Bahrain’s beauty lies in the shallow waters that lap its coastline. The word ‘Bahrain’ is derived from the Arabic for ‘Two Seas’ and historically its wealth came from the trade in the pearls that grew in the many offshore springs. The island interior is a little underdeveloped, which is why the best places to stay in Bahrain are on the coastline or in the cosmopolitan capital Manama. They are mainly large luxury resort style hotels with state-of-the-art spas, palatial suites, and enormous lagoon-style swimming pools that emulate its crystal shores.
The hub of Bahrain's activity is Manama, where business visitors from around the world congregate and most of the best hotels in Bahrain are centred here too. Manama has a skyscraper-spiked skyline, World Trade Centre, a wealth of nightclubs, white sand beaches and reclaimed land being built on to cater for the very wealthy. Like Dubai and Abu Dabi, Bahrain has its share of glitz and glamour, though Bahrain has a much more liberal social climate.
Beyond the ultra-modern, there’s much more to explore. Bahrain's fascinating history and culture are best discovered at Bahrain's National Museum and UNESCO listed Fort. While adrenaline junkies should venture out of the urban sprawl and enjoy the world-class watersports and diving around the Coral Reef on the West Coast at Sitra. Or if you're more of a wildlife enthusiast, visit the Al Areen Nature reserve.
The Hotel Guru's selection of the best places to stay in Bahrain are mainly Five Star resorts located in Manama, Sitra, or Sakhir. And due to the great climate, excellent facilities and annual grand prix this is a very popular year round destination. So if you're planning a trip, get organised and book well ahead.
Some of our Bahrain collections
