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 Sep 19, 2022, 5:41 am
  #2761  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BRS
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,958
Originally Posted by SkyTeam777
Hoping to get a sleeping room on a 12-hour connection. Probably between 6pm and midnight. Is that a busy time or outside of the rush?
There is an arrival bank around then, albeit not the busiest one, but quite a few arrivals from Europe and the US.
Schwann is online now  
Old Sep 19, 2022, 6:28 am
  #2762  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: BA Exec Club Gold, *G, EK Skywards Silver
Posts: 999
Originally Posted by Tofino87
were they really pushing for you not to have access? Or was it as easy as pointing out the inbound class of travel?
The agent just didn't really seem to know and therefore referred me to Al Mourjan because when she scanned my boarding pass, computer said no. They supervisor had to apply an override in the system. Either my agent didn't know to do that (because they didn't know the entry rules) or, only a supervisor can apply the override.
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Old Sep 19, 2022, 2:29 pm
  #2763  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Originally Posted by surryson
Another little data point from me,
Flew ZRH-DOH in F (QR reward booking), connecting the next day DOH-SIN in J (QR reward booking, through ticket, same PNR). Was initially told no access after a scan of my onward boarding pass (I had handed them both my inbound and onward passes). I politely made the point that I was F inbound. Lounge supervisor had to apply an override in the system at the reception desk.
Was your connection within 24 hours or the next calendar day? I have a 27 hour layover in Doha next month. Arriving in F and continuing in Y. Wondering whether I will be able to access Al Safwa on the day of arrival, or the following day using my inbound boarding pass.
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Old Sep 19, 2022, 3:25 pm
  #2764  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Germany
Programs: QR Gold, Skyteam Silver, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 144
Access with 2 separate reward tickets?

Apologies for asking these questions so late in the thread..somewhere there must be the answers..i just didnt find my case. I will fly FRA-DOH-BKK on two separate reward tickets. FRA-DOH in C, DOH-BKK in F (both class U). I would arrive 18:30h in DOH to continue 8 am next morning in F to BKK. My first question: would i get at check in in FRA already my boarding pass for the separate ticket DOH-BKK? And could i then arrive with this separate ticket around 19h at Al Safwa and get in and stay till say 6am next moring? I also believe that if i want to stay till 6 am i would need to request a room between 23h and midnight to observe the 6 hours rule? But would this be realistic to request a room between 23h and midnight? And if i dont get a room: are there still these big open family rooms with the couches? And would they wake me up there?
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Old Sep 19, 2022, 8:13 pm
  #2765  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: BA Exec Club Gold, *G, EK Skywards Silver
Posts: 999
Originally Posted by LH4116
Was your connection within 24 hours or the next calendar day? I have a 27 hour layover in Doha next month. Arriving in F and continuing in Y. Wondering whether I will be able to access Al Safwa on the day of arrival, or the following day using my inbound boarding pass.
the next calendar day but within 24hrs of my arrival. Arrived 2250 and departed the following morning.
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Old Sep 20, 2022, 10:22 pm
  #2766  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: in your favourite lounge, clearing the whole buffet
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Posts: 1,001
As a data point: Inbound F, outbound J, both on a Business Lite fare won't give you access to the Flounge.

Outbound F though access was possible.
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Old Sep 21, 2022, 2:22 am
  #2767  
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Join Date: Aug 2000
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Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 16,966
Originally Posted by homer3152
Apologies for asking these questions so late in the thread..somewhere there must be the answers..i just didnt find my case. I will fly FRA-DOH-BKK on two separate reward tickets. FRA-DOH in C, DOH-BKK in F (both class U). I would arrive 18:30h in DOH to continue 8 am next morning in F to BKK. My first question: would i get at check in in FRA already my boarding pass for the separate ticket DOH-BKK? And could i then arrive with this separate ticket around 19h at Al Safwa and get in and stay till say 6am next moring? I also believe that if i want to stay till 6 am i would need to request a room between 23h and midnight to observe the 6 hours rule? But would this be realistic to request a room between 23h and midnight? And if i dont get a room: are there still these big open family rooms with the couches? And would they wake me up there?
Availability of sleeping rooms is in the lap of the Gods: and at the time you are interested in, the omens are not in your favour.

The awareness that Safwa can offer not only bed & a very substantial breakfast, but also dinner and fine wines, all at a price considerably below that of the airport hotel, has led cash entrants to try their luck in bagging a bed.

