Toothache

A friend the other day was asking me about dentists in Qatar, and I pointed her to our webpage on dentists. Of course, as she pointed out, there is no indication of how good these dentists are. And while the dentist was quite cheap compared to some of the other dentists around, she still had a pain in her jaw several days after going to the dentists.

As a result we have extended our rating system to our dentist's page. If you have had a good or bad experience with one of these dentists, we would be very grateful if you could let other users know by rating them. (If you really feel strongly you may also wish to submit a review.)

Note - we have also added the rating system to our restaurants review page.

Image by Many Cats 4 Me

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Telephone Number for Qatar Airways

Has anyone else had problems contacting Qatar Airways? They used to have their telephone number on the website, but now clicking on Contact Us just gets an email form. I am always sceptical of these in Qatar because so often you don't get a reply.

I did an office search for the number, came to select the office, selected the Doha office - which always used to come up with a long list of telephone numbers - only to get this result:



I tried the Qatar Airways number on our website, but there was no reply, so presumably it has been discontinued.

A quick call to Qtel got me this number, which worked on the second try:

Qatar Airways Tel: +974 4621681

I wonder if they are trying to discourage telephone calls and direct people towards internet booking instead - or am I missing an obvious number on their website?

We have a list of useful telephone numbers for Qatar, but as this shows things change - if you do come across an error, please let us know and we will try to correct it promptly!

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Police Clearance for Qatar

After being accepted for a job in Qatar, you may be asked to provide a police clearance certificate. This relatively new requirement was brought in about 2 1/2 years, and at the time meant no end of hassle for those already in Qatar who now required one.

In our latest website article we look at how to obtain a police certificate, and what to do with it after you have got it. The piece was written in response to a question on the forum here: Required UK Documents for Qatar by Plaxis, and we have incorporated some of the information he eventually found out on the British side of things, while the British Embassy were kind enough to provide us with the information on the Qatar side of things.

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Holidays and Mobile Phones

Here's a quick reminder to those of you heading off on long holidays, and who top up your mobiles with hala cards. Be sure to purchase a couple of Hala cards before you go. Otherwise you could find that your validity is running out. While in theory it is possible to top-up your mobile phone from abroad, we have found it impossible for hala card users. If your validity runs out while abroad, you could find yourself having to buy a new sim card from Qtel, as we did last year.

Also see: Mobile Phones in Qatar

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British Embassy Press Release: New Access Road

The British Embassy have sent us the following press release. For more information about the British Embassy, its history and its new location see British Embassy open for business.

New Wahda St access road to British Embassy in West Bay: old route no longer accessible

As of today, the access road to the British Embassy in West Bay is changing. Visitors to the Embassy should now approach from the Rainbow (Arches) roundabout and take the Wahda St exit towards Qatar University. The first exit off Wahda St on the right leads to the Embassy carpark.

The Embassy understands that the previous access road from Lusail St (Aladdin’s roundabout) will be closed as of 1 July. We apologise for any inconvenience caused but believe the new route will make it considerably easier for our customers to reach the Embassy.

A revised map of the route to the Embassy is available on our website at www.britishembassy.gov.uk/qatar

British Embassy Doha
30 June, 2008

Also see:

Full list of embassies in Qatar

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Tourists Visa for Qatar: Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways Tourist Visa:

How to Obtain a Tourist Visa via Qatar Airways

If you are not a member of Qatar's list of approved nationalities for visa on arrival, you can get a visa either via a hotel or via Qatar Airways. However, to get a visa with Qatar Airways, you have to book a room for your stay with a five or four star hotel. We have included a list of approved hotels below.

The hotel can be booked via Qatar Airways, with the visa fee being paid at the same time. In the event of the visa being refused (unlikely unless the person has misused a prior visa) the hotel fee will be refunded. However, the visa fee is non-refundable.

Note that this tourist visa (unlike visa upon arrival for approved nationalities) is not available for those staying with friends or families - visitors need to be booked into a hotel. However, nationalities with families will be able to come on a visit visa - see Qatar Visas for more information.

