Barhein: a thousand and one nights of the region's extravagances

Privatising a venue

Buzaboon House

An ordinary working-class street, the Orient in all its truth, with its jumble of fruit and vegetable sellers, bakers at work and barbers, grocery shops and ironmongers... And then a heavy teak door, like all the old doors in the area, except that this one has been perfectly restored. As you pass through the heavy doorframe, you are astonished. For there is nothing Oriental about this place, apart from the original grammar of the building. Quite the contrary, in fact, the designers' game was based on a contrast between the raw material of the old whitewashed walls and the sophistication of the hyper-contemporary furniture. In fact, Buzaboon House is an old souk that has been completely reinterpreted. The old side-by-side shops have become charming, tiny dining rooms, each animated by a contemporary painting; what was probably once a street has been transformed into a wide patio. Under the arcades that once sheltered from the sun, four-seater designer tables line up on either side in a perfect arrangement. It's a tour de force. A jewel that can be privatised for exceptional events of up to 120 people for cocktails.
Shaikh Ebrahim Cultural Center. Heritage House. Muharraq. Ezmiralda Cabbani.
Tel: + 973 39 40 23 02 and +973 17 32 25 49 - Email: ez.center@hotmail.com
Internet : www.shaikhebrahimcenter.org

Discover the soul of the country

Muharraq district and museum

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The soul of old Bahrain is to be found in Muharraq, where the heart of the island beat when its fortune was made from pearls. Now linked by a bridge to its twin sister Manama, Muharraq was the country's capital until 1923. It still retains some of its beautiful remains, notably its palaces and old walls, the houses of the arts, remembrance, architecture and the very active Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed al Khalifa cultural centre. Carefully restored, never betrayed by an improbable reconstruction, they are highlighted by a resolutely contemporary design. Except, perhaps, for the house of Sheikh Isa Bin Ali, the former residence and seat of government of the sheikh whose name it bears, and which, for its part, has remained in its original state; astonishing in its simplicity of line and remarkable in its sophistication of design. No colours, just a shade of cinnamon, courtyards sanded with shells, perfectly ventilated rooms, a wind tower that was the forerunner of air conditioning... A glimpse of life in the 19th century!^e It's a century that's best understood by wandering through the whitewashed streets of the old town. Rehabilitated, yes, but still inhabited. Which has the advantage of not being overrun by the same old souvenir shops.

Meeting at the hotel

Gulf Hotel Bahrain

There is an exhibition centre in Manama, but no convention centre to speak of. So, in the heart of the capital, the Gulf Hotel Bahrain - among others - acts as one. With, as a bonus, all the services offered by the international luxury hotel industry, especially when it comes to urban resorts: lush tropical gardens, a fabulous lagoon-style swimming pool, the largest spa in Bahrain... All 361 rooms were renovated in 2014 in honey or grey tones, giving them a new look. an ultra-relaxing atmosphere. Then there are the restaurants. Ah, the restaurants! There are no fewer than 10 of them, all multi-award winners, and all with very chic settings inspired by the culture they represent. Iranian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Italian...
On the business side, the Gulf Hotel is not to be outdone, offering a Gulf Executive Residence with 97 flats on 14 floors. For conventions and events, the hotel also plays on superlatives, offering 4,780 m² of reception space under its gilded roof. Seminars, lounges and gala dinners will be catered for in the Al Dana Hall, which can accommodate no fewer than 3,000 people for cocktails. There are five sub-commission rooms, an exhibition hall with space for up to 75 stands and an esplanade overlooking the swimming pool, which can be used in the evening, when the air is not too hot, as a reception area.
P.O. Box 580, Manama - Tel : + 973 1771 3000 - Email : info@gulfhotelbahrain.com
Internet : www.gulfhotelbahrain.com

