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
Oct 4, 2023, 3:47 am
#3706
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: U.K.
Programs: QR P; HH D; IHG SpAmb
Posts: 775
That's quite a pity as i was hoping for one last time in the AS lounge before my status runs out. Guess at least i get to experience the new AM Garden which, according to the website, should where Platinums can go (and hopefully without hickups as i'll be on a P fare).
Oct 4, 2023, 3:57 am
#3707
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,667
How are the crowds typically overnight in the AS? And how difficult is it to get a sleeping room from say around midnight?
I'm eligible for the free stopover hotel but would certainly prefer just to stay in the airport as it's only 8h40m and it's a lot of time wasted leaving the airport and coming back. (not booking the airport hotel on my own dime, that's way overpriced). I'm getting the stopover hotel booked anyway, but my thoughts are to try AS first and see if I can get a room there for 5 or 6 hours then get someone to escort me back to where I can go to passport control for the stopover hotel if AS rooms are full.
I'm eligible for the free stopover hotel but would certainly prefer just to stay in the airport as it's only 8h40m and it's a lot of time wasted leaving the airport and coming back. (not booking the airport hotel on my own dime, that's way overpriced). I'm getting the stopover hotel booked anyway, but my thoughts are to try AS first and see if I can get a room there for 5 or 6 hours then get someone to escort me back to where I can go to passport control for the stopover hotel if AS rooms are full.
Oct 4, 2023, 4:10 am
#3708
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 111
My bad. I see a post right after mine saying 'flag for deletion' so I thought that was in response to my message.
Oct 4, 2023, 4:33 am
#3709
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2,155
How are the crowds typically overnight in the AS? And how difficult is it to get a sleeping room from say around midnight?
I'm eligible for the free stopover hotel but would certainly prefer just to stay in the airport as it's only 8h40m and it's a lot of time wasted leaving the airport and coming back. (not booking the airport hotel on my own dime, that's way overpriced). I'm getting the stopover hotel booked anyway, but my thoughts are to try AS first and see if I can get a room there for 5 or 6 hours then get someone to escort me back to where I can go to passport control for the stopover hotel if AS rooms are full.
I'm eligible for the free stopover hotel but would certainly prefer just to stay in the airport as it's only 8h40m and it's a lot of time wasted leaving the airport and coming back. (not booking the airport hotel on my own dime, that's way overpriced). I'm getting the stopover hotel booked anyway, but my thoughts are to try AS first and see if I can get a room there for 5 or 6 hours then get someone to escort me back to where I can go to passport control for the stopover hotel if AS rooms are full.
Some people have reported being allocated the Oryx Garden hotel as STPC accommodation, so you may be lucky and not need to leave the airport anyway.
Oct 4, 2023, 8:25 am
#3710
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: Aegean Airlines Silver, British Airways Gold, Virgin Atlantic Silver
Posts: 1,740
Not happy that my expected AS visit in 2 weeks will not now happen
Last edited by gallagher; Oct 4, 2023 at 9:15 am
Oct 4, 2023, 9:30 am
#3711
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
This is my fear, have a few P fare segments in November and really hope I’m not resigned to the Platnium lounge. I’ll be able to report back Nov 12th, but if someone can report if plats flying P fares get AM access before then, I’d def appreciate it!
I also wonder if there will be special accommodations made for F and plats in the AMs, perhaps access to the AS catering menu? Iiregardless this is def a bummer, but hopefully the potential AS improvements and fixes (please add better ventilation to the showers and proper chargers in the sleep rooms), make the long shut down worth it.
I also wonder if there will be special accommodations made for F and plats in the AMs, perhaps access to the AS catering menu? Iiregardless this is def a bummer, but hopefully the potential AS improvements and fixes (please add better ventilation to the showers and proper chargers in the sleep rooms), make the long shut down worth it.
Last edited by fender5787; Oct 4, 2023 at 11:41 am
Oct 4, 2023, 9:31 am
#3712
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
Oct 4, 2023, 10:03 am
#3713
Formerly known as koeche
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Switzerland
Programs: LX HON, QR Plat, Hilton Diamond, Windows 11, Adobe Creative Suite
Posts: 341
I also wonder if there will be special accommodations made for F and plats in the AMs, perhaps access to the AS catering menu? Iiregardless this is def a bummer, but hopefully the potential AS improvements and fixes (please add better ventilation to the showers and proper chargers in the sleep rooms), make the long shut down worth it.
Oct 4, 2023, 5:38 pm
#3715
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
Good idea... I find it kind of rude just to close AS and tell people to go to AM without providing something "first classy" as alternative. After all we're talking of a period of over a month. Unfortunately it will affect me too in two weeks and it bothers me a bit to have now 8hrs without AS. Particularly since I also had the option to go with Emirates.
Oct 4, 2023, 9:58 pm
#3717
Join Date: Nov 2022
Posts: 21
Note: Al Safwa Lounge will be temporarily closed for maintenance from 13 October until 30 November 2023. During this time, Privilege Club Platinum members and First Class guests can enjoy the Al Mourjan Business Lounge – South or the Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden.
Oct 4, 2023, 10:20 pm
#3719
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2,155
The hoardings and scaffolds that have been up in AS during several of my visits this year certainly didn't add to the ambience, so better to just close and get it all done in one go. 6 weeks is not a long period.
And the AM Garden in particular is certainly not slumming it. Hopefully they will waive the current rules and grant those platinums travelling on a P ticket access as well.
Oct 4, 2023, 11:31 pm
#3720
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SIN
Programs: KF, MPC, BAEC // Bonvoy, WoH, Honors
Posts: 1,464
My flight is on 2 December so technically Al Safra will have opened again at that point. But for you folks who either frequently deal/fly with QR or live in Qatar -- how likely is it, based on your experience, that it reopens on time? I am booked in First but may as well fly economy since I can visit Al Mourjan as a QR Gold.