When we spoke to Qatar Airways about this, we asked about the Tourist Visa available via through Hukoomi, the Qatar Government website. The representative we spoke to said that this was essentially for families only, and also (after a little prodding) that he didn't recommend this method.

For more information about the tourist visa telephone Qatar Airways on:

+974 4496980/4496973

List of approved hotels

Details of all the hotels can be found on our Qatar Hotel Listing. We have also linked to hotels where there we have a full review available. Most of the hotels below can also be found on our Luxury Qatar Hotels Page, where we include a quick review.

Approved Qatar hotels for the Tourist Visa via Qatar Airways include:

• Four Seasons
• The Ritz Carlton Doha
• Al Sharq Village Doha
• Doha Marriot Hotel
• Sheraton Doha
• Intercontinental Doha
• Grand Regency Hotel
• Grand Hyatt Hotel
• Millenium Hotel Doha
• Mercure Grand Hotel
• Movenpick Hotel Doha
• Ramada Plaza Hotel
• Liwa Suites
  
• Doha Seef Hotel

Also see Qatar Visas on our Qatar website for more details on the tourist visa and other visas available from Qatar.

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Aramex moves to new location

Aramex, which runs the popular shop and ship service which allows internet shoppers to bypass Q-post, is moving to a new location. The move will take place on May 24th 2008 and the location will be between Qatar Decoration roundabout and Maamora roundabout - please see map below for more information. (Click on the map for a larger image.) For information about and a review of the service see Aramex Shop and Ship.

Note: Click on the map below for a larger image.







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Renewing your Residence Permit

How To Renew a Family Visa

Update: After finding the forms unavailable on Hukoomi, we have now scanned the forms and added the PDFs to the Qatar Visitor website - see links below.

While employees residence permits are usually renewed by companies, employees may have to renew the residence permits of those they sponsor - wives/husbands, children e.t.c. Fortunately, renewing a residence permit is a relatively simple matter.

When the time came to renew my daughter's residence permit we headed down to the typists in Sofatel to pick up a form and get it typed up (but any typist will do). To complete the form you need:

• your passport/ID
• your dependents' (wife/children) passports
• your telephone number
• your PO Box number

We needed my passport and my daughter's passport, one picture (the background should not be white, although in fact ours was and it did not cause any problems) and photocopies of the passports. The renewal of the visa cost QAR300, although government employees with the relevant letter can get it free. The form should be signed, but young children can give a thumb print instead.

Having got your form typed up, you can renew your residence permit in either the post office or in immigration. We chose the post office - it turned out to be a good choice, as the there was only a small queue. Although being Qatar, the automatic machine that gives you a waiting number was behind a screen and desk, and had an operator, meaning that you had to stand up and queue to get the ticket that meant you didn't have to stand up and queue!

Still there were only a couple of people waiting, the post office is a pleasant and civilized place (my wife went to the cafe to get a coffee while I waited) and the whole process only took about ten minutes. And now we don't have to do it again for my daughter for another three years - hooray!

Official Forms: Form to Renew Residence Permit | Important Notes

Renewing your Residence Permit on Hukoomi

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What to expect when you first arrive in Qatar

For me the first shock arrived three days before I left for Qatar, when my sponsor informed me that my wife and children would not be able to join me until I had my residence permit. Until that time I thought we were going together. In fact I very nearly didn't go.

It was actually longer than three days, as the journey to Qatar was delayed and delayed. I actually had another job lined up in case this one fell through, but in the end I had to make the choice, and then I felt very nervous indeed - not least because the savings in my bank were disappearing rapidly.

Incidentally, I have since met other people in Qatar who had to wait much longer than me. Against this, I am convinced that I made the correct choice - both my wife and I are very happy here.

Arrival

When I arrived I was picked up by a Persian gentleman who spoke few words of English. I was lucky - sometimes labourers arriving here from Asia are left for hours to languish upon the airport floor until their companies/agencies can be bothered to pick them up.

