Where to stay in Doha?

Lodging in the heart of the Doha skyline: West Bay

North of the Corniche, West Bay is famous for housing the Doha skyline. Buildings such as the Doha Tower and the Tornado Tower are among the city's tallest. Numerous green spaces flourish in the four corners of this part of the Corniche, including Al Dafna Park, a lung of greenery right on the seafront.

Tourists appreciate this business center above all for its many activities and strategic location. Here, you can shop in two of the capital's largest shopping malls (City Center and Gate Mall), stroll along the seafront quays or in the parks, and enjoy sensational views.

If you choose to stay here, you can be sure of being well served by public transport. Doha's metro system was upgraded to accommodate the 2022 World Cup and is now one of the most efficient in the world. This makes getting around particularly easy, especially as you can visit West Bay on foot. It's also centrally located, between Souq Waqif and The Pearl, making all the major attractions of Greater Doha within easy reach.

When it comes to accommodation, there's plenty to choose from. Be warned, however, that prices in West Bay are rather high, and most of the accommodation is luxury. This is the second most expensive district in this practical guide, where to stay rarely costs less than €150 per night.

Souq Waqif: stay in the historic center

Plunge into the heart of a recently restored traditional site and explore its famous souk. You'll find everything you're looking for: spices, fabrics, carpets, clothes, souvenirs... as you stroll through the stone buildings of a bygone era.

The area is packed with restaurants renowned for their value for money. You can stay here for the convenience of being surrounded by museums such as the Msheireb Museums, the Qatar National Museum and the Museum of Islamic Art.

At the end of the Corniche is Doha's Old Port, adorned with its pastel houses and a thousand lights, and, a little further on, the fishing port. To get there, you'll certainly have to cross MIA Park, a magnificent green space dotted with numerous cafés.

Here again, the transport network takes you everywhere, although it's easy to cover the area on foot. Numerous buses criss-cross the area, as does the Gold line of the metro.

It's possible to stay in the Souq Waqif for reasonable prices, while enjoying 4 and 5-star accommodation. A wide range of accommodation is available, all within walking distance of amenities.

A dream night on a luxury island: The Pearl

Off the coast of West Bay lies the famous The Pearl, nicknamed the "Arabian Riviera". This artificial island is home to circular beaches and quays where the yachts of the area's richest families dock. The architecture in this area is daring: colorful, Arabesque buildings line the quays of the marina and its palm trees.

Further afield is Qanat, also known as the"Venice of Qatar", an area criss-crossed by canals and overlooked by buildings similar to those on Disneyland's Main Street.

Here, luxury is everywhere. You'll find it in the designer boutiques, restaurants, villas and 5-star hotels that bring this upmarket district to life.

If you don't want to spend your entire budget in the stores that populate the island, you can always visit the La Marina marina and pass by the Mosque. On the other hand, if you're on a budget, we'd advise you not to stay on the island. Prices rise very quickly, and you can expect to pay several hundred euros per night.

The Pearl is served by a few buses, but you can also get there by car, as there are several parking lots on the island.

Al Hitmi: stay just a stone's throw from the center

On the southeastern Corniche, Al Hitmi adjoins the Souq Waqif and is crossed by the RAS Abu Abboud Expy road. It's also the start of the Promenade that leads to the fishing port, where you can stroll day and night and enjoy the small shops.

Inside Al Hitmi, you can stroll through the small streets of shops, restaurants and modern hotels. There aren't many of these, but they have the reputation of being more affordable than the luxurious accommodations of The Pearl or West Bay.

If you feel like it, you can also attend an event at Doha Stadium. It's a rather quiet area that enjoys a prime location thanks to its proximity to the city center, the sea and the Corniche.

So you're close to all the main attractions Greater Doha has to offer, and there are plenty of buses to get you from one point to another. This is also where you'll find the "National Museum" metro stop on the Gold line.

Budget accommodation in Al Sadd

Far from the hustle and bustle of the capital, Al Sadd is an outlying district. Mostly residential and commercial, it's a place where you can observe local life through small shops, cafés and restaurants, in a calm and tranquil atmosphere far removed from the hustle and bustle of the main areas.

Al Sadd may beoff the beaten track, but it's not lost. It has two metro stops (Hamad Hospital and Al Sadd), with two separate lines, the Green and the Gold. This makes it an ideal location for budget accommodation with quick and easy access to Doha's sites of interest. In addition to the underground networks, bus routes will also get you from one point to another in no time.

You can also take advantage of the Royal Plaza Mall, Al Sadd Mall and Al Asmakh Mall, which are so close together that they almost seem to meet.

The off-center nature of Al Sadd allows it to offer attractive prices, more affordable than in the rest of the city. However, the choice of accommodation is limited.