Looks like its a long weekend.. I was just wondering what to do.. Really don't have a clue... thought about going to a bar. Can anyone tell me some good bars or clubs in town?
because appart from paloma, ridges, the ritz, and ramada ... there are not so many bars in doha !! there's the cigar lounge in the four seasons but it is ... calm ! (though we enjoy it very often and will probably be there in 45min now ! :))
Paloma's is the worst bar in Qatar after the Ramada. I hate Paloma's you will not find me or any other girl I know there becuase it is dirty and skeezy and filled with middle aged men. Ick. I hate Paloma's. :P
Im 18 so am in full gear mode cuz i need to experiment badly!
Regarding the dress code OFCOURSE Im sensible enough to know not to wear traditional attire. Do i sound like Im the kind of person that does? I hardly wear it alltogether unless necessary. And about me going overboard, as amusing as it is to entertain that thought, its farfetched since im technically not even "on board" yet! lol Im a somewhat inhibited, coy personality hence the reason Im fidgeting and bombarding u with questions :-)
If you are above 18 only then take this tip..Dubai will not discriminate against gulfies...(except during Ramadan..when Liquor is not served to Muslims)..But you cant wear your Qatari dress..You have to be in pant-shirt...No slippers/sandals...
Dubai has 331 hotels and all have bars...depends what are you looking for...Do you have any specific question??
check www.virtualtourist.com or www.tripadvisor.com and type Dubai/Bahrain and Nightlife...
Always be in control and never act foolish..and if you are too young and are trying to get into the rain...always keep your raincoat...(Discreet language for QL)
On QDC.... I heard they will close for Ramadan, correct? And that they are allowing double allowance purchases at the moment, so that people can stock up?
Seeing as the website is down at the moment, can anyone tell me what their hours are, please?
Can u elaborate more on dubai's nightlife. Are gulfies discriminated against as well or less so? Is it costly? Is it worth going alone? Is it really up to western standards?
Now that im officially going to china Im going to venture in2 the world of nightlife even if I am scared s***less! the worst part would be if I felt awkward. Any tips on nightlife for beginners?
Take a left from 2nd roundabout(Next after Qatar Decoration after the overbridge from Ramada Signal on Salwa road..and then drive a kilometer till you reach institute of technology or something..Qatar distribution company (QDC) is right behind it..
You need a salary certificate letter from Company and Qatar ID...and 1000 QR as refundable security deposit..There is no clarity on what the minimum salary should be for permit..better to be discreet about the reason for salary letter with your company if you are not sure, your basic will get you a permit or not...Generally 10% of basic is the purchase limit for each month...
I work with an equal oppurtunity employer..and I hear the other rant more..about huge taxes and high mortgages..welfare state..(Western expats bitching about no discrimination in my company)But I am grumpy on the way "poor people" are treated and I keep bitching about it...Similarly if you are worried about discrimination you have to choose your forum..You cant argue with bouncers and man on the street..(Some times these low lifes creep into Qatar Living as well.so be careful..we had one this week..)...
I dont go to clubs and bars other than when friends from outside Qatar are keen for a peep into nightlife..You will never be stopped at Ramada..I get easy entries in Marriott as well...But I am too infrequent a visitor to talk about rules..
Yeah I visit such places when I am in Bahrain or Dubai..and I find that environment relaxing..here somehow the spirit seems to be missing (not literally)...I can't speak about the "Extras" which people seek from nightlife....though even on that score..I guess Bahrain/Dubai are better...
Nice thread going on here. I was kind of wondering about these things myself for a while. However, all this talk about "arabs", "prjudice", "discrimination" and "sub continent" talk is making me feel handicapped!!
Quiet right Super. I've seen that in the Middle East employees are paid according to their nationality... For the same position a westerner w'd get paid three times more than a guy from the subcontinent... no doubt about it... my grudge is that why should there be discrimination on entering a club?
TG your ideas were good. I guess even you are from India. Have you tried the clubs here? As a matter of fact, I've lived in the US for more than 5yrs, certainly not long enough when compared to US citizens or others....I guess my problem is that I'm trying to live out the same life that I'm used to, here in Qatar.. Let's be practical, I don't think that's going to work out... Anyway guys thanx for your comments and views... appreciate it...
I agree with most of comments made above..I would also say that even if you are allowed entry you won't enjoy a bit..Its a case of loud and overcrowded places..There is nothing called a nightlife in Doha...
