Expat Review- Lively Doha Nightlife !!!!!!

Over the past few years, expats in Doha have significantly grown in number. American and European nationals come and find out that the just like in the Western countries, entertainment offered in Qatar is just as theirs, where people meet in pubs and clubs regularly.

Sarah, an expat from the UK who has been in Doha for more than year said, “It’s like being in Europe, but it depends on what you like. There are a variety of things to do, you can either chill out or go clubbing, or even meet other professionals at numerous networking events that also take place at night.”

She is a marketing professional, who moved here with her husband and didn’t have a hard time making friends. She connected with professional and social networking groups helping expats meet people from their field of work.

“These groups also hold events at night at hotels, pubs or at the beach, aiming for people to interact and make contacts,” she added. Just last month, a group held a fruitful beach party at a five-star hotel. Also, business councils host informal gatherings for professionals to come together outside the workplace.

There are events intended for ladies, like the dinners organized by Qatar Professional Women’s Network every month, and diverse ones prepared by numerous other networking and social platforms, which have succeeded in for a few year, with the rapid increase in the number of expats.

But some say that the Doha nightlife isn’t as vibrant as Dubai’s. Many can’t afford it. “It’s very costly, if you want to keep up, you must have a great disposable income to spend on drinks and entrance fees,” said a British national.

Linda, a teacher from Sweden has known Qatar to be a conservative Muslim country and was surprised by how lively the nightlife is in here. “I think it’s also contradictory, just like the fact that, at nightclubs, the recommendation to dress modestly is ignored by most women, who wear provocative clothes with no worries,” she said. Linda concluded, “You can do whatever you want, just like in Europe.”

For Pedro, who resided here for a year, “the local nightlife is slightly similar to that of Europe except there are more restrictions and the offer is a bit more limited and pricy. There are only two discos and they charge QR200 for a membership card that lasts only six months and, if you go on weekends, it’s very likely that they won’t let you in if you don’t go with a woman.”

As a Spanish bachelor, he also adds that these places can be unsafe, because men frequently turn violent if they drink. “I have seen at least four very violent fights with up to ten men taking part. They even threw glasses at each other and it was very difficult for the security personnel to control the situation,” he added.

Doha’s variety of nightclubs, pubs, and bars is situated in five-star hotels and features different tastes. The establishments often host theme parting, such as Arabic and Indian, also ladies and couples night in major venues, a widespread practice in the West.

 

But, only the well-heeled find the prices in these establishments affordable. Most nightclubs here obliges the payment of membership fee, which ranges from QR50 up to QR200. The membership card usually covers entrance to an establishment for a limited time – from six months to one or two years, depending on the hotel’s policy.

The membership card always consists of a photo and allows entrance, but not in all cases, given that often big groups of men, or a man that is alone, can be deprived of entrance if the person at the door says so.