Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
A snowy winter is coming to Bahrain this season at Jumeirah Royal Saray Bahrain (JRSB) with a Winter Wonderland planned for the month of December, opening this evening at 6pm.
The GulfWeekly team stopped by the JRSB this week to check out the progress on the Wonderland, which is unlike any other planned for the season, including an ice rink, a snow play area and tubing slide at the hotel’s Seef location.
Amit Alva, director of Food & Beverages explained: “Winter Wonderland is all about fun and festivities for the whole family. There will be a 100 square meters’ ice rink, a snow play area fit for the best snow balls fights or snow men building contest, children will also be able to hurtle down the tubing slide wedged in a giant inflatable doughnut.
“Of course, no festive village would be the same without tasty snacks, that’s why we have partnered with a selection of popular food trucks in Bahrain to be on site selling must-have delicacies from burgers to ice-cream and waffles. Jumeirah Royal Saray has also set-up an outdoor lounge where guests can relax with a beverage while glancing at the see. Guests can also enjoy a small festive market and walk their way to Santa’s Grotto for the greatest pleasure of the little ones.”
While other malls have done portions of this concept, JRSB decided to bring it all together, creating a wonderous land of delights for children and adults alike. The entry is BD5, with activities and food priced separately.
So far, Florencia Ice Creams, Cine Cafe, Flaming Salmon and Black Tap are confirmed food vendors for the festivities. The ice rink, snow ball zone and tubing will be priced between BD1 and BD3. The artificial snow used in the Snow play area is sourced from recycled materials, is biodegradable and compostable, and is certified safe for children from a supplier that only uses environmentally sustainable artificial snow and ice.
Amit noted: “Our afternoon tea remains focused around chocolate, but this December we have decided to add a touch of festive magic to it with mini gingerbread houses, reindeer chocolate macarons and mini bouchees shaped like sledges. Of course, the signature chocolate fondue and warm scones with clotted cream and house made chocolate spread are still part of the offer.
“We also have a nice selection of take-away specialties for guests wanting to host festivities in their homes. Our succulent turkeys can be ordered, either Mustard honey glazed or Apple and honey glazed for BD 80net. They come with all the trimmings from roasted brussels sprouts, carrots and potatoes to cranberry sauce, gravy and traditional stuffing. There is also a full set menu option for BHD 130 net, good for 8 to 10 people, which include the traditional turkey or whole Roasted ribeye, lobster bisque, seasonal prawns & mango salad, butternut squash salad and to finish a tasty pumpkin pie and German Christmas stollen.”
The festive season at JRSB, which kicks off this evening with a tree-lighting ceremony at 6pm, will also feature special performers every weekend.
The hotel also has a slew of feasts planned for the entire family for the end of December, for Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Amit commented: “Our special Christmas Day Feast will include fresh seafood, including oysters and lobster, a wide selection of sushi, an extensive Charcuterie & Terrine Station of curated cured meats such as beef bresaola (air-dried) and duck & pistachio pate, various live stations from seared foie gras to beef Wellington, and the classic Christmas. The desserts won’t disappoint with the wide variety of Christmas sweets and treats and timeless holiday favourites such as homemade pecan pie, chocolate cake yule log, Christmas pudding or gingerbread cookies in addition to many others. Santa Claus will also do an appearance and distribute small gifts to the little ones on the 25th of December.
For our New Year’s Eve Gala, the venue will be turned into a white magical paradise and the buffet will not be short of luxurious options to satisfy any craving. We are also very excited to have the popular recording artist Banah with us on that evening. She will perform a variety of English and Arabic songs with her 7-piece band.”
Banah, the first female artist in the GCC to be signed by worldwide label Universal whose latest single Shou Bina reached the official top 10 chart in Lebanon, will be performing at the tree-lighting this evening and at the New Year’s Eve gala.
Being an English and Arabic singer, Banah plans to fuse her passions for guests on these evenings. She noted: “I would like to have a song for everyone there, including the singles I have released this year. My tree-lighting set list includes festive favourites, with our own twist on them. For New Years, we are planning a fusion of Arab and western music to keep everyone dancing and entertained.”
Spencer Wadama, General Manager of JRSB and himself a fan of snowy winters having been an avid skier, concluded: “We created the concept of Winter Wonderland as our way of giving back and bringing together people in Bahrain. As Bahrain continues to grow as a global destination, the entire hotel came together to give the seasonal festivities a European touch.”
