“We’ve had some traffic from Russia now with the direct flights from Moscow to Manama. We’re hoping to see more of that. As Russians begin to venture away from vacation sites like Dubai and the Maldives, they might want to give Bahrain a try,” Pirkle explains.
Like any new hotel, Four Seasons Bahrain Bay will compete aggressively with new and existing hotels in the city. “I think our number one competitor is the Ritz-Carlton. They’ve been around for a long time, they do a very nice job, and they’ve got a very good facility. The other hotels I would consider competitors in the market are the new Art Rotana, the Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa — also a resort — and for a city property it would be the Westin, which is right next door in the Seef area,” Pirkle says.
The market is still dealing with the slowdown following the uprising in Bahrain in 2011. However, Pirkle is quick to dismiss the notion, saying “some of it may have been over-hyped”.
| Advertisement |
“There is a lot of security presence, which gives people an extra sense of safety. I can talk to anyone on my staff and I believe they all feel very safe here. Our guests feel safe here. I think as a country it’s a very safe place to live. The skirmishes they do have are few and far between. It doesn’t affect the travelling public and I think things are even getting better,” Pirkle states.
An urban resort
A key component of Four Seasons Bahrain Bay’s marketing strategy includes positioning the hotel as an “urban resort”. “We are a city hotel, but we have our own private island, only one way on or off, or access by boat. We have an incredible spa and recreational facility here — four pools, a kids camp. So, when you look at all the aspects of the hotel, it is like a resort on the weekends,” Pirkle explains.
“For the vacationing families over the weekends it is about looking at who comes to Bahrain, why they come to Bahrain, and what can we offer here that’s different to other hotels? We had to set up the facility as guests would want by turning it into an urban resort, which we feel we are with all the resort aspects — spa, pools and activities to do at night.”
F&B is a big part of the hotel’s strategy, and it offers seven venues, including three concepts from celeb chef Wolfgang Puck.
Search our database of more than 2,700 industry companies
