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
Apr 8, 2023, 10:55 am
#3196
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 179
sticky is outdated by several years... no 5 hour rule does not apply, connecting flight has to be within 24 hours and you need to be on a fare which gives lounge access and you will be let in
Apr 8, 2023, 11:44 am
#3197
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
If/when a "change of gauge" rule is re-introduced we can update the wiki.
Apr 9, 2023, 1:34 pm
#3198
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 179
1. Upgrades with Qcredits to F give access, first hand experience on a number of flights to AUH upgraded to F using Qcredits
2. Plats in P (business lite fare) which normally does not give lounge access have access to AS (but not AM) - again first hand experiene
Apr 9, 2023, 5:25 pm
#3199
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
Going to Lounge early/what would you do?
I'm flying in to Doha on J. I have three nights there before I can catch my F flight to BKK. My flight leaves around 7:55am. What I am wondering is what people would recommend in this situation? Should I only do the first two nights in a hotel and then come to the lounge late on the final night? Will I be able to get non-breakfast food and sleep in the rooms there for a few hours? How early can I arrive at the lounge from Doha with an outbound F ticket? This would be a Saturday night going into a Sunday. I'm concerned I won't be able to enjoy the lounge much if I stay at a hotel unless I wake up at like 4am and head there.
Apr 9, 2023, 5:47 pm
#3200
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BRS
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,995
Personally I'd stay in a proper hotel for all 3 nights and arrive at the airport at a typical time. The lounge isn't worth pulling an all nighter for, especially as a sleeping room being available is unlikely.
Apr 9, 2023, 7:18 pm
#3201
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
I'm flying in to Doha on J. I have three nights there before I can catch my F flight to BKK. My flight leaves around 7:55am. What I am wondering is what people would recommend in this situation? Should I only do the first two nights in a hotel and then come to the lounge late on the final night? Will I be able to get non-breakfast food and sleep in the rooms there for a few hours? How early can I arrive at the lounge from Doha with an outbound F ticket? This would be a Saturday night going into a Sunday. I'm concerned I won't be able to enjoy the lounge much if I stay at a hotel unless I wake up at like 4am and head there.
I'm not sure how you were thinking of handling a late night check-out, but it's probably sensible to pay for the three nights, get up early on dat three and head for the airport at 5 am. Doha hotels are (generally) inexpensive.
The F check makes life easy with dedicated security checks followed by direct entry to Safwa. So you should get from taxi to lounge in no time at all.
Apr 10, 2023, 5:56 am
#3202
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,263
Two additional things which need an update in the wiki
1. Upgrades with Qcredits to F give access, first hand experience on a number of flights to AUH upgraded to F using Qcredits
2. Plats in P (business lite fare) which normally does not give lounge access have access to AS (but not AM) - again first hand experiene
1. Upgrades with Qcredits to F give access, first hand experience on a number of flights to AUH upgraded to F using Qcredits
2. Plats in P (business lite fare) which normally does not give lounge access have access to AS (but not AM) - again first hand experiene
Apr 12, 2023, 3:45 pm
#3204
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
Good news!
Pressure on Safwa might be reducing! Posters over in the Premium Fare forum, entitled to use Safwa, prefer to visit Mourjan for its superior service and food.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/35163400-post4.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/35163400-post4.html
Apr 12, 2023, 8:10 pm
#3205
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,324
Any new mid-April Champagne updates from AS?
Apr 12, 2023, 9:56 pm
#3206
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
Programs: QR PC Platinum, TK M&S elite, UA silver, ITA Voltaire Executive (lol), Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 1,168
Here now and the champagne choices are basic Laurent Perrier and Charles Heidsieck rose. Guess we can say the days of actual F champers in AS are long gone 😩
Also of note, lounge feels pretty crowded. Like nothing like peak AM or a the AA/BA lounges at JFK during the evening rush, but there isn’t a single brown recliner open, and only a handful of dining tables available. More and more reason to use AM north/garden (when it opens).
Also of note, lounge feels pretty crowded. Like nothing like peak AM or a the AA/BA lounges at JFK during the evening rush, but there isn’t a single brown recliner open, and only a handful of dining tables available. More and more reason to use AM north/garden (when it opens).
Apr 12, 2023, 11:02 pm
#3207
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CDG
Programs: A bit of this and a bit of that
Posts: 777
Multiple examples of that in this thread itself; nothing new.
Any new mid-April Champagne updates from AS?
Any new mid-April Champagne updates from AS?
You can always check the Menu using this link.
Apr 13, 2023, 1:29 am
#3208
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
i'm among those happy to shift to Mourjan if I'm searching for nap space Safwa is not able to supply.
But shunning Safwa because the food is better in Mourjan seems oddly perverse: a manifestation of ennui i heartily encourage
.
But shunning Safwa because the food is better in Mourjan seems oddly perverse: a manifestation of ennui i heartily encourage
.
Apr 14, 2023, 5:47 am
#3209
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 973
Am arriving F from SYD-DOH with QR, but departing J from DOH-AMM with RJ (7 hours in transit). From my reading of this thread that I would be allowed to go to Safwa and Mourjan (if I keep my F boarding pass) - even though the next flight is with RJ - is this correct? If so, can I go to both, just to check them out? I don't think the RJ lounge is good in comparison. Also, is the shower better at Safwa or Mourjan? Not worry much about food or drink (as I am not a drinker). TIA for clarification.
Apr 16, 2023, 12:18 pm
#3210
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: UK
Programs: BA GGL; Virgin Gold; HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 417
Just booked MLE-DOH-LHR using Avios (260,000) - First (A) to DOH then Business (I) to LHR. After choosing seats it offered me $137 each to access the Al Safwa lounge, which I took because we like it in there.
But I’m now thinking that’s a bit strange because I thought you got access to that lounge if you arrived on a flight in First - is that not right or doesn’t it apply on the A fare code. (The connection is only 4 hours.)
Plus, a week or so ago when I booked the outbound LHR-DOH-MLE for Avios (only 130,000) - Business (U) to DOH then First (Z) to MLE it didn’t offer me an option to buy access to Al Safwa.
Does that mean I won’t get access on the way out or does it mean the access is free on that flight?
But I’m now thinking that’s a bit strange because I thought you got access to that lounge if you arrived on a flight in First - is that not right or doesn’t it apply on the A fare code. (The connection is only 4 hours.)
Plus, a week or so ago when I booked the outbound LHR-DOH-MLE for Avios (only 130,000) - Business (U) to DOH then First (Z) to MLE it didn’t offer me an option to buy access to Al Safwa.
Does that mean I won’t get access on the way out or does it mean the access is free on that flight?