Doha

We asked Isabel Cabrera, Concierge at Four Seasons Hotel Doha, to gather the savviest sightseeing suggestions she could find—not just her own but also those of the local connoisseurs, including some she works with every day at the Hotel. Doha is a high-powered business and cultural centre. The nearby desert presents numerous recreational possibilities.

Must-Try Food

Graze on Arabic meze, a selection of appetiser-sized delights that typically include delicious dips like hummus (a velvety blend of chickpea and tahini) and moutabal (smoky aubergine puree), and tangy salads such as fattoush (lettuce, tomato and cucumber tossed with fried pita bread chips and the spice sumac).

Coffee, Please

Whiling away a couple of hours in a café with friends is as essential to Middle Eastern social life as Friday night after-work drinks with colleagues in the West. Down aromatic cardamom-infused Arabic coffee at waterfront Balhambar, throw back a dense dark Turkish coffee at Lebanese-owned Lina’s, or sip a calorie-laden caffè latte at French café Paul.

Fabulous Feast

Dine on piping-hot bread made on the premises and a generously sized meat barbecue at Assaha Lebanese Traditional Village. Located in a sprawling stone building, with tables set in cosy nooks and crannies, this local favourite is designed to resemble a traditional Lebanese village.

Outdoor Recreation

Head out to the desert to ride camels across champagne-coloured sand dunes, dine around a blazing bonfire and enjoy some stargazing before retiring to your fully furnished tent. If you’re looking to do more than loll around a Bedouin camp, then tackle the dunes on a quad bike or sand board. Water-lovers can stick to the coast where snorkelling, diving, jet skiing and parasailing are all possible. Ask the Concierge for recommendations of tours and other activities.