Old Nov 5, 2015, 11:11 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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


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QR Al Safwa First Class Lounge

Old Apr 18, 2022, 1:39 pm
  #2506  
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Originally Posted by babyg_wc
Im confused i didnt know you had to pay for the nap room?
The first 6 hours is free of charge; if you would like to extend your stay in the nap room another 6 hours, then you would need to pay.
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Old Apr 18, 2022, 3:12 pm
  #2507  
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The champagne at Safwa may have been downgraded from the Piper-Hiedsieck Rare Brut Millsime back to Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, but Ive spotted this delightful treat today

khabah


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Old Apr 18, 2022, 4:08 pm
  #2508  
 
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Originally Posted by khabah
The champagne at Safwa may have been downgraded from the Piper-Hiedsieck Rare Brut Millsime back to Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, but Ive spotted this delightful treat today

khabah


the 2008 is less than half the price of the 2009.. still a great wine thou!
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Old Apr 18, 2022, 10:21 pm
  #2509  
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Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
The first 6 hours is free of charge; if you would like to extend your stay in the nap room another 6 hours, then you would need to pay.
Yup. The first 6 hour block for which I paid included 6 hours in the nap room (if space is available). For my second 6 hour block, I was given two prices: one that included the nap room and one that did not. So, had I wanted to spend more than 6 hours in the nap room, I could have paid more to do so. I forget the exact amounts, but the difference between the two options for the second 6 hour block was around 100 Riyals.

I do not think - but cannot confirm as I didn't ask - that there would have been a lower rate for the first 6 hour block if I was not interested in a nap room. I use al Safwa when a room at the Oryx is not available and I don't want - or am not allowed - to venture into the city during the layover.
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Old Apr 18, 2022, 11:44 pm
  #2510  
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Originally Posted by PresRDC
I do not think - but cannot confirm as I didn't ask - that there would have been a lower rate for the first 6 hour block if I was not interested in a nap room. I use al Safwa when a room at the Oryx is not available and I don't want - or am not allowed - to venture into the city during the layover.
No there is no lower rate for paid entry if you don't want to opt for a nap room. The initial entry fee ( for paid entry ) is the same for everyone despite using a nap room or not.
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Old Apr 19, 2022, 12:53 am
  #2511  
 
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It’s nice to see some things never change! Arrived at Al Safwa at midnight last night to find a queue of what must have been 25 people at the bottom of the escalator, almost all trying to blag their way in. Watched the first seven or so passengers of which three had economy boarding passes and were told to go somewhere else, one had a business class boarding pass and was sent to Al Mourjan, one just wanted to ask where the ticketing desk was, one had an Oman Air boarding pass and a credit card (?!) and was trying to argue why he should be given access, and one guy had a business class pass but said he wanted to pay for access so was allowed up. Being stationed at the bottom of the steps must be one of the most thankless QR jobs!

I may have got bored of waiting and pushed in at that point in possibly my first ever DYKWIA given I seemed to be the only person in the queue with a F boarding pass, but they need a better system of sorting out who is allowed access if they are going to increase numbers.
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Old Apr 19, 2022, 1:04 am
  #2512  
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Originally Posted by lost_in_translation
Its nice to see some things never change! Arrived at Al Safwa at midnight last night to find a queue of what must have been 25 people at the bottom of the escalator, almost all trying to blag their way in. Watched the first seven or so passengers of which three had economy boarding passes and were told to go somewhere else, one had a business class boarding pass and was sent to Al Mourjan, one just wanted to ask where the ticketing desk was, one had an Oman Air boarding pass and a credit card (?!) and was trying to argue why he should be given access, and one guy had a business class pass but said he wanted to pay for access so was allowed up. Being stationed at the bottom of the steps must be one of the most thankless QR jobs!

I may have got bored of waiting and pushed in at that point in possibly my first ever DYKWIA given I seemed to be the only person in the queue with a F boarding pass, but they need a better system of sorting out who is allowed access if they are going to increase numbers.
This reminded me the old TK Lounge at Istanbul Atatrk Airport where clueless passengers would head to the Turkish Airlines Lounge as they thought they were TK boarding gates which created an unnecessary queue at the entrance.

