Four-star Two MICHELIN Keys Al Areen, in the south of the island, Bahrain Fort
Raffles Al Areen Palace Bahrain
Seventy-eight walled villas in tropical gardens on the west coast, most with a pool and Jacuzzi of their own, and the Al Areen Wildlife Park over the wall.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.
- MICHELIN
- Two Keys
- Villas
- 78, from one to three bedrooms
- Opened
- December 2023, as Raffles
- From the airport
- About 40 minutes from BAH, our estimate
The hotel
A walled garden in Zallaq.
The resort began as Al Areen Palace and Spa, a villa hotel on the west coast at Zallaq. Accor announced in 2019 that it would become the first Raffles in Bahrain, with every villa refurbished and the 10,000 square metre spa rebuilt. It reopened under the new name in December 2023, the only all-villa hotel in the kingdom. Accor worked on the project with the Bahraini investment house GFH Financial Group.
From outside it reads as a white façade and arcaded terraces. Behind carved wooden doors, each villa has its own walled garden. The interiors are white on white, with archways, calligraphy and pieces by Bahraini artists that recall the island's pearl divers. Next door is the Al Areen Wildlife Park, a reserve for rare animals, birds and desert plants.
- A butler for each villa Raffles butler service comes with every villa, and dinner in the villa can be cooked by a private chef.
- The art and the garden A butler leads a private tour of the hotel's Bahraini art, and the resident botanist walks guests through the gardens.
- The spa A large spa with indoor and outdoor pools, a Turkish bath, a rainforest shower and an ice igloo. Treatments can also come to the villa.
Rooms & suites
Your own walls, your own water.
Every villa sits in a private landscaped garden behind high walls. Most have their own pool and Jacuzzi; the Junior Suite Villas share a pool and majlis.
- One bedroom Junior Suite Villa A private Jacuzzi, with use of a shared pool, dining room and majlis.
- Pool villas Private Pool Villas One or two bedrooms, a private pool and Jacuzzi, and a garden of palms and fountains.
- Three bedrooms Royal Three-Bedroom Villa Nearly 8,000 square feet of living space, with an open-air heated pool and a Jacuzzi.
Dining
A garden terrace and a Paris patisserie.
Restaurants as listed by the hotel. Bahrain is not covered by a MICHELIN restaurant guide.
- Palma Mediterranean, all day With a terrace over the gardens
- Ycone Paris French patisserie and afternoon tea Pastry chef Yazid Ichemrahen
- Raffles Pool Light dishes and drinks Served beside the pool
- In-Villa Dining Menus made for the stay Served in your villa
Recognition
Recognition.
- Two MICHELIN Keys 2026 selection
Good to know
Before you go.
- Arrival Check-in from 3 pm, check-out by noon.
- Children Welcome at any age. Cots and extra beds are on request and must be confirmed by the hotel.
- Pets Not accepted.
Getting there
Flying to Bahrain Fort.
Bahrain International, on Muharraq Island, is about 35 kilometres away by road, roughly forty minutes by car by our estimate. Private jets use the same airport and its Awal Private Terminal, which has its own immigration and customs.
- Doha 30 min
- Amman 2 h 20
- Beirut 2 h 35
- Rome 5 h 25
- Munich 5 h 50
Questions
What guests ask first.
- How many MICHELIN Keys does Raffles Al Areen Palace have?
- Two, in the 2026 selection. It is one of three hotels in Bahrain with Keys.
- Does every villa have a private pool?
- Most do, with a Jacuzzi as well. The Junior Suite Villas have a private Jacuzzi and share a pool with the communal majlis.
- How far is the resort from Bahrain airport?
- About 35 kilometres, or around forty minutes by car by our estimate, from Bahrain International on Muharraq.
- Can SkyCourtage arrange the flight to Bahrain Fort?
- Yes. We arrange Business and First Class seats on scheduled airlines and private jet charter to Bahrain Fort, with one final price, our margin included. The hotel is booked with the hotel or through our booking partner.
Also in Bahrain Fort
Other hotels worth the trip.
-
Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay The closest of Bahrain’s two-Key hotels to the fort, set on an island of its own off the Manama waterfront.
- The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain A resort on the same northern coast, with its own beach, lagoon and marina and villas that have private infinity pools.
- Address Beach Resort Bahrain A beach hotel at Marassi, close to Lyra, the island’s ranked restaurant.
-
Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa On the west-coast beach, with the only thalassotherapy spa in the Gulf according to the MICHELIN Guide.
-
Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain The easiest bed after a late landing, a few minutes from the terminals and set around a large infinity pool.
-
The Merchant House A smaller address beside the Bab Al Bahrain souq in downtown Manama, holding one MICHELIN Key.
Staying at Raffles Al Areen Palace Bahrain?
Book the room, then the flight.
Rates and availability come from the hotel itself. For the journey to Bahrain Fort, a Business or First Class seat or an aircraft of your own: tell us the date and we come back with one final price, our margin included.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.