OPTION: 1
If you really wish to enjoy nightlife in the middle east...hop to Bahrain or Dubai...You spend a bit more and airfare (Be a religious airmiles man..you will be flying free)...but you get the bang for your buck....No discrimination..loads of options..different nightclubs for different communities...you will feel comfortable..
OPTION: 2
If all you want is a nice night of binge drinking..take the permit and call your friends at home and have fun...Do a little bit of paper work ...and bingo....
Nirvana there is nothing special at all about my group except that most of them are westerners. This being Doha the average western salary is much higher than the average salary from the sub continent. It is also recognised that many westerners have a culture of spending a lot of money on drinks.
unfortunately a situation exists whereby it is very easy to determine a persons minimum income from their nationality. Most westerners will be earning in excess of 10k or they would not be here. The same is not true from people from the sub continent (although many are highly paid)
If there is a group of you, its better to call and book a table. That way, you have somewhere to sit (unless you wanna dance all night) and you wont be charged to get in.
I don't deny that one must spend when inside the club... But my question is how can the club presume that people from the subcontinent won't spend a single penny inside the club? I think its just prejudice... To prove one's wealth sh'd he show a wallet full of money/ submit an official bank statement? What’s so special about your group Super? Can I join? I don't mean to be sarcastic...
Paloma is one of the best places to party in Doha ... which does not mean the partys are the best ever in the world !! :)
Let's consider basic expectations and how they fulfil it :
- Is the place looking good ?
> It is not, it is a tex mex restaurant turned into a club; the restaurant itself has nothing particular, so the place would not deserve the name of club in a major big city.
- Is the music good ?
> This is very personnal opinion. The music is a live band first, then a Dj. I am sure that a lot of people like the band. But I do not (all the more than they always play the same stuff). Paloma Paloma has become the national song of Paloma. The Dj does not too bad. And is flexible in case you ask him your preferred house music. He is keen on Africanism / Martin Solveig and plays very open and commercial house / rnb stuff. The sound system in itself is very average for a club, but enough for a bar. And people are dancing ... which is after all the most important thing if you call yourself a club !!
- Is the bar good ?
> Most of the time it takes ages to receive one's order at the bar. But if you push hard and if you're lucky, it's okay :) Do not ask for complicated cocktails, and do not expect the bar to be clean. Regarding the price, it seemed ok to me. I remember having paid QAR 240 for 10 Coronas (we usually order large number of drinks so as not to have to queue again and again). Careful, the bar stops taking orders at 1:30 !!
- Are the clients fun ?
> Yeah you can pretty talk to anybody (mostly men since men / female ration is pretty 4:1) and ppl are friendly, having fun.
- Are the clients good-looking ?
Girls : generally speaking yes. Many asian girls, rather good looking.
Men : perhaps I have a bias ... but I really find men bad-looking in this place, compared to regular western clubs. Sweaty and drunk, with a basic prehistorical technique when they want to initiate conversation with females ... Maybe it's the hurry to have to date within limited time ...
- Is the staff friendly ?
Door keeper is ... well I will not comment, but I have already seen door keepers more customer friendly. Also the door policy is somehow absurd (com'on it's a texmex restaurant, not the most trendy place in London or NY !! the door should be friendly !) The rest of the staff is okay, the Dj is really cool. The entry price is far too expensive for what this club is (QAR 80 when you do not find a girl), but who cares when there is limited choice of clubs ? :)
Conclusion : still the place where I had the most fun in Qatar. Normally, we will try the Pearl with a VIP pass this week end, and compare - if it is comparable. But ... it is sad that the place closes at 2 ... We need an after-party place !
Nirvana I don't think they have any problem at all with colour which is why it is not really apartheid. I think they have a problem with wealth. The bars are quite small and they only want them filled with people who are going to earn them money.
I think the only way they have worked out a quick way of ensuring everyone inside has plenty of cash to spend is to restrict those from sub continent.
However they have no problem with people from sub continent in my experience (i.e. if they are with my group or very welll dressed) but they do, unfortunately, need to have wealth proved to them from people from that region.
LOL!!! Giasi, I think these guys must grow up. Are they still in the "Apartheid" age? Age check is common in any club, but filtering people on the basis of color is ridiculous. I’m sure the doorman won't be a "White"... C'mon, when clubs in the US and Europe don't have a problem with color why do these people in a tiny third world country have? After all this country started westernizing just couple of years back I guess!
I agree that there is a belief that whites will go and drink and spend money while arabs/asians just want to look round. Why dont they simply make everyone buy tokens at the door to redeem against drinks. That way its fair.
Ladies of the night? virtually every place in abu dhabi is infested with them. The idea is that they bring punters in.
