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Gulf Bahrain Hotel

The Gulf Hotel Manama is set conveniently in the heart of the city and near the central business district, many tourist sites, and world-class shopping. It is only moments from the Al-Fateh Mosque, Bab Al Bahrain Gate, and the family-friendly Corniche al-Fateh. It is also less than two miles from the Bahrain World Trade Center, Bahrain Financial Harbor, and the Manama Souk.

The Gulf Hotel Manama is located on Bani Otbah Avenue, and is 4.2 miles from the Bahrain International Airport.

Guest bedrooms in the Gulf Hotel Manama will all be furnished with a minibar, a personal safe, climate controls, satellite TV, a full-sized bathroom with tub, a beverage station, high-speed Internet access, and room service.

Visitors to the Gulf Hotel Manama can look forward to such amenities as men’s and women’s fitness rooms, 24-hour front desk service, two squash courts, a swimming pool with kid’s splash area, meeting and conference rooms, a business service center, airport shuttles, a currency exchange, a lounge with bar service, a spa with massage and beauty treatments, full-service tour desk, an in-house restaurant, a concierge desk, and tennis courts.

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Low Tax, Modern Infrastructure & Nice People - Welcome to Bahrain

Bahrain literally translates into “Kingdom of the two seas” which refers to the freshwater springs that are found within the salty seas surrounding it. Bahrain is an archipelago of thirty-three islands, the largest one being 55km long by 18km wide, although the islands are constantly growing due to land reclaiming. Saudi Arabia is to the west of Bahrain and is connected via the King Fahd Causeway which was officially opened on November the 25th 1986.

Qatar lies south east of Bahrain across the Gulf of Bahrain and construction is under way for another causeway to connect Bahrain to Qatar which will be the longest fixed link in the world.

In the past Bahrain was known for its Pearls & Oil but since the production of man made pearls this industry has steadily declined and Bahrain's oil reserves are also close to running out. So in anticipation of this Bahrain has embarked on a diversification project which has seen a huge growth in the financial & tourism sectors.

Huge sums of money have been spent upgrading the infrastructure and building spectacular modern skyscrapers to accommodate the ever growing financial sector. Bahrain also boasts a state of the art Formula One race track which was finished in 2006 and has proved a great success on the F1 circuit.

Bahrain History

In 899 AD, a millenarian Ismaili sect, the Qarmatians, seized the country and sought to create a utopian society based on reason and the distribution of all property evenly among the initiates. The Qarmatians caused disruption throughout the Islamic world; they collected tribute from the caliph in Baghdad, and in 930 AD sacked Mecca and Medina, bringing the sacred Black Stone back to their base in Ahsa, in medieval Bahrain where it was held to ransom. According to the historian Al-Juwayni, the Stone was returned twenty-two years later, in 951, under mysterious circumstances; wrapped in a sack, it was thrown into the Friday mosque of Kufa accompanied by a note saying "By command we took it, and by command we have brought it back." The Black Stone's abduction and removal caused further damage, breaking the stone into seven pieces.

The Qarmatians were defeated in 976 AD by the Abbasids. The final end of the Qarmatians came at the hand of the Arab Uyunid dynasty of al-Hasa, who took over the entire Bahrain region in 1076.They controlled the Bahrain islands until 1235, when the islands were briefly occupied by the ruler of Fars.

In 1253, the Bedouin Usfurids brought down the Uyunid dynasty and gained control over eastern Arabia, including the islands of Bahrain. In 1330, the islands became tributary to the rulers of Hormuz, though locally the islands were controlled by the Shi'ite Jarwanid dynasty of Qatif.

Until the late Middle Ages, "Bahrain" referred to the larger historical region of Bahrain that included Ahsa, Qatif (both now within the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia) and the Awal Islands (now the Bahrain Islands). The region stretched from Basrah in Oman. This was Iqlim al-Bahrayn "Bahrayn Province". The exact date at which the term "Bahrain" began to refer solely to the Awal archipelago is unknown. In the mid-15th century, the islands came under the rule of the Jabrids, a Bedouin dynasty that was also based in al-Ahsa and ruled most of eastern Arabia.

The Portuguese invaded Bahrain in 1521 in alliance with Hormuz, seizing it from the Jabrid ruler Migrin ibn Zamil, who was killed in battle. Portuguese rule lasted for nearly 80 years, during which they depended mostly on Sunni Persian governors. The Portuguese were expelled from the islands in 1602 by Abbas I of the Safavid dynasty of Iran, who instituted Shi'ism as the official religion in Bahrain. The Iranian rulers retained sovereignty over the islands, with some interruptions, for nearly two centuries. For most of that period, they resorted to governing Bahrain indirectly, either through Bushehr or through immigrant Sunni Arab clans, such as the Huwala, who where returning to Arabian side of the Gulf from the Persian territories in the north, namely Lar[disambiguation needed] and Bushehr (whence the name, Hawilah, "the returnees"). During this period, the islands suffered two serious invasions by the Ibadhis of Oman in 1717 and 1738. In 1753, the Huwala clan of Al Madhkur invaded Bahrain on behalf of the Iranians, restoring direct Iranian rule.

Bahrain Economy

In January 2006 Bahrain has the fastest growing economy in the Arab world according to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. Bahrain also has the freest economy in the Middle East and is twenty-fifth free-est overall in the world. In 2008, Bahrain was named the world's fastest growing financial center by the City of London's Global Financial Centers Index. Bahrain's banking and financial services, particularly Islamic banking, have profited from the regional boom.

Petroleum production and processing account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. A large share of Bahrain exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude oil.

In 2008, the jobless figure was a 3.8%, but women are over represented at 85% of the total. In 2007 Bahrain became the first Arab country to institute unemployment benefits as part of a series of labor reforms instigated under Minister of Labor, Dr. Majeed Al Alawi.

Unemployment amongst the young and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems.

Bahrain Tourism

Over 8 million tourists visit Bahrain each year. Most of the visitors come from surrounding Arab states but there is an increasing number of 'outside' visitors who are showing an interest in the history, culture & low taxes in the region. Major cruise ships have taken to pulling into Bahrain as part of their itinerary and this has boosted the local retail sector which has lead to a rapid development of stunning shopping centers that boast indoor leisure parks, cinemas and a huge range of local and international restaurants/takeaways.

The Lonely Planet describes Bahrain as "an excellent introduction to the Persian Gulf", because of its authentic Arab heritage and reputation as liberal and modern.

Bahrain combines Arab culture, gulf glitz and five thousand years of civilization into one small country which is why it is becoming such a popular Middle East Tourist destination. Bahrain has a large range of hotels catering for all needs and their top 5 star hotels rival any 5 star hotels in the west.

Currency - Bahrain Dinar

1 British Pound Sterling = 0.54742 Bahraini Dinar (May 2010)

1 US Dollar = 0.376 Bahraini Dinar (May 2010)

Current Rate

Language

The people of Bahrain speak Arabic as a first language however most locals also speak good english.

Religion

Bahrain is a tolerant country and allows many religions to practice in Bahrain but the main religion is Islam.

Bahrain Do nots

Despite the relatively western appearance of the country visitors should take note that laws regarding dress code, Alcohol consumption and displays of effect ion in public are much more strict then in modern western countries and women are advised to dress conservatively if they wish to avoid unwanted attention.

Alcohol can only be consumed in certain hotels & restaurants and it is strictly forbidden to drink in public spaces.

Note: Bahrain has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to the use & possession of drugs.

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