The gentleman who picked me up navigated me through the large building site I had landed in (that was Doha prior to the Asian Games, by the way), and his driving was so crazy that I didn't even notice how bad everyone else's was until later.

He asked me for my passport, but I refused to give it to him. I later learnt that it is normal to relinquish it upon arrival. I did so the next day instead. My passport was later returned to me after all official business had been finished.

I was advised not to give original education certificates, which were for some reason required. Friends who gave their certificates received them back with scribbles and notes upon them. Photocopies of the certificates, as with most documents, were acceptable.

Residence Permit

Before you can do anything in Qatar - get a permanent driving licence, obtain an alcohol permit, open a bank account e.t.c. you have to obtain a residence permit. In all fairness, my employer pushed along the process of obtaining this as quickly as she could, as she knew I was desperate to get my family along.

What I didn't need at the time was police clearance. After I had arrived people were told they did need it. However, I have now known three people who have acquired the police clearance and then not needed. I wouldn't rely on this experience, though, as what is needed does sometimes seem random. I needed my education certificates, scans of my wife and children's passports - and our birth certificates.

Medical Checkups

After getting the initial paperwork done, you need to have a blood type test done. You can get this done at a clinic - I got mine done at the Doha Clinic in Al Nasser street. Note that this needs to be done before your medical test.

Then there was the blood test and medical checkup, which took place at the same time. I don't like blood tests, but this was the best test I have ever been given - I didn't feel a thing. The there was the x-ray and a cursory examination.

When taking the test men and women were separated. For the men, the staff seemed fine, if a little brusque. However, I have heard several women complain at the treatment they have received (from the female staff) at the center.

Fingerprinting

After your test has been completed, and assuming you have passed it (the vast majority of people do), you will need to go for fingerprinting. Here hope you have a good Mandoub, the person in the office responsible for getting bureaucracy done, handling stuff for you - he will then be able to use his local contacts to rapidly circumvent large queues.

And finally...

Then it is a matter of waiting, nagging a bit, waiting again and then finally getting your residence permit. Then hey-presto, you are a real person again. Albeit one who is not allowed to leave the country without first begging permission from your employer first. Doh!

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Qtel's Mozaic TV+ : review

Review and Information on Qtel's Mozaic TV+ package

(Note - this is a review of the Mozaic bundled tv, telephone and wireless internet service - details of Mozaic Mob can be found on the Qtel website.)

Mozaic’s bundle of wireless internet, telephone and television costs just a little more than their telephone and adsl package would cost otherwise. There are two basic TV packages, Asian or Arabic, and we chose Asian as there seemed to be more English language channels.

Most of the channels available on the Mozaic television are available free on satellite television, but you can easily upgrade to paid packages which are quite reasonable in price: 25 riyals for a children’s package, 25 riyals for an Asian films package and 75 riyals for an international films packages.

To be honest, the clinching factor for us was when our US Robotics router decided to malfunction again, leaving us without wireless internet.

Obtaining Mozaic

As usual with Qtel, you cannot order services over the telephone but actually have to go to a service center and order it.

We went to Hyatt Plaza one afternoon as we have found the service center there to be quiet. Sure enough, there was no one in front of us, so we only had to wait 20 minutes before being called by the surly and rude customer service representative. Mozaic was installed two weeks later.

This time the engineer couldn’t be more polite and helpful. Unfortunately, after four hours the system stopped working and it took two more visits by Qtel before it started working again. On the positive side, Qtel did respond promptly after we reported the problem.

On the negative side the engineers were more like the customer service representative this time. The first one left without solving the problem. In fact we didn't know he was gone - he told us he was just going out to check the external wiring and we never saw him again. The second one did manage to sort the problem, but left us with an unsecure network because it was three o' clock and that was his knock off time.

Did I mention that the first engineer was from a company subcontracted by Qtel?

