The roots of success
12 noon, Zekreet
Driving west of Doha, urban towers give way to soft dunes. The uber-modernism of the Qatari capital often makes it easy to forget what lies just beyond: a beautiful landscape almost undisturbed by human development.
We are heading for Zekreet on the western coast of the Qatari peninsula, famous for its mushroom-shaped rock formations that jut out of the lunar-like landscape. This area once lay below sea level, so the sands leading down to the water are salt flats, studded with scores of tiny shells that glisten in the sun.
The desert is home to scores of Arabian oryx, Qatar’s national animal. Signs on the desert roads warn drivers to be vigilant for oryx. We strain our eyes against the sun and soon spot them in the distance, their graceful silhouettes black against the midday light.
After driving for an hour, we arrive at Habitas Ras Abrouq, one of Qatar’s newest luxury hotels. Opened in 2024, the resort is the custodian of the Al Reem Biosphere Reserve, one of 24 such Unesco-designated sites in the Middle East. Habitas Ras Abrouq aims to connect its guests to the land through desert safari trips and wellness offerings including sunset yoga by the coast. Oryx and wild deer wander between the resort’s villas. “Here you are far from the city, but you can still enjoy a luxury experience,” says Oussama Mazouzi, the hotel’s marketing manager. “We have added a destination to a forgotten land.”
In 2026, a new seaplane service will whisk guests from Doha’s Hamad International Airport to the hotel’s beachfront in just 30 minutes. But for now, we take the long road back through the hotel’s huge compound, an empty desert space that encompasses Film City, a set built as the backdrop for countless international movies and TV series. The facility is abandoned, its beige fort like a giant sandcastle. From one of the small lookout huts on the surrounding rock formations, we are wrapped in a peaceful desert silence.
Brouq is one of a new crop of wellness-focused hotels in the desert. Outpost al Barari, in the south of the peninsula, is situated close to the inland sea nature reserve, and offers activities including yoga and camel treks through the sand dunes. In the opposite direction, the Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som offers traditional Arabic and Islamic medicine along better-known treatments. Nearby, Al Thakira mangroves provide a startling splash of green in the sandy landscape. On the road back to Doha, we stop off at the Heenat Selma Farm, a hotel centred around its local and organic produce. A fine sleep in one of the luxurious tents awaits – or you can drop in to sample Qatari and Mediterranean fare at the restaurant.
Back in the city, we seek out a spot of stillness in the city. It is Friday, the first day of the weekend; the day when many Qataris pray in the mosque, and the migrant workforce, who make up nearly 90 percent of the population, enjoy a day off. Many come to Aspire Park, a rolling expanse of green scattered with beguiling trees in the west of the city. There are 23 bulbous-trunked boab trees, imported from Argentina in 2007 and chosen because they need less water than other species. A young woman meditates under the shade of one of the boab, while squirrels and mauve-breasted laughing doves flit through the branches above her. Since the park was completed in 2003, the lake has become a haven for birdlife, with species including Muscovy ducks and kingfishers.
Sunset comes early: by 5pm the sky is darkening, and the fierce heat drops to a comfortable warmth. This is the best time to visit the mile-long Lusail Boulevard, heart of Doha’s newest district. The wide highway is lined with skyscrapers so high that they seem to be toppling onto us, as supercars purr down the stretch. Yet the atmosphere on the pavements is convivial. Monocle takes an outdoor table at the Divan Persian restaurant, where we feast on succulent chicken kebabs, rich lamb and cherry stew, salad bejewelled with pomegranate seeds and rice cooked with a thick savoury crust. A trading nation, Qatar has absorbed flavours and culinary aesthetics from across the region, making it the perfect place to try a rich and varied cuisine unlike no other.
Qatar’s best spas
1.
Al Messila
The luxury resort’s women-only spa is a wellness haven with mineral plunge pools. Men can visit the health club.
2.
Four Seasons
For sunrise yoga sessions head to The Pearl, Doha’s manmade peninsula. Four Seasons has one of the best.
3.
Zulal Wellness Resort
This Chiva-Som resort mixes traditional Arabic and Islamic medicine with spa treatments.
