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
Jan 18, 2019, 9:41 am
#1621
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Manchester
Programs: Iberia Platinum, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 53
I have a similar situation, I’m arriving on Friday night from SEZ in J, and then flying in F to Frankfurt on Sunday at 8am. I’d like to spend the first night in Doha in a hotel, and then check in maybe around 9-10 pm on Saturday and spend the night in the sleeping rooms, anyone knows if it is possible? As I booked both tickets separately, I would need to check my luggage in again (I guess).
Jan 19, 2019, 12:04 pm
#1622
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: TYO, AUH,KUL
Programs: JAL JMB SAPPHIRE;Etihad guest Platinum; Hilton HHonors Diamond; IHG Platinum elite
Posts: 27
The website for qatar airways really do not stated any clear information on the lounge access and facilities....
Having the flight MCT(F)-DOH(J)-PEN and PEN(J)-DOH(F)-MCT next 2 weeks and wondering do I really able to access if the transit time more than 8 hours.......
Having the flight MCT(F)-DOH(J)-PEN and PEN(J)-DOH(F)-MCT next 2 weeks and wondering do I really able to access if the transit time more than 8 hours.......
Jan 19, 2019, 8:47 pm
#1623
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: CGK
Posts: 2,375
The website for qatar airways really do not stated any clear information on the lounge access and facilities....
Having the flight MCT(F)-DOH(J)-PEN and PEN(J)-DOH(F)-MCT next 2 weeks and wondering do I really able to access if the transit time more than 8 hours.......
Having the flight MCT(F)-DOH(J)-PEN and PEN(J)-DOH(F)-MCT next 2 weeks and wondering do I really able to access if the transit time more than 8 hours.......
Jan 28, 2019, 3:11 am
#1624
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 259
Seeking advice to use Al Safwa for overnight stay
Good morning,
I would appreciate your kind advice. I have booked the following flights in Qatar Business Class (paid):
Sun 10 Feb 2019: QR0851 PEN-DOH arriving DOH at 2330
Mon 11 Feb 2019: QR0007 DOH-LHR dpearting DOH at 0840
I know nothing is guaranteed but want to know my chances. I have booked a stay at the airport hotel at around £178 (better rate via Agoda than other channels) but it has a 1-day prior to arrival cancellation policy.
1. What are the chances I can buy access to Al Safwa for an overnight stay?
2. Is the lounge usually packed overnight, and will rooms likely be available?
3. Does the staff frown upon selling access for overnight stays?
4. Will I be able to use the lounge and room for any 6 hours of my choosing (say, from 1am - 7am)?
5. What is the best place to stay overnight in Al Mourjan if Al Safwa is full? Where would one store luggage and how would one set an alarm?
Thank you! :-:
I would appreciate your kind advice. I have booked the following flights in Qatar Business Class (paid):
Sun 10 Feb 2019: QR0851 PEN-DOH arriving DOH at 2330
Mon 11 Feb 2019: QR0007 DOH-LHR dpearting DOH at 0840
I know nothing is guaranteed but want to know my chances. I have booked a stay at the airport hotel at around £178 (better rate via Agoda than other channels) but it has a 1-day prior to arrival cancellation policy.
1. What are the chances I can buy access to Al Safwa for an overnight stay?
2. Is the lounge usually packed overnight, and will rooms likely be available?
3. Does the staff frown upon selling access for overnight stays?
4. Will I be able to use the lounge and room for any 6 hours of my choosing (say, from 1am - 7am)?
5. What is the best place to stay overnight in Al Mourjan if Al Safwa is full? Where would one store luggage and how would one set an alarm?
Thank you! :-:
Jan 28, 2019, 5:02 am
#1625
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,753
I would appreciate your kind advice. I have booked the following flights in Qatar Business Class (paid):
Sun 10 Feb 2019: QR0851 PEN-DOH arriving DOH at 2330
Mon 11 Feb 2019: QR0007 DOH-LHR dpearting DOH at 0840
I know nothing is guaranteed but want to know my chances. I have booked a stay at the airport hotel at around £178 (better rate via Agoda than other channels) but it has a 1-day prior to arrival cancellation policy.
Sun 10 Feb 2019: QR0851 PEN-DOH arriving DOH at 2330
Mon 11 Feb 2019: QR0007 DOH-LHR dpearting DOH at 0840
I know nothing is guaranteed but want to know my chances. I have booked a stay at the airport hotel at around £178 (better rate via Agoda than other channels) but it has a 1-day prior to arrival cancellation policy.
You're not buying an "overnight" stay. You're buying access. The access that you, personally, are buying happens to be overnight because of your flight schedule.
Alarm? Best bet is to use your phone, I would imagine. Staff is not going to wake you up.