The uae is the same. It got so bad a few years ago in dubai that the government stepped in and made clubs register their entrance policy with the municipality. Things got better but still expect doormen in dubai at some places to ask for ID to verify age even if you look 50 :)
I do understand that some selection criteria should be applied. Its only normal that clubs need to limit their admissions. but be a little more innovative than "whites only".
I suppose the types the employ as doormen cannot get their head round complex instructions so they have to use instructions to match their level of intelligence... colour coding.
super i think giasi just answered for both of us. what he says is true..i've seen it happen to some of my friends many times before.
nirvana it depends on what kind of a scene you're into. most guys like to go to either garvey's or aussie legends to watch saturday/sunday night football.
Looks like trouble for lonely souls like me, hun!!! Infact im not looking to hook up with some girl in the bar.. I just wanna unwind.. with some good drinks and good music...Are there any good Blues Bar around that allow singles?
The info is useful.. i haven't really explored night clubs in Qatar as yet... Is it necessary to have a partner (female) to enter the clubs? What w'd lonely souls do?
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Thank you for your responses to my questions killerbee, Dweller and tg. Cheers.
Answer to your specific question..QDC is allowing the quota of August to October in a Single purhcase...
Dodgy? Not really. And I don't like dancing anyway.
Rydges : you cannot dance, can you ?
Garvey's : I heard that it's really dodgy ...
Rydges or Garvey's anyday over Paloma's.
:)
because appart from paloma, ridges, the ritz, and ramada ... there are not so many bars in doha !! there's the cigar lounge in the four seasons but it is ... calm ! (though we enjoy it very often and will probably be there in 45min now ! :))
christophe
Paloma's is the worst bar in Qatar after the Ramada. I hate Paloma's you will not find me or any other girl I know there becuase it is dirty and skeezy and filled with middle aged men. Ick. I hate Paloma's. :P
Im 18 so am in full gear mode cuz i need to experiment badly!
Regarding the dress code OFCOURSE Im sensible enough to know not to wear traditional attire. Do i sound like Im the kind of person that does? I hardly wear it alltogether unless necessary. And about me going overboard, as amusing as it is to entertain that thought, its farfetched since im technically not even "on board" yet! lol Im a somewhat inhibited, coy personality hence the reason Im fidgeting and bombarding u with questions :-)
QDC do close for the holy month. Unless things have changed in the last 2 years, you can get that month's allowance either before or after Ramadan.
Don't know their opening hours
last call at 7 pm. Not sure about opening time and Fridays closed of course.
If you are above 18 only then take this tip..Dubai will not discriminate against gulfies...(except during Ramadan..when Liquor is not served to Muslims)..But you cant wear your Qatari dress..You have to be in pant-shirt...No slippers/sandals...
Dubai has 331 hotels and all have bars...depends what are you looking for...Do you have any specific question??
check www.virtualtourist.com or www.tripadvisor.com and type Dubai/Bahrain and Nightlife...
Always be in control and never act foolish..and if you are too young and are trying to get into the rain...always keep your raincoat...(Discreet language for QL)
Think minimum salary is QR4,000
On QDC.... I heard they will close for Ramadan, correct? And that they are allowing double allowance purchases at the moment, so that people can stock up?
Seeing as the website is down at the moment, can anyone tell me what their hours are, please?
Can u elaborate more on dubai's nightlife. Are gulfies discriminated against as well or less so? Is it costly? Is it worth going alone? Is it really up to western standards?
Now that im officially going to china Im going to venture in2 the world of nightlife even if I am scared s***less! the worst part would be if I felt awkward. Any tips on nightlife for beginners?
Agreed..Website is gone..For general info...
Take a left from 2nd roundabout(Next after Qatar Decoration after the overbridge from Ramada Signal on Salwa road..and then drive a kilometer till you reach institute of technology or something..Qatar distribution company (QDC) is right behind it..
You need a salary certificate letter from Company and Qatar ID...and 1000 QR as refundable security deposit..There is no clarity on what the minimum salary should be for permit..better to be discreet about the reason for salary letter with your company if you are not sure, your basic will get you a permit or not...Generally 10% of basic is the purchase limit for each month...
The QDC website isn't working.
I think they've screwed up their server settings.
Firefox brings up http://www.qdc.com.q.a/ while IE gives the 500 error
Nirvana,
I work with an equal oppurtunity employer..and I hear the other rant more..about huge taxes and high mortgages..welfare state..(Western expats bitching about no discrimination in my company)But I am grumpy on the way "poor people" are treated and I keep bitching about it...Similarly if you are worried about discrimination you have to choose your forum..You cant argue with bouncers and man on the street..(Some times these low lifes creep into Qatar Living as well.so be careful..we had one this week..)...
