BANANA ISLAND: A VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY TRIP

The middle of the week marked the birthday of one of my very dearest friends, and it was only right that a special friend should celebrate their birthday at a special location.

When Jemma suggested spending her birthday on Banana Island, we knew we would be in for a real treat. Sadly Marion couldn't take the day off work, but we knew we would be catching up with her later that evening for part two of the birthday celebrations.

The newly opened Banana Island Resort Doha is Qatar's answer to the Maldives. A 25 minute luxury catamaran ride from the mainland transports you to a tranquil paradise, so far removed from the hustle and bustle of Doha, that you would be forgiven for thinking that you were in another part of the world altogether.

We arrived at Al Shyoukh Port like two excited children.

We were invited to sit down in the beautiful reception area, whilst our island reservations were checked and our tickets paid for. You must have a reservation at Banana Island to board the catamaran - this can either be a restaurant reservation, or a spa reservation - we were greedy and had both!

You can purchase a day pass for 200 QR which consists of your return boat trip at 50QR, and the remaining 150QR is credit to be put towards either your restaurant bill or your spa treatment.

Paperwork processed, it was time to board the boat! Although not before a scaled down sneak preview of the island...

All aboard!

The catamarans leave every hour, so we hopped aboard the 10am departure and set sail for Banana Island!

Making the most of the empty catamaran, we got snappy happy with our cameras, wanting to document every minute of the day.

As we approached the island, the excitement ramped up!

After a quick stop in the cavernous reception, we hopped in a golf cart and were very kindly taken on a small tour of the island.

First stop, the Wellness Centre.

Home to separate male and female gyms, fitness class studios and treatment rooms, I could certainly imagine time spent here would make you feel very well indeed. The decor was absolutely stunning, and we were more than a little intrigued about what we might have found up here...

Sadly, we were whisked off in the golf cart to finish our tour before we could find out. Next time!

The resort had a very Sri Lankan feel to it with all of the greenery, and beach huts with thatched roofs nestled in amongst the trees.

After saying goodbye to our guide, we set off on foot to explore by ourselves.

Banana Island is home to it's very own cinema. The movie of the afternoon was Dispicable Me 2, and Jemma and I were very kindly allowed to pop in to the theatre to satisfy our curiosity - a generous cinema screen dominated the far wall, faced by rows of comfy sofas and tables.

We headed over to Ted's Diner for a drink, before making our way to the Anantara Spa for our midday treatments, passing the islands miniature golf course en-route.

We were very early for our treatments, so the staff very kindly let us use the jacuzzi, sauna and steam areas whilst we waited, although we found ourselves a spot outside on a giant double sun lounger and made the most of the afternoon sun instead, before heading back inside to don our snazzy spa robes!

We emerged 60 minutes later, pampered and feeling very relaxed. I had opted for the 60 minute back massage (520 QR), during which my lovely therapist worked very hard on kneading the knots from my very tense shoulders and neck. The birthday girl went for the 60 minute Anantara Signature Massage (off the menu, but call up and ask them about this - around 600QR).

Whilst the treatment prices are quite steep, the Anantara Spa itself is beautiful, and the staff are lovely. They really couldn't do enough for us, and we rounded off our treatments by sipping sweet ginger tea in the sunshine before getting ourselves ready for lunch at Q Lounge.

The setting of Q Lounge reminded me so much of the Fortress Hotel in Sri Lanka, where Matt and I stayed on our recent holiday together. An open fronted restaurant, overlooking the pool and the Gulf.

We ordered berry mocktails (Banana Island is a dry resort), and perused the menu.

I found the prices to be so reasonable. For 125QR, you could opt for three items from the world mezze list, which Jemma and I both did - a great way to sample smaller versions of a few of the items on the menu if you can't quite decide on one (which we couldn't!)

I opted for the French omlette with goats cheese, the chicken quesadillas, and black olive tapenade, all of which were absolutely delicious.

Jemma chose the Spanish omlette, glass noodles with prawns, and mini chicken shawarma.

The meal was lovely, and our 150QR credit from our day passes covered the best part of the bill.

There are so many dining options available on Banana Island, but I would love to come back to eat at Q Lounge again. The food was amazing, the staff were so lovely and friendly, and the view was stunning.

I can't wait to bring Matt here for a date night.

We took a stroll along the pier to walk off our lunch, and stopped for some photos with the beautiful Maldives-esque water villas in the background.

I can only imagine what they look like inside!

After a thoroughly relaxing afternoon of pampering and eating, we decided there was only one thing to do before boarding the boat back to reality.

Bowling!

We were expecting a small scale lane or two but no - Banana Island is home to a proper full size bowling alley.

Being a good sport, I let the birthday girl win ;)

I actually lost miserably - Jemma had some bowling skills!

Realising it was a few minutes before the hour, we made a mad dash for the 4pm boat back to the mainland, and set sail back to reality after a magical day on the beautiful Banana Island.

