Al Messila, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Doha — Hotel in Doha

As a die hard Accor member, having experienced the most recognised Fairmont and Sofitel experiences, Al Messilah has converted me! ||I was apprehensive about the resort but chose Al Messilah over Fairmont due to its location, and I am so relieved I did because although this is our big family holiday, I couldn’t help but sloth around in the hotel and enjoy the incredible food and be absolutely spoiled by the staff for 6 whole days before we decided it was time to explore the city. ||I want to congratulate the management for cherry picking the creme de la creme of service staff, echoing and reflecting nothing but exceptional customer service, personable care and and remaining true to themselves and not being robotic/fake. Just really genuine people that celebrated the hotel as much as we did our stay, well done! ||On that note to recognise the staff we can not forget, ever. Khaoula was breathtakingly perfect, her smile, her welcome, her mannerisms and professionalism was perfection. I expressed my joy in the hotel and Khaoula was so informative she had arranged for an explore of the hotel in the buggy’s, for my whole family of seven persons. We highly appreciated as next time we will most definitely be interested in the villa. She also gave us the option to upgrade during our stay which I felt was incredible service (she didn’t let the process put her off but put me and my wishes first!) we sadly declined as we had the children and didn’t want to go through the stress of packing to unpack. Khaoula went above and beyond! Every time.||Laia responded to an email I had sent prior to our stay, and her personable and professionalism was taken to a whole new level when I finally met her in person. What was even more beautiful was that she remembered me and mentioned she was the person who emailed me when we first met, that’s how you make a customer feel special, the things people don’t think about, but not at Al Messilah. ||Both Khaoula and Laia brought the most thoughtful gifts on our last day which really cheered us up but made us so sad to leave. Such a personal touch.||Hats off to the pool. Faisal’s smile would melt anyone’s heart. That personal welcome/and goodbye upon leaving daily into and out of the pool by he himself and then the conversation and management of care in the scorching heat by him, and in particular, Ihtisham, Kennedy and Jean Claude, wow. They see no barriers to providing an exceptional experience and they were such fun loving gents. Provided 100% privacy and respect which is not always the case by a pool, kudos to the ethics and values set out by Faisal aligned to the hotel. ||Mary, Mary, Mary, how could I even go and try a new restaurant when someone so perfect serves us and makes us feel like we belong to Al Messilah. Remembering our orders every morning and we stayed for 10 whole days. Well put together and carrying the most priceless smile at all times and it can get chaotic in the restaurant especially during breakfast. ||Talking of breakfast, that breakfast… wow! Chef Georges was magnificent. His mannerisms, kindness, respect and integrity shone through to his food and the array to choose from. Be gone the preconceptions of a “moody angry chef”, chef George’s is the most happiest chef I’ve ever met. Coming out to greet us daily, asking how everything is and if we need anything, wow. The Brunch was something we won’t forget either. Even at the brunch to see Chef go out and ensure with his own eyes that everything was on track, how could this food be anything but the best? Thank you ||Thank you to the concierge team too. Especially to Raman, Kirtiman, Frenni. So polite, such a joy to see when arriving back to the hotel. So courteous and helpful and always smiling from ear to ear. ||We were so sad to leave. And what way to blow us away than a fabulous work of art done my Amzad who not only created a gorgeous swan the day we left but also decorated our bed on my husbands birthday and a vase with flowers. We had 3 rooms and Emon was so talented. He too created daily works of art for my parents and kids and he had a smile that made anyone happy. ||I’ve already planned my next family holiday to incorporate a stop over at Al Messilah. We will also be doing the same whenever we fly long haul from the UK. ||I had requested for a birthday gesture before we arrived. No one other than me has ever made my husband feel as special - now Al Messilah and its staff have. Cake after cake, the day ended with us resembling like a cake and in absolute food coma. Such beautiful messages and token of kindness. Singing their hearts out to my wonderful husband on his special day, it was magnificent. Thank you to Mary, Faisal, Khaoula, Laia, Amzad. ||The hotel is beyond luxury, the ambience is super relaxing, the experience is next to none but your staff are THE BEST I’ve ever experienced. And an absolute credit to the hotel and its luxury brand. And I cannot commend it enough! And I also cannot wait to visit again. I genuinely hope for the best of the persons mentioned above and I hope to see them all when we return, in bigger and better roles, truly embodying the ethos, values of the hotel. They all created such unique relationships with my diverse family. Three children aged 4-12, parents one of which doesn’t speak much English and myself and my husband. Customer service is beyond speaking, it’s a language spoken through expressions, doing, kindness, feelings; emotions. Al Messilah that your team did so beautifully that I have never ever written such an extensive review like this because if anyone deserves it, it’s your hotel and your team! ||Thank you from the depths of my heart on behalf of my brood, parents and husband and I. We can’t wait to see you all again...

A Luxurious Experience Beyond Expectations at Al Messila Hotel Doha

From the moment we arrived at Al Messila Hotel Doha, we knew our stay would be exceptional. Bassem at the front desk was incredibly attentive and made our early check-in process smooth and effortless. Aware of our fatigue, but more importantly my mistake booking this trip to surprise my wife (as I never book holidays), I was just unsure of the way check-in and check-out works, but again, he graciously offered us a temporary room to freshen up while our actual room was being prepared. Throughout our stay, Bassem continued to provide outstanding service, even accommodating a late check-out due to a change in our flight times.

Dining at the Indian Restaurant Taj Rasoi was a delightful experience, thanks to Head Chef Ali. His authentic and inspired dishes, especially the unique Goan fish curry, were a testament to his culinary journey across India and the Maldives. Ali's warmth and courtesy were evident every time we met him during our stay.

