cheeznleez

Hello!
Hubby will be choosing housing in Doha sometime next month. We've been offered a choice of either Y-Gardens or Tameer Village as it is close to his work. We can also choose another compound if the contracted company is able to deal with the management company.

My question is if someone can offer some insight on the above compounds or suggestions of compounds in the same general area (No West Bay suggestions please!) A garden is a must as we will be bringing our dog with us and would like an out-door area for get-togethers etc.

Any other additional information will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

co durham boy

I've been to the Y Village not sure if it's the same , it probably is and it was really good , it was pretty new with excellent on site amenities.

Check wherever you go about your dog. There's plenty people with dogs here but there's also plenty dog free compounds , dogs are either loved or hated here by certain sections of the community .

abbey08

Y Village is pretty good and only a couple of years old. The facilities there are some of the best that I have seen in any compound in Doha. It has the feel of a holiday resort which I understand was the aim. It has an on site shop, salon, gym, excellent pool area etc. On the downside it is quite far out and may take a while to get to work if you are in West Bay. I nearly took a place there last year but it was too far from the kids school. I think it has a facebook page.

cheeznleez

Thanks for the gen, peeps. Y village will be close to work, but schools are another issue. Based on my map search, it looks as though Compass in Rayyan is the closest, but we have yet to secure any of the coveted school places.

We have been assured spots in the new GEMS school in Wakra - which is our absolute fall-back plan. Any ideas as the the actual driving time to get there during school rush hour???

cheeznleez

Abbey, what school are your kids in?

co durham boy

Over 1 hr to Wakra from there , you'll be looking at 3 hrs per day school journeys . Wakra is south and the infrastructure to get there is poor , plus it's a toilet.

Venezuelan007

Before or after you try to kill yourself with the seat belt?

abbey08

My children are in Park House which would be too far for you in the Y Village unless you had no other option. A good option for you is Doha British school (used to have Montessori in the name till a year or so ago) which is near Villagio and about a twenty minute drive from Y Village.

http://www.dohabritishschool.com/

Compass is one of the most expensive schools here and from what I gather the education is not better than other schools but the facilities are supposed to be good etc.

From where you are also look at Sherborne which is an option and about a half hour drive. http://www.sherborneqatar.org/.

There is also a Newton School in Al Waab which is another option and not too far.

cheeznleez

Thanks again for the feedback, Abbey and Durham Boy! Abbey, the info you've provided with regards to schools is quite helpful, as I've been sticking to the big 5-6 recommended by most westerners. Newton and DBS weren't really on my radar previously, but I have a question with regards to these schools. In my previous experience living in the UAE, a lot of Western curriculum schools are such in name only, and the standards of education are compromised by English not being the primary language of many of the students and even the teachers. Can you speak to this with regards to DBS and Newton? Essentially, I want to know if many Westerners have children in these schools.....
I know that school places are hard to get regardless, and I don't want to seem pretentious, I just want to focus my energy into getting my kids into schools that I won't want to take them out of the following school year.....

abbey08

DBS is a proper British school but there will also be some other nationalities including locals. Newton is probably less of a british school in that there will be fewer british teachers and children. Newton is what you would call a second division school - thats why they usually have places. Sherborne and Compass are both good and you would have no worries with either of them or DBS.