Properties advertised as fully furnished come with most or even all the furnishings that one would typically require in their home. This includes all the large kitchen appliances like cooker, fridge-freezer, oven, microwave etc. Some properties even provide smaller kitchen appliances like a kettle and toaster etc. The bedrooms would have wardrobes, beds with mattresses, dressing tables etc. and the living areas would have furniture like sofas, dining table and chairs, television, etc. In some cases, fully-furnished homes are also dressed with wall hangings, frames, mirrors etc, so that the home is ready to move into with little else being required to start living in straight away. This is a great convenience for many, especially those who are staying for a limited time or their tenure here in Qatar has not yet been fixed and their long-term situation is unknown.
The monthly rental on fully furnished properties as would be expected is more than other options where some or no furnishings are included and once the cost of furniture is factored in, one could end up saving overall as there are no extra costs to include. Of course, there are many things one must take into account like the duration of the tenancy, the condition of the furniture and the difference in the monthly/annual rental price.
Sometimes properties are advertised as fully furnished but if one really likes the property and has their own furniture etc., it is possible to try and negotiate a reduction in the monthly rental with the landlord or real estate company. The greatest convenience is that with a fully furnished property, once the rental duration comes to an end, there is no furniture to worry about when moving out and it is a lot easier to relocate.
Apartments are self-contained residential units occupying part of a larger building. They are usually set out on a single storey of a building and it is for this reason that in some regions (UK, India etc.) they are referred to as "flats". The term apartment is one that is used extensively in Europe, North America and places that use American English. The term "flat" is used in the UK, India and places that use British English. Apartments or flats have their own front door, kitchen, toilet and bathroom. In some countries a 1-bedroom apartment may be advertised as a 1bhk or 1bhk flat. The term "bhk" or "BHK" refers to bedroom, hall and kitchen. This means that the unit would have 1 bedroom, a hall (lounge/sitting room) and kitchen.
Apartments can be found in residential blocks or towers and sometimes as a part of a villa where the floors have been separated each with its own entrance etc.
Al Dafna is a coastal district of the Qatari capital and municipality of Doha located on the Persian Gulf (sometimes referred to as "Arabian Gulf"). The word "Dafna" roughly translates to "dredged land", a reference to the fact that the district was built on reclaimed land following a large-scale land reclamation project along Doha's coastline launched in the 1980's. It is a rapidly developing business district and has quickly become the new downtown district of Doha and many foreign consuls reside in the area. The type of housing in the area is up-scale and often luxurious and prices tend to be higher than the average. There are plenty of standalone villas available for rent in Al Dafna and they are usually large with extensive private facilities. The availability of many international schools in the area makes it an ideal rental location for families in particular.
The area is known for the famous 456 room Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel built in 1979 which is well recognised and loved for its unique architecture and the Conference and Exhibition Centre, which opened in 1982. It was not until the late 1990's that the districts growth picked up pace and this led to the development of many plush hotels, restaurants and shopping centres including the famous City Center Mall, one of the largest in the region: well visited by locals and tourists alike. One of the main attractions in the area is the Katara Cultural Village, the largest and most multi-dimensional cultural project of Qatar. It is a place where people come together to experience the cultures of the world. With a beautiful beach offering water sports, theatres, concert halls, exhibition galleries and cutting-edge facilities, Katara aims to become a world leader for multi-cultural activities.