Dubai's Emaar to open first Vida hotel outside the UAE in Bahrain in December

Travellers heading to Bahrain will soon be able to stay in the kingdom's newest hotel. Vida Beach Resort Marassi Al-Bahrain is gearing up to welcome visitors by the end of the year.

The family-friendly property will be Emaar’s first hotel in the kingdom, and the first Vida resort to open outside the UAE.

Located on the Marassi beachfront, the new hotel will give visitors access to a pristine private shoreline and connect directly to the soon-to-open Marassi Galleria shopping mall in Bahrain, making it ideal for those who enjoy some retail therapy.

With 157 hotel rooms and 141 serviced residences, Vida Beach Resort Marassi Al-Bahrain plans to welcome both short-term staycationers and long-term visitors.

All of the hotel rooms offer ocean views or vistas over the island of Diyar al Muharraq. Contemporary interiors let in plenty of natural light and reflect the resort’s waterside setting.

Guests can enjoy dining in Origins, a laid-back restaurant that can also be found at Dubai’s Vida Emirates Hills and Vida Beach Resort Umm Al Quwain.

A temperature-controlled rooftop infinity pool offers amazing views of the surrounding Arabian Gulf and the sea-facing pool bar will be the ideal place for sundowners.

The hotel also has a fully-equipped gym overlooking the water and youngsters have their own pool and a supervised kids' club. Unlike some of Vida's other properties in the UAE, the hotel will not be pet-friendly.

“We are delighted to bring Vida Marassi Al-Bahrain to one of the most influential markets in both travel and business,” said Mark Kirby, head of hospitality at Emaar Hospitality Group. "The serene beach resort property will soon be one of the most sought-after holiday destinations in Bahrain while serving as a testament to our warm hospitality."

Marassi Galleria is a beachfront mega-mall that's set to open in Manama in 2022. It will be home to the 8,199-square-metre Marassi Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, and the first Reel Cinemas venue, in Bahrain. The masterplanned Marassi Al Bahrain development will have high-end residential, retail and hospitality components when complete, with a new Address Hotel also set to join the Vida property on the Marassi beachfront.

Vida Beach Resort Marassi Al-Bahrain isn't the only hotel set to make its debut in the kingdom.

Minor Hotels recently announced it would open its first properties in Bahrain, with the launch of Avani Bilaj Al Jazayer Bahrain Resort and Tivoli Bilaj Al Jazayer Bahrain Resort. The properties will welcome guests in 2024.

There's also been a lot of buzz about the highly-anticipated Mantis Bahrain Hawar Island. Planned to open off the coast of Bahrain in 2024, the luxury eco-resort will have overwater villas, a wildlife sanctuary and an on-site adventure park and be reachable only by boat or private helicopter.

Next year, the Shangri-La Hotel, Bahrain, a five-star, 250-room hotel will also open to guests at its waterside location at the Bahrain Marina.