7 Things To Know About Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas in Qatar

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas, one of the Middle East’s largest resorts, debuted in Qatar. Years later, the hotel and its adjoining Desert Falls Water & Adventure Park continue to thrive and welcome area residents and tourists.

There’s a lot to unpack about this property, from the challenges its remote location poses to how expansive the grounds are to how family-friendly it may or may not be for your crew. Let’s dive in!

1. Welcome to the Middle of Nowhere

The Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas is located in a remote southwest corner of Qatar, about 11 miles (a 22-minute drive) from the Saudi Arabia land border crossing. The resort is about 62 miles (a 70-minute drive) from Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha.

The resort is popular with residents from the Arabian Peninsula, but if you’re building in a few days as part of a stopover when flying through Doha, you can access the hotel via a free shuttle service. During my May 2025 visit, the shuttle ran from Villagio Mall at 9 a.m., 1 p.m., and 6 p.m., and returned from the hotel at 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. Seats are first-come, first-served.

2. Wear Your Walking Shoes

The property is massive, with 246 rooms and suites, 84 beach villas, and 31 Arabian Village apartments and townhouses. The main guest rooms branch out on both sides of the lobby building. Because the rooms are sea-facing, they only occupy 1 side of the hallways, so walking around feels like it takes twice as long as it should.

I’ve never gotten so lost in a hotel before that I was ready to give up and find help. Turning right to find my room when I should have turned left led me on a wild goose chase that accumulated nearly 20,000 steps by the end of the day. It did help that the hallways had built-in sofas for resting every few rooms.

Because the grounds have restaurants, sports facilities, and a conference center spread out, requesting a complimentary golf cart ride from the front desk is the easiest way to travel around. Those staying in the villas or Arabian Village can also call to request a ride to the main buildings.

My friend and I went to dinner at the sports bar, not realizing it would be more than a walk away. We were assigned a fantastic buggy driver, Sayed. He offered to give us a driving tour of the entire property, which we gladly accepted. He zipped us around the furthest reaches of the fanciest multi-bedroom villas, the lighthouse, nearby restaurants, and the sports fields.

3. Double-Down at Desert Falls Water & Adventure Park

One of the primary reasons to visit Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas is its on-site Desert Falls Water & Adventure Park. The nightly rate includes access on all days of your stay, including the arrival and departure days, so guests have the ability to maximize their waterpark time.

Daily tickets for non-hotel guests can cost as much as $69 per adult and child over 4 feet tall and $54 per child under 4 feet tall. Considering that room rates start around $310 for a family of 4, it typically only costs slightly more than 1 day at the waterpark to actually stay the night at the hotel.

The primary Sea Caves Water Park has 30 rides and slides, including family slides, tube slides, a lazy river, and water playgrounds for kids. What I love most about the waterpark is that it’s comfortable to walk around, even with summer temperatures over 100 degrees. A cave-like structure was built over the heart of the park, providing plenty of shade.

Laser tag, canyoning, arcade games, diving, and go-karting are available at an additional cost.

4. Immerse Yourself in Arabian Design

The attention to detail in all corners of the hotel’s Arabian design was remarkably striking — I could not get enough of how cool this property looked. The grand lobby was inspiring, with a beautiful lantern chandelier and tiled fountain.

Where some hotels might mute their theming beyond the common areas, every step toward my room was Instagram-worthy. Random seating near the elevator had exquisite Arabian latticework and metal lanterns.

The detailing carried into the rooms, which were decorated beautifully with carved wood and tilework.

The property was just as gorgeous from the outside. Its white building was accented with blue mashrabiya latticework, which paired well with the explosion of colors from the trees in the garden area.

5. Larger Families Require Suites or Villas

As my family has 2 adults and 3 kids, staying at Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas has always been off-putting because the standard rooms only accommodate 3 guests in a king room or 4 guests in a 2-queen room. Because of our family’s size, we would only fit in a 2-bedroom suite, which is only nominally cheaper than 2 hotel rooms.

Having now stayed in a gigantic standard 2-queen room (on this visit, just with a friend and not my family), it seems silly that its sofa could not accommodate a fifth guest, and even a rollaway bed would have had plenty of space.

6. Guests Are Resort-Bound for Meals

Because of its isolated position in the southwest of Qatar, there are no nearby restaurants or shops outside of the hotel’s facilities. This means you need to plan on eating at the hotel, which offers 7 restaurants with a variety of cuisines, from Italian to Middle Eastern to Chinese.

My friend and I made a dinner of appetizers at the hotel’s sports bar, The League. I had nachos (which included a few delicious puffy flour tortilla chips), and my friend had a surprisingly large portion of empanadas. Note that alcohol is served at this property.

I redeemed a free night reward for this stay that I earned from a previous welcome offer on the $0-annual-fee Hilton Honors American Express Card (rates & fees). Fortunately, the award night included a fantastic breakfast buffet at Souk Kitchen (at the time of booking, all cash rates included breakfast).

From shakshuka and hot honey halloumi cheese at the Middle Eastern station to vegetable upma and masala dosa-to-order at the Indian station, there was something to satisfy every taste. My kids would have been in heaven and perfectly fueled for a day at the waterpark.

7. Take Advantage of Kid-Friendly Amenities

The property has plenty to offer outside the waterpark, including a spa, fitness center, kids club, and electronic bikes and scooters. Extensive sports facilities accommodate soccer, basketball, and tennis.

There are 2 primary pools, though the one in the North Bay area appeared to be closed for refurbishment during our visit. We were happy to see plenty of shade, and private cabanas were also available.

The property has 2 miles of private sandy beaches with loungers and umbrellas. Beach volleyball and soccer are available.

The resort offers a kids club (here’s a sample schedule) with complimentary activities like crafts and games for children aged 3 to 12.

Additional fee-based activities are offered, including a nightly 7 p.m. movie and water sports and activities such as a dolphin cruise and stand-up paddleboarding.

Final Thoughts

Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas is a valuable use of a Hilton free night reward. You get a pretty good return against a high cash room rate, but an even better value when you factor in 2 days’ worth of waterpark tickets.

Its remote location, however, means it is quite a niche property — it is a great staycation hotel for area residents and a relaxing break from city highlights for those who have a multi-day stopover in Qatar. The complimentary shuttle is convenient for tourists who require transportation from/to Doha. And how often do you get to look across a clear blue sea and wave hello to Saudi Arabia?