Qatar Accommodation Briefing

A couple of days ago, I attended an online workshop outlining the accommodation options available at Qatar 2022.

With all the matches being staged at venues within 38 miles of each other- this is going to be a very different World Cup. On the bright side, there are no long journeys, but concentrating the whole shebang in one area brings its own challenges. The organisers were responding to concerns from fans about the availability of accommodation and the likely cost.

How to Book

All bookings for the tournament will be handled via the official accommodation agency website

book.qatar2022.qa

There is a holding page at the moment where you can register for updates.

The site will go live later this year- when qualification is all sorted. Fans with tickets will be prioritised.

Types of Accommodation

The page shows the four main types of accommodation on offer: Cruise Ships, Apartments & Villas, Hotels, and Fan Villages. At the workshop- we were told a little more about each option.

Cruise Ships

A number of cruise ships will be moored at the top of the Corniche- the palm tree lined, waterfront promenade which runs along the Doha bay to the city. They will offer all inclusive deals which we were told should come in at around $200 per person per night. Food and (importantly for many England fans) alcohol will be available on board.

Availability: 3898 cabins – 9977 guests

Apartments & Villas

This looks an attractive option. Affordable, we were told that the average price should come in at around $100 dollars per room per night, and similar to what you would expect on a package holiday. These should typically be self-contained apartment complexes, many with a pool and other facilities. We were informed that it is possible that legislation will be put in place prior to the tournament to allow the delivery of food and alcohol to the apartments during the tournament. The hosts say they hope to create a village atmosphere within the complexes.

Availability: 66,264 guests

Hotels

These range from budget to the biggest number you can think of multiplied by ten per night- but the ballpark figure we were given for a 3 star hotel was $100 a night.

Availability: 55,480 rooms -108,960 guests

Fan Villages

A number of sites with large multi occupancy tents. This immediately gave me upsetting flashbacks to the green army efforts that I shared with hundreds of other England fans at Euro 88 in Germany- but I’m sure things have moved on since then. The intention is to create a festival vibe- hopefully Glastonbury not Fyre.

Availability: 1,500 units -3,000 guests

Other

There are plans for a small scheme where fans can stay with a local family- but no concrete details were available.

General Info

Anyone who has travelled in the Middle East will know that getting around in a motor vehicle can be frustrating and occasionally terrifying. The grand plan for the tournament is to encourage fans to use local public transport- particularly the Doha Metro. With the stadiums located so close to each other- it should be possible to attend a couple of games a day if you want to.

As always- demand will be far higher during the group stages. However, if you are confident that England are going all the way, booking rooms is less of a punt than in Russia or Brazil as you are certain of being within short travelling distance of whichever venue the draw takes them to.

Despite the ongoing negativity from the UK press about all thing Qatari- the organisers seem to be sticking to their promise of trying to make this the most fan friendly World Cup ever. They also appear keen to listen to suggestions from fans about how they can get it right.

The hosting committee have said they are open to hearing any suggestions. Leave a comment or drop me a line and I’ll pass it on.