Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Housing
Stories about wild parties on expat compounds where the residents never interact with
people beyond the gates are largely a thing of the past. Company compounds do still exist
in Saudi but many expats in the Gulf are these days given an allowance and expected to
find their own accommodation. Some general advice regarding housing is as follows:
»
Rental accommodation can be found, usually unfurnished, through embassies, cultural centres and newspapers.
»
Villas with gardens, apartments with a shared swimming pool or a residency within a self-sufficient and gated com-
pound are the preferred expat residency options. Many hotels offer long-stay arrangements.
»
Check that air-con, maintenance of shared areas and mains water are included in the rent.
»
Shaded, off-road parking is highly desirable.
»
Unless you are a fan of early mornings, you may prefer to avoid neighbouring a mosque where a wake-up call will oc-
cur well before sunrise.
»
Check your employment contract covers temporary accommodation while you house hunt.
»
Relocation consultants as well as estate agents can be found in the telephone directories of most countries.