Jan 28, 2019, 5:48 am
#1627
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Here
Programs: HHonors Diamond, AA EXP
Posts: 1,496
Good morning,
I would appreciate your kind advice. I have booked the following flights in Qatar Business Class (paid):
Sun 10 Feb 2019: QR0851 PEN-DOH arriving DOH at 2330
Mon 11 Feb 2019: QR0007 DOH-LHR dpearting DOH at 0840
I know nothing is guaranteed but want to know my chances. I have booked a stay at the airport hotel at around £178 (better rate via Agoda than other channels) but it has a 1-day prior to arrival cancellation policy.
1. What are the chances I can buy access to Al Safwa for an overnight stay?
2. Is the lounge usually packed overnight, and will rooms likely be available?
3. Does the staff frown upon selling access for overnight stays?
4. Will I be able to use the lounge and room for any 6 hours of my choosing (say, from 1am - 7am)?
5. What is the best place to stay overnight in Al Mourjan if Al Safwa is full? Where would one store luggage and how would one set an alarm?
Thank you! :-:
I would appreciate your kind advice. I have booked the following flights in Qatar Business Class (paid):
Sun 10 Feb 2019: QR0851 PEN-DOH arriving DOH at 2330
Mon 11 Feb 2019: QR0007 DOH-LHR dpearting DOH at 0840
I know nothing is guaranteed but want to know my chances. I have booked a stay at the airport hotel at around £178 (better rate via Agoda than other channels) but it has a 1-day prior to arrival cancellation policy.
1. What are the chances I can buy access to Al Safwa for an overnight stay?
2. Is the lounge usually packed overnight, and will rooms likely be available?
3. Does the staff frown upon selling access for overnight stays?
4. Will I be able to use the lounge and room for any 6 hours of my choosing (say, from 1am - 7am)?
5. What is the best place to stay overnight in Al Mourjan if Al Safwa is full? Where would one store luggage and how would one set an alarm?
Thank you! :-:
Jan 28, 2019, 6:10 am
#1628
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 259
That's a great idea too - to look for a place nearby but outside the airport.
When buying Al-Safwa access will they be able to confirm room availability first? I was hoping that I would check Al-Safwa first and if there are no rooms available (or if they refuse to sell me access), then I can book a hotel at that time.
Thanks again everyone
When buying Al-Safwa access will they be able to confirm room availability first? I was hoping that I would check Al-Safwa first and if there are no rooms available (or if they refuse to sell me access), then I can book a hotel at that time.
Thanks again everyone
Jan 28, 2019, 6:49 am
#1629
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: EC Silver FC Silver
Posts: 34
Just beware of booking a hotel outside the airport for this layover - some people get denied entry on the grounds of not enough time between flights (<8hrs):
Got denied entry to Doha
So any delays to your first leg could see the hotel booking go to waste. That said, it won't cost much so not a huge risk - they are cheaper and nicer than the airside hotel. Certainly better than booking 2 rooms at the airside hotel and forgetting them (yes, I have been that silly).
The airside hotel tends to get expensive and/or fully booked closer to the date of travel. I would only book it again if I was travelling with my better-half / family. Otherwise I would follow Dr HFH's advice - with one addition being the cubicals to the rightmost of the Al Mourjan lounge entrance, they have phychiatrist style loungers, not very wide, but I could easily get a few hours sleep there.
As for asking the first class lounge agent to confirm the availability of rooms, I'm not sure what response this will get but no harm trying. For the most part the QR service is friendly but rigid, the sleeping rooms might be managed on a sheet of paper. For example in Al Mourjan there are two shower areas managed on paper, if you ask the attendants whether there is a queue for the other shower area, they will likely tell you to take a walk (quite literally, to check for yourself). The broad consensus seems to be that the Al Safwa lounge is worth the paid upgrade regardless of the availability of sleeping rooms.
Got denied entry to Doha
So any delays to your first leg could see the hotel booking go to waste. That said, it won't cost much so not a huge risk - they are cheaper and nicer than the airside hotel. Certainly better than booking 2 rooms at the airside hotel and forgetting them (yes, I have been that silly).
The airside hotel tends to get expensive and/or fully booked closer to the date of travel. I would only book it again if I was travelling with my better-half / family. Otherwise I would follow Dr HFH's advice - with one addition being the cubicals to the rightmost of the Al Mourjan lounge entrance, they have phychiatrist style loungers, not very wide, but I could easily get a few hours sleep there.
As for asking the first class lounge agent to confirm the availability of rooms, I'm not sure what response this will get but no harm trying. For the most part the QR service is friendly but rigid, the sleeping rooms might be managed on a sheet of paper. For example in Al Mourjan there are two shower areas managed on paper, if you ask the attendants whether there is a queue for the other shower area, they will likely tell you to take a walk (quite literally, to check for yourself). The broad consensus seems to be that the Al Safwa lounge is worth the paid upgrade regardless of the availability of sleeping rooms.
