vysko

Hi guys, I'm new here. I've checked all threads about compounds in Riyadh and still I have some questions. Any help appreciated. I will spend next 6 month in KSA, I'm a freelancer and my rate is "all inclusive" which means I have to take care of my accommodation, car rental, flights, etc by myself. I have spend some 2 months already in Doha, I was alone there and it was not really a nice experience According to what I have checked on this forum Riyadh is twice that bad ! Whatever - money is money. In any case hotel is not an option for me if I don't want to turn crazy, so I'm looking for a compound 1 bed apartment. Everything seems to be full/on waiting list except the "Riyadh Village". They have responded to me that they have free space and what is great, it is possible to rent even for 6 months ! Good price of 47.000 SAR for 6 months is then just a bonus.

- now all this seems to me too good to be true so I wanted to ask where might be the catch ?

- isn't the compound finished yet ? Has anybody seen it recently how does it look like right now ?

- my work place will be next to Kingdom tower and the compound is 30 KM far away. How much time it can really take in Riyadh traffic to get from work to compound ?

And a bit off topic: how it works on customs when I want to bring my own medicaments to KSA ? Do I need any special documents - what kind ?

thanks
Vysko

khitan004

Vysko,

Compounds are notoriously impossible to get onto. I only managed it because somebody moved out of a house-share, something compounds tend to frown upon. If you are on your own (without any dependents) you could get away with living in a hotel for 6 months and I can hook you up with events going on.

I looked at Riyadh Village back in August/September. They said they are refurbishing but everything I hear from people I know how live there and have visited say it is not completed and it is a building site. I suspect the only reason people have gone on it is to be on it when it is finished rather than to try and get in when it has been completed.

Either way I don't think any compound will listen to you if you are only looking for a 6 month deal. Most compounds I have come across (at least all the 'good' ones) require ALL the rent up front. This is a ball-ache if you get paid monthly and are 'freelance' similar to me.

It will take you around an hour I would have thought to get from Riyadh Village to Kingdom Tower in the morning simply due to traffic around the main street but I am only guessing. I will try and contact somebody who is living on it and get you more information.

If you are willing to spend SAR47k over 6 months for accommodation then I am guessing you could find a nice hotel closer to work inside that budget. There is also the option of a motel on Sedar compound. It has had a reputation of being a 'red light' motel but that has been remedied years ago I believe. It has favourable facilities plus you get access to the compound too.

khitan004

Also, I wouldn't worry about medication being brought into the country. There is much worse brought across the border.

vysko

thanks for the answer, Khitan.
I know that there is problem to get to compound, that is why I was surprised with the answer from Riyadh village that they have something free and even for 6 months - strange Do you have any info on this compound ?
The Seder motel is my back-door option, however it is not 47k for 6 months, it is more like 90k.

khitan004

90k for Sedar motel?! Christ. I found a hotel that was under SAR6k per month, but it was out of the way. You may be able to find a 'furnished apartment' for just over 6k per month near the city centre around the King Fahd medical city in the Suleimaniyah district.

http://bit.ly/GBhPha

I am trying to get some info for you from a guy I think lives over there. Will post it when I get it.