24 hours in DOH First Class lounge?!

Old Feb 9, 2019, 4:05 pm
  #1  
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24 hours in DOH First Class lounge?!

Ok so a bit of a weird one here but hear me out...

I will be flying to Perth on QR First in April and i land from HKG in Business Class at 23.30 (ish) on April 24th before departing for Perth at 02.00 (ish) on April 26th (26.5 hours later).

I had the option of simply taking a 2.5 hour stopover in Doha before continuing but wanted to rest up before my flight as I will have just come off JFK-HKG and HKG-DOH.

Although I understand I could get a hotel for the night, spend some time in Doha and then head to the airport and visit the lounge, I saw that the lounge has sleeping areas almost like hotels and was wondering the following:

- If I left the airport, waited two hours and checked into my flight then headed through security with 24 hours to go, would I be allowed access into the lounge for 23/24 hours or would they chuck me out or even refuse entrance and make me regret my decision while sitting at my gate counting down the hours.

All feedback appreciated!
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Old Feb 9, 2019, 5:41 pm
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Originally Posted by RajStevenson
Ok so a bit of a weird one here but hear me out...

I will be flying to Perth on QR First in April and i land from HKG in Business Class at 23.30 (ish) on April 24th before departing for Perth at 02.00 (ish) on April 26th (26.5 hours later).

I had the option of simply taking a 2.5 hour stopover in Doha before continuing but wanted to rest up before my flight as I will have just come off JFK-HKG and HKG-DOH.

Although I understand I could get a hotel for the night, spend some time in Doha and then head to the airport and visit the lounge, I saw that the lounge has sleeping areas almost like hotels and was wondering the following:

- If I left the airport, waited two hours and checked into my flight then headed through security with 24 hours to go, would I be allowed access into the lounge for 23/24 hours or would they chuck me out or even refuse entrance and make me regret my decision while sitting at my gate counting down the hours.

All feedback appreciated!

The bedrooms are, in theory at least, time-limited. And although the lounge is nice enough, it's still just an airport lounge : staying there for 24 hours is bonkers.

The idea of messing about landside at the airport for a couple of hours before checking in with a 24 hour wait ahead of you airside is beyond bonkers
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Old Feb 9, 2019, 7:18 pm
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Originally Posted by RajStevenson
...<snipped for brevity>...All feedback appreciated!
2.5 hours connection time is adequate to head to the lounge, shower, eat and then take the next flight out. The DOH lounge for premium class passengers is one of the better ones in the OW alliance and they have plenty of showers. After a hot shower and hot meal I'm usually well rested for another long haul flight in QR's premium cabins.

If you really want to overnight then I'd recommend staying at the Oryx Rotana hotel where QR accommodates their premium passengers for missed connections. Then after a good nights rest and a hearty breakfast take a tour of the city, rest again and then head to the airport for your next trip. I've been accommodated twice on missed connections at this hotel and recommend it. QR *may* have a discounted rate at this hotel for paid stays. Link here.

There is also an Airport Oryx Hotel at DOH.
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Last edited by ROW2Aisle; Feb 9, 2019 at 7:30 pm Reason: Hotel Link
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Old Feb 10, 2019, 1:24 am
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Hi there OP ..... you begin your post by describing your idea as a “bit of a weird one” ; and end it by raising the possibility that circumstances could make you regret your decision.

Personally, I’d say it’s more than weird : I honestly believe it’s one of the most oddball lounge-related questions seen ....... and the Forum does get some crazy stuff ! And even if you were somehow allowed to carry it through ..... I’m very sure that you would indeed come to regret it.

So my own advice is very straighforward, and amounts to just three words : Don’t do it
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Old Feb 10, 2019, 1:53 am
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Originally Posted by RajStevenson
Ok so a bit of a weird one here but hear me out...
I will be flying to Perth on QR First in April !
Paid F ticket with cash or upgraded from J to F? If upgraded from J to F you will have no access to AS but can buy access for 6H.
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Old Feb 10, 2019, 2:12 am
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Wouldnt this qualify for a free stopover hotel, or has that programme ended now?
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Old Feb 10, 2019, 2:24 am
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Originally Posted by IAN-UK
The bedrooms are, in theory at least, time-limited. And although the lounge is nice enough, it's still just an airport lounge : staying there for 24 hours is bonkers.