Price

The standard Mozaic package starts at 250 riyals a month. That's what swung it for us, as we were already paying QAR200 just for our ADSL service. Note that the price only counts for one TV set - additional sets cost extra. There are additional pay per view programmes and films, although we haven't tried using these yet. We weren't charged anything for the installation or the hardware.

What you need to order Mozaic

We took along our telephone number, Qtel number, account number, reference number and so on. It wasn’t enough – you also need your eletricity number. When we gave the customer service representative our Qtel number we were told that we were out of range, despite the fact that three of our neighbours have the service. However, after phoning home to get our electricity number Qtel's computer decided that we were now in range.

Hardware

The hardware consists of a large router (Tilgin AB model Vood 453w_A) which is attached to your telephone socket. While your computer connects to the router via wireless, your television is connected to a Motorala set-top-box which is in turn connected to the router by a wire.

Service

We were a little bit worried about reports of flickering and interrupted service, but any interruptions to our service has been minimal. A friend who has had Mozaic longer than us says the service has improved since he first had it installed. After the first hiccup the television set box has failed to work once, but was fine after being turned on and off.

Friends have reported the same thing to me. While it is not a big problem, it would be very annoying if you wanted to watch a program at a certain time, as the top set box does not start straight away but takes several minutes to load up.

One thing that does me is when the television starts up you get the Qtel logo with the same annoying music that you have to listen when you are waiting to speak to Qtel on the phone. However, that goes as soon as you change channels.

The internet has worked smoothly since being installed - in fact, if anything it is faster and smoother than or previous adsl service. The range of the wireless also appears to be good - I haven't used my wireless extender since installing Mozaic.

Conclusion

So far, so good - although we have kept our satellite box in case anything goes wrong with Mozaic...

More info

Ring Qtel on 111 (option 5)

Your opinion?

Have you installed Mozaic? Had any problems, or is it working well? Let us know!

Also see our website articles; Qtel and Telephony in Qatar and Mobile Phones in Qatar

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British Embassy Open for Business

The British embassy is now open for business again in its new location in West Bay. It’s actually the first embassy to open in the new diplomatic area, which is fitting as the British were also the first to establish an diplomatic presence in Qatar.

Surprisingly, given that Qatar was under the influence of the British government from the 19th century, and British policy effectively gave rise to the emergence of Qatar as an independent nation (see the Rise of the Qatar Ruling Family), this wasn’t until 1949, when a single political agent had to work and live in the same room.

The British Political Agency 1952

Just as the first diplomatic presence, built at the end of the pearl fishing era and shortly after the discovery of oil in Qatar (but before its production), reflected Qatar’s relative unimportance at the time, the new embassy now reflects the growing relevance this gas-rich country has.

The embassy is not only larger, but has increased facilities for businesses and conferences. Roddy Drummond, the head of Mission, has also promised that the embassy will be more involved in the community.

Flag Raising at the New Embassy
Although the flag has been raised and business is as normal, the official opening will not be held until the end of March. The visa section will not be included in the embassy, and will remain in Sherif Building opposite the Toyota Towers (tel: 4622159/4621544.)

Embassy Contact Details:
Tel: 496-2000
Fax: 496-2086

Getting There

To get to the embassy, head down to West Bay towards the new exhibition centre. At the roundabout just past the exhibition centre do a U-turn. You will then need to take the first left turning off the road - it's easy to miss as the road is not complete yet - you will drive over a dusty ramp. Drive straight ahead, over the first roundabout, and take the third exit off the second roundabout you come to. Drive to the end of the next road and take a left. You will see the embassy to your left, and there is parking available to your right.

Map

The British embassy has also provided a map, which we have included below - click on it for the full-sized image.

British Embassy Map

Registration

The British Embassy encourages British residents in Qatar to register with them. If you haven't already done so you can enter your details on-line via the Locate service.

