London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Dec 04, 2025

Pampered Kuwaitis quibble in five-star quarantine

Pampered Kuwaitis quibble in five-star quarantine

KUWAIT CITY: The meat is too fatty and the staff are slow to clean up coffee stains - some Kuwaitis quarantined in five-star hotels due to the coronavirus outbreak have a litany of complaints.

Authorities in the oil-rich country have forced citizens returning from abroad to isolate for 14 days in luxury properties before they are permitted to re-enter society.

Kuwait has adopted the strictest measures in the Gulf to combat the spread of coronavirus. It has recorded more than 700 cases, and one death.

Plush hotels have turned into quarantine shelters, preparing to host around 60,000 Kuwaitis returning from countries including Italy, Germany, Iran, Egypt and Lebanon.

The first batch arrived two weeks ago, and for some accustomed to the best in life, their accommodation has proven less than satisfactory.

'Salad with no dressing' -


"Dear minister of finance, the food has no taste, it is inedible and we're throwing it away," one woman, who did not reveal her face, said in a video uploaded online.

"We are emotionally tired, and our health is deteriorating because the food is not nutritious," she added as she examined catering trays delivered to her hotel room.

"They served us salad with no dressing, and everything else is also dry."

Her comments prompted a backlash online with some saying she should be grateful.

"I stayed in a hospital for a week with my mother and did not complain, eating bread and cheese," one Twitter user fired back.

Another uploaded footage of people in a developing country standing in line to drink water.

"If only they saw how we opened our fridge to choose the (brand of) water we want. God, don't deny us your generosity," read the sarcastic caption.

Kuwait, which pumps 2.7 million barrels of oil per day, has a sovereign wealth fund worth more than $600 billion, providing a substantial cushion for state finances.

Many of its 1.5 million citizens, who make up just 30 percent of the population, have become accustomed to a life of luxury, especially in Europe where some own palaces and supercars.

One in ten Kuwaitis is a dollar millionaire -- a fact proudly announced by the state airline on flight approaches to Kuwait City.

In one social media video, a Kuwaiti man complains that his luggage has not yet reached the hotel room, which he describes as small with "the bed stuck to the closet".

In another, a woman says there is "more fat than I like in my meat".

Another quarantine guest said it was taking room service "too long to clean a coffee stain on the couch".


'Can you be patient?' -


Kuwait has in the past few weeks passed strict regulations to curb the spread of the deadly virus that has claimed more than 75,000 lives worldwide.

It has prosecuted more than 100 people for breaking the dusk to dawn curfew or quarantine rules, with offenders facing up to six months in jail or a 10,000 dinar ($32,000) fine.

On Tuesday it announced a lockdown on two areas that are densely populated with expatriate workers.

Meanwhile, Kuwait's cabinet said anyone caught intentionally spreading the virus could face up to 10 years in prison and a 30,000 dinar fine.

The government has also said it will not tolerate online sarcasm or ridicule of the precautionary measures.

In one case a citizen returning from Germany posted a video mocking flight attendants in protective gear likening them to "beekeepers".

Some responded online, calling for calm and support for those on the frontline of the pandemic, including air crews.

Kuwaiti parliamentarian Ahmed Nabil al-Fadel urged people to be patient and see the bigger picture.

"It's very common that the sink does not work properly or that there are some problems... given the short period of time to prepare the place," Fadel, who was also quarantined after returning from Spain, said of quarantine facilities.

