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
Sep 11, 2019, 7:52 pm
#1756
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,757
Sep 11, 2019, 8:11 pm
#1757
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: QR Platinum, Star Alliance Gold (LH Sen)
Posts: 764
But apparently QR does not acknowledge my opinion ;-)
Sep 12, 2019, 4:00 am
#1758
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cardiff
Programs: qatar airways platinum
Posts: 733
So by all accounts, even with paid access ( and some posters up in arms that it would spoil the lounge) the lounge is still relatively quiet?
I still think if they allowed plats travelling in J a few free entries a to the lounge a year, it was be seen as a good incentive. I have only visited the lounge twice and both times it was earily quiet over my 8 hour stopover.
I still think if they allowed plats travelling in J a few free entries a to the lounge a year, it was be seen as a good incentive. I have only visited the lounge twice and both times it was earily quiet over my 8 hour stopover.
Sep 12, 2019, 4:08 am
#1759
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: DXB
Programs: Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver, A3 Gold, Sixt Diamond
Posts: 2,811
When I paid for access earlier this year, it was very quiet the whole time. We were pretty much the only guests. I think I saw one other couple.
Except for FlyerTalk users, almost nobody seems to know that you can purchase access and they don't advertise it. While I was paying to get in, other J passengers arrived and were sent away to the Al Mourjan lounge. They didn't even try to sell them access.
Except for FlyerTalk users, almost nobody seems to know that you can purchase access and they don't advertise it. While I was paying to get in, other J passengers arrived and were sent away to the Al Mourjan lounge. They didn't even try to sell them access.
Sep 12, 2019, 7:21 am
#1760
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: QR Platinum, Star Alliance Gold (LH Sen)
Posts: 764
So by all accounts, even with paid access ( and some posters up in arms that it would spoil the lounge) the lounge is still relatively quiet?
I still think if they allowed plats travelling in J a few free entries a to the lounge a year, it was be seen as a good incentive. I have only visited the lounge twice and both times it was earily quiet over my 8 hour stopover.
I still think if they allowed plats travelling in J a few free entries a to the lounge a year, it was be seen as a good incentive. I have only visited the lounge twice and both times it was earily quiet over my 8 hour stopover.
So I guess with 600 QAR entrance fee, the number will not be higher ;-)
Sep 12, 2019, 9:11 am
#1761
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cardiff
Programs: qatar airways platinum
Posts: 733
Clearly a lack of marketing/public knowledge and the prohibitive 600QAR is ensuring that paid access is minimal.
Sep 26, 2019, 12:07 pm
#1763
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: DXB
Programs: Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver, A3 Gold, Sixt Diamond
Posts: 2,811
Oct 5, 2019, 5:53 am
#1764
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Mucci, Untappd 8000+
Posts: 256
Quick update on the raw meat coming to Al Safwa:
This chef tells me they are still working on it but no set date as of now.
He suggested having fresh fish from the Gulf instead: Hamour it was.
It is still a lonely Grande Dame, who still keeps me company.
This chef tells me they are still working on it but no set date as of now.
He suggested having fresh fish from the Gulf instead: Hamour it was.
It is still a lonely Grande Dame, who still keeps me company.
Nov 4, 2019, 5:38 am
#1765
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
Programs: KLM Flying Blue, Singapore Airlines Kris Flyer, British Airways Executive Club
Posts: 106
Hoping to get some clarifications on the rules for using the sleeping rooms - traveling on BA F (DOH to LHR) and departure time is early in the morning at around 06:00. We have no check-in luggage so can just do online check-in (e-boarding pass) and intend to arrive at the airport/lounge much earlier than the standard 3 hours prior to ETD. I know we should have no problem accessing the lounge early but what are the rules on using the sleeping rooms??
Are the sleeping rooms reserved for transit passengers (with a transit time of more than 4 hours as I have read this on another thread)?
Also read that there is a time limit of 6 hours but does this applies to passengers traveling on J and paid the access for AS or does it also applies to passengers traveling on F (ex-DOH)?
Are the sleeping rooms reserved for transit passengers (with a transit time of more than 4 hours as I have read this on another thread)?
Also read that there is a time limit of 6 hours but does this applies to passengers traveling on J and paid the access for AS or does it also applies to passengers traveling on F (ex-DOH)?
Nov 4, 2019, 5:39 am
#1766
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: DXB
Programs: Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver, A3 Gold, Sixt Diamond
Posts: 2,811
Sorry, my bad, wrong information, it seems. Somebody else should be able to answer your question. Sorry for the confusion!
Nov 4, 2019, 6:10 am
#1767
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 4,029
The 6 hours is only for paid upgrades.
Your itinerary will be fine. My boss spent 16 hours in there on BA F connecting to QR J just this last week.
8 hour delay of onward flight while at gate waiting to board the original one, before anyone did what I did and ask why he didn’t go into Doha
Your itinerary will be fine. My boss spent 16 hours in there on BA F connecting to QR J just this last week.
8 hour delay of onward flight while at gate waiting to board the original one, before anyone did what I did and ask why he didn’t go into Doha
Nov 4, 2019, 6:42 pm
#1768
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: USA
Programs: UA 1K, Starwood Platinum, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 982
Hoping to get some clarifications on the rules for using the sleeping rooms - traveling on BA F (DOH to LHR) and departure time is early in the morning at around 06:00. We have no check-in luggage so can just do online check-in (e-boarding pass) and intend to arrive at the airport/lounge much earlier than the standard 3 hours prior to ETD. I know we should have no problem accessing the lounge early but what are the rules on using the sleeping rooms??
Are the sleeping rooms reserved for transit passengers (with a transit time of more than 4 hours as I have read this on another thread)?
Also read that there is a time limit of 6 hours but does this applies to passengers traveling on J and paid the access for AS or does it also applies to passengers traveling on F (ex-DOH)?
Are the sleeping rooms reserved for transit passengers (with a transit time of more than 4 hours as I have read this on another thread)?
Also read that there is a time limit of 6 hours but does this applies to passengers traveling on J and paid the access for AS or does it also applies to passengers traveling on F (ex-DOH)?
There is no limit on the duration on your stay if you are booked in First Class. As long as you can clear security and immigration, you can use the lounge. In my experience, the check-in agent did not bat an eye when I arrived 12 hours early.
Nov 5, 2019, 5:50 am
#1769
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cardiff
Programs: qatar airways platinum
Posts: 733
I've arrived at 10pm for a 10am flight. Availability of sleeping rooms is on first-come, first-serve basis and not guaranteed, but otherwise there are no rules (unlike Turkish Airlines, for example, that's very peculiar in terms of how rooms are allocated.)
There is no limit on the duration on your stay if you are booked in First Class. As long as you can clear security and immigration, you can use the lounge. In my experience, the check-in agent did not bat an eye when I arrived 12 hours early.
There is no limit on the duration on your stay if you are booked in First Class. As long as you can clear security and immigration, you can use the lounge. In my experience, the check-in agent did not bat an eye when I arrived 12 hours early.
Nov 5, 2019, 9:40 am
#1770
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023