Georgetown University in Qatar Georgetown University in Qatar
عربي Main Menu

Doha FAQs

 

Your delegation needs to purchase travel insurance for your trip to Doha. This can not be purchased by us in Doha because it must be purchased in the country where the trip originates. Please arrange travel insurance for the entire group before you depart.

 

When you land at the Hamad International Airport (HIA), please follow the signs to head to the Immigrations section. Don’t be alarmed if there is a long line – it usually moves pretty quickly. Please have the Hayya app downloaded and active on your smartphone which indicates your visa status. Please have your hotel accommodation printed as well. This is all you need to do!

After immigration, you will collect your bags from the designated baggage belt and exit the doors into the arrivals  area where you will be greeted by your shuttle bus driver, who will be holding a sign for Georgetown University – Marriott Marquis. Please follow the driver to the shuttle bus which will bring you to the Marriott Marquis, the official hotel for the Georgetown MUN.

You will ride shuttle buses to our conference hotel, the Marriott Marquis City Center. Upon arrival to the hotel, please check-in with the hotel reception. The hotel staff will coordinate with your chaperone to check your group in. Please note that if you are arriving on a morning flight, your hotel rooms may not be ready until noon. The hotel staff will do their best to get you into your rooms as soon as possible. The GMUN team will greet all the students and facilitators at a designated time which will be communicated with you closer to the conference dates. If you arriving earlier or departing later than the designated dates, please make sure you have contacted our MUN staff regarding your hotel stay.

 

Internet at the hotel and the conference site is free of charge. If you have a mobile phone, you can enact roaming service that will allow the phone to work in Qatar. Please check with your mobile service provider if this is possible for your phone. If your phone does not have an active plan in Qatar, we suggest your family to contact your chaperone to get in touch with you. Additionally, if you enable VPN you will be able to make calls via Whatsapp. Please note that it is quite expensive to use the hotel phone to call abroad and your delegation will be responsible for these charges. Alternatively, your family can contact Marriott Marquis at +974 4419 5000 and contact your room or leave a message for you.

 

The currency in Qatar is the Qatari Riyal. The Riyal is set at a fixed rate to the U.S. Dollar – the exchange rate is 3.65 QR per US Dollar. There are multiple ATM machines in the airport and one at the Marriott Marquis, and the front desk can also exchange money. Here are some typical prices in Qatar: Water 5 QR, Big Mac Meal 20 QR, Movie ticket 40 QR.

 

Qatar is on GMT + 3 time. This is the same time zone as Saudi Arabia. Qatar is 2 hours ahead of London, 1 hour ahead of Paris and Cairo, and 8 hours ahead of Washington D.C. (during daylight savings time in the US). Qatar is 1 hour behind Dubai, and 7 hours behind Beijing.

 

 

The conference schedule is a little different each day. On Thursday night, your committee will wrap up by 9:00 pm. On Friday, committee sessions will end at 6:00 pm,  followed by a Cultural Night. On Saturday, our Closing Ceremony will end by 8:00 pm.

 

Yes! Spring MUN will be held at Georgetown University while GQMUN will be held at the Marriot Marquis hotel with the Cultural Night at Georgetown University.

 

 

Yes. Georgetown University has its own bookstore which will be open for designated hours. Please get in touch with a member of the MUN team for more information.

 

 

As our conference is trying to be as eco-friendly as possible, printing and copying services are no longer offered. All resolutions, etc. are displayed electronically via projector in all committee rooms.

 

 

The main taxi company in Doha is Karwa and the taxis operate on a meter system. The minimum charge is 7 QR, and you rarely pay over 50 QR to go anywhere in Doha. We also have Uber in Doha.

 

 

During the conference, all delegates are expected to wear business attire. You may also wear the formal dress of your home country or the country that you are representing in the conference. This means suit and tie for men; and formal pants/skirt and top for women. Jackets are optional. It is a good idea to dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees.

