I’m struggling justifying paying extra to avoid a Four Seasons (in the interest of staying at a points hotel), so I’m curious what OMAAT readers think…
In this post:
I have an upcoming one-night stay in Kuwait
As I recently wrote about, I’m embarking on a review trip, and this will include a one-night stopover in Kuwait. I’ll be in town for 24 hours, so I’m forward to going into town, strolling around, etc.
Kuwait’s hotel market has gotten significantly more competitive since the last time I visited. In the past few years we’ve seen the opening of the Four Seasons, the St. Regis, and the Waldorf Astoria. My plan is to stay at one of these, though I’m not sure which.
Since this is a one-night stay, I figured this is the perfect opportunity to book through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, and take advantage of the $200 annual Amex Travel hotel credit offered by The Platinum Card® from American Express (review).
This is straightforward, as I’ll receive a $200 statement credit with the booking, all while being able to take advantage of Fine Hotels & Resorts perks, including complimentary breakfast, a room upgrade, a $100 property credit, and more.
The issue is, I can’t actually decide where to stay. Looking at the Fine Hotels & Resorts rates (before the $200 credit is applied):
- The Four Seasons Kuwait costs $370
- The Waldorf Astoria Kuwait costs $394
- The St. Regis Kuwait costs $405
As you can see, all the hotels are within ~$35 of one another, and after the credit, I’ll be paying $170-205 out of pocket for these stays.
Which Kuwait hotel should I book?
I’m really not sure which of these properties to stay at, so let me explain my thought process, and then please tell me which property you recommend I stay at, and/or which property you’d most like to read about.
At first glance, I think the Four Seasons Kuwait at Burj Alshaya is the obvious choice. Not only is the property the cheapest, but it looks gorgeous, and Four Seasons is the most consistent major hotel group when it comes to service and standards.
But I also acknowledge that lots of OMAAT readers want more reviews of points hotels rather than Four Seasons properties, which I totally respect, which is why I’m leaning toward paying a premium for one of the other properties.
I’m more in need of elite nights with Marriott Bonvoy than Hilton Honors, so my gut is to go with the St. Regis Kuwait. However, after doing some research, it appears the St. Regis is essentially a rebranding of the initial tower of the Sheraton Kuwait, after an extensive renovation.
All of that is fine, except the St. Regis doesn’t have a spa or gym, and the pool is apparently shared with the adjacent Four Points. So it looks like the rooms are nice, but that’s about it. You Have Been Upgraded (a German blog) reviewed this property recently, and makes me think twice about staying here.
Lastly, there’s the Waldorf Astoria Kuwait. Physically the property looks beautiful. It’s also attached to Kuwait’s biggest mall, which is either a pro or con, depending on how you look at it (given how malls are sort of social hubs in the Middle East).
I’m also intrigued by the hotel having a club lounge, which costs an extra $100 per night (Hilton Honors Diamond members don’t get access to Waldorf Astoria lounges). I’m almost tempted to book that, since I’ve never visited a Waldorf Astoria club lounge before. Then again, I’m not sure I could consume much in the lounge while also taking advantage of breakfast in the restaurant and a $100 property credit.
So I was leaning toward booking this, until I checked out the FlyerTalk thread about this property, which suggest service at the hotel leaves a lot to be desired, and also highlights how a manager essentially called a guest based on a TripAdvisor review, and more or less gaslighted him. I’m not sure if those were just opening quirks or what, but it doesn’t instill much confidence in the experience.
I suppose the one other wild card option is the Grand Hyatt Kuwait. The catch is that it doesn’t belong to Fine Hotels & Resorts (so there would be no credit), and it’s quite expensive with points, at 21,000 World of Hyatt points per night. However, it does have a club lounge that I’d have access to.
I should note that I haven’t really factored location into my analysis much, so if anyone has strong opinions there, I’d love to hear them. For what it’s worth, all properties are 15-20 minutes from the airport, so distance to the airport isn’t a consideration.
Bottom line
Kuwait’s luxury hotel market has improved nicely in recently years, with several new luxury brands opening up properties there. Usually I have no issues deciding on my own where to stay by considering pricing, amenities, etc. However, my upcoming Kuwait stay is leaving me stumped.
Several options are right around the same price, but I’m not sure which to choose. I’ll go with whatever OMAAT readers recommend, so please let me know what y’all would recommend, and/or would most like to read about.
What hotel do you think I should book in Kuwait?
Its funny how the guy asking about a hotel and people criticizing why kuwait does not accept Israeli passports, grow up, stop the genocide and assist him in choosing.
As for me i would go with Waldorf astoria and expose their manager :)
Your choice then comes down to what you want to do during your 24 hours layover.