I dont go to clubs and bars other than when friends from outside Qatar are keen for a peep into nightlife..You will never be stopped at Ramada..I get easy entries in Marriott as well...But I am too infrequent a visitor to talk about rules..
Yeah I visit such places when I am in Bahrain or Dubai..and I find that environment relaxing..here somehow the spirit seems to be missing (not literally)...I can't speak about the "Extras" which people seek from nightlife....though even on that score..I guess Bahrain/Dubai are better...
Nice thread going on here. I was kind of wondering about these things myself for a while. However, all this talk about "arabs", "prjudice", "discrimination" and "sub continent" talk is making me feel handicapped!!
Nirvana that wasn't the point I was making but anyway
Quiet right Super. I've seen that in the Middle East employees are paid according to their nationality... For the same position a westerner w'd get paid three times more than a guy from the subcontinent... no doubt about it... my grudge is that why should there be discrimination on entering a club?
TG your ideas were good. I guess even you are from India. Have you tried the clubs here? As a matter of fact, I've lived in the US for more than 5yrs, certainly not long enough when compared to US citizens or others....I guess my problem is that I'm trying to live out the same life that I'm used to, here in Qatar.. Let's be practical, I don't think that's going to work out... Anyway guys thanx for your comments and views... appreciate it...
do a bigger hop and go to egypt or beyrouth (in a few weeks for beirouth) !!
I agree with most of comments made above..I would also say that even if you are allowed entry you won't enjoy a bit..Its a case of loud and overcrowded places..There is nothing called a nightlife in Doha...
OPTION: 1
If you really wish to enjoy nightlife in the middle east...hop to Bahrain or Dubai...You spend a bit more and airfare (Be a religious airmiles man..you will be flying free)...but you get the bang for your buck....No discrimination..loads of options..different nightclubs for different communities...you will feel comfortable..
OPTION: 2
If all you want is a nice night of binge drinking..take the permit and call your friends at home and have fun...Do a little bit of paper work ...and bingo....
www.qdc.com.qa
Nirvana there is nothing special at all about my group except that most of them are westerners. This being Doha the average western salary is much higher than the average salary from the sub continent. It is also recognised that many westerners have a culture of spending a lot of money on drinks.
unfortunately a situation exists whereby it is very easy to determine a persons minimum income from their nationality. Most westerners will be earning in excess of 10k or they would not be here. The same is not true from people from the sub continent (although many are highly paid)
That is all
weve booked tables and not eaten.
... then you will also have to eat the food there ! :)
And the food is average. Not horrible, just average.
If there is a group of you, its better to call and book a table. That way, you have somewhere to sit (unless you wanna dance all night) and you wont be charged to get in.
Thanx Chris... its was very informative.. I'll probably check out paloma, if singles are allowed in there... have fun bro'!!!
I don't deny that one must spend when inside the club... But my question is how can the club presume that people from the subcontinent won't spend a single penny inside the club? I think its just prejudice... To prove one's wealth sh'd he show a wallet full of money/ submit an official bank statement? What’s so special about your group Super? Can I join? I don't mean to be sarcastic...
Paloma is one of the best places to party in Doha ... which does not mean the partys are the best ever in the world !! :)
Let's consider basic expectations and how they fulfil it :
- Is the place looking good ?
> It is not, it is a tex mex restaurant turned into a club; the restaurant itself has nothing particular, so the place would not deserve the name of club in a major big city.
- Is the music good ?
> This is very personnal opinion. The music is a live band first, then a Dj. I am sure that a lot of people like the band. But I do not (all the more than they always play the same stuff). Paloma Paloma has become the national song of Paloma. The Dj does not too bad. And is flexible in case you ask him your preferred house music. He is keen on Africanism / Martin Solveig and plays very open and commercial house / rnb stuff. The sound system in itself is very average for a club, but enough for a bar. And people are dancing ... which is after all the most important thing if you call yourself a club !!
- Is the bar good ?
> Most of the time it takes ages to receive one's order at the bar. But if you push hard and if you're lucky, it's okay :) Do not ask for complicated cocktails, and do not expect the bar to be clean. Regarding the price, it seemed ok to me. I remember having paid QAR 240 for 10 Coronas (we usually order large number of drinks so as not to have to queue again and again). Careful, the bar stops taking orders at 1:30 !!
- Are the clients fun ?
