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Gulf Finance House, the Islamic investment bank specializing in the conception and execution of infrastructure initiatives in a number of economic sectors; has arranged the sale of Banyan Tree Desert Resort & Spa Bahrain (Al Areen Hotels SPC) to a Singaporean investor. 
 
The Banyan Tree Bahrain is part of GFH’s ‘Al Areen’ project currently being built over an area of two million square meters in Bahrain’s southern region, to further the Kingdom’s reputation as a friendly destination for family and health-oriented tourists. Banyan Tree Al Areen is comprised of a total of 78-luxuriously appointed villas including 56 one-bedroom Desert Pool Villas each of 400 sqm and 22 two-bedroom Royal Pool Villas of 740 sqm each and featuring private open-air swimming and jet pools, over-sized infinity bath tubs and sprawling master bedrooms. Each villa is designed to incorporate a mix of intimate traditional Middle Eastern and contemporary Asian architecture.
 
Banyan Tree offers fully-fledged five star amenities including six international restaurants, the signature being Saffron which serves contemporary Thai cuisine and floats majestically on a lake. There are extensive meeting and banqueting facilities which lend themselves to a range of events from corporate retreats to weddings; a comprehensive fitness and wellness centre boasting, two-tennis courts, a squash court and separate male and female gymnasiums with the latest cardiovascular and fitness equipment; a kids club and an indoor lap and outdoor free form swimming pool.
 
With a design inspired by the gardens of the Royal Arabian palaces, the resort boasts the Middle East’s largest and most luxurious spa and hydrotherapy area at 10 000 sqm (107 640 sq ft), a world first in terms of design and treatments. The development features eight Deluxe and four Royal Spa Pavilions, the world’s first Garden Hammam and the Banyan Tree Spa Hydrothermal Garden.
 
Banyan Tree has won various awards, such as the Gold Award for Best New Hotel 2007, at the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Travel Awards and the Gala Spa award for the Best Luxury Hotel City / Resort organized by Gala magazine, Germany. Also, the resort was included in the Top 10 Desert Resorts Worldwide and placed 31^st in the World’s Top 100 Resorts list by Italian Resorts Web Magazine. This is in addition to the Resort’s Royal Pool Villas being named in the Worlds 101 Most Exquisite Hotel Suites and Villas list compiled by luxury US travel and lifestyle magazine Elite Traveler.
 
The resort is situated at the heart of the Al Areen development and on its highest point. The hotel will now be managed exclusively by its new Singaporean owner.
 
Commenting on the sale, GFH Chairman Esam Janahi commented, “The sale of the Banyan Tree Resort and Spa, Bahrain is a further indication of the strength of GFH’s concepts and their appeal to investors in the wider marketplace.”

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