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 21, 2016, 2:00 am
#691
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: 8,949
P.S. I assume your other-half said yes?
Apr 21, 2016, 2:09 am
#692
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
PS: She did indeed...
(details here)
Apr 21, 2016, 2:32 am
#693
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: 8,949
That's good to know, thanks msm2000uk. Maybe they're a bit more generous now than at the beginning, as I found it quite absurd to ask 55 bucks just for a shower.
PS: She did indeed... (details here)
PS: She did indeed...
(details here)
Apr 21, 2016, 2:46 am
#694
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
It was quite a memorable trip indeed and it made me an even bigger QR fan as I told the purser about my plans and she was really excited about it. As luck would have it I met her again just last week on the way back from Tokyo (TR here), she recognised me and asked how it all went etc. She took great care of us and was just perfect. As for the Berlutis, I admit that I'm a sucker for them...
May 2, 2016, 11:10 am
#695
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 43
I have a 0725 flight in F to CDG soon, so I'll be in the lounge in the early morning. I think the lounge has special breakfast menu, but I suspect I'll want something more than the usual breakfast cereal or eggs. Can you order from the lunch menu at that time in the morning?
May 2, 2016, 11:42 am
#696
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: DCA
Posts: 120
I'm staying overnight tonight (2 May) if anyone is in the lounge and wants to have a mini meet up!
Data points:
-no Krug, only Billingcart (sp?)
-also out of Kopke port
-alcohol is restocked on Wednesdays, so visitors toward the end of the cycle (Mon-Wed) may face shortages
I purposely stretched the limits of lounge access: I had a flight arriving at 1515 one day in Y and a connection leaving 1600 in F to UAE the next day. I waited until 1700 the day of my arrival and was admitted to Al Safwa for 23 hours. It did prompt some cocked heads at the entrance, but once admitted there was no difference from previous visits. So, this confirms that an onwards flight in F, no matter how short, grants access even if prior flight was in Y.
Data points:
-no Krug, only Billingcart (sp?)
-also out of Kopke port
-alcohol is restocked on Wednesdays, so visitors toward the end of the cycle (Mon-Wed) may face shortages
I purposely stretched the limits of lounge access: I had a flight arriving at 1515 one day in Y and a connection leaving 1600 in F to UAE the next day. I waited until 1700 the day of my arrival and was admitted to Al Safwa for 23 hours. It did prompt some cocked heads at the entrance, but once admitted there was no difference from previous visits. So, this confirms that an onwards flight in F, no matter how short, grants access even if prior flight was in Y.
May 2, 2016, 12:07 pm
#697
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 973
I have a 0725 flight in F to CDG soon, so I'll be in the lounge in the early morning. I think the lounge has special breakfast menu, but I suspect I'll want something more than the usual breakfast cereal or eggs. Can you order from the lunch menu at that time in the morning?
Pointless confirmation. "If you're flying in F you get access to the F lounge" is what you're saying. Ground breaking.
May 2, 2016, 12:44 pm
#699
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: 8,949
Im en route to Doha giantreesemar.
Should be in the Lounge at about 12:15am if you fancy a drink.
M
Should be in the Lounge at about 12:15am if you fancy a drink.
M
May 2, 2016, 12:56 pm
#700
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: DCA
Posts: 120
Anyways, serves me right for updating the thread. I'll keep future updates to complaints about meal service.
May 2, 2016, 2:13 pm
#701
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,944
giantreesemar there are no time limits on use of Al Safwa. You may use it from when you arrive until departure time on your boarding pass.
Some years ago I was told that Qatari Immigration laws required that no one was allowed to be in transit for more than 24 hours. If this is still true or not I do not know. But there are no checks currently made on transit passengers.
That may be the cause of these discussions.
Some years ago I was told that Qatari Immigration laws required that no one was allowed to be in transit for more than 24 hours. If this is still true or not I do not know. But there are no checks currently made on transit passengers.
That may be the cause of these discussions.
May 5, 2016, 6:05 am
#702
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: LHR
Programs: HH D,CC,SPG,AZ: Gold;BA Silver, TK Elite
Posts: 809
Side note: Op ups in DOH do give access to the lounge, I got in on Good friday as we got confirmation when arriving in al Mourjan that the flight was full and we were opped up to first
May 5, 2016, 6:43 am
#703
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: 8,949
If, however, you were Op-Up'd at LHR to F, and flying onto BKK in J, you would only have access to the Al Mourjan (despite LHR-DOH being in F, and being over 5 hours).
As a total aside, great to meet giantreesemar the other evening. Hope he survived his 24 hours in the Al Safwa!
May 6, 2016, 12:42 am
#705
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
Well, unfortunately these are the rules: Al Safwa doesn't allow guests, period. QR isn't known for being generous when it comes to lounge access anyway. Just look at the way other (non QR) OW elites are treated, they have to go in a (way inferior) dedicated C/F lounge at DOH and have no access to Al Mourjan/Al Safwa at all.