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Rochelle Zonnenberg
Doha
I
can think of a zillion perks of life as an expat in one of the richest countries of the world. And yet if you ask me, what's the one big down fall to it all? I'd have to say, missing out on quality family time with the extended family. Worse then if you're born a mixed expatriate child with your family spread across the globe.
Such is the situation of our little girl whose founding years of life are set being torn apart from her grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, family and friends. Sadly, there's really not much we can do about it and if you already follow my blog posts and travels, then you'll know that through the year we try our very best to see as much as we can of both sides of our families.
Come winter in Qatar and the tables turn with our home becoming a lodging site for our extended families. It is by far our favourite time of the year as an expatriate in the desert and there's nothing we would change about it. If only for a few months a year we get to live in our own comfort zone while still being surrounded by the people we love the most. This year has been no exception and as tradition holds we've had our spare bedrooms booked out by our families.
Last month we had my brother in law and his family of four stay with us for a week and it was one the most anticipated visits of the year. When they arrived into Doha we told them of a lovely staycation we had set up at The Grand Hyatt Doha and boy were they blown out of their socks?
The grand villas we stayed in, were straight out of a dream. They were so spacious that we kept losing the children. Two big bedrooms with en-suite showers and bathtubs. 42 inch flat screen TVs and large closet space. The villas are equipped with a kitchen, which is a great feature. We also had a little backyard patio, where we sat out chatting every night once the children were asleep. As for the extended family, our villas were attached which made it super convenient. They also had the exact same space on top which included all the amenities along with the addition of a balcony instead of a porch.
The property boasts of having one of the best beaches in the city so be ready to get lost in sheer sun, sea and sand kind of paradise. If you're not much of any of those and just like some pool time then you'll have the option of an indoor pool, outdoor lap pool, lounging and relaxing kind of pool or one that has a baby pool close by that's close to the villas. I think that's enough pools for everyone staying on the property, don't you think?
The day we were due to check out we woke up wanting this dream to never come to an end. The weather that day felt like the perfect summer day in winter: cool breeze, no humidity, clear skies, and a happy shining sun. We stayed at the beach all morning playing around in the sand and with the water floats. For the family it was a great way to bid goodbye to Doha before heading back to freezing, cold and windy Europe.
The author is a blogger specialising in lifestyle and travel.
Follow her on Instagram & Facebook @questandmark