But if we return to consensus, there is always the elevator option where you could stop by the front desk, if the queue under the escalator is very long.
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Old Apr 19, 2022, 1:18 am
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Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
.....This reminded me the old TK Lounge at Istanbul Atatrk Airport where clueless passengers would head to the Turkish Airlines Lounge as they thought they were TK boarding gates which created an unnecessary queue at the entrance.....
I also remember non-entitled pax jumping over the automatic entry gates and the staff seeing perfectly well but saying nothing. No surprise that it was frequently so overcrowded. Probably friends/family of TK or Do&co.

I hope this is now prevented at the new airport.
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Old Apr 19, 2022, 1:42 am
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The only complaint I have with the AS lounge are the universal plug sockets. There were plenty in the seating area, but they were all out of order as some electrical works were going on. The lounge attendants were kind enough to find me a couple of sockets, but the sockets were super loose for some reason once again (I use the USA styled adapters). I even tried finding a couple in the work stations, but couldn't find any. Guess, I was just out of luck that day lolzies
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Old Apr 19, 2022, 2:16 am
  #2515  
 
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Originally Posted by FlyerLX
I also remember non-entitled pax jumping over the automatic entry gates and the staff seeing perfectly well but saying nothing. No surprise that it was frequently so overcrowded. Probably friends/family of TK or Do&co.

I hope this is now prevented at the new airport.
Ah yes - this is also the only place where I have been aggressively approached by someone directly in front of the entrance virtually demanding to enter with me (but you are travelling alone, etc) - such a joyful place that was

Back to Al Safwa - I found the issue of power sockets is rather pressing in the dining area if, say you want to charge your phone or laptop while dining
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Old Apr 19, 2022, 3:18 am
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Originally Posted by SKT-DK
Ah yes - this is also the only place where I have been aggressively approached by someone directly in front of the entrance virtually demanding to enter with me (but you are travelling alone, etc)....
Disgraceful in front of any lounge anywhere... I think people should never give in to that.
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Old Apr 19, 2022, 4:00 am
  #2517  
 
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Originally Posted by FlyerLX
Disgraceful in front of any lounge anywhere... I think people should never give in to that.
Exactly - when the person would not give up I said if you do not leave me alone right this second I will have staff call security to stop you from harassing myself or other passengers. That message sunk in, but only after he grunted some swear words at me.
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Old Apr 19, 2022, 9:35 pm
  #2518  
 
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Originally Posted by qraec777
The only complaint I have with the AS lounge are the universal plug sockets. There were plenty in the seating area, but they were all out of order as some electrical works were going on. The lounge attendants were kind enough to find me a couple of sockets, but the sockets were super loose for some reason once again (I use the USA styled adapters). I even tried finding a couple in the work stations, but couldn't find any. Guess, I was just out of luck that day lolzies
Worth noting as well that there is no universal outlet (that I could find anyway) within the quiet rooms. I was able to purchase a cheap USB adaptor at the AS duty free to solve the problem. The desk man mentioned that they had been available to borrow pre-covid.
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Old Apr 20, 2022, 11:21 am
  #2519  
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Originally Posted by DeepUnderground
Worth noting as well that there is no universal outlet (that I could find anyway) within the quiet rooms. I was able to purchase a cheap USB adaptor at the AS duty free to solve the problem. The desk man mentioned that they had been available to borrow pre-covid.
Yes. Specifically, they are U.K.-style outlets. I have a multiprong adaptor, but it works the least well in U.K.-style outlets. Took several attempts to get it to work.
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Old Apr 21, 2022, 2:09 am
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I'm flying MNL-DOH in J (arrival 22H15) then DOH-DXB (departure 00H55) in F. Pretty sure I ll get in to the lounge, my question : how is service at that time ? Just seems strange to me to have only a la carte dining in a lounge and be open 24/7.
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