Stay in a floating hotel near Doha for the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Doha, Qatar, is the host city for the FIFA World Cup 2022 soccer tournament, which is one of the world's most-watched (and most-attended) events. Host cities around the world go on construction frenzies in the years leading up to the World Cup, building everything from infrastructure such as drainage systems and new bridges to housing for the athletes and hotels for the guests who will descend on the city once the tournament starts.
Planners in Doha are taking a novel approach to upping the city's hotel-room capacity, creating a set of 16 floating hotels on Qetaifan Island North, near Doha. Unlike some floating hotels that were actually once oceanliners (we're looking at you, Queen Elizabeth 2 in Dubai), these accommodations are being newly built.
The project's island home measures about 4.7 million square feet and features seven beaches, which are sure to be attractive to the throngs of visitors expected to attend the event. The hotels will be within walking distance to Lusail International Stadium, the location of the opening and closing games of the World Cup.
Each of the four-story hotels will have 101 rooms. The project will have 1,616 rooms in total, along with a restaurant and a lounge car, according to the press release.
The hotels will be built by a company called ADMARES, which calls itself "the world leader in alternative real estate with pioneering construction methods." The award-winning Finnish architecture firm Sigge Architects is responsible for the design. These floating hotels are crafted to have a minimal carbon footprint and will be powered by solar energy.
This project could prove to be a trend-setter, as the structures as designed don't require a deep-water harbor. In fact, these hotels can be placed in any location where the water is at least 13 feet deep. We could easily see this concept being replicated in other seaside locations where temporary housing or lodging is needed.
If you're planning on visiting Doha for the World Cup but would rather stay elsewhere, the city has plenty of points hotels to suit your needs. If you're a Marriott loyalist, you have more than 10 choices, including two Ritz-Carlton properties, a St. Regis, a W and a Luxury Collection hotel. While Marriott has the largest presence, IHG has seven hotels, Hilton six and Hyatt two.
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