 

Your chaperone will coordinate with conference staff to catch a shuttle back to the airport. Your group must arrive at the airport 3 hours ahead of the flight, so you may need to leave 3.5 hours ahead of your flight. Even though the airport is close, traffic can be very heavy. If you are leaving Sunday night, you will have to check out of the hotel Sunday noon and store your luggage in the hotel storage room until time to leave. If you decide to go out into the city, you will have to return to the hotel in plenty of time to collect your belongings and catch the shuttle. Please remember you may be sharing the shuttle with other schools, so it’s important not to be late.

(Please note that if your school is staying late by choice, then you are responsible for your own hotel stay and your own transportation to the airport. There are many taxis in Doha and the hotel can also assist you.)

Qatar is a small country, but there are many things to do, including but not limited to:

  • Museum of Islamic Art
  • National Museum of Qatar
  • Qatar National Museum
  • Souq Waqif (a traditional outdoor market with stalls selling a wide range of fabrics, spices, souvenirs, with many indoor and outdoor cafes, an art gallery, falcon stores, and live music on the weekends)
  • Mall of Qatar
  • Doha Festival City
  • City Center Mall
  • Villagio Mall
  • Landmark Mall
  • Dhow Cruise (A traditional boat trip along the Corniche (the main sea area of Doha). These do not need reservation, can be hailed at various locations along the Corniche (next to the Sheraton hotel for instance), and vary in length (usually last from 20 minutes to an hour)
  • City Tours – experienced guides provide commentary while touring around the camel market, the Weaponry Museum, Doha’s Corniche, the dhow building yard, the falconry market and the souqs.
  • Desert Safari Tours

Please check with the hotel to learn more about things to do in Qatar

 

Doha has many great dining options, so feel free to explore the city if you have free time. You’ll find fast food, regional and cultural cuisine, and fine dining in the top-end hotels.

Connected to the Marriott Marquis is City Centre Mall, which has a wide variety of shopping and dining options, including Pizza Express, Nando’s, Noodle House, and many other.

Katara Cultural Village, a 10-15 minute drive from the hotel, has a variety of nicer restaurants including Khan Farouk (Egyptian), Mamig (Armenian), and Vesuvio (Italian), as well as stalls where you can eat chapatti and drink karak, a local favorite snack and drink.

For a more cultural experience, there are many good restaurants and coffee shops in Souq Waqif, located 10-15 minutes via car. Some good options at the Souq include Tajine (Moroccan), Le Gourmet (International), Al Bandar (Seafood/Arab), Al-Adhamiyya (Iraqi), Isfahan Gardens (Persian), and more. A local favorite are the many shwarma restaurants found all over town.

Doha has very good Indian food, with some favorites including the fancier Chingari (located in the Ramada hotel), the Garden (vegetarian downstairs, buffet upstairs), Bukhara (at the Khalifa Tennis Compound), and Asha’s (Contemporary Indian, located at Villagio Mall). Another favorite experience is the busy Merqab (also known as Al Nasr) Street – filled with small bookstores, rug shops, tailors, pet shops, and several excellent, cheap restaurants. These include Turkey Central, a Turkish restaurant serving excellent mezze (Arabic style appetizers), sandwiches, and grilled meats.

 

While Qataris are usually very friendly and welcoming, it would be best to avoid any possible awkward situations by taking heed of the following:

  • Use greetings and formalities. It is considered impolite to start a conversation without at least saying “Good Morning” or “Good Afternoon.”
  • Dress modestly.
  • You can bargain with local shopkeepers at locations such as Souq Waqif.
  • Watch out for separate section for women in banks and other utilities.
  • Do not look or stare at people closely.
  • Avoid asking a veiled lady for information or directions if you are a man. Some covered ladies tend to be very private in public.
  • Do not be offended if your handshake is refused by a Muslim. According to some Muslims, it is a religious prohibition to shake hands with members of the opposite gender.
  • Do not take photographs without asking permission first. Some women and older people tend to strongly object to being photographed.
  • Qatar is very safe, so if permissible, feel free to explore the country at night.
  • Drinking is illegal in unless you are over 21. Nonetheless, there is zero tolerance for any drunk or rowdy behavior.