Lebanon-based GM Architects said it has won the contract to design the interiors of the Jumeirah Al Sahel Resort & Spa in Bahrain, a first-of-its-kind five-star property in the kingdom, in association with DSA architects.

The Jumeirah Al Sahel Resort & Spa will be an impressive resort secluded from the city, which will offer a retreat-style stay for local and foreign visitors looking for exclusivity. It is set for launch by the end of 2019, said a statement from GM Architects.

The resort will feature a variety of accommodation and entertainment options for its guests; including both room and villa accommodation, as well as family restaurants, a cinema, a teen room, kids club, conference centres, a juice bar, several bars and lounges and luxurious spa facilities, it added.

A specialist in the field of high-end tourism, GM Architects said it is the only architecture and design company in the Middle East to regularly work with Accor, Rotana, Starwood, Marriott and Jumeirah.

Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts is regarded as among the most luxurious and innovative in the world and has won numerous international travel and tourism awards. The company was founded in 1997 with the aim of becoming a hospitality industry leader through establishing a world class portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts.

GM Architects envisions new interiors for the Jumeirah Resort and Spa off the coast of Bahrain, near Manama, on the ancient routes of pearl traders and fishermen, said a company spokesman.

"The new face of the hotel is deeply rooted in local traditions and lifestyle, and embedded with a vision of modern luxury," he stated.

"The design by GM Architects is a representation of the journey taken by pearl traders for millennia beginning in the heart of the city, a place of cultural exchange and lively interactions, to Bahrain’s shores, scattered with fishing huts and where life is intertwined with the sea, and finally on to the vast ocean on board a traditional boat or 'Banoosh' in search of pearls and new worlds," he added.

Visitors to the hotel will experience this journey as they move through the hotel’s diverse spaces, each which tells a part of one whole story. The architects’ main goal was to create a unique place through a holistic approach keeping very close contact with the local culture, all while assuring a relaxing and luxurious environment in line with the high standards of the Jumeirah hotels.

The main lobby is a direct invitation to enter this journey, with a welcoming glimpse of the sea in the distance, and a spectacular glass lighting installation which hangs above a seating area 'Majlis', which suggests oceanic elements like sea foam, pearls, and a light breeze.

Approaching the outer façade, the visitor will pass by a water mirror that links the inside with the outside nature, as well as large bookshelves carrying objects and books as if gathered from a global explorer. Further into the hotel, this vision of pearl traders, intercultural references, and seafarers flows naturally with the elegant and contemporary atmosphere that GM Architects’ is known for, said the spokesman.

For the design of the lobby, certain private rooms, the ballrooms and the business centre, GM Architects has taken direct influence from the surrounding city, he explained.

Creating each space to reflect an inherent part of the local city life, such as the bustling streets, the houses with local architecture and aesthetics influenced by far away Eastern cultures, decorated with lattices and foreign materials.

The light-filled interiors of the ballrooms for instance are inspired by a wind tower, with high ceilings naturally illuminated above and adorned with meticulous geometric carvings, he added.

According to him, the hotel’s bar is an interpretation of the interior of a boat with wooden ceilings and hanging lamps that resemble ropes and pulleys.

In addition, GM Architects has added details around the hotel that are inspired by the local arts and crafts such as the hanging glass installation that follows you up the stairs, as well as the aesthetic of weaving grass native to the area, he stated.

The hotel offers a series of island bungalows and an island restaurant and bar inspired by the sea and its naturally occurring compositions and materials. Within the island bungalows, guests will be at close proximity to the resort’s main asset: the ocean, he added.-TradeArabia News Service