Review of Four Seasons Hotel Doha, by Lara Dunston and Terence Carter

No one does a welcome quite like the Four Seasons. And in the Arabian Gulf, with amplification provided by the notion of Arab hospitality, the Four Seasons Doha, set on the Corniche next to the sparkling sea, succeeds with excess when it comes to greeting guests and thereafter satisfying their every need.

It's endearingly old fashioned for sure, but impeccable service never goes out of style - especially when you're on the receiving end of it dozens of times a day. The staff here greets you by name so often you wonder whether Big Brother is whispering in their collective earpiece. Spooky.

With its own exclusive beach, marina and stunning spa, as well an excellent business centre and conference rooms, Doha's Four Seasons is built both for business and pleasure, and handles everything from breakfast business meetings to beach bumming with refined 'can-do' ease.

As is typical of five star hotels in the Arabian Gulf (or Persian, depending who you're talking to), the sumptuous lobby is a meeting point for locals and expat businesspeople keen to 'forge partnerships' and find 'synergy'. For holidaymakers, this means an endlessly fascinating parade worthy of a pot of tea while you pretend to read the newspapers. And speaking of tea, Afternoon Tea - accompanied by the plucked perfection of a harp player - gives a nod and a wink to Qatar's British protectorate days.

As the sun sets magically over the Arabian Gulf, attention turns towards a stiff G&T in The Library Bar and Cigar Lounge, but the martinis (the best in the country if not the Gulf) make a strong showing. A hefty Cuban cigar, the fine bar snacks (sublime beef burgers with foie gras!) and the live piano music might make you get a little too comfortable to head off to dinner.

The in-house Italian restaurant, Il Teatro, sates rather than surprises, but the service is (once again) brilliant. There is an informal brasserie as well, along with a poolside grill - a fine option in the cooler months. If you're taking advantage of the spa (and you should), there is the Après Spa Café that negates everything that's decadent in the paragraph above. But still on the subject of ingesting, the breakfasts are noteworthy, with a brilliant Middle East inspired frittata that's worth setting a wake-up call for.

There are 232 plush, sizeable guest rooms, including 57 suites and a grand penthouse-like Royal Suite. The rooms with a view of the Corniche and the Arabian Gulf (including teeny balconies and views of the kitsch 'watchtowers' on the beach) are the most pleasing. The rooms are somewhat incongruously French Empire with a modern twist. However, the devil is definitely in the details and it's here that you'll find marble bathrooms, tempting toiletries, fluffy towels, and fine bed sheets that defy snooze buttons.