Doha Accommodation Price Crash - Sanctions are Working?

[Renato1]

Last night I went to book the last hotel for this year's trip, which was for four nights in Doha in November. I had booked a hotel there last year, but we had to cancel that trip.

I was astounded at the price drops all across Doha. Places like Doubetree Hilton and Radisson Blu which were around $1200 last year, were down to around $700 to $800 this year. The $600 places seem to have dropped to $400 or lower. In the end, I picked a well furnished 85 square meter room with sea view and breakfast for around $550.

I can only surmise that the sanctions other Arab states have placed on Qatar, seem to be having the desired effect.

As an aside, when I went to look at flights the other day, on the Qantas site Melbourne to Stockholm came up with fares of around $1700 each (via combinations of Qantas, Emirates and BA). So I didn't even bother looking up the Venice to Melbourne return leg of the trip

But on the Qatar site, Melbourne to Stockholm and then Venice to Melbourne resulted in a price of $1499 each for the entire trip - $200 cheaper that the first leg of the flight alone via Qantas. I guess Qantas/Emirates don't want the business.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Pushka]

Qatar currently have a flight sale on. For what it’s worth they had one last year in J and DPS-CDG CDG-Mel was available for around $7500 for two. With the new J suites.

 

[Renato1]

Qatar currently have a flight sale on. For what it’s worth they had one last year in J and DPS-CDG CDG-Mel was available for around $7500 for two. With the new J suites.

Yes thanks, I saw that in the email I got from them, and when I clicked on their link it said,
"Melbourne Economy Class fares shown are valid for departures between 16 February – 27 March 2018, 16 April – 23 May 2018, and 27 September – 30 November 2018."
and we aren't departing on any of those dates.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[OZDUCK]

Thanks for this good news Renato. We are stopping for a couple of nights in October, so any price drop is welcome. (We booked seats during that J Sale that Pushka mentioned.)

 

[Renato1]

Thanks for this good news Renato. We are stopping for a couple of nights in October, so any price drop is welcome. (We booked seats during that J Sale that Pushka mentioned.)

No problem.

Last year I had booked into an Islamic hotel near the Doubletree Hilton, which was at around half the price ($660) of Doubltetree, and which had huge Executive 55 sq meter rooms. It's not available this year for some unknown reason. It had good reviews at booking.com, but it did have two downsides. One was no alcohol, which didn't bother me. The other was an odd one - if I wanted to use the pool, I had to go for a swim in the mornings - with all the guys, and my wife could go swim in the afternoon - with all the gals.
Regards,
Renato

 

[cmon0005]

I stayed at W Doha 2 years ago in a suite and i checked some random dates later this year and it is similar price as well as more expensive per night on a couple of dates i checked. Probably just luck of the draw.

 

[Pushka]

Thanks for this good news Renato. We are stopping for a couple of nights in October, so any price drop is welcome. (We booked seats during that J Sale that Pushka mentioned.)

My overnight in Doha was an accidental. I had to change an EK booking one time as the ‘just past midnight’ departure to Adelaide meant I was originally leaving the night/day before I’d planned to leave. That must have stuck in my head as the Doha flight from CDG arrives in the late arvo and that connects quite well to the flight in the evening but before midnight. I carefully made sure I picked the next day. Oops. 30 hours in Doha and because of that sale price I can’t change it.

 

[Renato1]

I stayed at W Doha 2 years ago in a suite and i checked some random dates later this year and it is similar price as well as more expensive per night on a couple of dates i checked. Probably just luck of the draw.

I'm more familiar with Dubai where hotel prices start going higher in November than in October, as the blistering heat disappears to pleasant heat.

So one has to compare prices in near the same week. Last year I was booked in in the first week in November, when I made mental note of the prices. This year I booked in the second week, when I was expecting prices to be marginally higher than last year's, as the weather improved.

That said, was there some huge conference there when you were there, or was there one there whem I was booked for last year causing price spikes? Who knows?
Regards,
Renato

 

[OZDUCK]

My overnight in Doha was an accidental. I had to change an EK booking one time as the ‘just past midnight’ departure to Adelaide meant I was originally leaving the night/day before I’d planned to leave. That must have stuck in my head as the Doha flight from CDG arrives in the late arvo and that connects quite well to the flight in the evening but before midnight. I carefully made sure I picked the next day. Oops. 30 hours in Doha and because of that sale price I can’t change it.

With any luck they may extend the Free Doha Stopovers & Hotel until April 2018 offer to cover your flight dates. I am keeping an eye on it, via Flyertalk, and they have already extended it once this year. If the "blockade" by the surrounding countries continues it is possible that more extensions may be made.

 

[Pushka]

With any luck they may extend the Free Doha Stopovers & Hotel until April 2018 offer to cover your flight dates. I am keeping an eye on it, via Flyertalk, and they have already extended it once this year. If the "blockade" by the surrounding countries continues it is possible that more extensions may be made.

Thanks I just checked that out. Currently only bookable until end April. I’ve currently booked The Torch which is refundable via Booking.com. Let’s just hope it doesn’t take after it’s Dubai counterpart.