Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa ★★★★★

Pristine, powder-soft beaches and aquamarine seas have long made for excellent tourist destinations, but Manama is a little different from your standard Persian Gulf destinations. There are the expected glass and steel skyscrapers dominating the skyline, true, and a thriving nightlife and restaurant scene accompany these glittering spires… but on the ground below, guests to Manama can still find spice-scented souks and historic coral stone houses.

Set on the Zallaq beaches, overlooking the pearl-rich ocean that Bahrain built itself upon, is the Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea and Spa *****, the hotel that has the honour of boasting the only Thalassa Sea and Spa in any of the Gulf countries. The spa though, for all its rarity and the skill of the staff, is but one of the gems on the hotel’s string, part of a prestigious family of luxury hotels.

Within the hotel, a traditional Arabian design and décor is blended with exquisite French touches, and this devotion to luxury, beauty and quality is reflected throughout, not only in the artworks and furnishings, but in the service of the staff as well. You’ll also see this dual French and Arabic influences in the hotel’s many restaurants. There are five in total, combining fresh catches from the Gulf with French cooking styles, and award-winning tastes served from regions as diverse as Italy, Lebanon and Vietnam. For a palatial stay in a gorgeously different seafront destination, look no further than this establishment.