Also see our Full List of Embassies in Qatar

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Qatar Government: Hukoomi

Qatar E-government has recently been revamped - and renamed. It's now known as Hookomi, which means government. The revamp has introduced a range of additional services, with the aim of streamlining government and enabling residents to do more without having to make the dreaded trip to government departments.

Hookomi now provides 57 e-services, from getting an exit permit to obtaining a post box online. There are also plans to add many more services in the future, until the website, in its own words, "becomes your chief connection with the government of Qatar and all that it offers."

To use the website, you can either select e-services - or if you just want information you can select view all services - or you can choose which category of user you are: visitor, citizens and residents or business. Each category will provide you with a range of relevant options.

To use the service you may need to register, either with a smart card or with a personal registration. Smart card registration can be completed on-line, after which a smart card will be issued.

On a brief survey, Hookomi was both attractive and easy to navigate and use. I only wish my own country had a central website that was as easy to use.

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Qatar haircut

I’ve always found getting my hair cut in Qatar a bit problematic.

Essentially, there seems to be a choice of getting your hair cut in a luxury hotel or in one of the street shops.

In the street barbers, whatever you ask for, you generally seem to get a short back and sides. This is also often accompanied with a massage. I may be backward, or homophobic, but I have never felt quite comfortable with receiving a massage from another man.

I did go to a young Lebanese hairdresser for a while. He was superb, giving me a decent modern haircut with no fuss. Unfortunately, he had a row with the owner of the shop and left the country in a huff.

I have also tried the Intercontinental. Although on the expensive side, they gave me and a friend a decent cut. However, the two barbers looked so unfriendly we felt no desire to return.

However, my search has now come to an end with the discovery of Patrice Salon in Villagio.

This little shop is hidden down the side of Carrefour, in the corridor parallel with Virgin. Within two minutes of entry, they had sat me down in the chair, squirted my hair with water and were whipping it off.

For QAR 70 riyals I got a decent haircut with no fuss – just what I wanted.

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Aramex Shop and Ship : How to order goods to Qatar from Amazon

Review and Practical Information on the Aramex Shipping Service in Qatar

As Christmas approaches, many of us will be wondering how to get presents over from the UK and USA. Not only does Amazon refuse to shop many goods abroad, when you can ship them there is the awful Q-post service to deal with. I’ve had to wait months for some packages, while others have never arrived.

Fortunately, there is an alternative, which is Aramex, a service which allows you to shop on-line to your hearts content in both the UK and US.

What is Aramex?

Aramex is a courier service which offers a shop and ship service to the Middle East.

First you have to set up an account with Aramex. They will then email you with log in details for their website, as well as an address in both the UK and the USA.

When you shop on-line, you have your goods shipped to your address. Then Aramex will ship the goods to the Middle East.

Shipping prices

Prices are extremely reasonable. It costs 130 riyals (35 dollars) to set up an account with Aramax. After that goods are shipped at a cost of 32 riyals (9 dollars) for the first half kilo, with an additional charge of 26 riyals (7 dollars) for each additional half kilo.

That compares to the 40 pounds (80 dollars) a courier wanted to charge me to send a CD over from the UK.

Location

I initially tried to set up an account on their website. However, this required a zip code, which I do not have. This forced me to find their office, which is located on Salwa road.

To get there drive to Ramada signals. If you are coming from the airport, take a right at the signals. Drive over the flyover, and over the first roundabout after the flyover. When you get to the second roundabout (that’s the one before Midmac roundabout), do a U turn and head back along Salwa Road. You’ll find it on the left, opposite a building site and next to the World Wide shop.

Update: As of 24th May 2008 Aramex will be moving to a new location: see this map for directions.

Service

Far too long ago I said I would update this when I had some personal experience. I have now ordered goods from both America (which Amazon sent in three different packages) and the UK. Each time the goods arrived promptly, and I received a message to pick them up on my mobile phone. When I had goods sent from the UK I actually had the goods sent to my friend's house first, as the company said they would not deliver to a PO Box, and my friend then forwarded it to the Aramex. Although this is not does not quite conform to how the shop and ship service is described, it proved to be no problem.

