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
#2506
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#2507
#2508
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 1,167
#2509
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: South Bend, IN
Programs: AA EXP 3 MM; Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 18,546
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.
#2510
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,QR Platinum,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold, HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,181
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.
#2511
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,164
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.
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.
#2512
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,QR Platinum,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold, HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,181
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.
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.
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.
#2513
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Star Alliance Gold, Oneworld Silver
Posts: 727
I hope this is now prevented at the new airport.
#2514
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: YEG/KWI
Programs: EK Gold, QR Gold, WY Gold, Delta Silver Medallion
Posts: 426
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
#2515
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK *GfL, BA Gold, WY G, HH DIA, IC Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 3,624
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
#2516
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Star Alliance Gold, Oneworld Silver
Posts: 727
Disgraceful in front of any lounge anywhere... I think people should never give in to that.
#2517
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK *GfL, BA Gold, WY G, HH DIA, IC Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 3,624
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.
#2518
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: The Indo Jungle
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Spire
Posts: 1,319
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
#2519
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: South Bend, IN
Programs: AA EXP 3 MM; Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 18,546
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.
#2520
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: FB Gold, Bonvoy Plat, HH Diamond
Posts: 37
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.