myself and a few friends stayed at this hotel for our xmas break .
we paid over the odds for a 2 night stay, in a frankly,, dissapointing hotel.
we were placed in an odd shaped (small) room with a view of the parking lot, the beds were really hard and after 2 nights made my back ache.
we stayed in a twin room, perhaps this might suggest that there were two guests in the room, but we only managed to to get 1 keys for the room, or 1 bathrobes or 1 pairs of slippers??? go figure??
staff were clueless at best,,failed to locate a fellow guest (who was had booked all 3 rooms in her name) and was staying on the floor beneath us?? we spoke to 3 different staff memebers and not one of them could give us correct information about opening times of the salon.
my biggest annoyance was the fact that i had to pay for internet, which was expensive.
for such a large well established hotel, charging 70BHD a night (without breakfast included i might add) i expect internet to be provided.
guests could purchase a 5BHD card that lasted 2 hours, or a 10BHD card that lasted 24hours, i opted for the 10BHD card obviously, only to be told they had 'run-out' of that particular card and that i would have to purchase numerous 5BHD cards!! great.
in short a dissapointing xmas break, i wouldnt use this hotel again i think there are far superior hotels in Bahrain for cheaper, and offer better facilities and service.

an overall ok hotel. the rooms in the main wing have recently been renovated and look it. very clean and modern with decent space. here are the problems:

* wifi in room requires physical card purchase from the reception but unfortunately they were out of the 24 hour cards that cost 10BD. i had to buy the only remaining 5BD one that would only give me 2 hours and there was no way they could find a solution!
* no complimentary bathroom slipper. this has become de rigeur in almost all large five star hotel of which this one thinks it is.
* staff are a bit rusty and could not find my reservation on first attempt at checkin even though i gave them printed confirmation from the hotel's own website. this was a minor issue though as it was promptly located on another of the front desk terminals.

i would say this place needs to bring in a major international name to manage the hotel - someone like a marriott - to bring it up to par. the potential's there.

i also paid around 80BD per night tax included for reference.

oh and the omelet and sausages that room service just delivered were amazing!

Ok this is a harder review as this hotel both makes the grade and also fails in some areas terribly. Airport pickup was a joke with no driver on hand and then eventually told by a hotel rep to take the bus! Eventually took a car but it was filthy and the driver drove like a maniac - touching 140k at one point! Check in was impersonal and I was allocated an apartment in the back of the hotel (new building.) Now if you are here for a month the apartment is actually ok, very spacious with decent kitchen etc, but totally devoid of any warmth and any hotel facilities ie mini-bar etc. I spent one night here and then threatened to check out as there was no internet connection in the rooms and I had work to do. Miraculously I was then moved to the 9th floor of the main tower into a brand new room that is - PERFECT! Excellent decor, stylish bathroom, two flat screen tv's, internet connection, mini-bar, great furnishings and stunning views over Manama! Access to the 13th floor Platinum lounge affords you free internet access, free food and drinks all day and a stylish lounge to relax in. I was very happy and the service improved to almost 3 star levels ! Gulf hotel pool is excellent, the gym is a real old fashioned sweat gym and the sauna areas need updating - it is not a spa! So all in all the Gulf is worth a visit if you are in Bahrain but INSIST you are in the refurbished tower. Oh and don't expect reception to answer your call until your third attempt! But Bahrain and Manama are worth seeing and the hotel mixes tradition with a modern touch reasonably well.

Just returned from a stay at this hotel for business. it has a charm and style that captivates you from the moment you arrive. The facilities are extensive with shops and many fine restaurants within the complex, in addition to a well planned conference centre, accessed from the hotel itself.
The rooms were beautifully furnished with all modern features and a stunning view- I stayed on the 10th foor of the recently refurbished 'tower wing' and as such, everything had a brand new feel to it. Some small snags with water leaking from the shower tray onto floor, and using the 'light management box' to get the correct lighting ambience in the room, but these are minor compared to the efficient service received when needed and overall comfort of the hotel. Fantastic swimming pool which was practically deserted when there, offering a great place to relax after the days business. Great for a short stay, although a little far out from the citys commercial centre