Obviously, I haven't had extensive experience, and I have seen mixed reviews on the Qatar Living forum (see below for the exact link), and it’s clear that if goods are confiscated by customs you have to sort it out yourself. However, I personally have had good service so far.

Contact details

Website:

www.aramex.com
Aramex: Qatar Office

Email:

Simona.Pantila@aramex.com
aramex.net@aramex.com

Address:

Aramex Building
Salwa Street
P.O. Box 23151
Doha

Telephone:

+974 450-6611

Fax:

+974 450-6622

Update:

Ordering from Amaon: Address details

When ordering from Amazon you will need to put the Aramax phone number in: 7185538740. The zip code is 11413. You need to add the # sign after your PO Box number or, strangely, you get a message saying that this is the wrong zip code.

The full address, should be something like this:

Your name:
147-29 182nd Street
DOH ____#
Springfield Gardens, NY 11413
United States

Notice that Aramex recommend reversing the street and PO box address.

Opening hours

Sat - Thurs 8 a.m. to 8 p.m

Alternative service:

Note that on the comments section below there are details of another service: Bongo International (thank you Cterwill33!) which the writer believes to be better value for heavier items.

Also see:

Life on the Spot post: Of Parcels, Mail Forwarding and Buying on the Net
Qatar Living: Discussion of the quality of Aramex's service
Qatar Visitor website: Qatar Postal Services
Qatar Visitor Currency Converter: Convert riyals into any world currency
And finally Qatar Book Reviews if you are thinking of buying any Qatar or Gulf related books!

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Exit Visas

If you are heading off on your holidays, remember that you cannot get your exit Visa Services stamped at the Airport any more. Instead you need to go Al Gharaffa immigration, opposite the traffic police where you get your licence.

You need to go into the compound to the side of the building, in through Gate 3 and up the stairs to the first floor. Leave the stairs and walk straight ahead to get to the Exit Visas section.

If you are a man join a queue and hand over your form. (Women can breeze past the queue and get it done behind the counter.) A minute or so later you will be given a new form, which you must hand over when you leave the country. As before, the exit visa is valid for seven days.

This may not be necessary if your employer has a Smart Card. According to this article on e-government your employer should be able to obtain an exit visa for you in seconds. An multiple exit visa is also available, though at a cost of QR500 (the standard exit visa is free).

You can print the on-line application, or complete it online here. However, if you don't read Arabic you will need some help.

Exit permits are not required for children and female dependants.

Also see: Qatar Visas and Cancelling your Qatar Visa

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Travel insurance in Qatar

Also see our 2009 Qatar Travel Insurance Update.

It can be hard to find online companies that insure Qatar Residents. One company that do provide insurance are Columbus Direct, who are affiliate to Qatar Airways.

I found their prices very reasonable compared to the Lonely Planet’s insurance service. I also found them quick to respond to email s (although not, unfortunately, to my email requesting to become an affiliate!)

I was initially suspicious when I couldn’t find the level of cover on their site. In fact, this only appears after you have put in your details, and their medical cover is very good.

The company has had both good and bad reviews – check them out here.

My wife’s company also recommended Qatar Insurance. I rang them, and when I finally managed to get through to the travel insurance section I found them friendly and helpful.

Their premium was substantially lower (more than a quarter of the price) than Columbus Direct, but so was their cover. When I rang them, Qatar Insurance offered $250,000 of medical cover compared to $5,000,000 worth of cover from Columbus Direct. However, when I actually visited them at their building they only offered me $50,000 of medical cover.

I couldn’t find reviews of Qatar Insurance on the net, although like I said they came recommended.

If you do book with them, make sure you give them the correct dates. After you have paid, they will not adjust the policy – your only option will be to take out a new policy.

If you have any good or bad experiences with travel insurance from Qatar, please leave a comment or email us!

