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Latest Doha hotel reviews
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Souq Waqif is the ‘standing souq’ that evolved from humble beginnings and whilst perhaps still the most traditional part of Doha’s ‘souq’ area because its close to the port.
It has a number of perfume shops and stalls offering the most exclusive fragrances from the west alongside the attars and essential oils popular in Arabia. Awell worth a visit if you want to buy any of the traditional forms of Qatar national dress.
Souq Waqif is also full of shops selling all kinds of kitchen utensils, everything from cutlery and crockery, glasses and coolboxes, vaccum flasks and storage boxes to plastic were and pots and pans (including the sort of cauldron-sized containers which will enable you to cook for hundreds!).
Also available are falcon centres where you can touch and take photos of live falcons.
What to buy: - antique shops, you will find old arabic map collections that is worth keeping
- national dress, perfumes and spices
- candy stores
- kitchen utensils
- blankets, linens, appliances, electrical goods, textiles, sportswear and boutiques etc.
What to pay: souvenir shops sell hookahs from 50QAR to 300QAR, swords are from 100QAR and above, small trinkets 30QAR to 50QAR... dont hesitate to ask for discounts, they will give it to you with a smile.
Updated Apr 4, 2011
Address: Grand Hamad St.
Souq Waqif is the ‘standing souq’ that evolved from humble beginnings and whilst perhaps still the most traditional part of Doha’s ‘souq’ area because its close to the port.
It has a number of perfume shops and stalls offering the most exclusive fragrances from the west alongside the attars and essential oils popular in Arabia. Awell worth a visit if you want to buy any of the traditional forms of Qatar national dress.
Souq Waqif is also full of shops selling all kinds of kitchen utensils, everything from cutlery and crockery, glasses and coolboxes, vaccum flasks and storage boxes to plastic were and pots and pans (including the sort of cauldron-sized containers which will enable you to cook for hundreds!).
Also available are falcon centres where you can touch and take photos of live falcons.
What to buy: - antique shops, you will find old arabic map collections that is worth keeping
- national dress, perfumes and spices
- candy stores
- kitchen utensils
- blankets, linens, appliances, electrical goods, textiles, sportswear and boutiques etc.
What to pay: souvenir shops sell hookahs from 50QAR to 300QAR, swords are from 100QAR and above, small trinkets 30QAR to 50QAR... dont hesitate to ask for discounts, they will give it to you with a smile.
Updated Apr 4, 2011
Address: Grand Hamad St.
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This family-owned shop has a wide array of pearls, in all forms of natural colors and sizes. It was an educational experience to visit.
The man is patient with answering questions about the pearls. His father comes in and out very often to greet customers.
(He will be closed for about two months during April/May 2006) He's going sailing.
What to buy: This is THE local source for pearls. His prices are far below any of the prices at the Souqs.
Updated Apr 4, 2011
Phone: +974 435 1021
Shopping malls are great finding everything you need, because everything is under one roof and there are food courts whre you can relax and by food and soft drinks. These large shopping complexes are an especial boon in the heat and humidity of the Gulf, so also take on a social aspect as well.
City Centre, on of the Carrefour group of malls, and Landmark are the ones I used to frequent.
What to buy: Clothes, electronics........ just about anything
What to pay: It depends on how much you have
Written Dec 28, 2010
Address: Doha
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Would you like to buy some local souvenirs? Something that is actually unique to Qatar and (here's the catch) made in Qatar? The only place we found was in Souk Wakif, in a little shop called Al noof. Our friends who live in Doha took us there - not only for the souvenirs, but to see the three dimensional plastic model of how the city looked in the past.
What to buy: You can buy small and large locally-made three dimensional plastic models, like the one in the photo. They mostly represent traditional buildings or city landmarks and are quite nice. They also cost very little.
What to pay: The smallest ones start at 30 rials.
Updated Jan 23, 2009
Address: souk wakif
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Villagio Shopping Mall is quite an iteresting sight, even if you don't like shopping - 220 stores are anyway too much to take in - in one go. Actually I would not even recommend it to go there to shop, but just to see a great example of Middle Eastern kitsch (which I adore).
When i visited it in January 2009 it was not yet completely finished, but most shops were open. Not that i cared too much. So what's it like inside? It is designed to feel like an Italian town in architecture - and look up at the ceilings and see how, painted blue, they look like a sky. Different areas of the mall have different shades of blue - the area where the sky is dark (near dusk) has street-lamps all over, and they are designed too look as if they are lit.
Do you need more Italy? Find the canal that runs through the centre, complete with gondolas that you can ride. The "gondoliere" is just there to manouevre the gondola, he's not rowing... gondolas here are operated mechanically. Fed up with Italy? Go and have fun in the ice-skating rink by the food court.
What to buy: Don't buy anything... go there to sightsee.
Updated Jan 23, 2009
Address: Al Waab Street
Phone: +974 4135444
Contemporary and trend setter shopping mall in Doha - and apparently it will be the largest. It is hosting a Carrefoure Supermarket and loads of other stores. It has an Italian theme with a super cool fake sky inside so it always looks like dusk in Tuscany! Some really nice eateries....very different from existing malls in doha. It’s funny how you feel like you are walking in the streets under a beautiful sky when you are walking in the mall. The whole interior is very pretty, very romantic. Add to that, the indoor gondola ride which, for fifteen riyals will give you a ride up and down it. As you glide along the canal, you could easily forget that you are in the middle of a desert country. And just to mention it is a copycat of the gondola ride at the Venetian in Las Vegas. I'm sure this would attract a lot of mall-goers. Well, I would like to take that ride once.
What to buy: yeah!! Shops - it is after all a shopping Mall. Virgin Megastore is my favourite - not least because it has the best collection of books in Doha. However, clothes fans will not be disappointed - there is a huge range of stores here, from Western chains to small boutiques. There's even Qatar's one and only Boots store here. If I recall it correctly following would be the latest brands to the mall cold stone ice cream, banana republic, H&M, GAP store are and few more big names.
Updated News -
state owned QATAR Telecom (Qtel) recently opened its new branch at Villagio Mall, under the slogan of “Qtel Revolution.
What to pay: Depends.
Updated Nov 10, 2008
This is the place I used to get my grocery in Carrefour, perfume in BodyShops, candles and frames in Home Centre, baby stuff in Mother Care etc. I also enjoy my cup of tea and coffee in Starbuck or Coffee Bean.
If you are planning to have Chinese cruisine in buffet style, ther is a restaurant inside to get all these great food.
Like ice-skating? There is one in it too. You can enjoy it during the summer.
Written Aug 9, 2008
Get cheaper price for household items, gifts, electronics, toys and local perfumes. There are many beautiful tea sets, jewellery box, perfume bottles, local craft that you should have a look and buy. Never miss that everytime I come here.
Written Mar 25, 2008
Address: Al-Muntazah, Hathen Street
Phone: 009744323083
It is one of many in the market where local items can be found.
What to buy: Having seen examples of Bedouin woven materials, I felt the bright ethnic cushions whether normal pillow like shape, or the hassock-like rectangular ones would make a nice gift to myself. As it was my birthday my daughter treated me to a couple of each, and the shop owner added some reject material which I later hemmed to make a small table cloth.
The bright red, white and black colours [with a dab of green] van be found in most folk work, as I have seen similar in other Middle East countries as well as from Romania and Bulgaria. The Bedouin cloth is woven wool.
What to pay: Not an extortionate sum.
In fact I didn't buy the items, my daughter did as a gift for me.
Updated Apr 9, 2007
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