Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait

Habibti Magazine was recently invited to spend a weekend at Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait.  Our Managing Editor packed her bags and set off for the weekend retreat.  In her own words –

Forgive me if I gush, because I will. And who can blame me? My weekend at Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait was by far the best hotel experience I’ve had thus far (and I’ve had a few).

This isn’t the first time I’ve experienced the hospitality of Four Seasons Hotel, but it’s suffice to say, Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait has raised the bar considerably.

Upon arrival to the hotel everything was up to the usual Four Seasons Hotel standard; with a little more attention to detail, a little more friendly and a little more attentive than I was expecting.

And this was my general feeling throughout the weekend – everything was a little more than perfect; a little extra touch here and there, just elevated the whole experience.

Check in was swift and gave me little time to take in the beautiful lobby and reception. Stunning light features and art displays, led to a contemporary coffee lounge, Al Soor as well as hosting a Starbucks coffee house and Aveda hair salon, because this is Four Seasons Hotel after all.

When people talk about ‘what’s the first thing you check when you check in to a hotel’ , my answer is – the WiFi! You will always see me, head bent down over my phone, connecting to the hotel WiFi as I’m walking into the lift.

It may sound fickle to some, but reliable WiFi is key for many of us who still need to work while we are travelling, or even to stay connected to the rest of the world. Poor, weak WiFi isn’t going to cut it in this internet driven age, and Four Seasons Kuwait has taken care of it, and thus taken care of it’s guests.

My room for the next two days was my own private haven.
Large, sunlit, with a king size bed, fitted wardrobes, desk, large sofa seating area, mini fridge and all the usual amenities. However because this is Four Seasons Kuwait there had to be extra – and there was; floor to ceiling windows looked out to beautiful city scenes, and at a touch of a button, the nets and black out blinds were electronically closed. The bathroom was as exceptional, with a separate walk in shower, large bathtub and large vanity area.

My first meal at Four Seasons Kuwait was dine in, nothing too fancy, or so I thought. Ordering room service is not a lesser option at Four Seasons Kuwait; it is as attentive to detail and wonderful as restaurant dining. This was actually my best room service meal.

A lovely quiet private dinner was followed by a much needed treatment at The Spa; a luxurious massage, with my preference of aromatherapy oils, was enough to send me in to a deep lull.  A spa is a spa is a spa right? And a massage is just another massage. So why did I walk away feeling like a million dollars?

Was it the genuine greeting at reception, was it the relaxing ambience of the spa, or was it my exceptional therapist who took care of me start to finish?  Again another Four Seasons Kuwait little extra that just finished off my night in the most perfect way.

After a peaceful sleep, thanks to my massage the night before and a gloriously comfortable bed, I woke up bright and early to head to Elements Restaurant for breakfast. And it was at this point that I quietly hoped I would never have to leave this place.

Not only was breakfast a lavish affair, with variety of fresh juices, fruits, cheeses, yoghurts, fresh breads, cold fish station, live cooking station for European and traditional breakfast such as saaj and balaleet, pancake, waffle and crepe corner, as well as desserts – it was a relaxed and leisurely affair.

Out of this whole weekend, the most standout point for me was breakfast timings on the weekend.   Where we’re all used to 7am to 11am breakfast timings in hotels, where most of us make our way down for breakfast to join the rush at 10:30am to grab what’s left of breakfast before we start our day; Elements have had the genius idea to extend breakfast into brunch and run from 7am to 2pm on weekends. Incredibly simple, yet remarkable!

And what a difference it made to the whole vibe of the place. You could feel the relaxed atmosphere, the long leisurely pace of the morning. It just set up my day perfectly.

After a relaxing breakfast, I decided to work a few hours, away from my room. Laptop tucked under my arm, I set off to the Business Centre.
Equipped with 3 large hot desks, with large screen monitors, and a copy machine, I was in my element for the next few hours.
The privacy and quiet of the business centre was exactly what I or any other person who needs to put in a few hours of work would need.

During my weekend at Four Seasons, there was a wedding being held at the hotel. I only know this because I happen to see the set up while I was at the business centre. If it wasn’t for that, I would have been blissfully unaware and undisturbed.

Four Seasons staff, although busy setting up for a wedding in few hours, still managed to be mindful of me, working in the business centre. It was quiet, it was peaceful, and no one would know there is a wedding set up happening.

Work done and emails sent, I told myself I deserve a little relaxation, so I set off for the Indoor Pool.   The lift lead to the entrance of the Fitness Centre, where there is a beautiful center table, filled with fresh fruits, dried fruits and nuts, as well as detox water and fresh juices. As I sipped on my detox water and nibbled on juicy figs, I explored the facilities.

The Fitness Centre consists of a gym, which is divided into a cardio area with ample state of the art machines and a separate weights room, racked high with weights, dumbells and kettle bells. Around the corner is a large Yoga studio with hanging hammocks for ariel yoga.

This is all wonderful, but I’m here to relax and I head to the indoor pool.
As I enter I stop, dead in my tracks. This is not what I was expecting, and I need a few seconds to take it all in.

The indoor pool is an oasis of complete hush and harmony. With beautiful green marble colour scheme and cream imposing arches, the entire space is a quiet tropical haven. The pool is surrounded with lounging beds enclosed to give privacy, and at the end of the pool is a large inviting Jacuzzi. Time stood still for me here, and I think I may have found many of life’s answers in that Jacuzzi, I kid you not.

All that contemplation and quiet wonder worked up a huge appetite and after freshening up, I decided to experience of one the restaurants.

As well as Elements and Al Soor Lounge, Four Seasons Kuwait has an additional two restaurants, Dai Forni, Italian Restaurant and Sintoho Asian Restaurant – both are adjacent to each other on the 21^st floor.

After much contemplation and advice seeking from the front house of each restaurant (I’m indecisive when it comes to food) I opted for dinner at Dai Forni.  I wasn’t disappointed; fresh, tasty wholesome Italian food with a cozy ambience over looking the city lights from the 21^st floor.

A table set for one, I feasted like royalty starting with a delicious ceviche, light but bursting with flavours, followed by creamy and rich pasta, and ending with a fresh melody of ice cream served on an ice block.

I head to bed happy and content, sleep soundly and wake the following morning to packing and preparing to leave – but not before I indulge in a second day of a lovely relaxing breakfast.

Alas, my weekend at Four Seasons comes to an end and I’m genuinely sad to leave. The experience has been one that will be hard to beat and I’m truly impressed by the level of hospitality the Four Seasons Kuwait has managed to achieve.

For more information:

Website: https://www.fourseasons.com/kuwait

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/FourSeasonsHotelKuwait/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FSKuwait

Instagram: www.instagram.com/FSkuwait