The Plaza Doha, LXR Hotels & Resorts

Character and identity

The Plaza Doha occupies a strategic spot near Hamad International Airport and within easy reach of the Corniche, Souq Waqif and the National Museum of Qatar. The 290 rooms and suites sit behind a dramatic lobby anchored by sweeping staircases, a cascading glass chandelier and Vincent Faudemer's Babolex Falcon Gold sculpture. The design register is European-inflected and gilded, with marble bathrooms throughout. Dining runs to three outlets: Sarabeth's for New York breakfast and bakery, The Courtyard for international cooking in a Parisian setting, and rooftop Horizons. The rooftop pool deck looks across the Mina District to West Bay.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What defines the stay is the combination of location and rooftop theatre: you're minutes from the airport, the Corniche and the museums, with one of the city's better sunset perches upstairs. Book it if you want a central, family-friendly Doha base and don't mind a dry house. Request a room away from the street, and aim for a higher floor to make the most of the views.