SPLASHING OUT!

One of the kingdom’s most iconic resorts is on the path to reclaiming its former glory with a series of investments planned under new stewardship

Al Areen Investment, under the umbrella of Gulf Finance House, now owns and manages the two million square-metre portion of land which includes the Al Areen Palace & Spa, the Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park and the surrounding residential projects.

CEO Dr Essa Faqeeh is the new man in charge, and has made it his goal to restore the five-star palace to its level of expectation and drive growth in the area, located just south of the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir.

Dr Essa, a Bahraini who has been in the hospitality industry for 30 years, said: “It’s no secret that the standards Al Areen aspires to have slipped in recent years. A mixture of a lack of investment and poor management in my opinion meant that the palace dipped below what it should have been.

“The landscaping was in a bad condition, the swimming pools were leaking with various cracks, and many of the indoor furnishings were chipped and worn.

“Since coming in late last year, we’ve spent an extensive amount of money on renovations. Already it’s a five star location again, and we’ve righted many of the wrongs. Our next goal is to improve.

“It’s a gradual process, these things don’t happen instantly but we’ve made a huge amount of progress and the trajectory is on the up.”

Essa spent 20 years at the Gulf Hotel Bahrain, working his way up the ranks to managerial positions. In the meantime, he obtained a Masters and PhD in Hospitality from the University of Hull to further his credentials, before taking on a variety of advisory roles in 2013.

It was then that he first became acquainted with the Al Areen Palace & Spa. After being headhunted to advise on how to help turn the hotel around he is using the case study information he gathered to steer it to a brighter future.

He explained: “In 2013 I came and recommended changes, mainly focused around pushing Al Areen as a family location. We have 78 villas complete with maljis, dining areas, temperature controlled pools, plus a variety of dining outlets incorporating a number of cuisines.

“It just made sense to push it as the best family-orientated location in Bahrain, especially with so much high-quality competition in the hospitality sector now.

“That’s also the reason Al Areen has always been a dry resort, and will continue to be so, because we want that family demographic. It’s not only more profitable to bring families in as they spend more than an individual, but it also means there are none of the issues which usually arise with those sorts of places, and it’s much safer for the children.”

Last year, 180,000 people visited the location, and Essa is keen to see that figure push through the 200,000 barrier in 2017. With the 10th anniversary of the LPOD water park being celebrated with a series of events and festivals throughout the year, there is a high probability the goal will be achieved.

The park’s season is officially underway, as the opening ceremony was held last weekend with a carnival featuring traditional Dhol and Bhagra performers, magicians, clowns and stilt-walkers. It was opened by guest of honour, Southern Governor Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa.

Essa said: “We’re one of the biggest water parks in the Gulf region with 77,000sqm, and have plenty of room to expand that other locations like Wild Wadi in Dubai do not have. We’re also looking at developing our corporate days, with team-building packages and exercises.

“We want to send a message saying that this place is made for families and for a good time for all. We have ladies nights which attract as many as 2,500 every Thursday, while our activity days such as the incoming Holi Festival on March 17 will attract crowds of more than 4,000.

“Work never stops either; during the winter we’ve been extremely busy with maintenance work, getting everything up to scratch ready for the season.”

As for the future, there are major investments and developments in the pipeline to further link the resort to the water park, but Essa is remaining tight-lipped for now.