AS Kempinski prepares for the opening of its long-awaited double-tower Bahrain property, TTN spoke to general manager STEPHAN KAMINSKI about what’s in store at Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre.
How long has the project taken to come to fruition?
There has been a dream to create a five-star hotel adjoined to Bahrain City Centre since the largest mall in Bahrain was first built in 2008. We are thrilled to be a part of this vision and look forward to bringing Kempinski to Bahrain.
How much has it cost?
Although I don’t have final figures for the project as work is currently ongoing, I am confident that no expense has been spared in building and creating a very special five-star Kempinski hotel here in Bahrain.
The two towers have two distinct themes; please tell us about them and the reasoning behind this decision?
Grand and Ixir hotel towers’ interior designs are very different but totally complimentary.
Both offer stylish and luxurious accommodations, with Grand being more contemporary and Ixir more traditionally elegant. Both enjoy opulent water features and thoughtfully selected art throughout and, of course, there is direct access to the mall from each of the two towers.
How many rooms are there?
There will be a total of 460 modern, bright rooms, which includes 79 suites.
What other facilities will the hotel have?
Eight unique restaurants and bars – Boudoir, Mezzanine Lounge, Saveur, T Spoon, Baharat, Bizarre, Nasmat and Majlis Lounge – 14 meeting rooms, executive lounges, a 24-hour business point and leisure facilities including an open air pool, children’s pool, spa with 11 treatment rooms, hammam and gym.
What sort of market are you targeting and how?
Currently we will look to attract weekend families and those wanting a city break – being linked to Bahrain City Centre mall makes the Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre a great destination for an entertaining weekend. And of course, we will expect to see a return of our European and international guests once the F1 returns to Bahrain and confidence is resumed.
The Kempinski is the first new hotel to open in Bahrain since the unrest earlier in the year. How was the decision taken to go ahead with the launch despite the ongoing delicate political situation and how will you be going about raising the property’s profile and bringing in guests in light of this?
Understandably, we have suffered a slight delay but we are back on track now and looking positively to the future.
The Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre is an astonishingly beautiful venue coupled with the famous Kempinski world class service. Of course we have had to look at the market and ensure that we are properly equipped and competitive enough to encourage guests to stay with us.
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The light and airy lobby |
Kempinski will look forward to the future and support the journey of economic recovery here in Bahrain.
How are forward bookings looking?
Promising. Business is recovering in the country and the weekend trade has returned.
Are there any special opening promotions planned?
Opening promotions are planned via our package schemes, where incentives include a Kempinski shopping passport allowing generous benefits in many of the more luxurious mall shops. We will also work closely with many new partners in Bahrain City Centre and our sister hotel, Mall Of The Emirates in Dubai.
At the level of Kempinski, what are the priorities of the guests? What makes a great stay today?
Our guests are often discerning people who like to enjoy the finer things in life. We listen carefully and always look to deliver on the promise of offering a personalised service harmonised with remarkable European flair which creates a memorable stay and a lasting impression. I am proud of what we are achieving here in Bahrain and look forward to welcoming our guests.