This is my first trip to Doha of more than a couple of days, so I would like to explore a bit.

A few posters in various boards have mentioned the great souq and a mall that is modeled after the one at the Venetian in Las Vegas. Where are these? (Edited to add: I found the souq. Not too interesting. I also found the Villaggio; I will check that out next.)

And how about nightlife? I am looking for both upscale places and mid-scale places. (For those who know Abu Dhabi, for example, I love the bar on the second floor of Le Royal Meridien, for an upscale place that caters mostly to Arabs and other locals. I also loved the dumpy ethnic night clubs at the Zakher hotel across the street, although this is closed now I believe. If I could find something similar, that'd be great.)

I remember that the Ritz-Carlton had a nice a bar/club, and the Ramada has a surprising mix of several places. I went to the Rydges last time, which was OK, and someone on FlyerTalk has recommended the InterContinental bar. (Edited to link review of the InterContinental. The night club is pretty boisterous.)

Any other night-life suggestions?

P.S., Cheetah_SA, thank you for an informative report. I agree with your impressions. I also have not interacted with any Qataris, and that includes my clients, although they are very senior-level. That is a way that this country is different from, e.g., Abu Dhabi. The Movenpick is certainly a healthy distance from the airport! Good that they put you there for the environment, I suppose, but at that hour I imagine that you would have preferred the Marriott. (Edited to add: Now I see that there are two Movenpicks, one near the airport, and the other one, to which I was referring before, downtown near the Four Seasons and forthcoming Hilton, W, Shangi-La, and others!)