The Perfect 1 Night Layover in Qatar
Welcome to our guide to spending 24 hours in Doha, Qatar. Home to one of the world’s most popular (and best value?) airlines, Qatar Airways, it is becoming increasingly popular for travellers to connect through this global hub. Most, however, choose not to leave the airport gates – a decision that I believe would result in you missing out on a lovely little country 🙂
You’ll have seen our little article (written mostly for fun) about getting the Qatari passport stamp (it’s actually a disappointing sticker) on a 3 hour layover for those country counters out there – written on our way to my favourite country – the Sultanate of Oman. In August 2024, Max returned to Qatar as part of a layover to reach Vietnam (content loading…). Here is what I would suggest you do!
Day 1: Through the Airport and to your Hotel!
On arrival, make your way through immigration (which will probably take a while!), collect your luggage and head out into the Qatari heat. Now it is time to make your way to your hotel. You have two main options:
1)Take an airport taxi. This does not include Uber, which does not offer airport pickup – making this an expensive option.
2)Take the metro and combine with Uber (recommended).
But where to stay? Here are the Sloth’s suggested hotels in Doha (and, crucially, near the airport!)
Budget: Premier Inn Doha Airport. This is where I stayed. At around £35 per night, it was clean and perfectly located, close to the airport and the central souq (more on that later!). Bonus: Free airport shuttle at certain times and rated 4.7/5 on Google!
Mid-range: Double Tree by Hilton Doha – Old Town. Also in a great location, this hotel has a 4.6/5 rating on Google. Rates start from £70.
Luxury: Souq Al Wakra Hotel Qatar – a traditional hotel with a 4.9/5 rating on Google from 5.5k reviews… must be good! Rates start at £90.
As mentioned above, I would suggest taking the metro and an Uber from a nearby station if you are on a budget. For the Premier Inn, get off at Al Doha Al Jadeda (Metro day passes are under £1!) and then take an Uber to the hotel – this will cost you around £2.
As you will probably be tired, take a nap to beat the heat… best to do some sightseeing out of the sun!
Dinner and Souq Waqif
Given the limited time you are likely to have, I would suggest prioritising Souq Waqif, a wonderful old market that will give you a wonderful insight into the colours and smells of the Arab world.
Take the nearest metro from your hotel straight to Souq Waqif. Have a look around and enjoy shopping for souvenirs!
When you get hungry, head here – Al QUDS Sweets & Restaurants. Priced at just 8QAR (£1.67), the shwarma here is some of the best I have had in the Middle East – so good that I actually had two!
Afterwards, I would recommend taking a walk along the waterfront to take in the beautiful skyline before heading back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.
Day 2 - Maybe a Museum Visit?
Depending on the time of your flight, you may have time to visit one of Doha’s excellent museums. These include:
1- Museum of Islamic Art (MIA (hehe)), which houses an extensive collection of Islamic art from around the world, including ceramics, textiles and manuscripts.
2- National Museum of Qatar, which highlights the history and culture of Qatar through interactive exhibits, relics and a beautiful garden.
If you need to get to the airport, just take either a hotel shuttle, an uber or the combined uber and metro 🙂
