Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SURVIVAL GUIDE
Directory A-Z
ACCOMMODATION
Qatar's main sights are all within day trip distance of the capital. As a result, most visitors
stay in the large selection of hotels available in Doha and neighbouring West Bay and West
Bay Lagoon. The following notes may be helpful in determining what type of accommoda-
tion to book:
Qatar has accommodation to fit most pockets, although travellers will find it difficult to
find single/double rooms for less than QR350/450 per night. Doha has a good, modern
hostel, costing QR240 per night with linen provided: check
www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels
for details.
Many of the cheaper hotels near Souq Waqif are in areas condemned for redevelopment in
the near future, but they will relocate to the area behind the National Museum.
Midrange accommodation usually implies a carpet, minibar, satellite TV and view of
something other than an internal stairwell.
Qatar has some of the world's best top-end accommodation, including resorts. Most offer
weekend (Friday-Saturday) specials and other deals in association with selected airlines.
'Wild camping' is possible in some parts of the country but you will need to be self-suffi-
cient and preferably have a 4WD to gain access to beaches or sand dunes. Basic camping
equipment is available from Carrefour in City Centre-Doha.
SLEEPING PRICE RANGES
The following price ranges refer to a double room with bathroom and AC in high season (November to March).
Taxes are included in the price. Listings are arranged by price and then by author preference within a price cat-
egory.
$
less than QR500 (US$140)
$$
QR500-1000 (US$140-US$280)
$$$
more than QR1000 (US$280)
ACTIVITIES
Beaches
The coast of Qatar is almost a continuous line of sandy beaches with pockets of limestone
pavement. As pretty as it looks, the sea is very shallow, making it almost impossible to
