Premium product
With every department united in their aim to exceed luxury norms, Derbas is confident that St. Regis Doha will be able to command a premium rate. The hotel is being marketed as “the finest address in Doha” and as a result, once the entire product is open in the next few months, guests can expect it to be the most expensive.
“Our opening offer starts at QR 1900 per night for a superior room including wi-fi access in the room, a 30-minute spa treatment, afternoon tea in Sarab Lounge and a welcome gift from Jazz at Lincoln Centre.
“It will be a slightly higher rate, but guests nowadays are willing to pay a premium for added value,” he says.
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The target market is wide, however, with the GCC forming the base but St. Regis actively targeting China, Latin America, US and Europe. Plus, Derbas believes that in recent years, the luxury market has broadened.
“The luxury hotel market used to cater to the top 10%, the niche market, the who’s who of the community. Back then, these were the people that could afford it. But now, there is a need for discovery. For example, I’m just a corporate traveller — but I need someone to save me time, I only want to deal with one person. There is a will to buy from the other 40% of the market. There is a wider demand for the luxury product,” he concludes.
And with that he turns his eagle eye back to the hotel operation, focused on achieving the owner’s vision of creating “the must-see destination for visitors to Qatar and the region”.
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