Columbus Direct
Email: admin@columbusdirect.com
Tel: Tel 0870 033 9988

Qatar Insurance
Enquiry form
Tel (Operator): 4490 490
(After office hours)
Tel (Operator): 4490 491
Location Al Dafna area close to City Centre Shopping Mall.

Also see: Information for Expats and Qatar Life Insurance

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Renting outside Doha

One answer to Doha's exorbitant rents can be to live a little out of town, and I know a number of people who commute to nearby Al Wakra. Villas advertised in the Gulf Times today were in a price range of QR5500 - 6500 ($1500-1800) for two to three bedroom villas in a compound with a swimming pool and fitness club.

Unfortunately it means having to live in Umm Slal, which, after you have seen its forts, is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Still, the equivalent in Doha would get you a one bedroom flat (if you're lucky), so it could be well worth it.

Umm Slal is close to Doha, although traffic could be bad in rush hour. If you are interested get down to the Exhibition Centre before the end of today or check out the advertiser's website: www.almourouj.com.

Also see: Umm Slal Mohammed: forts and streams

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Qtel launches Mozaic service

Qtel today launched it's Mozaic service. Customers have the choice of two services. Mozaic TV+ will offer WiFi broadband internet, IPTV (i.e. TV using internet protocol technology) and telephone) and a a telephone line. The alternative is Mozaic mobile offering internet access through the mobile phone. The service is not yet available to all areas of Qatar,

I don't use cable tv but friends have complained about Qtel's tendency to suddenly change channels without warning. They have also complained about the backup service, although the new 111 number is a substantial improvement over the previous service. However, as Adsl alone costs QR 200/month, and a landline costs QR100/quarter, the service seems to represent remarkable value, even after the one-off QR300 installation fee.

Read the full announcement here.

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Qtel to change international dialling code

Qtel has announced that it will be changing the international dialling access code from 0 to 00 from 21st May 2007 - see this announcement on Qtel's website for more details.

Also see: Useful Telephone numbers

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Renting accommodation in Qatar - update

“Pay Rent QR 15,000/ month for an apartment that you don’t own
or
buy your own house from QR 7,500 /month.”

So says an advertisement currently running in the Gulf Times, and many residents must be asking themselves the same questions.

So how much are flats now? We had a dig around the internet and in the papers.

Mirage property is offering a studio apartment for Qr 5,600 ($1,500), a hotel apartment for Qr 15,000 ($4000), a five bedroom villa for Qr 16,000($4,400) and another 5 bedroom villa for Qr 24,000 ($6,600).

Modern House Property Consulting, advertising in the Gulf Times are offering villas between Qr 16,000 ($4,400) and Qr 40,000 ($11,000) riyals each. (Yes, I checked – Qr 40,000!).

Thinking hotel apartments might prove better value, we rang Al Muntazah Plazah Hotel (contact details below). For a 3 bedroom apartment they charge Qr 18,000 ($5,000) per month including services and tax.

The cheapest I found – a private letting – was near Lulu Hypermarket with 1 bedroom, 1 sitting room, 1 kitchen and 1 bathroom for Qr 5000 ($14,000). There were also two bedroom flats going for QR 7,500 ($2000) in the centre of Doha.

If you look in the less popular areas such as Bin Mahmood, Al Hilal and the Souq area or just out of town in Al Wakra, you can find more reasonable prices. Reasonable, that is, for Qatar.

Where to look:

You can find rental accommodation advertised in the local papers, on supermarket walls, on Qatar Living or try the below:

Al Muntazah Plaza Hotels
Tel: +974 4355677 - 6 Fax: + 974 4355757
Email: info@almuntazahplaza.com

Mirage property consultants
Telephone: +974 444 4431
Fax : +974 431 0408
Email:info@mirageproperty.com

Homes to rent
Telephone 4134839, 4134837, 4134817/ FAX 4134846
Electronic mail Office@Homes2Rent.biz

Also see Buying property in Qatar

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Qatar Doha Middle East renting accommodation letting