Health Club - Saraya Corniche Hotel review

We arrived  on a Friday afternoon in Ladies Time . It is a great thing that they have such hours .So few places in Qatar has such time when the expectations for most Muslim ladies not to mix with  men when swimming . We had a pass for one single day . We were thinking about a two monthly membership before arriving .

 In the changing room water was flowing everywhere  . Some people took shower and due to the wrong inclination of the floor   water  did not go to the  floor drains but came out . So typical mistake around here !  

I wanted to work out in the fitness room and my trainers got all wet !

We were the only customers in the gym and it was fine . No music , no  employees - just the CNN and Trump and Macron - we were forced to watch them .:(  no remote control ,either .

After that we got to the swimming pool area .  Right as we entered  there was a pool of 1 .46 m  with jacuzzi and two families . Kids pool was in an upper level . It was a strange ,long narrow pool .

There were only 2 other mums wit their kids .

So I just started to swim in the pool near the jacuzzi  when a little girl jumped into the deep water and started  to sink  and come up  - she did not know how to swim ... I screamed and swam towards her -  I hoped to be able to grab her from behind without she pulls me down  ... just a second before I could have caught her  the mom jumped in and pulled her out .So much relieved we were .

She was showing me  that her hearts beats very much . So did mine . My relaxing afternoon project was ruined . I was very tense after this traumatic experience !Though I kept swimming  during the coming one hour every time a child approached I yelled at them " this is deep water - can you swim ?" Most of them was not able  to do so .

While swimming I was reading the house rules . Number 12  -  everybody is using the pool on his own risk . The hotel does not take any responsibility in case of injury  or death .

No lifeguard was employed . A five star hotel ! 

When the ladies hours finished we returned to the changing room's area  - it was incredibly messy . No cleaner turned up during all this time . However it  had sauna and steam room . We opted for the sauna but it was out of order . The steaming room worked . Finally it was the best part of our health club experience . It was very small -only two seats -but strong ,clean vapor came without any bad smell . 

Meanwhile I came across an employee  who just came to use the toilet  - i asked her to bring us towels as in the swimming pool area   towels just finished  - she was just kind  to help us  -it was not her job ... they did not provide  shower gel  - only lotion and hair conditioner was available ...

 It could have been a nice afternoon if they had some cleaner in the changing room area  and some employees in the swimming pool .it is absurd that customers has to pull out drowning kids from the pool ! House rule number 12 should be cancelled !

 I can not understand how any hotel not alone a five star hotel can leave  their guests on their own without staff  this way they did !

Interesting things about Hotels in Qatar

I love reading hotel reviews and descriptions and the fine prints .One can learn really interesting things about them .

 I would not have thought for example that the age of  the single    guest is regulated  in Qatar according to their nationality .At least this is what I read on a five star hotel's fine prints :

"Please note that Qatari females must be 30 years old or above to check in and must show valid identification, unless accompanied by an adult. 

Qatari males must be 21 years old or above to check in. 

Guests under 21 years are not entitled to stay unless accompanied by an adult. 

Non Qatari guests must be over 18 years old to check in unless accompanied by an adult." ( source : booking.com  - The St. Regis Doha   The fine print )

More strange thing I found in Grand Hyatt Doha   -  The fine print " "The indoor pool is only accessible to those aged 18 years and above. "
I understand why the age limit for bars where alcohol is served but for a  pool I can not imagine the aim of this regulation .Especially ,that the outdoor pool can be used by the above mentioned age group .???

 The Fraser Suits Doha is " Offering views of the Doha Port and Indian Ocean "
 :) that was really funny -  the Arabian /Persian Gulf is the thing one can see from a Doha Hotel the Indian ocean is a bit far !

but  the same hotel offers time for ladies at the swimming pool "Please note that every Sunday and Wednesday between 11:00 AM and 08:00 PM, the outdoor pool is reserved for female guests." 

I found some more hotels which consider that the majority of  the Middle Eastern women tries to segregate when it is about swimming .

"Please note that on Saturdays, only ladies can access the hotel's swimming pool from 7 AM until 6 PM. "Safir Hotel Doha .Najma street


"Swimming pool is exclusive to ladies every Saturday from 8:00 until 16:00. "Plaza Inn 

"Some floors are dedicated to women and families." Retaj Al Rayyan in Dafna 

Qatar is a conservative Muslim country  -though most  hotels serve alcohol .Some Muslims guests feel uncomfortable about that and prefers to stay in hotels with NO alcohol at all . These facilities are not advertised one has to dig  the information about them up  . I found the following  dry hotels in Doha : The Royal Riviera Hotel Doha  in Old salata area  /Retaj Al Rayyan in Dafna /Saraya Corniche Hotel in Old Salata area /Retaj Royale in Old Salata area /Safir Hotel Doha .Najma street /Le Park Hotel in Al-Sadd area //Retaj Residence Al Corniche  /Wyndham Grand Regency Doha /

 and the last piece of info  : 

K108 Hotel Doha is a charity-oriented hotel where it donates 100% of its profits to charity and other important causes.