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
Nov 28, 2015, 8:52 am
#421
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,948
Great - I'll be there on Monday night, and then again on Friday morning. Time to complain (well, what else can I do to pass the time!)
Nov 28, 2015, 10:10 am
#422
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: El Gouna , Hurghada (HRG)
Programs: BAEC:Silver ,IHG:Spire Amb ,QR:Silver,HH:Diamond
Posts: 374
I feel your pain . I missed out on the opening by 10 days on my last flight and waited until the lounge had opened before using Qcredits to upgrade a segment to DWC on Thursday . Its now looking very unlikely the lounge will be reopened by then and the Qcredits are non refundable. I wouldn't have upgraded on such a short flight without the prospect of a room in Al Safwa on a 7 hour layover . Very frustrated and disappointed .
Nov 28, 2015, 3:24 pm
#423
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
Last edited by JohnRain; Nov 28, 2015 at 3:44 pm
Nov 28, 2015, 11:48 pm
#424
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Abu Dhabi
Programs: IHG Platinum Ambassador, Etihad Silver
Posts: 132
It was pretty badly flooded, there are videos doing the rounds on social media which can probably be found on YouTube.
The person who said they only saw drips coming through into buckets after the rain had stopped - that was probably on the Tuesday. The really heavy rain came down on the Wednesday and that is when it was literally pouring through the roof. It looked like a waterfall was coming down in the check in area!
The whole country was flooded. It happens every year in November and sometimes March (it's always this week in November as well!).
It highlighted the extremely shonky construction practices here, and heads are probably going to roll for it - ironically extending the culture of blame here which is partly the root of the problem in the first place (people are too terrified to think outside the box for fear of upsetting the wrong person and getting sent home on the next plane).
The person who said they only saw drips coming through into buckets after the rain had stopped - that was probably on the Tuesday. The really heavy rain came down on the Wednesday and that is when it was literally pouring through the roof. It looked like a waterfall was coming down in the check in area!
The whole country was flooded. It happens every year in November and sometimes March (it's always this week in November as well!).
It highlighted the extremely shonky construction practices here, and heads are probably going to roll for it - ironically extending the culture of blame here which is partly the root of the problem in the first place (people are too terrified to think outside the box for fear of upsetting the wrong person and getting sent home on the next plane).
Dec 1, 2015, 7:14 am
#425
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,723
Dec 1, 2015, 7:19 am
#426
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,948
The F escort lady who looked after me last night, advised me that the Al Safwa was due to close for a few days for maintenance (irrespective of the rains). She said there had been some issues reported, but accepted the heavy rains caused a major problem.
She seemed hopeful that the lounge would reopen within the next 10 days, but as we know with QR, 10 days can mean 10 months!
She seemed hopeful that the lounge would reopen within the next 10 days, but as we know with QR, 10 days can mean 10 months!
Dec 1, 2015, 8:13 am
#427
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Seat 2A
Programs: AA EXP LT GLD 1MM, BA GLD, NH/UA*G, Hyatt Dia, Marr Tit LT PLT, IHG Spire,HH Dia, MGM NOIR,Hertz PC
Posts: 10,571
I really considered buying F for this friday but thankfully I didn't do it. That would have been a disappointment.
Dec 1, 2015, 4:19 pm
#429
Join Date: Jun 2009
Programs: A3 Gold, AA Platinum, Marriott & Discovery Platinum, IGH Diamond
Posts: 889
No aircon @ Al Safwa
In the Al Safwa now.No aircon in the sleeping rooms.You literally die in there.Managers are coming up with excuses "we are a new lounge" 
Appealing show from QR towards paying F customers
Appealing show from QR towards paying F customers
Dec 1, 2015, 11:12 pm
#432
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,948
I'll be at HIA on Friday early morning so will update if it's open again and fully functioning.
Dec 2, 2015, 12:25 am
#433
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
This is great news! I mean, the aircon issue is of course annoying but at least the lounge is apparently open again. I booked a trip mainly to experience the lounge and was so frustrated when I heard it had closed for maintenance, but apparently that's no longer the case (I'll be there tomorrow).
Dec 2, 2015, 12:40 am
#434
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
Well, apparently the lounge is open again as per this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...-al-safwa.html
Last edited by JohnRain; Dec 2, 2015 at 12:52 am