mc30b

Hi, I will shortly be relocating to Riyadh with my family and wondered if anybody had views on good western compounds near the British International School. I am aware of Al Hamra, Cordoba, Kingdom City, Arizona and Fal. Any opinions on these or any other nearby compounds would be very helpful. Thanks.

flares

Romaizon isn't far. There's a new one - California being built too

mc30b

Thanks!

mc30b

Also, does anybody have any views on how good the Arizona Golf compound would be for a couple with children. Thanks.

flares

very nice indeed. top dollar though

mc30b

Thanks - how does it compare to Al Hamra?

flares

Equally nice. maybe a little more American feel. Golf course is surprisingly good.

Hamra is a plus as it has direct access to BIS-R. I think there are plans to move BIS-R though but I'm not too au fait with the current status.

The American school is moving to the Bustan Compound in N Riyadh at some point

Hippacrocapig

They plan on moving into the new school sept 2015. But it's not started construction yet. Arizona is a much better choice than Al Hamra but a five minute bus journey to school in the morning. But like the previous comment said top top dollar for both.
Have you tried Nadj, Eid, Granada, Ericson, al Bustan, Cordoba? All within the golden mile. Registered with school? It closes next week for the long summer. There are waiting lists for some years.

mc30b

Thanks, some new names there. I was told by Al-Bustan that they are a 30-35 minute journey to the school - is that right?

My kids have been allocated places - they just need to do an assessment in August.

flares

Good insight there from Hippacrocapig

Any news on California compound? Very close to Arizona compound - think it actually backs onto it. Seems to be a lot of apartments. There's a big five or six story school looking building with a big dome being built on the other side and it is quite advanced - I wasn't sure if this was the new BIS-R but guess it isn't - didn't look very 'International School' in design.

mc30b

The people at Arizona told me that California is still under construction but will hopefully be ready to rent within 6-8 months.

Hippacrocapig

Yes that's correct Al Bustan will be a bus ride. For me personally I like to be close to the school. After 18 months of 30 minute bus rides I was sick of it.
But there really is no perfect house on a perfect compound. Each compound has problems. They are communities but some more communal than others.

MaserMan

Granada you want to avoid like the plague. Eid & Cordoba are good compounds, I lived in Eid and it was a 5 min bus ride to school.

The one problem not mentioned is availability, but like anything in Riyadh you can get around it through friends and connections.

ansoj

I too would recommend that Granada compound be avoided due to the poor management which has destroyed the environment and forced away all the tenants. I was there for a few years and left in April after the rents were raised by 35%, utilities added to the costs, and services continued to decline. The place is now deserted with about 50 of the 240 units occupied.

The facility was good when it was at SR 166k pa (including electricity) but not at SR 200-205 (w/o electricity). It is rumored that the rents will go up another SR 20 k because the gym has been re-modeled.