Dr. HFH

For me, the dark of the quiet room definitely helps.

Kwanger

I'd also agree - bagging a spot in the 'sunloungers' is easier too.

An 8hr layover is to me an awkward amount of layover time (I seem to have a lot of them). Have done the mad dash to a hotel outside as per the STPC - but to be honest its not worth the effort (10hr layover, it may be). IMHO better bet is to have a few drinks in the lounge, maybe a shower, a bit of rest wherever you can find it.

The airport hotel is nice enough, but I wouldn't personally want to pay unless I again had a bit longer layover (there are no guarantees at all you will be in there if you qualify for the STPC, most likely be the Oryx Rotana if in J).

Dr. HFH

I agree with you, the airport hotel is a bit pricey for me. (Full disclosure, I have never been to it.) I had a slightly more than two day "layover" last month and went to the StR. It was great (although I thought that the breakfast was both disappointing and a bit odd), and was less than the airport hotel including roundtrip transfers in the hotel's Range Rover.

nk15

QR has an offer for a free hotel night right now for everybody that flies QR to Qatar, including economy and irrespective of the STPC, but the rules say at least a 12-hour layover, has anyone booked it for free for less than this?

remdk

nk15 the free summer stopover is discussed on the http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...on-2017-a.html thread. Please read that thread for an answer. https://www.qatarairways.com/en-dk/o...lus-qatar.html says "A minimum transiting time of 12 hours is required to be eligible for this offer."

Dr. HFH

To save you some time, here are the summary Terms and Conditions:

• Booking validity: 1 May to 31 August 2017.
• Travel validity: 7 May to 30 September 2017. All travel must be completed by 30 September 2017.
• Offer is valid for Qatar Airways confirmed tickets holders with transit in Doha.
• Qatar Airways E-ticket number is required to be entered at the payment page. Maximum of one booking is allowed per E-ticket number.
• Offer is available on Qatar Airways flights transiting through Doha during onward or return journey. (E.g. London – Doha – Bangkok).
• A minimum transiting time of 12 hours is required to be eligible for this offer.
• Not applicable on codeshare flights.

The full, detailed, official Terms & Conditions are here (link is to the QR website page).

nk15

What times does the buffet disappear, what are the food options at midnight?

What resting "rooms" need reserving, if any?

remdk

nk15 in my experience the Deli is open 24/7 and serves food throughout the 24 hours. However most sections are closed for short periods for cleaning between 2 and 5 a.m.

The resting rooms are not bookable. They are on a first come first served basis.

Grace B

As far as I am aware, there is no buffet as such, it's all waiter service.

theox

Grace B

Gone are they days i'm afraid - its all buffet self serve now! The waiter service disappeared some while back!

MaxVO

I have a 6-hr layover coming up in DOH, during which I'd like to take a couple of hours for the free Doha city tour. Would this lounge by chance have storage lockers, or otherwise allow me to leave my carry on bag there for those couple hours?

remdk

MaxVO there are luggage lockers in all the QR lounges, they are around to the right as you enter Al Mourjan if you are traveling in J.
Please look at https://www.qatarairways.com/en-dk/o...city-tour.html since last check-in for a tour is 75 minutes before tour start and "The duration of the tour is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes.". Add to this the fact that you need to pass through Immigration and security on your return. Thus it depends upon your flight arrival time if you will have enough time to take the tour.

Dr. HFH

Actually, IME it's somewhere in the middle. As with most things QR and HIA, there are lots of staff standing around hoping for the opportunity to be of assistance. I am a regular at the Al Mourjan buffet; I quite like the food.

I find that the staff will proactively come over to your table to offer drinks, including the regular cold alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks as well as coffee/tea/espresso/etc. With regard to food, they're happy to help. For personal reasons, I sometimes prefer not to carry food from the buffet, and ask for assistance from the staff. They're only too happy to take something from me and carry it to my table. Additionally, when I'm at the table and want something, they are always willing to get it from the buffet for me with a smile.

So there's no traditional wait service where you are given a menu and tell the staff person your order. On the other hand, you will find lots of staff happy to assist with a smile.

theox

Dr.HFH

Well noted - very right here. I more meant that it was a buffet rather than the previous a la carte and if you just went and sat at a table you may find that no-one would come to you unless you called.

Good point though.

palermo

I transited a few times in the last couple of months in Doha mainly in business.

The food is mediocre. The a la carte options were much stronger when the airport just opened.

The buffet is just Ok and overall I am not impressed by the quality of the food even for business class lounge standards,

First world problem - they seemed to have run out of Diet Coke in the last few weeks.

The seating while stylish is not really that comfortable.

I also had the "pleasure" to use the first class lounge for OWEs flying in economy. The lounge, food and set up is shocking actually and they let OWS passengers use it when the 'business class lounge" is full which makes the place crowded and extremely noisy and uncomfortable.