Doha F lounge
Jan 5, 2020, 4:28 am
#31
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Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 345
This is simply not accurate. How in the world did you (or anyone) else come to this conclusion that F&B is greater in Al Mourjan than Al Safwa!?
Last edited by Fly_IAD; Jan 5, 2020 at 9:19 am Reason: edit
Jan 5, 2020, 7:34 am
#32
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: HKG, BHX, MAN
Programs: Qatar Gold (OWS), Asiana Diamond (*G)
Posts: 1,493
At the meantime I can't even find a seat at the 'business class lounge' for oneworld status holders and the only hot dishes I saw were soups. There's also a very strong smell of tobacco especially at the entrance.
Jan 5, 2020, 10:18 am
#34
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SQ Gold, KQ Platinum, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,348
Pretty much everything in AS is waiter service, whereas AM offers a decent enough buffet. Selection is about the same across both, just presented differently. Overall I find the food in both lounges to not be great quality.
Jan 5, 2020, 10:42 am
#35
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Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 345
Jan 5, 2020, 10:58 am
#36
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: All over the place often South Wales and Lake District
Programs: BA Gold for Life Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,552
In Al Mourjan there used to be an a la carte menu but this disappeared and is now just sandwhiches. It can be a challenge to get a seat in the restaurant at peak times, and the buffet is ok but not great. The lounge is nice enough - better than the OW lounges for sure - if you have a long layover, it quickly gets boring. I once walked 10 miles in the airport on a 7 hour layover. I have a 16 hour layover on my way back and am heading into Doha itself. I have booked a hotel for $23 but can only access it from 3pm when arriving from ICN at 0515. Will have to book the night before as well i Think...
Jan 5, 2020, 11:46 am
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 58
The QR staff could definitely see that my original ticket was ‘Business Class’ they didn’t mention fare bucket, the fact that I’d paid for the upgrade made no difference whatsoever. When I did the same routing last year I booked F from Doha to Muscat but had a 5 hour layover so it was worth the extra Avios, would probably do the same again. Both F and J lounges were very busy, difficult to find a seat, by contrast Al Safwa was all serenity and calm when I used it last year.
Jan 5, 2020, 11:50 am
#38
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Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 345
Why suffer !?
Jan 5, 2020, 2:10 pm
#39
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 574
Deleted as msm’s explanation makes sense.
I have used Al Safwa when flying BA F on Avios (used Avios to redeem in F) and I’ve used it when flying QR intra-GCC F (no J cabin).
I used to fly through DOH a lot - at that time as a GCH as others report status alone will not get you in. QR are pretty consistent on this.
Whilst as Genius1’s TR (well worth a read by the way) notes, F&B selection (specifically, food) is probably greater in Al Mourjan, Al Safwa is visually stunning.
I have used Al Safwa when flying BA F on Avios (used Avios to redeem in F) and I’ve used it when flying QR intra-GCC F (no J cabin).
I used to fly through DOH a lot - at that time as a GCH as others report status alone will not get you in. QR are pretty consistent on this.
Whilst as Genius1’s TR (well worth a read by the way) notes, F&B selection (specifically, food) is probably greater in Al Mourjan, Al Safwa is visually stunning.
Jan 5, 2020, 2:23 pm
#40
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Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 345
I feel like I'm in the twilight zone. How is there a greater variety of F&B in Al Mourjan than Al Safwa? Where is this variety hiding (since the day it opened to the present)?
Jan 5, 2020, 2:52 pm
#41
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 574
I don't eat meat and find the food in Al Safwa to be dull and uninspiring. Cooking an egg to order at breakfast can be a struggle for the chefs. My husband (a meat eater) agrees that the food is mediocre in Al Safwa. I like the salads, snack and buffet choices better in the Al Mourjan Lounge. I prefer the ambience and comfort of Al Safwa. The champagne is better too. Al Safwa is a magnificent space but I disagree with your defence of the food. The rest I am fond of.
Jan 5, 2020, 5:14 pm
#42
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Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 345
I don't eat meat and find the food in Al Safwa to be dull and uninspiring. Cooking an egg to order at breakfast can be a struggle for the chefs. My husband (a meat eater) agrees that the food is mediocre in Al Safwa. I like the salads, snack and buffet choices better in the Al Mourjan Lounge. I prefer the ambience and comfort of Al Safwa. The champagne is better too. Al Safwa is a magnificent space but I disagree with your defence of the food. The rest I am fond of.
I am surprised that multiple posters are suggesting the range of foods is greater in Al Mourjan, not at all surprised that the quality is a problem.
Last edited by Fly_IAD; Jan 5, 2020 at 5:33 pm
Jan 6, 2020, 1:22 am
#43
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: In the sticks
Programs: VS FC Gold, BA EC Gold, Amex Centurion, EK Gold, ex-G-ATVK driver
Posts: 1,829
I agree, same here. Note that in the shower room I used in Al Safwa, it had no loo, so keep that in mind before de-robing. There were facilities very close by, just not in the shower room itself.
Last edited by Howard Long; Jan 6, 2020 at 1:40 am
Jan 6, 2020, 1:39 am
#44
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: In the sticks
Programs: VS FC Gold, BA EC Gold, Amex Centurion, EK Gold, ex-G-ATVK driver
Posts: 1,829
The food is indeed largely disappointing in Al Safwa. Over the Christmas period they ran a Festive menu, the results of which I found even worse than the normal menu, possibly they were trying too hard.
The only consistently good main dishes IME are the biryani-like dishes that regularly appear in various forms (currently Chicken Kabsa), which sadly was missing from the brief Festive menu.
The saving grace was that over the Christmas period, Krug was briefly back on.
Jan 6, 2020, 2:46 am
#45
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: LCY
Programs: BAEC Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,208