The Ritz-Carlton, Doha’s highly anticipated– B-lounge and restaurant, officially opened its doors to visitors on Wednesday evening.
The formal launching of the lounge was marked with an evening of a stunning fire show, Japanese classical dance, and a subtle mixture of captivating electro-ethnic rhythms played by DJ Naz.
B-lounge introduces the guests to a dazzling playground with breathtaking marina views, Asian fusion cuisine with international touches served straight from the open kitchen and a creative menu.
The lounge is a unification of the grand nature and the delicate people who live in Qatar. Layers of fabric that are suspended from the ceiling act as a screen to reflect the nature of ‘wind’ which is the representation of grand nature as it creates a synergy between the lower and upper floor through the void. The timber finish ceiling on the upper floor is a recollection of window frames which has weathered away from the sea wind.
The local’s delicate techniques are used to regenerate these in a modern approach. The copper counter in the centre of the space is like an iconic monument to represent the swirl of the wind that blows from the sea and the energy of the locals.
“We have aimed to create an environment for various guests to have a memorable experience with their friends and loved ones by creating various scenes and settings in one space such as a high energy lounge, outdoor lounge, and dining. The combination of high quality music, eloquent wind, sunset, and night view will create a new social spot and experience here in Doha”, said Sack, General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Doha.
Guests are invited to save their calendar as international celebrity DJs are coming to B-lounge, Nick from Mykonos in November and Papa from Monte Carlo in December.
Talking to Community, Nabil Souhail, vice president of B-lounge in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and USA, said: “We are very happy to establish this venue in Doha. Basically we started one month ago [soft opening]. We see a great response in the market. We are expecting more in the future. The offer we give is more in terms of the Asian cuisine – entire Japanese and Chinese cuisine.
“The place is more about the atmosphere with DJ music. We are also planning in future to put some elements of entertainment with different events. We are also planning to keep the lounge open for lunch in future.”
Nabil further said: “B-lounge is exceptional in many sense. First and the foremost is its location. It is located inside Ritz-Carlton – an icon of Doha for many years. We are very happy to collaborate with them. We have the element of difference what people are looking for. That is the difference. But, of course, what you offer is also important. The concept itself is more into the atmosphere. The dinners these days do not just want to come to a normal restaurant, sit down, and eat. People want some entertainment, some atmosphere, and somewhat different presentation of food.”
He added: “On the formal opening, we are showcasing the Japanese dance, fire show at the outside lounge, and the DJ music. Our guest DJ is Ravin and DJ Naz is the resident DJ at B-lounge. Saxokid, from the Czech Republic, played saxophone.”
DJ Naz is from Morocco and grew up in London. “I like to describe my music as eclectic. I like many different genres of music. My specialty really is world music. I do a lot of research and when I find something that I love, I bring it and like to share it with my audiences around the world. I like to keep an aquatic quality to my music as the sound is warm but at the same time it is emotional and makes you travel. It brings a bridge between different cultures. Whatever I see in my travels, I collect a lot of music because I do not take a lot of pictures. My music is like my photo album.
“As I come from a different place, I bring something different to Doha when it comes to music – totally aquatic – because we are surrounded by water. After I saw the place, I decided what kind of music I am going to play. There are some cities that I call the cities of world such as New York, London, Paris, and I put Doha in the list.”