Four Seasons in located downtown and gives you quick access to a few things: overlooks Al Shaheed Park (if you need a morning jog), it’s about a 5-10 min taxi ride away from Souq Al Mubarakia (traditional gulf style market built in the early 1900’s). It’s about 10 min away from Kuwait National Museum (located on Gulf Road) and...
Your choice then comes down to what you want to do during your 24 hours layover.
Four Seasons in located downtown and gives you quick access to a few things: overlooks Al Shaheed Park (if you need a morning jog), it’s about a 5-10 min taxi ride away from Souq Al Mubarakia (traditional gulf style market built in the early 1900’s). It’s about 10 min away from Kuwait National Museum (located on Gulf Road) and about 7 min from Al Salam Palace Museum (book ticket in advance, online). You also have Kuwait Towers observation deck (buy ticket downstairs. No booking required). The list goes on.
Waldorf, as you said, is at the Avenues so it’s just a mall around you. Nothing else. The mall itself has a section devoted to old-style Kuwait so you’ll get a traditional souk feeling in there. But this emulates Al Mubarakia souk I discussed above so why not just go to the original instead?
Grand Hyatt is attached to 360 (mall) and its 15 tennis courts if you’re in to that, with Sahara Golf Course and Murouj Food Complex (open air pedestrianized food and entertainment zone) just across the highway (which means you’ll need a cab to reach it.. about 5-10 min ride).
Bottom line: I would stay downtown. It has lots to offer daytime whilst the Waldorf and Grand H are mall hotels really and catered for gulf nationals who tend to visit with their kids and those kids need the malls to play and run around in.
Stay at the Four Points :)
I stayed there a few months ago and was blown away! Service was prompt and courteous, the cars they use for (shared, if there are other guests) complimentary transfers are of a five-star luxury standard, the rooms are very well appointed (faaaar beyond what you would expect from a Four Points), and their rooftop pool has a gorgeous view (and so does their business centre)! Easily the best experience I've had in a four-star hotel,...
I stayed there a few months ago and was blown away! Service was prompt and courteous, the cars they use for (shared, if there are other guests) complimentary transfers are of a five-star luxury standard, the rooms are very well appointed (faaaar beyond what you would expect from a Four Points), and their rooftop pool has a gorgeous view (and so does their business centre)! Easily the best experience I've had in a four-star hotel, and better than many five-stars I've been in. Disclosure: I work for Marriott so benefited from a discounted rate, but otherwise I paid my own bill, and am not even a VIP or anything.
I’m all about Marriott points bookings but also love a good FH&R find as often times the good ones are pricey. I’d love to see a review of the Four Seasons!
I wonder if you could use the property credit for the lounge access...
Book Hilton and expose the manager please. I hate those managers
Any recommendations for stuff to do in Kuwait? Will be there for 24 hours later this month. I know there’s not much to see, but any tips (other than the mall) would be welcome.
Both the souq/old market and the grand mosque are definitely worth visiting. They're within walking distance from each other, and are not touristy (despite being major tourist attractions in Kuwait). For example, you can see a lot of locals and residents alike shopping, dining, or socializing over tea at the souq. The grand mosque has a stunning interior design and the (free) tour I took was very informative.
I also visited the Kuwait Towers (this...
Both the souq/old market and the grand mosque are definitely worth visiting. They're within walking distance from each other, and are not touristy (despite being major tourist attractions in Kuwait). For example, you can see a lot of locals and residents alike shopping, dining, or socializing over tea at the souq. The grand mosque has a stunning interior design and the (free) tour I took was very informative.
I also visited the Kuwait Towers (this one IS touristy) but wasn't impressed.
All three hotels (St Regis, Waldorf, FSeason) look amazing and fabulous in the pic (except Grand Hyatt which look a bit boring, similar with GHyatt in Dammam), which are supposed to look as luxury hotels in oil-rich Gulf countries, a major one in OPEC. ....... Then what the hell is going on their super-crappy airport and horrible lounge????!!! Whenever I pass that airport (I am an expat in Saudi), I feel like, "Did I land...
All three hotels (St Regis, Waldorf, FSeason) look amazing and fabulous in the pic (except Grand Hyatt which look a bit boring, similar with GHyatt in Dammam), which are supposed to look as luxury hotels in oil-rich Gulf countries, a major one in OPEC. ....... Then what the hell is going on their super-crappy airport and horrible lounge????!!! Whenever I pass that airport (I am an expat in Saudi), I feel like, "Did I land in North Korea or something?", It seems the country's oh-so-corrupted (sort of) semi-parliamentary democracy can't really pull off the probably most important infrastructure project...
