When my husband and I went to Vietnam earlier this year we had to choose between a nine hour layover or a nineteen hour layover in Doha, Qatar. As I have visited a country with nearly all the letters of the alphabet, I figured we might as well stay in Qatar for a day and get my Q country! Plus, this way we broke up the back to back fourteen and seven hour flights back to D.C. from Hanoi.
I have not done much travel in the Middle East, so a layover in Doha, Qatar seemed like a good opportunity to see a different part of the world. While I didn’t really know what to expect, Doha was lovely surprise – there was delicious food and plenty to do for a day. Here are my tips is you happen to have an overnight layover in Doha as well.
Where to Stay
Al Bidda Boutique Hotel: Downtown Doha is mostly concrete and skyscrapers, so I recommend staying in the Souq Waqif, which is the old part of town. Souq Waqif means “standing market” which is fitting because the area is consists of a huge market with shops selling clothes, handicrafts, ornaments, spices, jewelry, and more. The area also includes a series of Tivoli hotels called the Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels.
The group of nine hotels are all walking distance from one another; all of them are opulent and Arabian-themed. We chose to stay in the Al Bidda boutique hotel, which featured a gorgeous lobby restaurant, massive rooms with a sitting area, walk in shower and stand alone tub. Service was impeccable, and all of the Souq Waqif hotels have any kind of amenity you could possibly want. It’s the perfect place to stay during a long layover in Doha, Qatar.
Where to Eat
There are plenty of places to eat during a long layover in Doha, Qatar. Most of the Souq Waqif hotels have a restaurant. Since you can walk in between the hotels you can choose to eat any of the restaurants. Considering how hot it is I do recommend that you take advantage of the free golf cart transport between hotels. Hotel staff will make a quick call and a chauffeured cart will appear in front of the hotel in a matter of minutes!
Al Terrace: We took a ride over to the Al Mirqub hotel from our hotel, where we had a decadent lunch at Al Terrace. The Lebanese restaurant serves delicious Middle Eastern fare; we stuffed our faces with hummus, pita, fresh salads, falafel, potatoes, fresh juices and more.
Spice Market: Because we wanted wine with our dinner, we jumped in an Uber to downtown. Qatar is largely a dry country, but Western-owned hotels are permitted to serve alcohol. We enjoyed spring rolls, dumplings, curries, fried rice and wok fried vegetables in an ornate, romantic setting.
What to Do During a Long Layover in Doha, Qatar
Experience the Souq Waqif
Take your time and wander through the souq at your leisure. Even if you don’t buy anything it is fun to wander through the market and see all of the interesting items for sale. Stop for an ice cream… or an iced coffee! I highly recommend a cold treat because Doha is brutally hot! Even in October it was 107 degrees! The market opens up at 4pm, due to the heat, so it’s a great pre-dinner activity.
Visit a Spa
One of the best things you can do during a long layover in Doha, is to get a massage! During the day, when it is too hot to be outside, I highly recommend treating to yourself to some spa treatments at one of the Souq Waqif hotels. I got a massage and it was delightful. There are steam rooms and gyms you can use, and the quality of the massage was surreal. I got to choose the scent of oils used, and the atmosphere was tranquil and relaxing.
The Verdict
The opulence of Doha alone is something to marvel at. From service to cleanliness to art and architecture, you will marvel when visiting this city. A long layover in Doha, Qatar is certainly not a waste and is undoubtedly an incredibly unique experience!