"Can you be patient? There are doctors who have not slept in three days."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
India backs down on plan to mandate government “Sanchar Saathi” app on all smartphones
King Charles Welcomes German President Steinmeier to UK in First State Visit by Berlin in 27 Years
UK Plans Major Cutback to Jury Trials as Crown Court Backlog Nears 80,000
UK Government to Significantly Limit Jury Trials in England and Wales
U.S. and U.K. Seal Drug-Pricing Deal: Britain Agrees to Pay More, U.S. Lifts Tariffs
UK Postpones Decision Yet Again on China’s Proposed Mega-Embassy in London
Head of UK Budget Watchdog Resigns After Premature Leak of Reeves’ Budget Report
Car-sharing giant Zipcar to exit UK market by end of 2025
Reports of Widespread Drone Deployment Raise Privacy and Security Questions in the UK
UK Signals Security Concerns Over China While Pursuing Stronger Trade Links
Google warns of AI “irrationality” just as Gemini 3 launch rattles markets
Top Consultancies Freeze Starting Salaries as AI Threatens ‘Pyramid’ Model
Macron Says Washington Pressuring EU to Delay Enforcement of Digital-Regulation Probes Against Meta, TikTok and X
UK’s DragonFire Laser Downs High-Speed Drones as £316m Deal Speeds Naval Deployment
UK Chancellor Rejects Claims She Misled Public on Fiscal Outlook Ahead of Budget
Starmer Defends Autumn Budget as Finance Chief Faces Accusations of Misleading Public Finances
EU Firms Struggle with 3,000-Hour Paperwork Load — While Automakers Fear De Facto 2030 Petrol Car Ban
White House launches ‘Hall of Shame’ site to publicly condemn media outlets for alleged bias
UK Budget’s New EV Mileage Tax Undercuts Case for Plug-In Hybrids
UK Government Launches National Inquiry into ‘Grooming Gangs’ After US Warning and Rising Public Outcry
Taylor Swift Extends U.K. Chart Reign as ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ Hits Six Weeks at No. 1
250 Still Missing in the Massive Fire, 94 Killed. One Day After the Disaster: Survivor Rescued on the 16th Floor
Trump: National Guard Soldier Who Was Shot in Washington Has Died; Second Soldier Fighting for His Life
UK Chancellor Reeves Defends Tax Rises as Essential to Reduce Child Poverty and Stabilise Public Finances
No Evidence Found for Claim That UK Schools Are Shifting to Teaching American English
European Powers Urge Israel to Halt West Bank Settler Violence Amid Surge in Attacks
"I Would Have Given Her a Kidney": She Lent Bezos’s Ex-Wife $1,000 — and Received Millions in Return
European States Approve First-ever Military-Grade Surveillance Network via ESA
UK to Slash Key Pension Tax Perk, Targeting High Earners Under New Budget
UK Government Announces £150 Annual Cut to Household Energy Bills Through Levy Reforms
UK Court Hears Challenge to Ban on Palestine Action as Critics Decry Heavy-Handed Measures
Investors Rush Into UK Gilts and Sterling After Budget Eases Fiscal Concerns
UK to Raise Online Betting Taxes by £1.1 Billion Under New Budget — Firms Warn of Fallout
Lamine Yamal? The ‘Heir to Messi’ Lost to Barcelona — and the Kingdom Is in a Frenzy
Warner Music Group Drops Suit Against Suno, Launches Licensed AI-Music Deal
HP to Cut up to 6,000 Jobs Globally as It Ramps Up AI Integration
MediaWorld Sold iPad Air for €15 — Then Asked Customers to Return Them or Pay More
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Promises ‘Full-Time’ Education for All Children as School Attendance Slips
UK Extends Sugar Tax to Sweetened Milkshakes and Lattes in 2028 Health Push
UK Government Backs £49 Billion Plan for Heathrow Third Runway and Expansion
UK Gambling Firms Report £1bn Surge in Annual Profits as Pressure Mounts for Higher Betting Taxes
UK Shares Advance Ahead of Budget as Financials and Consumer Staples Lead Gains
Domino’s UK CEO Andrew Rennie Steps Down Amid Strategic Reset
UK Economy Stalls as Reeves Faces First Budget Test
UK Economy’s Weak Start Adds Pressure on Prime Minister Starmer
UK Government Acknowledges Billionaire Exodus Amid Tax Rise Concerns
UK Budget 2025: Markets Brace as Chancellor Faces Fiscal Tightrope
UK Unveils Strategic Plan to Secure Critical Mineral Supply Chains
UK Taskforce Calls for Radical Reset of Nuclear Regulation to Cut Costs and Accelerate Build
UK Government Launches Consultation on Major Overhaul of Settlement Rules
×