The idea of messing about landside at the airport for a couple of hours before checking in with a 24 hour wait ahead of you airside is beyond bonkers
Hahahaha I totally understand. Guess it's a hotel for the night then!
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Old Feb 10, 2019, 2:25 am
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Originally Posted by ROW2Aisle
2.5 hours connection time is adequate to head to the lounge, shower, eat and then take the next flight out. The DOH lounge for premium class passengers is one of the better ones in the OW alliance and they have plenty of showers. After a hot shower and hot meal I'm usually well rested for another long haul flight in QR's premium cabins.

If you really want to overnight then I'd recommend staying at the Oryx Rotana hotel where QR accommodates their premium passengers for missed connections. Then after a good nights rest and a hearty breakfast take a tour of the city, rest again and then head to the airport for your next trip. I've been accommodated twice on missed connections at this hotel and recommend it. QR *may* have a discounted rate at this hotel for paid stays. Link here.

There is also an Airport Oryx Hotel at DOH.
See I think for my own sanity I'll need a stopover and a bit of time on the ground after doing LHR-HKG-DOH already! The Oryx hotels look rather expensive so I think I'll head into town and spend the day in Doha
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Old Feb 10, 2019, 2:26 am
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Originally Posted by subject2load
Hi there OP ..... you begin your post by describing your idea as a bit of a weird one ; and end it by raising the possibility that circumstances could make you regret your decision.

Personally, Id say its more than weird : I honestly believe its one of the most oddball lounge-related questions seen ....... and the Forum does get some crazy stuff ! And even if you were somehow allowed to carry it through ..... Im very sure that you would indeed come to regret it.

So my own advice is very straighforward, and amounts to just three words : Dont do it
You're right, FT is full of weird ideas so I am proud that my question was up there 😉
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Old Feb 10, 2019, 2:26 am
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Originally Posted by Crisu69
Paid F ticket with cash or upgraded from J to F? If upgraded from J to F you will have no access to AS but can buy access for 6H.
Award ticket.
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Old Feb 10, 2019, 2:27 am
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Originally Posted by etiene
Wouldnt this qualify for a free stopover hotel, or has that programme ended now?
As far as I'm aware you only qualify if you're forced into the stopover whereas I wasn't forced into it I chose the 26 hour stopover
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Old Feb 10, 2019, 2:33 am
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Originally Posted by RajStevenson
Ok so a bit of a weird one here but hear me out...

I will have just come off JFK-HKG and HKG-DOH.


Originally Posted by RajStevenson
I'll need a stopover and a bit of time on the ground after doing LHR-HKG-DOH already!

...and getting weirder
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Old Feb 10, 2019, 2:54 am
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Originally Posted by RajStevenson
I'll need a stopover and a bit of time on the ground after doing LHR-HKG-DOH already!
Ah, that's nothing! In six hours, I start the last five flights of a RTW MR, then immediately start my next RTW MR (but this one will be in F).
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Old Feb 10, 2019, 3:05 am
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Originally Posted by RajStevenson
As far as I'm aware you only qualify if you're forced into the stopover whereas I wasn't forced into it I chose the 26 hour stopover
Sorry, I think I should have referred to +Qatar - which does exactly the same thing but without the first flight you could get requirement.

Looks like its no longer free, but unless theyve changed the rules markedly this year you should qualify:
https://www.discoverqatar.qa/stopover/
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Old Feb 10, 2019, 4:49 am
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How do you even get HKG-DOH-PER ticketed ??

In any case this would not qualify for a free hotel as you have "artificially" stretched your stopover from 2.5h to 24h+ and QR eliminates this from the get go by their rules.

The Al Safwa Lounge is one of the most boring, yet stunning airport facilities around. That being said I had enough of it after 5 hours. Even a golden cage is just a cage!

My suggestion: Screw the lounge, have a short look and a shower then maximize your F time on board. Alternatively get yourself a nice hotel like the W and chill for a while.
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