Last edited by citytom; Jan 28, 2019 at 6:59 am
Jan 28, 2019, 3:35 pm
#1631
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Ireland
Programs: BA: GOLD, MARRIOTT: TITANIUM, IHG: PLAT, HILTON: GOLD
Posts: 491
Good morning,
I would appreciate your kind advice. I have booked the following flights in Qatar Business Class (paid):
Sun 10 Feb 2019: QR0851 PEN-DOH arriving DOH at 2330
Mon 11 Feb 2019: QR0007 DOH-LHR dpearting DOH at 0840
I know nothing is guaranteed but want to know my chances. I have booked a stay at the airport hotel at around £178 (better rate via Agoda than other channels) but it has a 1-day prior to arrival cancellation policy.
1. What are the chances I can buy access to Al Safwa for an overnight stay?
2. Is the lounge usually packed overnight, and will rooms likely be available?
3. Does the staff frown upon selling access for overnight stays?
4. Will I be able to use the lounge and room for any 6 hours of my choosing (say, from 1am - 7am)?
5. What is the best place to stay overnight in Al Mourjan if Al Safwa is full? Where would one store luggage and how would one set an alarm?
Thank you! :-:
I would appreciate your kind advice. I have booked the following flights in Qatar Business Class (paid):
Sun 10 Feb 2019: QR0851 PEN-DOH arriving DOH at 2330
Mon 11 Feb 2019: QR0007 DOH-LHR dpearting DOH at 0840
I know nothing is guaranteed but want to know my chances. I have booked a stay at the airport hotel at around £178 (better rate via Agoda than other channels) but it has a 1-day prior to arrival cancellation policy.
1. What are the chances I can buy access to Al Safwa for an overnight stay?
2. Is the lounge usually packed overnight, and will rooms likely be available?
3. Does the staff frown upon selling access for overnight stays?
4. Will I be able to use the lounge and room for any 6 hours of my choosing (say, from 1am - 7am)?
5. What is the best place to stay overnight in Al Mourjan if Al Safwa is full? Where would one store luggage and how would one set an alarm?
Thank you! :-:
The restaurant changes from full menu to breakfast at 4am, not sure when it changes back. The lounge is very quiet, maybe too quiet except for the 90 minutes twice a day for the banks but even then the lounge was still quiet.
The one one piece of advice I will give is that I think they prefer you to go to Al Mourjan first, request access then go to Al Safwa, this gives them time to ask the supervisor and get the payment machine before you arrive.
Jan 30, 2019, 1:32 pm
#1633
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: Aeroplan, BA Executive, AMEX MR
Posts: 108
Accessing First Class Lounge at DOH
Hi everyone, new member of the forum here. The critics over at r/Awardtravel on reddit suggested I'm nuts and should come here with my fellow plane geeks. So. HI!
Quick questions:
I am travelling with my wife to Bali in May. We're coming home via DOH and LHR. The DPS to DOH flight is in business (not Q suite yet but here's hopin') and then DOH to LHR is also business (Q suite). Anyways, I swapped an F award ticket on BA for the J award ticket on Qatar to try the Q Suite but I've realized I probably lost our first class lounge access.
Is there any way to upgrade to access the first class lounge at DOH and still maintain my Q Suite seat? I have another 45,000 Avios points in the bank if that's helpful at all.
Thanks in advance.
Quick questions:
I am travelling with my wife to Bali in May. We're coming home via DOH and LHR. The DPS to DOH flight is in business (not Q suite yet but here's hopin') and then DOH to LHR is also business (Q suite). Anyways, I swapped an F award ticket on BA for the J award ticket on Qatar to try the Q Suite but I've realized I probably lost our first class lounge access.
Is there any way to upgrade to access the first class lounge at DOH and still maintain my Q Suite seat? I have another 45,000 Avios points in the bank if that's helpful at all.
Thanks in advance.
Feb 1, 2019, 8:11 am
#1634
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 259
I'm a newbie myself but this thread that you've posted on (or to which your message has been moved to) may have your answers.
Also this thread might be useful:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar-airways-privilege-club/1949785-full-fare-business-passengers-can-pay-al-sawfa-access-5.html
You can buy access (if space is available) if you paid for your business class ticket, but it is not clear whether this is allowed for award tickets.
Also this thread might be useful:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar-airways-privilege-club/1949785-full-fare-business-passengers-can-pay-al-sawfa-access-5.html
You can buy access (if space is available) if you paid for your business class ticket, but it is not clear whether this is allowed for award tickets.