> Yeah you can pretty talk to anybody (mostly men since men / female ration is pretty 4:1) and ppl are friendly, having fun.
- Are the clients good-looking ?
Girls : generally speaking yes. Many asian girls, rather good looking.
Men : perhaps I have a bias ... but I really find men bad-looking in this place, compared to regular western clubs. Sweaty and drunk, with a basic prehistorical technique when they want to initiate conversation with females ... Maybe it's the hurry to have to date within limited time ...
- Is the staff friendly ?
Door keeper is ... well I will not comment, but I have already seen door keepers more customer friendly. Also the door policy is somehow absurd (com'on it's a texmex restaurant, not the most trendy place in London or NY !! the door should be friendly !) The rest of the staff is okay, the Dj is really cool. The entry price is far too expensive for what this club is (QAR 80 when you do not find a girl), but who cares when there is limited choice of clubs ? :)
Conclusion : still the place where I had the most fun in Qatar. Normally, we will try the Pearl with a VIP pass this week end, and compare - if it is comparable. But ... it is sad that the place closes at 2 ... We need an after-party place !
Christophe
That is a good solution actually giasi. Although then you prevent someone entering who doesn't want a drink but who's friends do.
Nirvana I don't think they have any problem at all with colour which is why it is not really apartheid. I think they have a problem with wealth. The bars are quite small and they only want them filled with people who are going to earn them money.
I think the only way they have worked out a quick way of ensuring everyone inside has plenty of cash to spend is to restrict those from sub continent.
However they have no problem with people from sub continent in my experience (i.e. if they are with my group or very welll dressed) but they do, unfortunately, need to have wealth proved to them from people from that region.
LOL!!! Giasi, I think these guys must grow up. Are they still in the "Apartheid" age? Age check is common in any club, but filtering people on the basis of color is ridiculous. I’m sure the doorman won't be a "White"... C'mon, when clubs in the US and Europe don't have a problem with color why do these people in a tiny third world country have? After all this country started westernizing just couple of years back I guess!
I agree that there is a belief that whites will go and drink and spend money while arabs/asians just want to look round. Why dont they simply make everyone buy tokens at the door to redeem against drinks. That way its fair.
Ladies of the night? virtually every place in abu dhabi is infested with them. The idea is that they bring punters in.
Paloma closes at 3 on thursday and 2 on friday.
I agree that the clubs are racist although interestingly enough CloudNyn at the merweb won't let you in if you are white on your own. Arabs fine.
But for the main there is an unofficial apartheid. Look what happened to the bouncer in Dubai at Double Decker as well so it is a regional thing.
I think there theory is to avoid having the workers and or women of the night (euphemism for QL's sake) just in there ogling and not buying drinks.
The uae is the same. It got so bad a few years ago in dubai that the government stepped in and made clubs register their entrance policy with the municipality. Things got better but still expect doormen in dubai at some places to ask for ID to verify age even if you look 50 :)
I do understand that some selection criteria should be applied. Its only normal that clubs need to limit their admissions. but be a little more innovative than "whites only".
I suppose the types the employ as doormen cannot get their head round complex instructions so they have to use instructions to match their level of intelligence... colour coding.
spoerry, how is paloma? have you been there? give me your comments on it.
If what giasi says is true, are the clubs here "racist"? I see a clear discrimination here. Where are gravey’s and aussie legends, mocha?
paloma is the place :)
but ... (!) ... it closes at 2 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
super i think giasi just answered for both of us. what he says is true..i've seen it happen to some of my friends many times before.
nirvana it depends on what kind of a scene you're into. most guys like to go to either garvey's or aussie legends to watch saturday/sunday night football.
Mocha, if weekdays are not a problem for single, what w'd be ur best pick? Bars, I mean.
Looks like trouble for lonely souls like me, hun!!! Infact im not looking to hook up with some girl in the bar.. I just wanna unwind.. with some good drinks and good music...Are there any good Blues Bar around that allow singles?
Its often couples only if youre not white. Before someone says thats not true, ive seen it with my own eyes in several places.
mocha I'm not sure about that. I seem to be able to get into most clubs on my own
yet for some mysterious reason the ratio of men to women on most nights is about 4:1
nirvana you'll have no problem except on weekends. thursdays are strictly couples-only nights at most clubs and bars in town.
Thanx M3,
The info is useful.. i haven't really explored night clubs in Qatar as yet... Is it necessary to have a partner (female) to enter the clubs? What w'd lonely souls do?
Check these pages:
Nightlife
Hurry up and hit the town before Ramadan arrives!