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EXCLUSIVE: I get a ‘hard hat’ tour of the NEW Qatar Airways Al Mourjan lounge in Doha

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Many Head for Points readers will have visited the Al Mourjan business class lounge at Doha’s Hamad Airport at some point. Here’s our last Al Mourjan review from 2022.

It is an impressive facility – I once had Krug with my breakfast on a visit there which isn’t something you get in a British Airways business class lounge (and to be fair isn’t something you’ll get in Doha now either!) – but overcrowding has become an issue at peak times.

Last week I was one of the first outsiders to see the BRAND NEW Al Mourjan business class lounge being built above ‘The Orchard’. It should be stunning.

Let me spoil your fun upfront. In order to see the new lounge I had to agree not to take any photographs and not to reveal certain elements about what it contains. This means that, frankly, this article won’t tell you much!

The only way I can even prove I was there is with this photograph:

The Orchard Doha Hamad airport

…. which is taken from the lounge looking down into ‘The Orchard’.

Let me tell you what I can tell you.

There are two elements in this lounge which will be a world first. One of them genuinely stunned me. Two of the biggest brands in the world will be opening ‘brand extensions’ here.

When I say ‘world first’ I don’t mean ‘first in an airport lounge’. I mean that the airport has persuaded two huge brands to do something totally different for the first time anywhere.

I can’t say any more. However, I can say without a doubt that some people – admittedly probably not HfP readers – will rearrange their travel plans purely to travel through Hamad in order to visit one or both of these facilities. Interestingly, neither will be free – in fact, the total opposite. Deep pockets will be required.

I fully expect that many people will stop using the Al Safwa First Class lounge and move to the new Al Mourjan lounge purely to try out these two facilities.

The Orchard Doha Airport

The new Al Mourjan lounge is huge

‘The Orchard’ is basically a big circular space with the gardens in the centre and luxury shopping – probably the world’s biggest collection of luxury duty free boutiques – around the outside. Even the cafes are branded – I passed a Fendi bar and a stand-alone Ralph Lauren coffee outlet.

It opened in November 2022. There is a 60,000 square foot rainforest-like atrium. It claims to have 300 trees and 25,000 plants, with some trees reaching 50 feet high, and a large water feature.

As you can see above, it has elements of the ‘Jewel’ garden and fountain unveiled at Singapore’s Changi Airport a few years ago.

The lounge will sit one level higher, a bit like the First Class and Business Class lounges that Emirates runs in Dubai. You are basically sitting on a huge balcony which covers around 1/3rd of the perimeter of ‘The Orchard’.

Capacity will apparently be around 1,000 people. For comparison, the current Al Mourjan lounge – which remains open – apparently holds 800. I saw a report elsewhere that this will be the biggest Business Class lounge in the world, although to be fair it doesn’t look it. That said, because you’re on a balcony with the roof far above you and the garden and boutiques down below, I understand how it can feel smaller than it actually is.

It’s great for transfer passengers, but not for Doha travellers

If you’ve never been to Hamad then you won’t understand how large it is. Even before this new extension, it was the largest free standing building in the world. There is an internal monorail to ferry passengers around.

Many, but not all, transfer passengers will find themselves funnelled into the departures area via ‘The Orchard’, which makes sense as it is a lovely space.

If you are starting your journey in Doha, however, it is a l-o-n-g way away from check-in. You would need to take the monorail to get to it. However, the existing Al Mourjan lounge will be massively quieter once the new lounge opens so – if you’re not in shopping mode – you may well prefer to stick with that.

When does the new Al Mourjan lounge open?

It was largely complete when I was there last week although I don’t know what may need finishing behind the scenes. Much of the furniture was already in place, for example, and about half of the gym equipment was installed.

Let’s just say that Ramadan runs from 22nd March to 21st April and its unlikely you would see a formal opening during that period. I don’t know if there will be a soft opening before the official one.

