Ritz-Carlton Doha, you can rely on an old friend!

Visitors also get a grandstand view of the major development projects of Doha: The Pearl-Qatar manmade island set to house 40,000 residents in an upmarket community redolent of Monaco and the Mediterranean; and the massive Lusail residential district to the north of the hotel which will ultimately be home to 220,000 people and the Qatar Energy City business park.

Clearly the central focus of Doha is being built around the Ritz-Carlton. But fortunately the actual construction work is quite some distance from the hotel, which is on an island of its own, so there is no noise from the huge sites.

Doha panorama

However, as a vantage point to see what Doha of the near future is going to look like you should head to the upper levels of the hotel. The Club lounge offers the best daytime view from its panoramic windows, and Club guests have the benefit of complimentary snacks and beverages through out the day.

The 42 Club rooms on the top three levels are always the hardest to book in this often 100 per cent full hotel. It is not difficult to see why, they have the best views and comfort levels as well as the lounge, accessible only via keyed elevator.

Also on the top level of the hotel is the La Mer signature restaurant, arguably the finest restaurant in Doha today. Or for a more casual dining experience try the Porchini Italian restaurant downstairs where the chef does an admirable job without the pork that normally goes into this sort of cuisine.

Italian delights

This reviewer enjoyed an excellent dinner of goat's cheese spring rolls, juicy steak with wild mushrooms and a wicked desert. Not the kind of meal your wife or doctor might approve, but a nice end to a hard day of business in Qatar.

Located on a secure artificial island to the west of Doha, the Ritz-Carlton has a total of 374 rooms and suites lined with padded velvet and silk wall fabrics. Bathrooms are finely crafted in marble and leisure facilities are also premier league. There is a spacious spa complex, an indoor 25-metre swimming pool, full-size indoor tennis courts, and a garden with a feature rock-pool and bar for sunbathing.

But it is the personal touch of the ladies and gentlemen of the Ritz-Carlton that really make this hotel a home from home. The concierge has an encyclopaedic memory for names and greets you as an old friend and weary traveller, not just another customer. And the staff all seem to take a universal pride in making you welcome, it is enough to seduce even the most world-worn businessman.