Desert Hotel Case Study

Unfortunately, there is only one desert resort facility in Bahrain. However, both the idea and concept of the project are very different than the proposed project. Al Areen Palace & Spa, previously known as Banyan Tree, is a luxurious five star resort located in the midst of the Arabian Desert. It is a fusion of Middle Eastern and Contemporary designs. Since its opening in 2007, the resort has been the only oasis hideaway in the middle of the desert, as seen in figure 3.1.
Location
Al Areen Palace & Spa is a local case study in Bahrain, located specifically in Sakhir, as seen in figure 3.2. It is a 35-minute drive from the Bahrain International Airport, 25 minutes away from Manama and 20 minutes away from King Fahad causeway.
It is adjacent

Actually, the resort is very successful, attracting many tourists from around the world and locals, too. Locals enjoy going there on their weekends just to get their time off of all the stress and worries. They enjoy the pool and the beautiful atmosphere created by great architecture. Though the resort is considered far, as it is located in the desert, it has made a lot of success since the resort is fully booked on weekends and holidays.
Al Areen Palace & Spa 's occupancy usually reaches 80% during the holy month of Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr holiday. The great increase caused by travelers from neighboring GCC countries resulted in the resort 's full occupancy. The resort has grown to become one of Bahrain 's leading luxury destinations.

As mentioned before, Al Areen Palace and Spa is a big resort which accommodates villas, restaurants, and many other facilities, like the spa, and fitness center. As shown in figure 3.7, there are two types of villas, one bedroom villas and two bedroom villas. The spatial organization of the villas is not done based on their type. Also, as shown in figure 3.7, the distance from the entrance to the villas is very long, thus; journeys from the main lobby entrance to the villas have to be by done by buggy, provided by the resort.
Villa

he elaborated perforated pattern panels are used in the design of doors, arches, and many other design elements, staying true to the Arabian theme of the architecture, as it is noticeable in figure 3.18. Warm tones of light are used at night to enhance the richness of the materials used, and to blend into the overall ambience of the resort.
Just as any other project, Al Areen Palace & Spa has its negatives too. The resort focuses on outdoor circulation, but it can be really hot in summer, especially because most pathways are not shaded, as seen in figure 3.19. However, fabric shading devices have been used at entrances, as evident in figure 3.20. Fabric shading is also noticed to be shading pools from the strong sun rays of the desert.
The resort also, as mentioned before, does not respond to its surroundings, as it is noticeable in figure 3.21. It has no relationship with the desert, both in terms of the design and the activities offered. It acts as an oasis in the desert, rather than as a part of the desert. Lastly, the resort is located away from any services and facilities. It is standing on its own, along with the waterpark, but hopefully not for long, as there are projects under construction close