Nov 5, 2015, 11:11 am
Last edit by: CPH-Flyer
READ BEFORE COMMENTING IF YOU ARE NEW,
Hamad International Airport (HIA) offers passengers a number of different lounges.
This thread, is specifically for the Al Safwa First Class Lounge. Information on the other Lounge options at HIA, can be found here.
Does Al Safwa have a web page?
Yes: http://www.qatarairways.com/global/e...-al-safwa.page
Dining Menu
https://www.qatarairways.com/content...-dining-en.pdf
Where can I find Al Safwa Lounge?
The Lounge is located on Level 3 of the airport.
Can I use the Qatar Airways Al Safwa Lounge?
Access is based on your underlying fare bucket. This means that upgraded tickets, maybe except upgrades with QPoints (see post 2735), are not granted access.
Access is thus restricted to Qatar Airways First Class, and OneWorld First Class passengers :
- either holding a First Class boarding pass* for their next flight
- or holding a First Class boarding pass from their previous flight.
Additionally, Privilege Club platinum club travelling on any business-class fare are welcomed into the lounge. This is a facility introduced recently and one that could just as easily disappear.
- Guests are not permitted.
* Operational Upgrades to First do not give access. Upgrades with Qpoints may do give acces (see post 2735 - Sept 2022)
Arrival access on mid and long haul? (eg. coming from LHR in F)
YES
Ex. CAI-DOH-HEL
Arrival access regional F? (eg. coming from CAI in F)
Yes.
Caveat, if your underlying J fare is P, then the no lounge access for business light kicks in. And there is no access.
Privilege Club Platinum members are currently allowed in the lounge when travelling on any QR business-class fare: that could change. Other Oneworld Emerald members are directed to the Platinum lounge(s) when travelling in any class, and the Al Mourjan lounge when travelling on relevant business-class fares. Yup, it gets complicated.
What does the lounge look like?
Reports on the Lounge, can be found here and here. Photographs of the lounge, can be found here.
Is there a Spa?
Yes, there is a full Spa, but you will have to pay for treatments. A full list of treatments available can be found here
What about the sleeping rooms?
Stargold in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28199729-post1177.html suggests that access to sleeping rooms is as follows:
'* No reservations allowed - always first-come first-served
* Only available if the remaining time until the flight departure is more than 4 hours
* Passengers are allowed maximum six hours' usage - for any further usage, a fee of QAR 450 is payable for a second block of six hours.
* No F&B of any kind except bottled water in the sleeping rooms.'
What changes can I expect during Ramadan?
Ramadan affects QR and you in many ways so please look at ramadan to see how you are affected.
Updated: 19/11/2023
Hamad International Airport (HIA) offers passengers a number of different lounges.
This thread, is specifically for the Al Safwa First Class Lounge. Information on the other Lounge options at HIA, can be found here.
Does Al Safwa have a web page?
Yes: http://www.qatarairways.com/global/e...-al-safwa.page
Dining Menu
https://www.qatarairways.com/content...-dining-en.pdf
Where can I find Al Safwa Lounge?
The Lounge is located on Level 3 of the airport.
Can I use the Qatar Airways Al Safwa Lounge?
Access is based on your underlying fare bucket. This means that upgraded tickets, maybe except upgrades with QPoints (see post 2735), are not granted access.
Access is thus restricted to Qatar Airways First Class, and OneWorld First Class passengers :
- either holding a First Class boarding pass* for their next flight
- or holding a First Class boarding pass from their previous flight.
Additionally, Privilege Club platinum club travelling on any business-class fare are welcomed into the lounge. This is a facility introduced recently and one that could just as easily disappear.
- Guests are not permitted.
* Operational Upgrades to First do not give access. Upgrades with Qpoints may do give acces (see post 2735 - Sept 2022)
Arrival access on mid and long haul? (eg. coming from LHR in F)
YES
Ex. CAI-DOH-HEL
Arrival access regional F? (eg. coming from CAI in F)
Yes.
Caveat, if your underlying J fare is P, then the no lounge access for business light kicks in. And there is no access.
Privilege Club Platinum members are currently allowed in the lounge when travelling on any QR business-class fare: that could change. Other Oneworld Emerald members are directed to the Platinum lounge(s) when travelling in any class, and the Al Mourjan lounge when travelling on relevant business-class fares. Yup, it gets complicated.
What does the lounge look like?
Reports on the Lounge, can be found here and here. Photographs of the lounge, can be found here.
Is there a Spa?
Yes, there is a full Spa, but you will have to pay for treatments. A full list of treatments available can be found here
What about the sleeping rooms?
Stargold in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28199729-post1177.html suggests that access to sleeping rooms is as follows:
'* No reservations allowed - always first-come first-served
* Only available if the remaining time until the flight departure is more than 4 hours
* Passengers are allowed maximum six hours' usage - for any further usage, a fee of QAR 450 is payable for a second block of six hours.
* No F&B of any kind except bottled water in the sleeping rooms.'
What changes can I expect during Ramadan?
Ramadan affects QR and you in many ways so please look at ramadan to see how you are affected.
