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 25, 2017, 8:57 am
#1187
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
Apr 25, 2017, 5:47 pm
#1188
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: MEL
Programs: QFF, AA, LM, EY
Posts: 762
Guys are the dining areas of Al-Safwa open 24 hours ?
I have a transit coming up for 12+ hours arriving 00:30 from BKK and departing to MCT at 13:50.
Thinking of grabbing a bite first before hitting the sleeping rooms.
Cheers
I have a transit coming up for 12+ hours arriving 00:30 from BKK and departing to MCT at 13:50.
Thinking of grabbing a bite first before hitting the sleeping rooms.
Cheers
Apr 26, 2017, 7:44 am
#1190
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
Yes. QR calls it Regional First. It's essentially a J experience but with Al Safwa access.
Apr 26, 2017, 8:10 am
#1191
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,944
fauxreals welcome to the QR forum.
The rules for access to Al Safwa are quite simple.
You have access if:
1) You hold an F boarding pass departing DOH - no matter if it is shorthaul or longhaul F, OR
2) you hold an incoming F boarding pass for a flight over five hours and your connection time (In J or Y) is under 8 hours.
3) Op-ups re not accepted.
With the exception of operational upgrades it does not matter how you obtained your boarding pass.
The rules for access to Al Safwa are quite simple.
You have access if:
1) You hold an F boarding pass departing DOH - no matter if it is shorthaul or longhaul F, OR
2) you hold an incoming F boarding pass for a flight over five hours and your connection time (In J or Y) is under 8 hours.
3) Op-ups re not accepted.
With the exception of operational upgrades it does not matter how you obtained your boarding pass.
May 1, 2017, 7:48 am
#1193
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,944
Upgrade Me 2017 QR has a standard check-in time of three hours prior tp departure.
BUT 1) this is their home station and
2) you are trvelling in F. You should be able to check-in some hours earlier because you are travelling in F. How long before departure is not certain. Some have done so up to eight hours before departure, others much less.
Your major problem is to obtain your boarding pass. You can do this by using OnLine Check-In (OLCI) up to 48 hours before departure. If you have your boarding pass you can bypass the time limitations of check-in and go directly to Bag drop, immigration, security etc. Thus you circumvent the check-in time rules.
BUT 1) this is their home station and
2) you are trvelling in F. You should be able to check-in some hours earlier because you are travelling in F. How long before departure is not certain. Some have done so up to eight hours before departure, others much less.
Your major problem is to obtain your boarding pass. You can do this by using OnLine Check-In (OLCI) up to 48 hours before departure. If you have your boarding pass you can bypass the time limitations of check-in and go directly to Bag drop, immigration, security etc. Thus you circumvent the check-in time rules.
May 1, 2017, 8:38 am
#1194
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum
Posts: 38
Upgrade Me 2017 QR has a standard check-in time of three hours prior tp departure.
BUT 1) this is their home station and
2) you are trvelling in F. You should be able to check-in some hours earlier because you are travelling in F. How long before departure is not certain. Some have done so up to eight hours before departure, others much less.
Your major problem is to obtain your boarding pass. You can do this by using OnLine Check-In (OLCI) up to 48 hours before departure. If you have your boarding pass you can bypass the time limitations of check-in and go directly to Bag drop, immigration, security etc. Thus you circumvent the check-in time rules.
BUT 1) this is their home station and
2) you are trvelling in F. You should be able to check-in some hours earlier because you are travelling in F. How long before departure is not certain. Some have done so up to eight hours before departure, others much less.
Your major problem is to obtain your boarding pass. You can do this by using OnLine Check-In (OLCI) up to 48 hours before departure. If you have your boarding pass you can bypass the time limitations of check-in and go directly to Bag drop, immigration, security etc. Thus you circumvent the check-in time rules.
May 3, 2017, 4:22 pm
#1195
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 163
Just arrived on QR833 with a schedule arrival time of 12:05 in F and connecting in J on QR003 at 07:45. No question asked when I presented the boarding pass, both the used F and the unused J to the man guarding the escalator and no questions asked at the reception at the top of the escalator. Again no question ask getting my sleeping room, no. 7 single room with a very comfy bed and the receptionist held on to my J boarding pass while I'm using the room.
