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 Jun 5, 2018, 7:49 am
  #1456  
 
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i was thrown out of AS (sleeping room) in January, because of the upgrade rule, since "they believed" the new February rules where in effect already.... I stay with incompetent idiots. (on the ground, in the air they where ALWAYS perfect)
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.
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Old Jun 5, 2018, 7:53 am
  #1457  
 
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Originally Posted by lost_in_translation
I just read for the first time that the capacity for Al Safwa is considered to be 530 passengers.
per month?
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Old Jun 5, 2018, 8:39 am
  #1458  
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Originally Posted by nilsfr69
i was thrown out of AS (sleeping room) in January, because of the upgrade rule, since "they believed" the new February rules where in effect already.... I stay with incompetent idiots. (on the ground, in the air they where ALWAYS perfect)
Now you ARE being unfair. You're still pissed at them for something that happened months ago, despite a demonstrable improvement in the way they handle problems (at least as you've reported here)? Your bias is showing.

You could just as easily have said, "They handled me poorly in January when they threw me out of AS; but, I have to admit, this time they made a mistake, corrected it quickly and apologized."

Last edited by Dr. HFH; Jun 5, 2018 at 7:22 pm
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Old Jun 5, 2018, 3:48 pm
  #1459  
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Originally Posted by nilsfr69
i was thrown out of AS (sleeping room) in January, because of the upgrade rule, since "they believed" the new February rules where in effect already.... I stay with incompetent idiots. (on the ground, in the air they where ALWAYS perfect)

Just face it - they really don't want you i the lounge.... they want to lock up early and go home
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Old Jun 23, 2018, 9:19 pm
  #1460  
 
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Post-Ramadan champagne rotation - Al Safwa is now serving 2006 Comtes des Champagne rather than La Grande Dame.
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Old Jun 23, 2018, 9:47 pm
  #1461  
 
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Oh - spoke too soon, the Veuve has also just reappeared so seems there are now two choices
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Old Jul 18, 2018, 5:18 am
  #1462  
 
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Does anyone know the meal times at al safwa. What time does dinner start and finish?
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Old Jul 18, 2018, 7:05 am
  #1463  
 
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Originally Posted by celtic_warrior
Does anyone know the meal times at al safwa. What time does dinner start and finish?
I'm normally there overnight connecting Europe-Asia so not sure on exact timings but there are only two menus I believe, breakfast and rest of day. Breakfast menu seems to come out by 5am and then presumably switches to the other menu just before lunchtime (have always left before then), which then runs until the following morning.
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Old Jul 18, 2018, 7:30 am
  #1464  
 
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Originally Posted by lost_in_translation
I'm normally there overnight connecting Europe-Asia so not sure on exact timings but there are only two menus I believe, breakfast and rest of day. Breakfast menu seems to come out by 5am and then presumably switches to the other menu just before lunchtime (have always left before then), which then runs until the following morning.
Thanks
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Old Jul 18, 2018, 3:19 pm
  #1465  
 
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quick question re access.

would I be able to access the lounge 12 hours before a DOH MCT flight is due to depart if ticketed in F for that flight?
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Old Jul 19, 2018, 3:26 am
  #1466  
 
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Originally Posted by chris1979
quick question re access.

would I be able to access the lounge 12 hours before a DOH MCT flight is due to depart if ticketed in F for that flight?
As long as by ' ticketed in F' you don't mean on the basis of an upgrade, then yes.

I would suggest that unless you're intending to use the lounge as a base to work, you might get a bit bored in those 12 hours though so would consider going out into Doha for some of it. You can only use a sleeping room for up to six hours so you'd have almost another six hours to kill in Al Safwa, which at the end of the day is just an airport lounge. The best thing about spending time in Al Safwa other than the sleeping rooms is also probably the wine list and if I recall from the BA forum you might be teetotaler also? There are many worse lounges to spend time in, though.
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Old Jul 19, 2018, 7:06 am
  #1467  
 
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Originally Posted by lost_in_translation
As long as by ' ticketed in F' you don't mean on the basis of an upgrade, then yes.

I would suggest that unless you're intending to use the lounge as a base to work, you might get a bit bored in those 12 hours though so would consider going out into Doha for some of it. You can only use a sleeping room for up to six hours so you'd have almost another six hours to kill in Al Safwa, which at the end of the day is just an airport lounge. The best thing about spending time in Al Safwa other than the sleeping rooms is also probably the wine list and if I recall from the BA forum you might be teetotaler also? There are many worse lounges to spend time in, though.
Thanks for the reply.

Yes I don't drink so that's not an attraction.

I'd spend a max of 8 hours in the lounge - that's the time I have to kill essentially.......
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Old Jul 19, 2018, 7:49 am
  #1468  
 
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Originally Posted by chris1979


Thanks for the reply.

Yes I don't drink so that's not an attraction.

I'd spend a max of 8 hours in the lounge - that's the time I have to kill essentially.......
Whilst the lounge is beautiful, it lacks something. maybe it is too exclusive as at times it is very quiet passenger wise.The art work is magnificent.
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Old Jul 19, 2018, 9:06 am
  #1469  
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Originally Posted by celtic_warrior
The art work is magnificent.
Do the items from MIA rotate in and out, or is it a fixed exhibit?
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Old Jul 19, 2018, 9:15 am
  #1470  
 
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Originally Posted by lost_in_translation
As long as by ' ticketed in F' you don't mean on the basis of an upgrade, then yes.
Also, just to double check, this would be an Avios redemption ticket in F to MCT so assume that grants me access?

tada.
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