We went out for lunch today. It was a long time since we’d been to the St Regis so we decided to go for their Saturday buffet. Less choice than a Friday brunch, and much cheaper, but also less inclination to over indulge.

We decide not to book as there were plenty of free tables on every previous visit. I checked the website to make sure the Vine Restaurant was open and the buffet was happening. It was.

We were all set to enjoy “An extensive selection of international cuisine and a scenic terrace to dine on”. So we headed over, valet parked the car and into the restaurant, only to be told it wasn’t available. After three years in Qatar, I really shouldn’t have been surprised. Websites in Qatar are generally reliably inaccurate. I should have phoned to check.

Instead we ate at La Spiga in the W, which in my view is the best hotel restaurant in the city. Their ‘express’ lunch menu is extremely good value, available on Saturdays unlike most other places, and there is no sense of being hurried.