Old Nov 5, 2015, 11:11 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: CPH-Flyer
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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


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QR Al Safwa First Class Lounge

Old May 23, 2018, 1:56 am
  #1441  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
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Originally Posted by AnaTravel
Al Safwa Lounge chefs can't even cook an egg to order. The food is mediocre. Staff are some of the sweetest I have encountered. I love the bedrooms for sleeping and the peace, space and design.
are you able to control the temperature in those sleep rooms? I found them quite warm
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Old May 23, 2018, 3:19 am
  #1442  
 
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Originally Posted by celtic_warrior
are you able to control the temperature in those sleep rooms? I found them quite warm
Yes, but it doesn't go down very far and takes a lot of time - it's normally just approaching a comfortable temperature by the time you get kicked out!
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Old May 23, 2018, 3:32 am
  #1443  
 
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Originally Posted by lost_in_translation
Yes, but it doesn't go down very far and takes a lot of time - it's normally just approaching a comfortable temperature by the time you get kicked out!
Ha that was my experience. I just thought I was being a technophobe. next time I think I will have a few drinks and then try and sleep
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Old May 23, 2018, 3:00 pm
  #1444  
 
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Celtic_Warrior, I don't recall temperature controls, now you've mentioned it. They are a tad warm. Last time I was there I was so tired that I fell asleep for four hours, woke up, showered. Don't think I even turned out the lights!
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Old May 23, 2018, 3:04 pm
  #1445  
 
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Originally Posted by celtic_warrior
Ha that was my experience. I just thought I was being a technophobe. next time I think I will have a few drinks and then try and sleep
Originally Posted by lost_in_translation
Yes, but it doesn't go down very far and takes a lot of time - it's normally just approaching a comfortable temperature by the time you get kicked out!
Lost_In_Translation, are the temp controls by the bed? I'll look out for them next time.
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Old May 23, 2018, 4:56 pm
  #1446  
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Originally Posted by headingwest
Well I'm confused. Are there two Al Safwa lounges? Because the lounge I was in certainly had some excellent food and drinks, much better than I got served the previous day at the Qantas First Lounge in Melbourne, and just as good as The Pier at Hong Kong.

As I said earlier, the Al Safwa was for me without doubt the best experience that I've ever had in a lounge - an amazing setting, few other passengers, and very attentive staff who were almost falling over themselves to help me (in a positive way). I've certainly no complaints about the food and drinks either...the champagne was flowing freely.

I had a chat with a couple of the staff and they genuinely seemed to enjoy working there which was also nice to hear. During my entire stay it showed that they were proud to be working in the lounge and not looking down their noses at me like they tend to do in some other lounges (i.e. BA Flounge at LHR!).
AS is so far from making the top 5 F lounges regarding F&B imo. So many provide much better foods.
AF La premiere is not even in the same league as the AS regarding F&B, AS is at its best a bistro food and even that is far fetching it, AF is Michelin starred and it's not an analogy, Ducasse made the menus.
LH is at least several categories above regarding F&B, so is LX. Pier HKG is also above imo. I have been to AS several times over the last couple of years and each time I felt "meh" about the food, not bad, but not great either, and wouldn't go out of my way to spend a few extra hours in there, while I would do so at LH, LX, EK, CX, and for sure AF. GA, JAL, QF, SQ private room provides arguably better nourishment in their lounges.
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Old May 24, 2018, 12:07 am
  #1447  
 
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Originally Posted by AnaTravel
Lost_In_Translation, are the temp controls by the bed? I'll look out for them next time.
I think the location depends on which room youre in given they have different layouts, theres a little LCD panel on the wall you can adjust the temperature on.
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Old May 24, 2018, 1:58 am
  #1448  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
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Originally Posted by AnaTravel
Celtic_Warrior, I don't recall temperature controls, now you've mentioned it. They are a tad warm. Last time I was there I was so tired that I fell asleep for four hours, woke up, showered. Don't think I even turned out the lights!
I was The same ANA, but I kept waking up due to the heat.
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Old Jun 3, 2018, 3:38 pm
  #1449  
 
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Just arrived in DOH from BKK flying in F. Was informed by AS reception to go to Al Mourjan as my onward flight was in J.

Pointed out I had arrived from BKK in F & was again refused entry because it was an award upgrade F. I then pointed out the upgrade was processed in Jan, i.e. before Feb 5th & therefore eligible. A 5 min wait & 2 phonecalls later apologies were issued & access granted.

It shouldn't be this difficult.

Oh, & the bedroom I'm in has the aircon controls by the bed.
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Old Jun 3, 2018, 4:51 pm
  #1450  
 
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Idiots
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Old Jun 3, 2018, 7:45 pm
  #1451  
 
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Originally Posted by impeymac
Just arrived in DOH from BKK flying in F. Was informed by AS reception to go to Al Mourjan as my onward flight was in J.

Pointed out I had arrived from BKK in F & was again refused entry because it was an award upgrade F. I then pointed out the upgrade was processed in Jan, i.e. before Feb 5th & therefore eligible. A 5 min wait & 2 phonecalls later apologies were issued & access granted.

It shouldn't be this difficult.

Oh, & the bedroom I'm in has the aircon controls by the bed.
My bolding, apologies from Qatar Airways are such a rarity, good to know they can do it, now waiting for a big apology from QR regarding the recent enhancements
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Old Jun 3, 2018, 9:34 pm
  #1452  
 
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Originally Posted by Alfredbali
My bolding, apologies from Qatar Airways are such a rarity, good to know they can do it, now waiting for a big apology from QR regarding the recent enhancements
yes, wait for that - and I believe I can fly ... hahaha 🤣🤣
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Old Jun 5, 2018, 2:40 am
  #1453  
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Originally Posted by impeymac
A 5 min wait & 2 phonecalls later apologies were issued & access granted.
Originally Posted by nilsfr69
Idiots
Sorry, nilsfr69, but I think that you're being unfair. They made a mistake, corrected it quickly and apologized. I don't know about you, but I'm not perfect. There are plenty of things right now to get on QR's case for; but this isn't one of them.
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Old Jun 5, 2018, 3:16 am
  #1454  
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
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Originally Posted by Dr. HFH
Sorry, nilsfr69, but I think that you're being unfair. They made a mistake, corrected it quickly and apologized. I don't know about you, but I'm not perfect. There are plenty of things right now to get on QR's case for; but this isn't one of them.
they made a mistake and did sort it out, even with apologies - so I am with you, thats fine...
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Old Jun 5, 2018, 7:16 am
  #1455  
 
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I just read for the first time that the capacity for Al Safwa is considered to be 530 passengers. Haha!
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