Originally Posted by
carrotjuice
Allow me to present a dissenting view here. If this is your first time to DOH, 2 hours is too rushed, while 20 hours is way too long unless you want to get out of the airport. 8 hours is a tad longer than preferred but in reality, you have only about 6.5 to 7 hours of "free time" after accounting for clearing inbound connections and heading to the gate for your outbound flight. You can easily pass the time by hopping between the two AM lounges and having copious food and drinks, walking around the Gardens, browsing the shops, going on the DOH art trail, and taking a nap in AM Gardens. You'd be surprised how quickly the time passes.
I have to agree with this, especially if you don't do it very often. You might even want to check out the gym (is it open yet?) and take a shower. Lots of ways to spend the time, you can even find a comfortable seat and get some work done.