The family rooms are intended to allow groups which include women to relax in semi-private conditions, without concerns about protecting modesty: something of a cultural phenomenon in the region. Their allocation to a singleton male is probably predicated on existing and expected "family" occupation of the facilities. It's worth remembering that they are not intended as bedrooms, or even quiet rooms, come equipped with TVs, and families often include over-excited kids - so the experience will not always be restful
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Old Sep 21, 2022, 3:59 am
  #2768  
 
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: YEG/KWI
Programs: EK Gold, QR Gold, WY Gold, Delta Silver Medallion
Posts: 426
Originally Posted by homer3152
Apologies for asking these questions so late in the thread..somewhere there must be the answers..i just didnt find my case. I will fly FRA-DOH-BKK on two separate reward tickets. FRA-DOH in C, DOH-BKK in F (both class U). I would arrive 18:30h in DOH to continue 8 am next morning in F to BKK. My first question: would i get at check in in FRA already my boarding pass for the separate ticket DOH-BKK? And could i then arrive with this separate ticket around 19h at Al Safwa and get in and stay till say 6am next moring? I also believe that if i want to stay till 6 am i would need to request a room between 23h and midnight to observe the 6 hours rule? But would this be realistic to request a room between 23h and midnight? And if i dont get a room: are there still these big open family rooms with the couches? And would they wake me up there?
Had a layover of around the same time in DOH a few months ago (1800hrs from BOS transferring on 0750hrs to KWI). The lounge staff made it clear that almost all the rooms would be fully reserved by midnight, so I instantly checked in at 1900hrs and checked out at 0100 hrs. Had a nice meal, shower and a nap, and went out to explore the other parts of the lounge. Time flew by instantly and at around 0300hrs, I was pretty much the only one in the lounge (I still believe, however that the sleeping rooms were fully booked by then). Had a few desserts, watched the sunrise and headed to the special F boarding gates in the lounge. I was flying alone, so I got a room with a single bed, and a TV. The showers were good though.
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Old Sep 21, 2022, 10:29 am
  #2769  
Moderator: Alaska Mileage Plan
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,288
I had a paid F-to-J connection tonight. The checker at the bottom of the escalator scanned my BP and tried to direct me to AM. I politely said that I would check in upstairs.

At the check in desk, the agent scanned my outbound J BP (I also gave her my inbound F BP). She didn't say anything and then typed several things into her terminal. After a long minute, she reached for the BP stamp and I knew that I was in.
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Old Sep 22, 2022, 8:09 am
  #2770  
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 1
Originally Posted by surryson
the next calendar day but within 24hrs of my arrival. Arrived 2250 and departed the following morning.
Did you pay for the ticket? Or is it an award ticket?

Since I will be arriving LHR to DOH in First Class. My onward ticket to Male is in Economy Y class (4:55 flight, before 6am the next day). Wondering if I am eligible to access AS lounge too.
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Old Sep 22, 2022, 10:34 am
  #2771  
Moderator: Alaska Mileage Plan
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,288
@aids_canard0e Welcome to FlyerTalk.
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Old Sep 22, 2022, 10:24 pm
  #2772  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 200
We (2 of us) will be transiting through Doha next week. First flight lands shortly before midnight, second flight departs about 8 hours later.

As seemingly others before us, we are wondering if we should attempt to get a room with 2 beds at the Al Safwa (wed need to pay the $165 x 2), or instead go straight to the Oryx hotel (cheapest selling room as of now at ~350). We couldnt stay at the hotel at the hotel more than 6 hours anyway given the schedule; seems like the lounge option would in theory make more sense for us.

How are the odds looking these days to get a room with two beds at the lounge?
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Old Sep 22, 2022, 10:54 pm
  #2773  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Doha, Qatar
Programs: Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum; Accor Le Club Platinum
Posts: 1,074
Originally Posted by LeonS
We (2 of us) will be transiting through Doha next week. First flight lands shortly before midnight, second flight departs about 8 hours later.

As seemingly others before us, we are wondering if we should attempt to get a room with 2 beds at the Al Safwa (wed need to pay the $165 x 2), or instead go straight to the Oryx hotel (cheapest selling room as of now at ~350). We couldnt stay at the hotel at the hotel more than 6 hours anyway given the schedule; seems like the lounge option would in theory make more sense for us.

How are the odds looking these days to get a room with two beds at the lounge?
In AS, they have 'family room' cubicles that have chairs and a sofa and tv. They are quite too. Might be less expensive to just crash on those. Plus, you could grab a late dinner and drinks and early morning breakfast and shower. Or, you might get lucky and score one of the actual bed rooms.
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Old Sep 22, 2022, 11:48 pm
  #2774  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: BA Exec Club Gold, *G, EK Skywards Silver
Posts: 999
Originally Posted by LeonS
We (2 of us) will be transiting through Doha next week. First flight lands shortly before midnight, second flight departs about 8 hours later.

As seemingly others before us, we are wondering if we should attempt to get a room with 2 beds at the Al Safwa (wed need to pay the $165 x 2), or instead go straight to the Oryx hotel (cheapest selling room as of now at ~350). We couldnt stay at the hotel at the hotel more than 6 hours anyway given the schedule; seems like the lounge option would in theory make more sense for us.

How are the odds looking these days to get a room with two beds at the lounge?
pay for the hotel and do it soon. It'll sell out.
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Old Sep 23, 2022, 1:17 am
  #2775  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,644
I've just booked an award flight with BA in First class BKK-DOH-CAI. I was sitting back dreaming about my long connection in the lounge before I remembered someone saying that award tickets don't include lounge access.

Is that correct? I have a OW Sapphire card. Can I get into the QR Premium lounge in BKK?

Thanks so much!
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