Hotels

Novotel Bahrain al Dana Resort

Is it due to its architecture, which you would swear is Mediterranean before realising that it is in fact radically inspired by the Bahraini way? Or are we influenced by the presence of a beachWhich, after all, is not so common in Bahrain? Or is it due to the centrality of the gigantic landscaped swimming pool? In any case, the Novotel Bahrain, located at the entrance to the bridge linking Manama and Muharraq, is clearly on holiday 365 days a year. And it's far from unpleasant, whether in its two restaurants, its two bars, or indeed in any of its public areas. 166 rooms. Seven meeting rooms, four with natural light, all fully equipped and able to accommodate from 15 to 100 people.
121, Sheikh Hamad Causeway. P.O. Box 11 073. Manama - Tel : +973 17 29 8008 Email : h3600@accor.com - Internet : novotel.com and accorhotels.com

Wyndham Garden Manama

The first strong point is its location, 10 minutes from the airport and very close to the Juffair shopping area and the Grand Mosque. The second plus point is the efficiency of the venue, which is neither too big nor too small; just right so as not to be frightened by the excesses that are quite common in the Gulf countries. The third advantage is the view of the city from the rooms, where an entire wall has been replaced by a bay window. And, best of all, most of them have a balcony overlooking the city, thus avoiding the feeling of enclosure generated by hermetically sealed windows. The Wyndham Garden, with its well-equipped meeting rooms, caters for seminars, team-building, events and cocktail parties for groups ranging from 60 people at a conference to 100 people in a theatre. 441 rooms and suites, Executive floor, swimming pool, spa and fitness centre.
Building 65, road 4003, Block 340, Juffair.
P.O.Box 13 220. Manama - Tel : +973 6631 6666 -Email : info@wyndhamgardenmanama.com - Internet : wyndhamgardenmanama.com

Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa sea & spa

The arrival by car is grandiose. Then, as you pass through the high gates, the atmosphere takes on a whole new meaning, casual chic. Everywhere, there are oriental lanterns, brown wooden balconies and sketches of moucharabieh. The 290 rooms are just as elegant in their simplicity, some with mega terraces ideal for a prestigious cocktail. 11 restaurants, bars and lounges and a 2,000 m2 thalassotherapy centre.
105 Zallaq Highway, Building 2015, Block 1 055 Zallaq Area - Tel: +973 17 63 63 63
Email : H6722@sofitel.com - Internet : www.sofitel.com

The must

Bahrain International Circuit

Before him, few could put the small island on the world map. This was done on 04/04/04 when the first Formula 1 Grand Prix to be held in the region took place. The desert heat has meant that since 2014, the Gulf Air Grand Prix has been held at night, which adds to the spectacle. The rest of the time, the circuit, inspired by vernacular architecture, offers a range of activities aimed at business tourism, including tours of the facilities, bus rides around the track and a karting circuit where groups can take part in competitions. The track can even be made private.

Discoveries

In the oil fields

Initially, the aim of the walk was a tree... A kind of acacia, the prosopis cineraria, standing alone in a flat desert, and which planted its roots there in the days of the Portuguese. It is the object of a veritable cult among the Bahrainis. Alas, the venerable plant will have to steal the show, as it's about an hour's drive from Manama to reach it, you have to cross... oil fields. It may not sound like much when you put it like that, but this exotic version of industrial tourism is truly astonishing. And it's about to get even more so, as Bahrain has just announced the discovery of a field containing 80 billion barrels of oil... Everywhere, steel pumps with the profile of birds peck at the ground like wading birds that are never full, while flares make a hell of a fuss as they shoot their gigantic flames high into the sky. It's at once Dantesque and promising of fortunes, disquieting and fabulous. Quite simply, it's beautiful. At the end of the road, a small museum tells the story of the first oil well, the very first in the Gulf, which was dug here. And finally there's the tree, royally perched on a tumulus. The Bahrainis have nicknamed it "the tree of life". It's so true that it's the only place in the area where birds chirp.

Block 338: the arty neighbourhood

Of course, there are a few girls in black abayas and boys in immaculate dishdashas. But on their feet they all wear the latest Nike or Puma and, when they like each other, they venture to walk hand in hand. The neighbourhood, commonly known as Block 338, is just like them; young, happy and forward-looking. The architecture is unambiguous, the design perfect, the galleries - Al Riwaq and Al Bareh - renowned, contemporary installations by young Bahraini artists in the pedestrian streets, painted walls, cafés, restaurants and rooftops - which can be privatised - very popular. As you can see, Block 338, which has been in existence for around ten years, attracts all the city's hipsters.