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
Mar 7, 2022, 2:44 pm
#2401
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,833
May have a chance to transit DOH on an upcoming Saturday between 8AM till Noon or so.
Flying QR-C ...so, i guess I can buy can access to A.S lounge (if I choose to).
Can I buy access after verifying if the sleeping rooms are available (whenever I reach DOH)? Not sure how good the chances to find a sleeping room in that time of the day.
(website is quoting a cheaper 137 USD price in "manage my booking" if I buy ahead of time,,,..but do not want to commit without knowing if the room is available)
Flying QR-C ...so, i guess I can buy can access to A.S lounge (if I choose to).
Can I buy access after verifying if the sleeping rooms are available (whenever I reach DOH)? Not sure how good the chances to find a sleeping room in that time of the day.
(website is quoting a cheaper 137 USD price in "manage my booking" if I buy ahead of time,,,..but do not want to commit without knowing if the room is available)
Mar 9, 2022, 8:58 pm
#2403
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Magic Kingdom
Programs: AA Exp, Radisson VIP, Expedia OneKey Platinum, Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Amex Plati
Posts: 435
I saw the train running with passengers back in January. But still I think it's just as fast or faster to walk briskly on the moving walkways.
Mar 9, 2022, 10:44 pm
#2405
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,307
"Let the train take the strain" was an advertising jingle in the UK and sounds just fine when passing through Doha.
Mar 10, 2022, 9:34 am
#2406
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 52
I am flying MLE to DOH (First) and then DOH to JFK (QSuites). I initially had a 3+ hour transit in Doha, but recent flight schedule changes have reduced that to a 1 hour and 55 minutes transit .
After reading through the transit protocols, it seems to be quick and painless (no immigration, dedicated security lines for First and Business passengers, etc.) so I do not expect issues with making my connecting flight, even if there is a minor delay.
My question is whether a two hour transit is enough time to stop by the AS lounge (I believe some recent visitors have said that Qatar is temporarily giving access to the AS for arriving/connecting F passengers on arrival flights less than 5 hours)? I don't expect us to use the spa or day room for such a short transit, but I wonder if we would have about an hour or so to spend in AS to grab a meal or take a quick shower/soak in the tub. I also love being the last passenger to board when flying F, and many ME and Asian carriers cater to this, unlike US based carriers, who yell at their F customer for arriving just before boarding closes...
After reading through the transit protocols, it seems to be quick and painless (no immigration, dedicated security lines for First and Business passengers, etc.) so I do not expect issues with making my connecting flight, even if there is a minor delay.
My question is whether a two hour transit is enough time to stop by the AS lounge (I believe some recent visitors have said that Qatar is temporarily giving access to the AS for arriving/connecting F passengers on arrival flights less than 5 hours)? I don't expect us to use the spa or day room for such a short transit, but I wonder if we would have about an hour or so to spend in AS to grab a meal or take a quick shower/soak in the tub. I also love being the last passenger to board when flying F, and many ME and Asian carriers cater to this, unlike US based carriers, who yell at their F customer for arriving just before boarding closes...
Mar 10, 2022, 11:45 am
#2408
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
As you are departing Doha to Abu Dhabi on First, you could use the Al Safwa Lounge during your entire layover.
Mar 10, 2022, 8:01 pm
#2409
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,723
Do they have to be on a single PNR? I'll have MLE-DOH in F on one award ticket then DOH-BNE in J on another award ticket.
Mar 10, 2022, 9:30 pm
#2410
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG75k, Marriott Gold, SPG
Posts: 108
Only whatever lounge Emerald entitles you to - your flights in Business or First do not matter for the purposes of lounge access because it's a P fare (yes, even the sectors booked in A).
Presently I believe that lounge is Al Mourjan, but that may become downgraded if demand picks up and QR opens the status lounges again.
I would avoid P if R is not a significant additional premium on top.
Presently I believe that lounge is Al Mourjan, but that may become downgraded if demand picks up and QR opens the status lounges again.
I would avoid P if R is not a significant additional premium on top.
Mar 11, 2022, 1:02 am
#2412
Join Date: Mar 2009
Programs: BA Gold, LH, SEN, RJ Platinum, ALL Diamond, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 643
Only not giving access is Qcredit Upgrade
Mar 11, 2022, 8:26 am
#2414
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,745
We booked a double room. We then had the right to extend it for 6 hours by paying. Once we had the room, we knew we could have it for the full 12 hours by paying for the second set of 6 hours.
Mar 11, 2022, 8:31 am
#2415
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Bay Area California
Posts: 395
Flying QR in 2 weeks SFO-DOH-HYD and return, business class - specifically fare (C) not cheap BTW - and I am Sapphire with OneWorld - I am still confused re: what lounge access am i going to be allowed? when i go to my booking on the QR site it asks me to pay for lounge access .... 
if business lounge access is allowed - does QR allow to pay the difference to get into al safwa? and what would i expect for that amount to be? i would really appreciate getting a shower and on the return HYD-SFO i will be in DOH within the 5-8am bank on a Saturday which means business lounge will be packed.
--HAF
if business lounge access is allowed - does QR allow to pay the difference to get into al safwa? and what would i expect for that amount to be? i would really appreciate getting a shower and on the return HYD-SFO i will be in DOH within the 5-8am bank on a Saturday which means business lounge will be packed.--HAF