Stay at all of them.
Four Seasons please
I mean, the reality is that 99% of your readers are unlikely to ever visit Kuwait, so its not like they are desperate to know which hotel to stay in.
Book whichever one you actually want to stay in.
I don't think too many people would head to Kuwait as a tourist. But I'm sure plenty of OMAAT readers work in oil and gas, so the review will be of interest to some.
Kuwaiti Dinars are backed by oil.
So is the car you drive, the clothes you where, the food you eat, the hospital you go to etc. What is you point?
@Sam
This is above your comprehension level. Point being it is one of the worlds strongest currencies that can’t just be printed out of thin air at will to make you poorer.
I would like to read a review on Waldorf. I sort of know what Four Seasons and St. Regis would be like. But, as it’s out of pocket, some would probably just pick Four Seasons.
I would like to read a review on Waldorf. I sort of know what Four Seasons and St. Regis would be like. But, as it’s out of pocket, some would probably pick Four Seasons.
I think of any of the credit card travel discounts as on par with points, so if you went to the 4S you'd be thinking the way I do.
(PS I also love your reviews of the multi-thousand dollar splurges, from time to time.)
Id rather see you review four seasons than points hotels.
I've recently stayed 4 nights at the St. Regis and really enjoyed it. Yes, it's still under conversion. But everything ready is superior to other St. Regis. The rooms are gorgeous with the most beautiful built-in refreshment center. And the service with all the butlers around was beyond. What we especially enjoyed was that we found a home-made delicious treat in our room every day. And there is a super cute temporary club lounge in...
I've recently stayed 4 nights at the St. Regis and really enjoyed it. Yes, it's still under conversion. But everything ready is superior to other St. Regis. The rooms are gorgeous with the most beautiful built-in refreshment center. And the service with all the butlers around was beyond. What we especially enjoyed was that we found a home-made delicious treat in our room every day. And there is a super cute temporary club lounge in the Sheraton part that warmly served us every evening for dinner. It's small, old-fashioned and cozy. Reminded me of my grandma's home. We enjoyed the 4 days very much and didn't hear anything from the renovation work. Especially the warm-hearted staff will remain in our memories.
PS: I'm only Bonvoy Gold. Still lounge access was free/included in the normal (huge) room.
Grand Hyatt for me. I think it will have the widest appeal. With a club lounge and breakfast, you won't really need a $100 credit in Kuwait.
Book the one where they welcome jews.. yeah -- none!
Todah raba ben-interestingly though I read in J Post 2-3 years ago that quite a number of curious tourists from Kuwait and other middle east countries have visited Israel.To accomplish this they first fly to Greece and then on to Tel Aviv where passports are not stamped.
A lot of Muslims would love to visit Israel, and quite a few have. Jerusalem has the third most holiest site in the religion, and there is a ton of interesting history over there. I would love to visit once the current war settles down.
I’m not really sure what you want to do for 24 hours in Kuwait. I have been several times on business and I can say it is one of the most boring cities in the world, unless you are catching up with friends or have some work to do. Otherwise there is nothing for the average tourist to do. Getting around is a bit tricky as there are no Uber or Careem and the local...
I’m not really sure what you want to do for 24 hours in Kuwait. I have been several times on business and I can say it is one of the most boring cities in the world, unless you are catching up with friends or have some work to do. Otherwise there is nothing for the average tourist to do. Getting around is a bit tricky as there are no Uber or Careem and the local equivalent is not that great. The best thing do is to stroll around the Avenues Mall which is easily the best in the middle east. It has a very well done local souk replica and a ton of great restaurants. So with this in mind I’d pick the WA. The Grand Hyatt looks nice but the mall next to it, while upscale, is nothing special. I stayed at the FS and while the property and service are top notch, there is absolutely nothing to do around it.
Uber worked perfectly fine for us. Stayed at the St. Regis in February 2024.
Four Seasons, for sure! I love reading your Four Seasons reviews as much as all your plane content. The points factor don’t matter. I’d like to know if the 4S is good enough to go to Kuwait for
Coming from someone living in Kuwait annd intimately familiar with the Grand Hyatt, it’s far and away the most beautiful hotel in Kuwait at the moment as a hard product, and it’s also attached to a premium mall. Note that their Grand Club has been converted to an event space, but the hotel gives out the all-day and evening club benefits in the lobby lounge. Kuwait is dry so no alcohol whatsoever, but I’m sure...
Coming from someone living in Kuwait annd intimately familiar with the Grand Hyatt, it’s far and away the most beautiful hotel in Kuwait at the moment as a hard product, and it’s also attached to a premium mall. Note that their Grand Club has been converted to an event space, but the hotel gives out the all-day and evening club benefits in the lobby lounge. Kuwait is dry so no alcohol whatsoever, but I’m sure you remember that from your last visit.