I have set the alarm and will explore the food and drinks when i wake up. Thank you remdk for your reassurance that I can use the lounge!
I have set the alarm and will explore the food and drinks when i wake up. Thank you remdk for your reassurance that I can use the lounge!
May 29, 2017, 7:32 am
#1197
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: IC Amb :-(, UA silver, BA Gold, SPG Plat, A-Club Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 913
Just how early (before a flight) can one use the al Safwa lounge?
I'm in a similar place to AlexMC in post 483
In that my inbound flight lands late, departure (in my case on separate ticket in F connecting to EY F in AUH) leaves early in the AM and I have about 30 hours in DOH.
Had planned to use the airport hotel, but now realise that I could perhaps use an Al Safwa sleeping room for the over night(s), as well as perhaps taking the DOH tour, and therefore take up a significant portion of my layover.
Does Al Safwa have rules to only allow people enter on the day of travel or within 24 hours?
Also
apologies for the newbie questions
In that my inbound flight lands late, departure (in my case on separate ticket in F connecting to EY F in AUH) leaves early in the AM and I have about 30 hours in DOH.
Had planned to use the airport hotel, but now realise that I could perhaps use an Al Safwa sleeping room for the over night(s), as well as perhaps taking the DOH tour, and therefore take up a significant portion of my layover.
Does Al Safwa have rules to only allow people enter on the day of travel or within 24 hours?
Also
- Assuming I use OLCI, will a boarding pass be 'spat out' at t-48 which should theoretically grant access to Al Safwa at that point or does one need to wait until closer-in to get a BP?
- I am not sure whether/when I will definitely be able to get a boarding pass for my next flight - Will I even be able to stay airside or would I be forced to go landside unless I can produce an onward BP? does QR permit OLCI for all destination?
- If I leave the airport to do the City Tour, and it is still a long time before my departure upon my return to the airport (over 12 hours) will I be allowed back into the airport?
- Can I (I presume yes but wanted to confirm) Lounge-Hop in HIA ? (The 'normal' OWE rules do not seem to apply so I thought it was worth verifying that I would be allowed to have a look around El Mourjan also despite having used El Safwa - or even have a look at the 'First and Business' lounges used by OW pax to see what they are like?)
- Anything else to do to pass the time in HIA?
apologies for the newbie questions
May 29, 2017, 8:52 am
#1198
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,944
catharsis
1) Boarding Passes:
There are several possible ways to get your boarding passes. Some of which are:_
a) OLCI opens 48 hours prior to your first flight and you can obtain all boarding passes for the flights for your outward/inward journey for that reservation. My understanding is that you cannot usually check into a flight more than 72 hours in advance so you cannot use OLCI for the combination of flights.
b) At your origin airport they will check you in for the same flights PLUS the DOH-AUH flight.
c) At the transfer desk in DOH you can check-in for DOH-AUH.
These may be combined as you wish. So by the time you reach transit security at DOH you will have your onward boarding pass.
2) You can use Al Safwa whenever you have a valid First class boarding pass departing DOH. There is no time limit.
3) With regard to sleeping rooms please see the 'What about the sleeping rooms?' section of the Wiki on this thread.
4) You do not qualify for STPC http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...l#post28311985 or the QR free stopover summer promotion http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...on-2017-a.html. But you may qualify for a Visa on arrival. See https://www.moi.gov.qa/site/english/...748/748.html#2
5) Take a look at the http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...h-airport.html thread for further hints, things to do etc.
6) Finally please remember that you will not have access to your checked baggage so have everything you will need in your hand luggage.
1) Boarding Passes:
There are several possible ways to get your boarding passes. Some of which are:_
a) OLCI opens 48 hours prior to your first flight and you can obtain all boarding passes for the flights for your outward/inward journey for that reservation. My understanding is that you cannot usually check into a flight more than 72 hours in advance so you cannot use OLCI for the combination of flights.
b) At your origin airport they will check you in for the same flights PLUS the DOH-AUH flight.
c) At the transfer desk in DOH you can check-in for DOH-AUH.
These may be combined as you wish. So by the time you reach transit security at DOH you will have your onward boarding pass.
2) You can use Al Safwa whenever you have a valid First class boarding pass departing DOH. There is no time limit.
3) With regard to sleeping rooms please see the 'What about the sleeping rooms?' section of the Wiki on this thread.
