We stayed here en-route to Kuala Lumpur for just one night and were upgraded to a junior suite room which was very nice if a little dated. Plenty of choice of TV channels.

Breakfast was great with a lot of choices. Certainly for the one night we stayed at the hotel we had no problems except that it seems you have to book transport to/from the airport 24 hours in advance which was fine coming in but going out we had to pay quite a lot for a car to take us as the usual driver was already busy! This seemed a bit strange to us for a hotel of this grade.

Checked in for the night and tried to go to the bar upstairs with a mate who lives in Doha but although they would let me in, they refused to let my friend in saying he had to come with a partner.

I went in to speak with the manager and the place was empty... The manager said that the hotel had imposed a racist door policy... enough said.

Avoid getting a room on the 10th floor as you hear all the noise from the bar upstairs esp at closing time.

My stay at the Rydges in Doha was exceptional.

ARRIVAL: The doormen and front staff were all smiling and genuinely friendly & helpful with our bags. The porter who carried our bags to the room spoke great English and was very helpful in pointing out things that might interest me.

ROOM: Our entry-level suite was very nice. The view a bit lacking as we were overlooking a sandy parking lot, but hey, I can deal with that. The room was in very good condition with the exception of a small stain on the floor. Bathroom amenities were above average. The marble floor and sink were very clean, above middle eastern standars. Well above American standards. The bed was comfortable, but pillows entirely too fat. I'm sure this could have been resolved w/ a call to housekeeping, but I was too lazy to do it.

FOOD & BEVERAGES: Breakfast was a bit expensive, but I've come to expect this in the nicer hotels in the middle east. I could have saved $10-15 US by purchasing the breakfast buffet at the time of my on-line booking, but didn't do it because I've been burned before buying in advance only to discover the local rate was cheaper. Not in this case: SUGGESTION: If you're going to eat breakfast, buy it on-line at the hotel's website at the time you book your room. Dinner in the Italian restaurant was great. Pizza was great, just as ordered. Prices seemed reasonable. Service was prompt & friendly.

NIGHTCLUB: Not known for it's hoppin bar scene, I was pleasantly surprised that the nightclub on the roof w/ an open-air pool--very nice, was mostly western expatriate crowd. Being an American expat based in Saudi, I take every chance I can to have a cold brew while out of Kingdom. The nightclub is not to be missed if you're into that kind of thing. Dancefloor was not being used, but the music was great, wide-screen TV's all over the place, and people in general seemed to be having a great time - Good atmosphere -- very western friendly. Lots of people mingling, and as the night progressed, the 'local' population began to infiltrate the club. Security at the entrance required a door key to get into the bar, but this apparently was dispensed with as I saw cash passing hands to the security guys to permit entrance. The later the evening, the more locals 'cruising', but I encountered no problems at all. Had good conversation w/ a couple of locals, who seemed very friendly to westerners. Beer was plentiful and COLD, although again, a bit expensive.

SUGGESTION: Book your room directly with the hotel's website. YOU CAN SAVE 10% off the normal room rate by signing up on-line for the hotel's Priority Frequent Stay program & use this account number when reserving the room. This saved me about $20.

BEWARE: If you are Westerner & will be traveling male & female, you should have a copy of your marriage certificate, as this hotel will not let you a room if you can not prove you are married. I was told this by an expat there who had this problem previously. I'm told this is the case throughout Qatar, but cannot confirm this. ALSO, NOTE THAT THE CITY OF DOHA USES SPEED CAMERAS THROUGHT THE CITY.

SUMMARY: Rydges, Doha - A great place for western expats visiting Doha. Also, this city is abnormally clean for the middle east when compared with Saudi. Seems like Doha is trying to be like Dubai! Overall, a great experience visiting this city and hotel.

Doha is a great place, but catch it before it turns into a new Dubai! The Rydges is a nice hotel, and you get what you expect and more. Upon request by e-mail a private limo will pick you up/drop-off from the airport free of charge. Also, just hop into a white limo for any destination in Doha, prices start at QAR25.00. Most even have black-tinted windows! The lobby is impressive, reminds of the Al Bustan Palace Hotel in Muscat, Oman. Try to get a seaview room, they are fantastic! Avoid them on the 10th floor though, as they are underneath the pub, so very noisy! The roof top pool is small, but with these temperatures you are glad about any refreshment! The rooms are well-equipped and the reception staff are very friendly and helpful. They moved me around with a smile when I complained about my room. It is ver yclose (I even walked there!) to the souq and the corniche and the malls are just a short cab ride away. I would definitely recommend it, maybe not though, if you are after a resort type hotel with nice pool landscape.