If you want to meet up with a local reader and travel enthusiast, it’d be great to see you here and take you around.
4S
Avoid transiting through any nations that stand against Israel my friend.
Don’t listen to this hack. Israel is committing genocide and they deserve zero support from anyone.
False claim. Check out 9/11 and Oct 7.
FS
As a points blog the grand Hyatt is the clear and perhaps only choice. Sorry.
Avoid St. Regis, it's a scam, it's in the same building as the Sheraton, Woldorf is the newest hotel with the best rooms but the service is average. My favorit hotel in Kuwait is the Grand Hyatt very luxerious and with amazing breakasft
Stay at the 4S, it makes the most sense in this situation. I echo other readers in saying this IS an attainable 4S to Amex Plat holders, unlike all the other 4S properties you review. Plus, there seems to be a nice park across the street that might be nice to walk around in between meals if it isn't 100 degrees out.
Four Seasons is in a tower with nothing to do but go to the spa or walk in the adjacent Shaheed Park
St Regis is just the newer fancier Sheraton
Waldorf has Japanese Roca restaurant chain and is in the same building as Avenues mall (one of the biggest in the region)
Your wild card option of Grand Hyatt is , I think , technically closest to the airport - but it's mostly used...
Four Seasons is in a tower with nothing to do but go to the spa or walk in the adjacent Shaheed Park
St Regis is just the newer fancier Sheraton
Waldorf has Japanese Roca restaurant chain and is in the same building as Avenues mall (one of the biggest in the region)
Your wild card option of Grand Hyatt is , I think , technically closest to the airport - but it's mostly used as the hotel attached to the arena concert next door and the 360 mall
(Stay there if you want to cross the highway into Murooj , where golf club Sahara is, as well as an outdoor horse race track / restaurant hub area- which has gorgeous grounds)
If it were me, I'd go with Waldorf so I can walk around and actually see locals living their life (even if it's at a mall), instead of just staying all alone in a hotel with foreign employees
Good luck
Looking forward to it!
Forget the St. Regis. Great hotel but horrible location. The Four Seasons is spectacular. The Waldof Astoria is attached to one of the largest malls in the world, so you won't even have to "leave" if you wanted to go for a stroll, watch a movie, or do any shopping.
big difference between this affordable 4S property and the high end ones you stay at because Ford got a special rate. The former is really useful to most of your readers, the latter not so much.
As Tim Dunn's dog, I agree with the aforementioned statement.
If club rooms are $100 more than regular rooms, maybe you can ask WA if you can use $100 property credit to separately purchase the lounge access?
Is the purpose of the trip to have a relaxing vacation, or is it to review a hotel for your readers? (or to generate content?)
The best hotel might not provide much content ("yeah, it was good") while the worst hotel for you personally might be the best content for readers ("got into a shouting match with the manager and security wrestled me to the ground...")
popcorn dot gif
I can't imagine Ben beeing in a shouting match at all. But would be even funnier if the manager shouts at him, he answers pleasantly and is then wrestled to the ground anyway. :D
St Regis.
I "lived" in the Four Seasons in Kuwait City for a year when I was on a consulting project. It's a wonderful property, and I highly recommend.
4S
I say go with the Four Seasons. It was your first instinct to book plus you are only there 24 hours. Treat yourself to the nice property as I would love to hear about it (as it seems an affordable FS). While I'm a points guy, there are many times that I can't or don't want to stay at a points property, so would love to hear more about this FS.
I would go 4S, and since many readers have amex plat, getting reviews of low cost (relatively) FHR properties is almost as useful as a review of a high end points hotel
Do any of them have reasonable point redemptions? If not, go with the Four Seasons.
Waldorf - would love a review of the club.
I think you should either stay at the Grand Hyatt or the St. Regis.
I think Four Seasons is fine in this situation. I think readers like me get a little frustrated when you stay at Four Seasons that are a fortune and on a special rate we don't have access to. Price is very reasonable and less than Points properties
@Andrew - Agreed that the situations are different and this case is fine. It's frustrating when he posts the entry-level room type's public price but ends up staying in a massive suite. So it's a double-whammy. "We're on a travel advisor rate or comped, but the regular rate is $700-$1000 off-peak. But that won't get you this incredible suite, welcome gift, or breakfast, sorry!"
Agreed. I'd personally like to see more non-points hotels, including some independent ones. But the review is only meaningful if it reflects what a typical cash customer would get.
