ACEC

Hello folks - I would like some help with the following.

Car Hire/Transport
Can anyone recommend a car hire company that does monthly rentals and give an indication of costs for a small/medium car.
How much should a monthly rental be in the region of?
Or what are peoples opinions on just sticking with Taxis or a Driver?

Accommodation
Does anyone know if there is a Villa sublet market and if so where I can find this online or otherwise.
Can anyone advise or recommend of any decent compounds/westernish hotels that do reasonable monthly rental costs?
What is a reasonable monthly rental cost in todays market?

Getting out of Saudi
Is it better to fly or drive to Bahrain?
What's the forums preference between either Bahrain, Dubai or Muscat for the weekend?

Thanks for your help.

nonthaburi

Car hire: have a look at Hanco or Al Wefaq for an indication of prices online. I'd have thought 2000 SAR a month for something okayish.

No idea about sublets, maybe look on message boards at the community centre on various compounds. Lot of people buying and selling stuff.

One bedroom serviced apartments probably start at 3-4000 a month. If you're renting longer term have a look on expatriates.com. You'll find bigger things cheaper but bear in mind you'll probably have to furnish that.

From Riyadh, I'd probably drive to Bahrain. Border gets busy at weekends and mid afternoons onwards. I've waited for over three hours, and I've gone through in ten minutes.

No preference for weekends. I'd say they all offer something different. I've never been to Dubai so can't comment. Muscat does interest me, but again never been. I like Bahrain because I can drive there, it's not too far, and it's quite manageable getting around. Mainly because I can walk pretty much everywhere I want to go once I'm there. Try them all out. Fly Dubai and Oman Air are both pretty cheap.

ACEC

Thanks Nonthaburi - what's a realistic drive time to the Bahrain border on a Thursday night? Any tips on places to stay once there? What's it like going the other way, do you also get held up at customs?

nonthaburi

It's 400km to the border so allow 3+ hours for that. They've changed some speed limits to 140 from 120, but the Riyadh - Dammam highway is still 120. So that means you can do 132 before the cameras flash.

The drive is fine, it's the waiting at the border which takes the time. Thursday night is probably the worst time to go. Allow for at least 2 hours to get through I would have thought.

It's then about 30mins to get to Juffair area where most people stay due to the concentration of hotels, bars, clubs,female company, restaurants etc are.

Coming back I've always found quicker, probably because I try to get away early in the morning, before the Saudis wake up. The only thing that's different going back to Saudi is the customs check which is a bit more intensive than going to Bahrain for obvious reasons. Don't smuggle any booze, but pork should be fine. If they do find it, they most likely won't even want to touch it, and they'll leave you alone.

DubInRiyadh

I rented before from Hertz at the airport, a little bit more expensive but the cars are in good nick and you get proper insurance, and they are one of the few places that will give you the paperwork to drive the car into Bahrain.
Behind the Granada Mall there are loads of apart-hotels and they are around 4500 sar per month.
I used to drive to Bahrain a lot but I just fly now for around 1200 sar and rent a car at the airport for 120 sar per day. The flight is only an hour and is a lot less hassle.

scot47

I was always struck by how much more expensive tings were in Bahrain. It certainly has a different atmosphere to Riyadh, but I could not help reflecting on the seedy side of life there and the fact that it is as much of a "police state" as Saudi is.

nonthaburi

well the beer is more expensive in the bar, but then again it is genuine.

I kind of like the seedy side of life there. It's seedy, but not too in your face.

But there are also a lot of family things to do, like cinema, water parks and so on.

I never reflect, I always absorb....alcohol mainly

Gobobo

Beirut is very pleasant, especially in the summer when Bahrain is scorchio! I've not been for a weekend but I'm sure it's doable.

ACEC

Thanks Dub the monthly rates at Hertz are actually the best I’ve seen at the moment.