Rest, Relaxation and tranquillity, surrounded by a pristine private beachfront and azure waters, perfect to reinvigorate your mind, body and spirit, and embark on a journey of all-encompassing wellness, the Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain Resort and Spa is the perfect place to experience Jumeirah’s famed Arabian hospitality. Marco Den Ouden, General Manager, Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain, proudly showed us around the luxury resort and spoke about their future plans and more.
Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain Resort and Spa is one of the ‘hottest’ properties on the island – and it is truly gorgeous. Marco, tell us what you believe is the most unique aspect of the property that makes it special.
Marco Den Ouden, General Manager, Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain Resort and Spa: I think the location is quite unique. We are, as you said, at the beautiful beachfront property here and since a lot of people in Bahrain have very busy lives and it’s very important to take some time away from all of it for yourself. We as a resort, one of the first resorts in the Kingdom, have a lot to offer and that makes us unique.
The Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain is a massive property and gives large family vacation vibes. We understand you have multi-room suites and villas, what else do you have in place to cater to that category of clientele in terms of other amenities and dining options?
You are right about the vibes. On the room side, we have a very unique setup with rooms that are interconnected as well as larger room categories like the royal suite. Then there is the Gulf Summer House that is set up to cater to larger families. And we have great facilities for them to enjoy once they are here,l we have one of the largest spas in Bahrain with a membership program, eight F&B outlets, a kids club,a cinema, seven pools, and a beautiful beachfront with water sports.
Seven pools that’s something else. So the parents can be in one pool and the children can enjoy themselves in another.
I think our hyper-personalisation program is quite different from what from anything else here in Bahrain. On vacations, while people like to spend time with their loved ones however real relaxation or rejuvenation comes from having a bit of alone time. So we’re very proud to be one of the first ones to offer something like this.
Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain also have plenty to offer in terms of dining option, from Europe, East Asia and the Middle East – how many outlets do you currently have and are there plans to bring in more?
Yes, you are right we do have a wide variety of cuisine on offer here with eight dining outlets. Our latest is ‘Due Mari’ which is a Sicilian restaurant. Funnily, the word ‘Due Mari’ means two seas, just like the word Bahrain! Then we have Obab Al Bahar which has all-day dining, it is also where we do our Friday brunch – which has become very popular. One of the signature outlets that we’ve recently launched is called Zahrat Al Fayrouz, a lovely venue with great Levantine cuisine. Every F&B outlet has a completely different setup because we want to create little destinations in the property itself and also make sure that the chefs can let their creative juices flow. So please come and experience it.
Being environment-friendly is the new mantra in the hospitality industry – how has the Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain worked on this aspect?
We work with a lot of fresh ingredients that we mindfully source locally. We pre-select suppliers with a low carbon footprint so we have a lot of organic produce. We also try to be as energy-efficient as possible in our energy and water consumption. However, we realise now that there is a lot more that needs to be done and we need to create a more continuous effort towards sustainability.
You’ve worked at some of the most beautiful properties out of Maldives and earlier in China – what prompted the move and how has your experience in Bahrain been thus far?
Bahrain is a great market and there are so many opportunities to expand the international and even local touristic footprint – with more diversity, more experiences and more hospitality options. That’s why I am here. I like to create, initiate and innovate and that’s why I think Bahrain is such a great place to be. Bahrain actually has an innate sense of hospitality and culture and that makes it so much more interesting to work here.
It is no secret that I enjoy food and I enjoy creativity. I think those two things have really surprised me here in Bahrain. There are a lot of beautiful markets with fresh produce and the availability of cuisines or ingredients. On top of that, there are a lot of painters, artists, whose craftsmanship and we have used throughout our property in our interiors and artwork across the hotel, But there is so much more and that’s what I usually like to explore my free time.
Work-life balance is almost a myth in the hospitality industry – how do you deal with it and what do you enjoy doing in your limited leisure time?
I try very hard but I have learned that my phone is not my phone so as soon as my number gets shared, people call whenever they feel like it. So my real moment of privacy is when everybody else is asleep. I also try to find my moments during the day. I am very fortunate to have a great team that supports me operationally so I can step into the background and work on creating bigger and better experiences for our guests.
This is just an excerpt of our conversation with the charming Marco Ouden, the true beauty of this interview lies in the video shot across the Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain exploring this slice of heaven. Tap the link to watch the full video