Our special anniversary dinner at Parisa, the Persian restaurant, was another highlight. Abhi and Saloni orchestrated a magical evening for us. We were welcomed by Head Chef Mogadam and escorted to our table by Amina, who presented us with roses and a framed photo from our wedding. Yahya and Amina provided impeccable service throughout the meal, and the dishes—particularly the eggplant dish and the grilled food served on a charcoal grill—were outstanding. Saloni, with her free-spirited charm and stories of her travels across India, added a personal touch to our evening and even helped take some memorable photos another day.

Abhi was phenomenal in making our 10th anniversary celebration truly memorable. He listened carefully to our desires and made excellent suggestions. On the day of our anniversary, Abhi went above and beyond by taking us around in a buggy to capture beautiful photos, and arranged a private transfer to and from Vertigo Doha. Freni, the driver, ensured our journey was comfortable and safe.

Sadhna, who took care of our room daily, added an extra touch of elegance and warmth to our stay. Every day, she cleaned and reset our room meticulously, often surprising us with beautiful arrangements of rose petals and intricately folded swan towels in the middle of the bed. Her attention to detail and thoughtful gestures made our stay even more special.

The Wa Ha pool area became our daily retreat, thanks to its amazing setting and exceptional service. Karthik stood out with his cool demeanor and big heart, serving us delicious food and mocktails from day one. His warm personality truly enhanced our poolside experience. On our last day, the assistant manager of the Wa Ha pool lounge, Chandrakanth, greeted us and shared some of his experiences, which was a nice personal touch.

Mehtab, who transported us to the spa in a buggy, took the scenic route and shared insights about the resort. His warm and friendly nature was a constant delight whenever we crossed paths. Isaac also left a lasting impression by arranging an Uber for us when our phone died and engaging in great conversations.

Ikram at the Deli Kitchen was another standout. Originally from Barcelona, she provided excellent service and engaging conversation throughout our stay. Our lunch at the International Kitchen was unforgettable, with Chef Anil crafting the best pizza and burger we've ever had, and Mary ensuring our drinks were always perfectly served.

Apologies in advance if I haven’t mentioned some special people who we positively interacted with, so many special memories.

Every aspect of our stay at Al Messila Hotel Doha was infused with luxury and personalised service, making it a five-star experience without a doubt. This hotel and its exceptional staff have set a new standard for hospitality in our eyes. We will definitely rebook for next year and bring our family along to share in this incredible experience. We look forward to returning and reliving the wonderful memories we...

I am writing after completing a 3-month stay in the hotel. You would think that as a long-term guest, and one who is a Marriott Elite member, you would be somewhat cherished. After all, this is The Luxury Collection. But, no. Here is but a snippet of a long laundry list of what is wrong with this hotel:

(1) It invades your personal freedoms This hotel has a strict policy for no bluetooth speakers, no cameras, and no other things! They scan your bags when you first arrive and then they confiscate the offending items. However, no other hotel in the world has this ridiculous rule, and worse, THEY DON'T TELL YOU ABOUT IT ON THEIR WEBSITE OR IN ANY COMMUNICATION BEFORE YOU ARRIVE. After scanning, they demand that you surrender your items at the concierge and they tell you you can pick it up when you leave.

(2) They cannot locate your item from the storage when you DO leave! My items could not be retrieved from the storage because the didn't know where they kept them. I was late leaving the hotel because they were trying to locate them, but guess what? They did not locate it even after I had flown off! They only managed to find it one day later! Fortunately I have friends in Doha for them to pass these to, but what if I didn't?? What type of hotel demands that you surrender your personal items, then loses track of them? And what if these are more valuable and you cannot leave the hotel without them?

(3) Faulty fire alarm system During the time I stayed in the hotel, there were 10 incidents of false activation of the fire alarm. All in the dead of night! These fire alarms are very piercing and when you are jolted out of bed at 2am from these, you cannot return to sleep easily. And when we evacuated from the room and got down, there was no communication. People were mingling about with no word from the front desk manager. It was only upon a lot of pushing did he then tell us it was a false alarm. This is NOT the proper protocol! Imagine if there was a real fire? After the 4th false alarm, I did not even bother to evacuate, knowing it was another false alarm. But what if it wasn't? And throughout my stay, management did NOT even once acknowledge the problem nor send a message assuring guests that all was under control!

(4) They don't cater for your dining As a long term guest, you would think that they will cater to your meals, especially if they know you are on full board. But no. Instead, the main restaurant caters to the walk-in guests (you can see all the reviews are for FnB, not for the hotel stay!) In fact, we were told more than twice that there was no table for us to eat at during one of those buffet nights. I was either told to go to another restaurant or I went hungry that night. All this because they catered more for the walk-in guests than the long term hotel guests. There must be something strange when about this when my company spent more than USD10,000 on that property and to have been booted out by people not spending more than $200. I fail to see this logic.

(5) They don’t even communication between staff! Then there was a Thursday night pool BBQ at the start of October. This replaced the restaurant’s Throw Back Thursday buffet. So when I wanted to join in the BBQ, I expect that it would be the same conditions as the restaurant. You see, as full board guest, the buffet meals are catered for. I don’t have to pay for it. However, when it came to this BBQ, I was made to pay for the meal. They said this was not covered under full board. I told them that the restaurant staff did not inform me that I had to pay, and no one inform me that I had to pay. But they insisted. When I complained about this on the Bonvoy app, all they said was, “I am sorry. We will work on our communication better the next time!” Seriously? As a Bonvoy Luxury Collection, I would expect impeccable communication and guest intelligence. Not a cursory treatment like we are more an annoyance as a...