As announced nearly three years ago, sbe is slated to open its first Middle East hotel with the soft-opening of the Mondrian Doha, Qatar in the second quarter of 2017 (two years behind the original schedule). The official grand opening is scheduled for late September of this year.
Further ahead, sbe will open two more hotel properties in Dubai this year and next, along with "a number" of restaurants.
Middle East Design
The 270-room hotel was designed in collaboration with Dutch designer Marcel Wanders, along with South West Architecture—the architectural company of record for the Mondrian Doha—responsible for the design of the building. The hotel will be Marcel Wanders’ first hotel for the region. All guestrooms have Swarovski crystal chandeliers and bespoke furniture "in hues to mirror the desert."
Design elements were inspired by ornate Arabic writing and historic souks. The hotel has giant columns with golden eggs, a ‘tree of life’ comprised of flowers, falcon video art, giant shisha, patterned carpets, ornate stained glass and intricate mosaic tiling.
Structurally, the building of the Mondrian Doha is shaped like a falcon, with many references to the national bird of Qatar also found inside; from paintings and portraits to falcon headpieces and ornaments. The location of the hotel next to Lagoona Mall in the West Bay area also acts as a gateway to the new Lusail City development.
The custom-designed four-level high spiral staircase acts as a focal point of the atrium and leads guests up to a viewing platform, giving the impression that the stairs extend to the sky, but provides a standing point from which to capture the moment on camera.