Updated: 19/11/2023
QR Al Safwa First Class Lounge
Jul 25, 2019, 1:54 am
#1726
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
Programs: KLM Flying Blue, Singapore Airlines Kris Flyer, British Airways Executive Club
Posts: 106
Good to know you had no issues using the lounge. The BA flight departure time is early in the morning so I guess the food offering is not as great as during lunch/dinner hours. I wonder how busy the lounge would be at 3-4am.
Jul 25, 2019, 2:57 am
#1727
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Phuket
Programs: SQ *Gold, BA, QR, EY, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Gold, Amex Platinum
Posts: 5,269
I had a quite nice breakfast although I suspect other items might be available. Was pretty deserted when we were there at 5-6am.
Jul 25, 2019, 4:09 am
#1728
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,755
Jul 25, 2019, 4:17 am
#1729
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: QR Platinum, Star Alliance Gold (LH Sen)
Posts: 764
Jul 25, 2019, 4:22 am
#1730
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,307
Aug 13, 2019, 3:52 pm
#1732
Join Date: May 2011
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 174
Someone more informed than me will correct me but I believe it is 12 hours max. I once took advantage of an Avios booking and spent 25 hours in the lounge. I had the choice of spending one hour or one day. I took advantage of everything they offered, delicious food and drink, snacks wifi, they gave me a room to sleep in for about 12 hours. I believe other people must have done similar because they cut back how long a passenger can stay in there. I'd be interested to know myself if the time is now less than 12 hours. Anyone who knows the answer want to help?
Aug 16, 2019, 11:44 am
#1733
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
........... I once took advantage of an Avios booking and spent 25 hours in the lounge. I had the choice of spending one hour or one day. I took advantage of everything they offered, delicious food and drink, snacks wifi, they gave me a room to sleep in for about 12 hours. I believe other people must have done similar because they cut back how long a passenger can stay in there. I'd be interested to know myself if the time is now less than 12 hours. Anyone who knows the answer want to help?
As ever, each to their own of course but I confess to being absolutely incredulous when I hear of folk spending this amount of time in a lounge by choice (ie as opposed to an enforced flight delay / cancellation).
Proof, I guess, that the attraction of ‘free’ food & drink can be very powerful indeed !
I like Al Safwa but have never had occasion to spend more than three hours or so there on each of my previous visits, ..... after which I always feel keen to get on with my journey.
Aug 16, 2019, 12:13 pm
#1734
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Singapore
Programs: BA Gold. KrisFlyer Gold
Posts: 732
I thought that if you're in transit to F (long or short haul) and are eligible to access Al Safwa then you can spend as much time as you want in there - same as in Al Mourjan. I did an overnight transit to Muscat of 18 hours a couple of months ago and had no problem accessing the lounge for the entire time (though I got bored so left and re-entered a few times). It might be different if you're starting your journey in Doha, but the 12 hour restriction is a new one on me.
Aug 28, 2019, 2:02 pm
#1735
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 41
Hello folks, I'm going to be arriving at DOH in J around midnight, and connecting to a regional flight in F around 7pm (total transit time around 19 hours).
Based on my research (and this thread), it seems like I should have access to Al Safwa (and Al Mourjan, if desired). However, there seems to be some recent conflicting information about whether there is any kind of time limit on QR lounge use at DOH. If anyone has any further information regarding connection time restrictions on lounge access, etc., please share your knowledge.
Otherwise, I'm assuming that I can head to Al Safwa upon arrival, and hopefully get a sleeping room for a while. Then maybe do one of the QR transit tours late morning, before heading back to the lounge in the afternoon before departure. I'm thinking I should be able to leave my hand luggage in a locker in the lounge and only take some essentials on the tour. Does that sound like a reasonable plan, or is there something I'm missing?
Based on my research (and this thread), it seems like I should have access to Al Safwa (and Al Mourjan, if desired). However, there seems to be some recent conflicting information about whether there is any kind of time limit on QR lounge use at DOH. If anyone has any further information regarding connection time restrictions on lounge access, etc., please share your knowledge.
Otherwise, I'm assuming that I can head to Al Safwa upon arrival, and hopefully get a sleeping room for a while. Then maybe do one of the QR transit tours late morning, before heading back to the lounge in the afternoon before departure. I'm thinking I should be able to leave my hand luggage in a locker in the lounge and only take some essentials on the tour. Does that sound like a reasonable plan, or is there something I'm missing?
Aug 28, 2019, 3:54 pm
#1736
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: In the sticks
Programs: VS FC Gold, BA EC Gold, Amex Centurion, EK Gold, ex-G-ATVK driver
Posts: 1,831
25 hours .....???.
As ever, each to their own of course but I confess to being absolutely incredulous when I hear of folk spending this amount of time in a lounge by choice (ie as opposed to an enforced flight delay / cancellation).
Proof, I guess, that the attraction of ‘free’ food & drink can be very powerful indeed !
I like Al Safwa but have never had occasion to spend more than three hours or so there on each of my previous visits, ..... after which I always feel keen to get on with my journey.
In the end I nursed a coffee for an hour or so at one of the many other outlets first.
