Have a blessed Ramadan LLQ Lifestyle mates! How’s your fasting so far? Are you looking out for ways to make this Ramadan more memorable one? Enjoying a staycation with family during Ramadan sounds fun and exciting as well. And I just did that recently. Let me take you through down this memory lane.
Well, just after we got settled into the new Ramadan routine, having Iftar, Suhours, and Ghabgas in same old ways make it quite monotonous. Just like you guys, I was also craving to get some unique ways of spending my time with family.
While I was looking into something different, a staycation at Mandarin Oriental, Doha came to rescue to refresh and recharge our Ramadan energy. I opted for the Ramadan by MO Doha Staycation offer that comes with hotel dining credit for Iftar and Suhour at Mosaic and stay for 36 hours at Mandarin Oriental Doha.
Mandarin Oriental, Doha – A Fusion of Arabic and Mandarin Oriental Hospitality
First, let’s talk about Mandarin Oriental, Doha. This Middle Eastern charm meets the Ancient Silk Route legacy combines to form a legendary hospitality service.
At this luxurious urban retreat right at the heart of the Qatar’s capital –you can expect an inviting ambiance, bespoke service, and exquisite décor.
The hotel has been designed by internationally recognized David Collins Studio. It is a spectacular vicinity with 91 serviced apartments, 117 rooms, and 41 suites designed with modern elegance and subtle elements of Qatari heritage.
Ramadan Staycation -A Home away from Home
I really liked the Ramadan offer by the Mandarin Oriental, Doha. Bringing the holiday vibes with a freedom of home, the lavish interiors offer a delightful stay presented with a late check-out until midnight the following day. This means we can have a full 36 hours of non-stop enjoyment and leisure options to experience.
We chose a 2 bedroom apartment for us that came with a discounted Ramadan rate. The staff was friendly and guided us about the leisure activities we can opt while waiting for Iftar buffet.
Our apartment’s solicitous floor plan is ideally designed to work and relax. There is a king size bed with a large sofa and LED TV. Bath with walk-in shower, dual sink, and a powered hairdryer.
The interior was spacious, equipped, and maintained with all the luxury amenities.
Being an art-lover, I couldn’t help to control myself and observed the intricate Qatari themed layouts that were showcased with rustic woodwork, and high-end Arabesque design mosaics. The luxury furnishings included king size bed with contemporary tech-savvy bedside console, a round white leather-topped table ideal for my work and dining.
There was a sense of calmness and relaxing vibe throughout. Despite being situated on the busiest neighborhood in Msheireb Downtown Doha, the noise-free interiors brought the feeling of being pampered.
Mandarin Oriental is known for its signature amenities and facilities and we found it at serviced apartments, where we stayed previously.
Ramadan Exclusive Storytelling & Activities for Kids
The reason I chose Mandarin Oriental, Doha for my Ramadan staycation is to provide high quality time and activities for my kids. The hotel is offering exclusive entertainment for children like storytelling sessions, indoor cinema, and entertainment room with multiple activities. So my kids were all happy after indulging in all these fun-filled retreats.
As we entered, there was a special treat to welcome us to join the storytelling adventure. The venue was designed as an enchanted forest filled with animal and cartoon characters. The kids were totally involved in the session and activities for a good span of time.
Inviting Culinary Iftar Experience at Mosaic
After getting refreshed and taking rest in our room we reached Mosaic Restaurant to enjoy our Iftar buffet. I had invited my friends over to break their fast with us. It was Elias’s idea of having a get together and get that mandatory ‘friends Iftar party’ done that was due on us.
The Iftar buffet at Mosaic offers a huge variety of traditional feasts, live stations with mezze, sizzling grills, and dessert delights. There were also a variety of the ancient Silk Route specialties and flavors to indulge.
The Iftar timings are dusk till 9 pm, so we had enjoyed every bit of it. With a friends gathering and flavorsome Mosaic delicacies –this had become the one of the best memories of Ramadan. We were trying new dishes and recommending each other to taste them during a refill. It was surely an awesome experience. All we did was just laugh, joke, and eat while having some meaningful discussions.
Checking out Mosaic’s Interior and A Night Walk along Msheireb Downtown Doha
To make our night staycation more memorable, we decided to walk along the Msheireb Downtown Dohato witness all the Ramadan night décor and hustle. After having a good look we opt for the outdoor seating of The Mandarin Cake Shop for coffee while enjoying the beautiful Arabian night weather of Doha.
Having the most exciting night of the ongoing Ramadan, we went back to our hotel room. While the beautiful Ramadan night outside at the Msheireb Downtown Doha prevailed with all its glory, we had a truly restful night sleep having the most relaxing and homely feeling in our deluxe rooms.
We woke up an hour before Suhour to get ready.
As we entered Mosaic Restaurant, the floor was filled with happy people chirps, sounds of cutlery and glasses, and an artistic interior of Mosaic cheered us.
Speaking of the interiors (As I can’t look over to inspect the artistic interiors!) the restaurant has a specific theme that is influenced by local Qatari materials and shapes. The interior has been designed with neutral color palette and echoes of the Qatari sand dunes and desert. The semi-private seating throughout the restaurant has designed like woven palm leaves, furnishings and fabrics in sea blue tones and patterns of pearl nets reflecting the Qatar’s pearling heritage.
The Ramadan Retreat at The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Doha
While my family was enjoying their day at the pool, I thought of doing something different. Since I owe myself some ‘me time’ so I went to The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Doha for a relaxing treatment.
I booked a HydraFacial –it’s one of The Spa’s specialty facial treatments as I’ve heard some great reviews of it. It revived my dull skin that was effected by Doha’s desert heat and Ramadan’s tough routine. The process buffs and deep cleanses skin into perfection. At the end, the scalp massage felt blissful.
After that I opted for a 90-minute Singing Sand Dunes treatment (It is named after the Qatari desert’s crescent-shaped dunes which create a magical vibrating sound). This full-body massage is designed to promote serenity and ease by massaging on a warm quartz sand bed to the tunes of Himalayan bowls.
Both these treatments revived my energy, body, and skin to a 360 degree. I’m definitely going back to take another session before Eid.
The fun-filled Ramadan Staycation with Memories to takeaway
The span of 36 hours we spent at Mandarin Oriental, Doha is the most exciting time we had this Ramadan.
While we checked out, I bought some of our favorite delights from the Mandarin Oriental, Doha’s gourmet takeaway menu.
The Ramadan set menu I bought for iftar was sophisticatedly packed. The set includes savories, a variety of Mezze, and baked seabass with sauce, assorted mahashi, mixed grill, and chicken biryani –a perfect family feast for 4 people.
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