4) You do not qualify for STPC http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...l#post28311985 or the QR free stopover summer promotion http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...on-2017-a.html. But you may qualify for a Visa on arrival. See https://www.moi.gov.qa/site/english/...748/748.html#2
5) Take a look at the http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...h-airport.html thread for further hints, things to do etc.
6) Finally please remember that you will not have access to your checked baggage so have everything you will need in your hand luggage.
May 29, 2017, 9:28 am
#1199
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: IC Amb :-(, UA silver, BA Gold, SPG Plat, A-Club Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 913
Thanks
Thanks remdk for the detailed and specific response. I did not expect to be able to use the transit desk to check in so far I'd advance but it seems that LONG layovers are more normal in the ME3 hubs.
Great to get confirmation that there is no max time before flight to use the lounge.
Thanks for the help.
Great to get confirmation that there is no max time before flight to use the lounge.
Thanks for the help.
May 29, 2017, 9:32 am
#1200
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: GIG
Programs: JJ OW Emerald, TK*G, O6*G, Smiles Diamond, IC Amb, Le Club Platinum, former LH SEN (miss it!)
Posts: 291
I'm in a similar place to AlexMC in post 483
In that my inbound flight lands late, departure (in my case on separate ticket in F connecting to EY F in AUH) leaves early in the AM and I have about 30 hours in DOH.
Had planned to use the airport hotel, but now realise that I could perhaps use an Al Safwa sleeping room for the over night(s), as well as perhaps taking the DOH tour, and therefore take up a significant portion of my layover.
Does Al Safwa have rules to only allow people enter on the day of travel or within 24 hours?
Also
apologies for the newbie questions
In that my inbound flight lands late, departure (in my case on separate ticket in F connecting to EY F in AUH) leaves early in the AM and I have about 30 hours in DOH.
Had planned to use the airport hotel, but now realise that I could perhaps use an Al Safwa sleeping room for the over night(s), as well as perhaps taking the DOH tour, and therefore take up a significant portion of my layover.
Does Al Safwa have rules to only allow people enter on the day of travel or within 24 hours?
Also
- Assuming I use OLCI, will a boarding pass be 'spat out' at t-48 which should theoretically grant access to Al Safwa at that point or does one need to wait until closer-in to get a BP?
- I am not sure whether/when I will definitely be able to get a boarding pass for my next flight - Will I even be able to stay airside or would I be forced to go landside unless I can produce an onward BP? does QR permit OLCI for all destination?
- If I leave the airport to do the City Tour, and it is still a long time before my departure upon my return to the airport (over 12 hours) will I be allowed back into the airport?
- Can I (I presume yes but wanted to confirm) Lounge-Hop in HIA ? (The 'normal' OWE rules do not seem to apply so I thought it was worth verifying that I would be allowed to have a look around El Mourjan also despite having used El Safwa - or even have a look at the 'First and Business' lounges used by OW pax to see what they are like?)
- Anything else to do to pass the time in HIA?
apologies for the newbie questions
We landed form BKK close to mid-night and were received on plane's door by two different agents, given we had two reservations. Ground services on arrival were really exceptional, including the presentation for the relevant authorities of travel documents. Please note we picked our luggage and still didn't had the check-in for the next flight to CDG in QR F.
I had a reservation at Intercontinental Doha The City for that night. It was a nice stay and I could spend the day around Doha's main attractions - which I enjoyed a lot and recommend, specially the Islamic Art Museum - with no rush. As an Ambassador member of IHG rewards program, the hotel was extra-gentle to us to conceive a very late check-out, so we headed back to DOH around 8 pm.
We were checked in and luggage were dispatched to CDG. On arrival at Al Sawfa, we were given a key for a double room of two beds. We had dinner, visited the lounge and also toured a bit around the airport, including a visit to Al Mourjan. We set the clocks to wake us up around 4 am (coming from Thailand time zone helps a bit on that), had breakfast and only then left the sleeping room, heading to the gate after that.
I would definitely recommend a proper visit to DOH and one night in a city's hotel immediately after arrival, as I did. Note that I stayed at Al Sawfa for around 12 hours. Even for such a stunning and impressive lounge (and airport, in a way), I wouldn't stay for longer than that.