I had also arranged a room at the in-terminal airside hotel, which is more comfortable than the rooms in Al Safwa, and doesn’t have any time limits to using the facilities. Like Al Safwa, I couldn’t check in to the hotel until I had a valid boarding pass.
There is no restriction on doing an airside transfer without a boarding card.
Aug 28, 2019, 6:08 pm
#1737
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 938
Hello folks, I'm going to be arriving at DOH in J around midnight, and connecting to a regional flight in F around 7pm (total transit time around 19 hours).
Based on my research (and this thread), it seems like I should have access to Al Safwa (and Al Mourjan, if desired). However, there seems to be some recent conflicting information about whether there is any kind of time limit on QR lounge use at DOH. If anyone has any further information regarding connection time restrictions on lounge access, etc., please share your knowledge.
Otherwise, I'm assuming that I can head to Al Safwa upon arrival, and hopefully get a sleeping room for a while. Then maybe do one of the QR transit tours late morning, before heading back to the lounge in the afternoon before departure. I'm thinking I should be able to leave my hand luggage in a locker in the lounge and only take some essentials on the tour. Does that sound like a reasonable plan, or is there something I'm missing?
Based on my research (and this thread), it seems like I should have access to Al Safwa (and Al Mourjan, if desired). However, there seems to be some recent conflicting information about whether there is any kind of time limit on QR lounge use at DOH. If anyone has any further information regarding connection time restrictions on lounge access, etc., please share your knowledge.
Otherwise, I'm assuming that I can head to Al Safwa upon arrival, and hopefully get a sleeping room for a while. Then maybe do one of the QR transit tours late morning, before heading back to the lounge in the afternoon before departure. I'm thinking I should be able to leave my hand luggage in a locker in the lounge and only take some essentials on the tour. Does that sound like a reasonable plan, or is there something I'm missing?
Sep 2, 2019, 9:07 am
#1739
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
I am here now and am having an awful time. I don't get what the hype is about. I have a First Class ticket, but if I had to pay extra to get in, I would ask for a full refund and leave.
Problems:
*Bathroom/shower rooms are a good 10-15 degrees warmer than the rest of the lounge. When I tried to ask one of the attendants about this, they tried to argue with me about the temperature instead of just looking into it or escalating it so it was handled appropriately.
*I asked for additional shower gel and they loaded me up with body lotion but removed all the shower gel. I only noticed this after I was wet (which is my fault) so I ended up using the hand soap instead. HOWEVER, a staff member decided to walk in on me - coming into the shower room where I was standing naked after the shower - to bring me shower gel. This blew my mind and probably made me the most upset.
*The dining room has two local parents with two little girls running around, jumping and stomping on the furniture, pushing their strollers with dolls in it around the bar and running into guests, and just being loud. Also listening to their iPads with no headphones on. I complained about this to the dining room Supervisor, who said he would ask them to leave after warning them once. He warned them. Then, they continued, and he didn't do anything, claiming they are locals and difficult to control. WHAT?
*Ordered the tenderloin medium. They said the least they cook it is medium well. It came out well done the first time, then the second time. Apparently the meat is pre cooked...in a First Class Lounge?
*They don't serve Diet Coke. Only Diet Pepsi. Not cool for an international First Class Lounge.
*They have no pressing/steaming/button repair service.
---> Is this normal or did I just get here at a bad time? Cheers.
Problems:
*Bathroom/shower rooms are a good 10-15 degrees warmer than the rest of the lounge. When I tried to ask one of the attendants about this, they tried to argue with me about the temperature instead of just looking into it or escalating it so it was handled appropriately.
*I asked for additional shower gel and they loaded me up with body lotion but removed all the shower gel. I only noticed this after I was wet (which is my fault) so I ended up using the hand soap instead. HOWEVER, a staff member decided to walk in on me - coming into the shower room where I was standing naked after the shower - to bring me shower gel. This blew my mind and probably made me the most upset.
*The dining room has two local parents with two little girls running around, jumping and stomping on the furniture, pushing their strollers with dolls in it around the bar and running into guests, and just being loud. Also listening to their iPads with no headphones on. I complained about this to the dining room Supervisor, who said he would ask them to leave after warning them once. He warned them. Then, they continued, and he didn't do anything, claiming they are locals and difficult to control. WHAT?
*Ordered the tenderloin medium. They said the least they cook it is medium well. It came out well done the first time, then the second time. Apparently the meat is pre cooked...in a First Class Lounge?
*They don't serve Diet Coke. Only Diet Pepsi. Not cool for an international First Class Lounge.
*They have no pressing/steaming/button repair service.
---> Is this normal or did I just get here at a bad time? Cheers.
Last edited by btonkid12345; Sep 2, 2019 at 9:12 am
Sep 2, 2019, 2:45 pm
#1740
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 938
btonkid12345 - welcome to the Middle East.
In other words, a lot of it is normal and has been discussed here extensively. A new issue is your second point of someone entering your shower room while you were there naked. It's a good idea to lock the door when taking a shower at an airport lounge.
In other words, a lot of it is normal and has been discussed here extensively. A new issue is your second point of someone entering your shower room while you were there naked. It's a good idea to lock the door when taking a shower at an airport lounge.