The issue was the endless Four Seasons reveiws on a travel advisor rate. We have no way of telling whetehr they treat everyone like that, or if (as I suspect) they give special treatment to travel advisers who can refer them clients.
full agree, I have no issue with FS reviews, but as blatantly obvious in the Singita review, where despite the many requests for disclosure on the comped deal, there is a near total lack of transparency that diminishes the otherwise splendid reputation of this blog.
I stayed at the St. Regis when it was a Sheraton and it was great; the Persian restaurant in particular was spectacular.
No conundrum about traveling to a country where gay people have no rights, where they have no elections, and where gorgeous palaces like this are built on cheap-and-abused foreign labor imported into the country to work a shovel?
I love Lucky's travels, but wondering which five-star resort to try for a single night is NOT a conundrum. Squaring your desire to experience this galling luxury while also witnessing the country outside the walls IS...
No conundrum about traveling to a country where gay people have no rights, where they have no elections, and where gorgeous palaces like this are built on cheap-and-abused foreign labor imported into the country to work a shovel?
I love Lucky's travels, but wondering which five-star resort to try for a single night is NOT a conundrum. Squaring your desire to experience this galling luxury while also witnessing the country outside the walls IS a conundrum. Wrestle with that one for a while, and let your readers in on that journey.
Gotta love the cognitive dissonance of westerners thinking they have a moral high ground when they’re governed by murderous war criminals who have killed countless non-whites for the better part of the last century.
LGBTQ+ rights? Lol, how’s that going in the US and UK?
Freedom of speech? US colleges would like to have a word.
But sure, it’s always the black/brown people that are a problem, let’s go bomb them for sport.
Get off your high horses.
Yes there are LGBTQ rights in the UK and the US - although sure there are some people that would like to roll those back. Yes there is freedom of speech in the US - protesters have been on college campuses for weeks now. And the protesters are welcome to march up and down any street they so desire too.
I can't speak for what the original commenter thinks, but are they wrong, and is whataboutism the only argument you can make against what they said? Of course the West has a lot of problems, but neither the US and UK arrest people for having gay sex, which before you go about saying is a terribly low bar (it is), is in fact a thing in this particular context. Nobody should think that the West...
I can't speak for what the original commenter thinks, but are they wrong, and is whataboutism the only argument you can make against what they said? Of course the West has a lot of problems, but neither the US and UK arrest people for having gay sex, which before you go about saying is a terribly low bar (it is), is in fact a thing in this particular context. Nobody should think that the West is perfect - it isn't, and in fact it's far from being perfect. It's perfectly understandable to think that there is a lot that is wrong in Western societies and other things that are becoming worse. But to suggest that freedom of speech is dead in the West, when you and I can freely criticize all that is wrong and more, is laughable at best and idiotically unhinged at worst. Try living in a country where the government can and will arrest you because you say something they don't like (and no, nobody is being arrested for just that alone in the scenario you bring up).
I have no stake in the argument for whether it's ethical as an outsider to travel to these countries, as that's a largely personal decision to me. What I am concerned about is how similar your ignorance is to those you proclaim to detest, and by extension how little you respect the agency of those living in non-Western countries. But go off!
Funny you should raise the question of free speech. Trudeau in Canada is forcing legislation through parliament (he has a dictatorial control with the aid of the NDP) that is to "control hate speech" (anything criticizing him) with LIFE IMPRISONMENT as one of the penalties.
He gives rapists 2 years.
In addition to the fact he is missing where kuwait is the only democracy where people actually VOTE :P
Have you ever been? I'd say it's better to go, experience, meet people, and understand and influence through soft methods rather than sit and judge from afar.
Countries are not their governments.
Guys, this is a travel blog. Let’s chill a bit
I think you should go with the Four Seasons, the nicest and cheapest property
That Grand Hyatt looks amazing, and I think it's the property that I would be most likely to visit if I went to Kuwait. If not, I would go with the Waldorf.
Glad you’re taking the plunge for Kuwait First Class!
I'd go for WA just to see if the FT experience was an outlier. I had a TERRIBLE experience regarding the management at The Cape Los Cabos (could have been due to the steal of a deal for the penthouse with points in 2020) but gave it another shot two months ago and had a great time and no issues with management.
Which one is known for their version of avocado toast?
@JoeMart - Hahahaha, you beat me to the punch line. Rest assured, we will at some point see yet another pic of avocado toast!
Ben in his dreams: "If only someone could come up with a tasty fish-avocado fusion dish"
Sounds like the Four Seasons is the no-brainer choice.
The St. Regis is still under renovation so it might not be the most useful time to review it. Waldorf Astoria is nicer and you’ll have more to do with the mall attached.