Qatar Renting Area GuideRenting in Qatar | Qatar Real Estate | Buying Property in Qatar | The Pearl | Qatar Utilities | Qatar Renting - Tips and Tricks | Doha Guide | Where to Rent in Doha Old Ghanim/ Old GhuwailinaThis area is appropriately named - the buildings here are old, from the scruffy apartment buildings smeared with the accumulated dirt of time to the interesting if crumbling houses that hark back to an earlier, poorer time of Qatar. The area is cheap, but parking is a nightmare, as can be navigating the maze of narrow back streets in Al Ghuwailina. Who Lives Here?This is definitely the poorer part of the city, which is not to say everyone who lives here is poor - some just take advantage of the low costs. You'll mostly find a mixture of Asians and less affluent Arabs (not Qataris) here. Can I Shop Till I Drop?Well, there are plenty of shops - small 'supermarkets' and groceries, a Giant Stores, even a toy shop - but this does not match Qatar's malls. However, you are on the edge of the souq area, and there you really can shop till you drop. Where's the Fun?It's rather limited in the actual area itself. There's a green square in Old Ghanim, complete with trees and little wooden shelters to give shade and a children's playground. You'll also find the National Library of Qatar here - while it is tricky to get permission to borrow books there is an English section where you are free to relax and read away from the bustle of city life. Pop down the road, though, and you have the Corniche - easily the most attractive area of the city - a large park and the Islamic Arts Museum.  Where Can I Eat?Cheap eateries abound, there is an interesting Indonesian restaurant (Central) and one of our personal favourites - an English cafe called the Sandwich Cellar. Ras Abu Aboud is close by, and once the nightmarish roadworks are complete you can pop across the bridge to enjoy a meal at the Marriott - or, if you really want to splash out, at the Sharq Village and Spa.
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