The entry rules will, I believe, be the same as the current Al Mourjan lounge – ticketed Business and First Class passengers only, excluding ‘Business Light’ cash tickets and anyone who has upgraded an Economy ticket with Avios. Avios redemptions in Business Class can get in.

oneworld status members in Economy will not get in and need to use the new oneworld lounges, which I will be reviewing soon.

There will be more news from Hamad, and a competition, on HfP next week.

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Category

Qatar Airways and Privilege Club

Comments (117)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • NigelthePensionerr says:
    15 Feb15 February 08:39

    It looks like its based on the “mushroom cloud” centre piece at the original Abu Dhabi terminal which was in place well over 30 years ago when we first transited there. A few plants added of course.
    Stop overs at Hamad tend to be 90 mins or 7 hours – no happy mediums from or to the UK.
    Whatever the attraction, it will be to try and out-do Dubai………not hard imho.

    • Rob says:
      15 Feb15 February 08:45

      I had a long discussion about ‘waves’. There are long periods with almost no departures at all except regional flights – I went into the oneworld lounges around 10.30am and they were totally empty.

      As the A350s come back into service the plan is that they will be used to increased frequencies rather than launch new routes, to shorten connections.

      • BJ says:
        15 Feb15 February 09:53

        Hopefully EDI gets back to near double daily and we can avoid the midnight-3am crowds in DOH. Our next BKK flight is on a 787-8 for a rotation that was normally an a380 or 777 so I took that to mean more rotations for BKK or other Thai destinations such as return of U-Tapao. With a360s coming back anybody with existing reservations should probably check seat selections frequently.

        • Chris W says:
          15 Feb15 February 11:19

          Qatar bank their flights to maximise connections. If they add EDI flights they will arrive as part of a bank.

          • BJ says:
            15 Feb15 February 15:35

            It’ll likely be 8am and 2pm departures from EDI so arriving Far East breakfast time and lunch time respectively provifing there are suitable connections. I get up early anyway so prefer 8am departure.

        • Peggerz says:
          15 Feb15 February 11:58

          I understand that QR’s popularity from EDI is motivating EK to get back to the route. I’ve heard that May 2023 is a target but that seems not too far away to me. Is that do-able?

  • The Lord says:
    15 Feb15 February 09:15

    Only been to Hamad once and had high expectations but found it really average. The monorail running through the terminal gave me the feeling that I was in Bond villains lair. Reminded me of the volcano/rocket launch site in You Only Live Twice.

  • Nick Jablonski says:
    15 Feb15 February 09:21

    This probably sounds a dumb question, but…
    I will be transiting through Hamad in November, using Qatar Airways which means that my DOH-DXB leg is First Class, allowing me access to the Al Safwa Lounge. I have been in this Lounge once before and it genuinely blew me away. As my layover is 14 hours (completely deliberately), presumably I will be allowed to spend some time in BOTH Lounges? I’m guessing this new Lounge you’re describing, Rob, will definitely be open by November?

  • PJJ says:
    15 Feb15 February 09:50

    For the first timer transiting thru Doha, how long between flights would you need for a good look around ?
    TIA

    • Blenz101 says:
      15 Feb15 February 10:16

      Cut your connection as short as you can.

      The facilities in Doha are all very nice if you are forced into an extended layover due to flight times but nothing worth going out of your way to see in and of themself.

      • JDB says:
        15 Feb15 February 10:36

        Good advice @Blenz101 ! Ultimately it is just another airport, although better than many. The novelty of the ‘glitz’ will wear off rather quickly after the first hour of waiting and the food/drink offering in AM is quite moderate (oddly much less good than QR London, but perhaps it’s a scale issue). Having first transited Doha on my own, I made the mistake of telling my wife it was very good but she was seriously unimpressed by the place and even more unimpressed to be hanging around there for hours. If you are intentionally hanging around at DOH rather than getting to your destination as quickly as possible, it sounds like you may be travelling to the wrong destination.

