Sherraton hotel, Qatar
Oops - it's an Emirate but not one of the united ones - thanks for the correction. I did say I didn't know much about it yet 
Aug 11th 2009, 5:27 am
#19
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Joined: Jul 2009
Location: Doha Qatar
Posts: 58
Re: Sherraton hotel, Qatar
After Rydges & its Ausie Legends bar was forced to close, the Sheraton with the Irish Harp, has really the only "Bar" type of place in Doha.
Aug 11th 2009, 6:52 am
#20
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: St Helens, Northern England
Posts: 57
Re: Sherraton hotel, Qatar
I thought there were quite a few bars there? Beleive they have ben cracking down on letting men in after 9:30 and other restrictions. Any comments?
Aug 13th 2009, 5:14 pm
#21
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Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Riyadh
Posts: 147
Re: Sherraton hotel, Qatar
Mart - you'll be fine there - plenty of bars in the hotels - some have memberships and ideally you want to get to the pubs quite early as they will stop people after 9-10pm if its very busy - and trust me it gets busy, especially the Harp. The W hotel has a few good bars to check out - been open for about 6 months.
Aug 15th 2009, 11:52 pm
#22
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 53
Re: Sherraton hotel, Qatar
The Irish Harp is the ONLY PUB type bar in town and right now a pint is 40 Rials or 6.47 in New money.
ALL bars are now members only BUT you can become a member just by turning up paying a small fee and showing your passport OR ID Card.
Several bars have recently closed, by order of the Government, these were generally in "lower class" hotels.
No mention of this has EVER been made in the local press.
Qatar seemed to be moving towards liberalisation a few years back but has recently gone backwards, I now describe it as Saudi without the fun.
Still while I get paid I will stay here.
Rents ARE coming down, and don't stay in Ezdan it has the worst reputation in town, anywhere is better than that dump although the pool is nice if VERY busy on Fridays.
Good luck with your move, but come prepared.
ALL bars are now members only BUT you can become a member just by turning up paying a small fee and showing your passport OR ID Card.
Several bars have recently closed, by order of the Government, these were generally in "lower class" hotels.
No mention of this has EVER been made in the local press.
Qatar seemed to be moving towards liberalisation a few years back but has recently gone backwards, I now describe it as Saudi without the fun.
Still while I get paid I will stay here.
Rents ARE coming down, and don't stay in Ezdan it has the worst reputation in town, anywhere is better than that dump although the pool is nice if VERY busy on Fridays.
Good luck with your move, but come prepared.
Aug 22nd 2009, 8:56 pm
#24
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 53
Re: Sherraton hotel, Qatar
Garveys Shut down months ago. Well New Years Eve to be precise.
Rugby and Golf Club both still open.
New Rules you CAN NOT get a drink in ANY BAR before 5PM that includes those above.
This excludes Friday brunches
Rugby and Golf Club both still open.
New Rules you CAN NOT get a drink in ANY BAR before 5PM that includes those above.
This excludes Friday brunches
Aug 23rd 2009, 7:34 am
#25
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Joined: Jun 2008
Location: Abu Dhabi
Posts: 1,633
Re: Sherraton hotel, Qatar
Are any of the bars in Qatar open during Ramadan?
Aug 23rd 2009, 7:37 am
#26
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Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Riyadh
Posts: 147
Re: Sherraton hotel, Qatar
Everything on lock down as far as I know from friends still living there.
Aug 23rd 2009, 12:11 pm
#27
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Re: Sherraton hotel, Qatar
Aug 23rd 2009, 1:15 pm
#28
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 53
Re: Sherraton hotel, Qatar
No one knows not even the guys running Garveys.
There is certainly a feeling about town that the more conservative elements are now holding sway, rumours abound about people being fined for "inappropriate clothing"drinking in bars and the "memberships" are contributing to a feeling that the liberalisation of the past years has come to a shuddering halt.
I have been here over 3 years now and the promise that Qatar showed in the early years has evaporated quicker than the sweat on your brow in the midday sun.
Things have not progressed as quick as people thought both culturally and on the infrastructure front.
Roads and buildings have deteriorated and have not been cared for, flagship projects have been slow to be finished and have been ham strung by underfunding and penny pinching.
Qatar saw it's self as immune to the world economy and still won't admit anything is wrong, even though towers in the City are abandoned and two major road projects are on hold due to "payment issues".
Qatar HAD a lot of potential but it feels like they will never achieve it.
There is certainly a feeling about town that the more conservative elements are now holding sway, rumours abound about people being fined for "inappropriate clothing"drinking in bars and the "memberships" are contributing to a feeling that the liberalisation of the past years has come to a shuddering halt.
I have been here over 3 years now and the promise that Qatar showed in the early years has evaporated quicker than the sweat on your brow in the midday sun.
Things have not progressed as quick as people thought both culturally and on the infrastructure front.
Roads and buildings have deteriorated and have not been cared for, flagship projects have been slow to be finished and have been ham strung by underfunding and penny pinching.
Qatar saw it's self as immune to the world economy and still won't admit anything is wrong, even though towers in the City are abandoned and two major road projects are on hold due to "payment issues".
Qatar HAD a lot of potential but it feels like they will never achieve it.
Aug 23rd 2009, 3:43 pm
#29
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Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Riyadh
Posts: 147
Re: Sherraton hotel, Qatar
We're all doomed captain - dooooooommmmmeeeeddddddd
Aug 23rd 2009, 5:55 pm
#30
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 53
Re: Sherraton hotel, Qatar
Ha ha ha
Not quite yet.
3 years ago Qatar showed so much pormise. I visited Dubai and thought Qatar was looking like a better planned and better executed version.
After time though it became apprent that in actual fact Dubai HAD a vision, no matter how misguided and badly executed, it was aiming to be SOMETHING.
Qatar has managed to become nothing, there seems to be no plan, no vision, just some mubo jumbo about "education" and not wanting to be Dubai.
Thing is before it blew up Dubai was a success, Qatar was a latecomer to the party, you could argue that they could learn from the mistakes of Dubai but it seems Qatar doesn't actually want to try and make any mistakes.
Dubai will rise again, property will never recover but the massive surplus of it WILL drive down rents and make the City what it always should have been, a cheap business base in the region. Once it pulls it's self together Qatar will fall further into it's shadow without purpose or place.
A shame as it promised so much
Not quite yet.
3 years ago Qatar showed so much pormise. I visited Dubai and thought Qatar was looking like a better planned and better executed version.
After time though it became apprent that in actual fact Dubai HAD a vision, no matter how misguided and badly executed, it was aiming to be SOMETHING.
Qatar has managed to become nothing, there seems to be no plan, no vision, just some mubo jumbo about "education" and not wanting to be Dubai.
Thing is before it blew up Dubai was a success, Qatar was a latecomer to the party, you could argue that they could learn from the mistakes of Dubai but it seems Qatar doesn't actually want to try and make any mistakes.
Dubai will rise again, property will never recover but the massive surplus of it WILL drive down rents and make the City what it always should have been, a cheap business base in the region. Once it pulls it's self together Qatar will fall further into it's shadow without purpose or place.
A shame as it promised so much
