub to relieve stress, its all held up with the wonderful Hermes toiletries that are just great (as a man, my input would be, they just uh, smell good).
In-room dining is tasty if a bit too extravagant. Their pasta is one of the best around comparing to in-room dining around the country. If that fares too tame for you, Sofitel offers a myriad of restaurants to choose from. The scope is large enough to catch the eye of a picky eater. The restaurants visited so far:
- Saraya - Breakfast
An all day dining restaurant in a buffet format, with wonderful lanterns hanging above our heads with large windows encompassing the gardens, pool and the sea at the horizon. The standard choices are present, coupled with wonderful detox juices. I adore the coffee that kick starts you into the day. - Wok (Asian Restaurant) - Dinner
A nice quiet restaurant with an a timid asian decor that is neither in your face or tacky. It suits the simple elegance of the hotel. The menu covers a large scope of Asian cuisines, but the wife and I ventured into their Indonesian foray. Scrumptious, filling and zesty. A definite hidden gem that needs to be focused more on those who crave for Asian style cooking! - La Mer (Seafood Restaurant) - Dinner
With a view overlooking the sea, one of the more romantic seafood restaurants I've ever been to. Seafood is fresh, the styles available are almost limitless and the taste can be unrivaled. If you ever want to appease your romantic heart, give this place a visit!
There are several more, catering to Lebanese/Arab and Italian fares. I plan to visit them sometime in the future!
One of the last things I'd like to mention, is the Club Millesime. Based on the 6th floor, it boasts a wonderful view and even greater service. With a full schedule of breakfasts, canapes, snacks, coffee and tea, wine tasting and arabic desserts, one can always find reason to stay. The service provided by the staff there are impeccable. Thanks to Sirs Praveen & Renz, and Madame Silveria for always providing everything and anything.
So let's have a photo dump of some of my favorite photos of my stay?
 |
| At Wok, outside dining galore. |
 |
| Saraya, at Night...a whole new world! |
 |
| Lagoon, Pool Bar and Restaurant |
 |
| Saraya, from up above and infinity |
 |
| Another view of La Mer. Under the sea! |
Of all things said and done, Sofitel has again proved to be one of the worthwhile stays in the country. This was not my first time staying here, and will definitely be not the last. I look forward to my next stay, which I'm sure will be soon, but to my readers, as my mother would always say "If I was you, I'd do it."
No comments:
Post a Comment