    • John says:
      15 Feb15 February 12:58

      4-5 hours but agree with the others. However why not make it 8 hours and go outside too

    • Paul says:
      15 Feb15 February 17:48

      For a look around the airport? I had 3.5hrs connection time last week, and that was about right for lounge, meal, shower + walk to the garden and mooch around. Obvs you’ll want longer if you want to actually venture into Doha.

      • meta says:
        15 Feb15 February 23:01

        If you can actually get a slot for the shower, a la carte dining, etc. Last two times I went through Doha 1 to 2 hrs wait for the shower slot, then 20-30 minutes to get to a la carte section. It’s too crowded and finding a quiet place to sit is also an issue, especially if you arrive in the morning from SE Asia. They should think more about passenger experience rather than trying to impress with vast unusable spaces like huge water features and gardens.

        I am totally unimpressed with QR and finding QSuite window seats as a side sleeper absolutely horrible.

  • Littlefish says:
    15 Feb15 February 09:54

    As a broad guide; when would be the ‘peak periods’ or when might be the ‘quieter’ periods in transiting DOH?
    Are particular days of the week quieter also?
    I would imagine 11pm to 02:00 am would be worst, but good to have some insight from the regulars.

    • Rob says:
      15 Feb15 February 09:56

      Unless you are flying regionally you will always be there in a peak period. That’s how the ‘wave’ system works – loads of back to back arrivals, 2 hour gap, load of departures. To catch is quiet you’d need to be flying Doha to Riyadh or similar.

      • Littlefish says:
        15 Feb15 February 13:35

        Thanks, so hopefully they’ll keep much of the current lounge space and have the new surprise as genuinely extra.

  • F says:
    15 Feb15 February 10:53

    How have I missed the monorail? I’ve been transiting DOH for 20 odd years and never even knew there was one.

  • ADS says:
    15 Feb15 February 12:12

    Apparently you aren’t allowed transit at Doha if you have HIV

    https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/feb/15/i-have-hiv-and-cant-fly-through-qatar-but-ba-wont-give-me-a-refund

    • VALittleRed says:
      15 Feb15 February 12:22

      This article raises more questions than answers, why does UK law prohibit someone from entering Qatar with HIV, surely that’s Qatari law? Also they’re not entering Qatar, they’re transiting?

      • NorthernLass says:
        15 Feb15 February 15:39

        It doesn’t say that; it says that HIV is classed as a disability under UK law, though this is irrelevant to the complaint! Would anyone even be asked what their HIV status is for transiting (or even taking a holiday in) Doha?

        • Novice says:
          15 Feb15 February 22:57

          @northerenlass I agree. I don’t believe the article.Nobody asks anyone such questions.

          I think it’s a bit like how heterosexual ppl never say their preferences as part of their identity because it’s nobody’s business but nowadays lgbt + ppl like to state it when it doesn’t need to be stated.

          I think if this article is true then it’s likely the person stated it themselves that they are hiv

    • blenz101 says:
      15 Feb15 February 13:37

      Well the article isn’t true. You can’t get residency with HIV or TB both are screened if applying for residency. No issue with transit or tourist visa.

      Suspect the person has perhaps previously applied for residency and had a travel ban to Doha imposed.

      More likely they were just using their HIV to try and get a refund from BA.

      • VALittleRed says:
        15 Feb15 February 13:41

        You’re most likely right but unfortunately this misinformation will spread unchallenged. But I suppose you can’t expect mainstream media these days to report factually.

  • Ali says:
    15 Feb15 February 12:18

    DOH is my hub airport and I pass through every 3-4 weeks so I’m really grateful for you covering it so extensively. I sacrificed the old Marjan and got the monorail last time I was there to check out the Orchard. I’m there next tomorrow and again on 23 and 25 March. Would you be interested in photos or anything else once the new lounge opens?

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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