“The Outpost Al Barari is about combining close to nature experiences with luxurious hospitality into an iconic hotel concept,” founding partner Peter Van De Bunt told reporters at a press preview of the resort Wednesday.
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The resort features 21 villas, comprising the Emiri and Heritage villas that provide guests with ultimate privacy. PICTURE: Joey Aguilar
The 35,000sqm property, located 66km from Hamad International Airport, offers curated experiences that celebrate the country’s rich natural environment and heritage – surrounded by soaring sand dunes and desert wilderness.
The resort will receive its first guests on November 19, while the official grand opening will take place later, it was revealed.
The resort features 21 villas, comprising the Emiri and Heritage villas that provide guests with ultimate privacy and uncompromising comfort, scenic views of the desert “from private terraces with infinity pools that are inspired by the turquoise sea of Qatar”.
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Inside a Heritage Villa. Supplied picture
“The idea is always to be embedded in nature, disconnect from the city life, and just enjoy and celebrate nature… We are a resort where there is subdued music, relaxing fireplace, we’re going to have open fire barbeque here as well, there is outdoor sitting…” De Bunt said.
Besides taking an immersive desert walk, inland sea safari, camel ride and fat-bike trail, guests can also explore an array of offerings: from ‘Yoga on the Dunes’ and ‘Outdoor Cinema’ to an unforgettable culinary experience such as having a romantic dinner atop the dune while overlooking “the immense desert panorama”.
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Peter Van De Bunt tours reporters at the property Wednesday. PICTURE: Joey Aguilar
Another way to see a picturesque view of the desert and dunescape is to go up 50m above the ground via the Al Barari hot air balloon. At night, the resort’s stargazing deck allows guests to stare at the stars and other heavenly bodies while having a snack or dinner.
“The beauty is you are combining that luxury hospitality in a natural setting,” De Bunt said, noting they have seen this trend – an increasing interest in such kind of experiences – over the last 15 years.
“We are trying to take everything on to the next level, talked a bit about the dining concept and desert tours, it will be educational (since) we are a brand of purpose. That's the beauty about it, it's not about just hospitality, selling rooms to make money, it's about a purpose really, and that is something meaningful and I think it fits into the time as well,” he pointed out.
A gastronomic journey also awaits guests with exclusive private dining services either at the resort or at scenic desert sites. The Outpost Al Barari’s food and beverage concept is a blend of Mediterranean and Qatari cuisine, he said.
According to De Bunt, The Outpost Al Barari is a homegrown brand that aims to expand to different countries in the region, including Oman.
“Fast is the time frame. By end of this year, we'll hopefully sign all the contracts and then we would start doing it first in Oman and then, we plan the next one because it's like a snowball effect.
“It is not just beautiful, it's also a high-yielding investment because we are really targeting in terms of experiences the ultra-luxury market and so the yields are quite pretty high compared to conventional hotel investments,” he noted. “It's a concept that caters to the local market but I hope that we are beautiful enough to attract and retain international guests as well.”