They are not talking it up, it’s just the way it is. As a 777 Captain that’s been here nearly 5 years now I have to say I am quite happy. My biggest complaint is the fact there is no real just culture here...........but then does that exist in any airline in the ME?
As for pros and cons of Doha, they have been summed up nicely in previous posts.
A post such as Saltaires’ above doesn’t really add anything to this discussion. I applied to 3 carriers in the ME and took the first to offer. Do I think Dubai is possibly more fun and more advanced than Doha, yes, but as I have not lived in Dubai I cannot compare, I can state that we have great friends, a good social life and enjoy many activities we would not get the chance to do at home.
Finally, if half of what is written about Emirates on other threads is true then Qatar is really not a bad gig.