I can safely say, and I know Jemma agrees, that this was one of the best days we have had since arriving in Doha, and I can highly recommend a trip to Banana Island to all Doha dwellers (and any visitors to Doha!)

Back on dry land, we hopped in a car home to get ready for part two of the birthday celebrations - but that is a blog post for another time :)

Note: Banana Island requires couples to produce a marriage certificate to stay overnight at the resort.

JAULA SPA - GRAND HYATT DOHA

I don't know about you, but I love a good pampering session, particularly in the form of a spa treatment.

I have fond memories of a wonderful afternoon at the Sanctuary Spa with my mum in London years ago, and a fabulous spa afternoon at Sopwell House with my friend Dani (afternoon tea in the conservatory whilst the snow fell outside the floor to ceiling glass windows, coating the beautiful grounds in a thick white blanket like something off a winter postcard- absolutely gorgeous. Not so fun when the car wouldn't start afterwards and a lovely chap had to jump start us!)

My friend Vicky and I spent the best part of our Marbella holiday being massaged to within an inch of our lives on the beach by a fab Filipino lady, however as glorious as that was, there is just something so calming about entering a spa, closing the doors on the outside world behind you, and walking into a serene environment where the ultimate purpose is to relax you. 

I've visited one or two of Doha's spa offerings in my year or so of living in the desert (including the St Regis Spa which I blogged about here), and yesterday I paid a visit to Jaula Spa at the Grand Hyatt hotel. I had visited once before during a tour of the hotel, but I had never had a treatment there. I was very kindly gifted a spa voucher for a one hour treatment from the lovely Christoph Franzen (as a gift when I was very ill at the beginning of the year, not for any kind of review purposes) which I realised expired on 30th December, so I hastily booked myself in for a 60 minute Calm Mind Massage. Just the ticket to kick off the working week!

I like that the entrance to Jaula Spa is separate from the entrance to the main hotel - it makes it seem as though it is it's own retreat from the hustle and bustle of the busy 5* hotel lobby, as well as the hustle and bustle of the rest of Doha.

I was early, so I was directed down to the Club where I made use of the sauna and steam room, and relaxed for an hour or so before my treatment. At 6pm, I headed back up to the Spa, and was led through to a beautiful relaxation room.

I got myself comfortable and filled out the standard Spa questionnaire about my general health, and what pressure I would like from my massage.

It has actually taken me up until this very point in my life to fully master exactly what pressure I like my massages - for so many years I've winced as masseurs have rubbed my ridiculously sensitive back and shoulders too hard, wishing they would hurry up and finish, and descended into absolute bliss when they've started work on my legs, which can take the firm pressure.

In Sri Lanka, I asked for soft pressure on my back and shoulders, and hard pressure on my legs. I'd forgotten that at the time I'd found the hard pressure on my legs a little too much, and put down for the same again this time.

My masseuse, Maria, was fabulous. She introduced herself, and led me through to the treatment room, where she offered me a refreshing shot of cucumber, pineapple and mint, before going over my requirements. I explained about my sensitive back issue, and said my legs are fine for hard pressure.

I got changed, hopped up on to the bed, and Maria proceeded to give me the most incredible massage I have ever had. I have literally never wanted a back massage to end - her pressure was spot on!

The background music was different to any music I have heard in a Spa before. I am used to the 'sounds of nature' kind of tracks - rainfall, etc etc. This, however, was what sounded like a beautiful female church choir, and while it wasn't a Christmas carol, it certainly had a very Christmassy feel about it. I felt like I was tucked away in a warm hideaway escaping the bitter cold outside, rather than the reality of the outside temperature being 21 degrees! The only downside to this was that it was one track, on loop. I didn't actually notice until about half an hour in, I thought it was an album all by the same artist. By the end of the 60 minute treatment, I felt like I could have signed up to the choir then and there and known all of the words!

I winced a little when it came to my legs, but that was my own fault as I'd asked for that pressure, and to be honest I figured it would be doing my tense muscles the world of good, so I kept quiet, even when Maria asked if the pressure was okay. Now I know for sure that next time, I need to go for soft pressure on the back and shoulders, and medium on the legs!

I came away from my massage feeling absolutely incredible. I popped back briefly to the relaxation room, where I was offered tea, and an abundance of magazines to read whilst relaxing by the tranquility pool.

Next time, I would skip using the Club facilities and go straight to the Spa and make use of the relaxation area to properly unwind before my treatment. There were a few too many little'uns down in the Club which made it hard to switch off. 

I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon at the Jaula Spa, and wish I could have stayed there all night instead of traipsing over to Carrefour to do a food shop!

The ladies over at Pearl and Peach also reviewed the Jaula Spa recently, and I think they came away feeling just as zen as I did!

If you are a Doha dweller, what spa is your favourite? If you reside elsewhere, what treatments do you enjoy the most?