Advice on Al Safwa in Doha

[gill321]

Never flown the return on Qatar.

Booked Qatar reward seats:
First Dubai to Doha
Business Doha to Manchester
8 hour layover

Can we access Al Safwa (as would like a bed) using our First arrival boarding pass if then flying business ?

Thanks

[peckishpassport]

Yes

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

Defo yes. But sometimes the heavies at the bottom of the escalator up to Al Safwa take a blunt approach of no first class boarding pass from Doha, no dice. My advice is to bypass them by taking the lift up, wherein you are greeted by Qatar agents behind a desk.

[Aston100]

gill321 wrote:

Can we access Al Safwa (as would like a bed)

I’d manage your expectations here.
There are insufficient beds in that place.

[Vit]

gill321 wrote:

Can we access Al Safwa (as would like a bed) using our First arrival boarding pass if then flying business ?

Thanks

As mentioned above, bedroom facility is rather limited and you will highly likely need to wait. In our case last month it was about 2hrs wait. We ad 9 hours layover so managed to get a few hour of sleep which we found really help with the jetlag coming back from the East. Suggest to take the lift up straight after security clearance.

[LittleNick]

Aston100 wrote:

I’d manage your expectations here.
There are insufficient beds in that place.

Yep can concur with this, I had an 8 hour layover last July during peak midnight – morning and none were available until a couple hours before my next onward leg so that didn’t work. However they did give me a quiet room with sofas so I did get some rest which was nice.

[Matt]

I had an 8 hour layover in Doha recently and tried to pay to enter the Al Safwa (I was in business) – they warned me before I paid that all the bedrooms were taken for the next 7 hours. They said the lounge was busy and didn’t seem keen to take my money (650 Riyals) though would have let me in if I hadnt decided to slum it in Al Mourjan.

[gill321]

My concern is not the 8 hour layover or guarantee of a bed – it is knowing that we would def get access as although Dubai to Doha in First, second flight is in business.

[NorthernLass]

@gill321, we did DXB-DOH in December, in economy. Overall a good experience (we got Fast Track check-in and lounge at DXB as BA Silver), and the hour time difference means you arrive at the same time as you depart. However, it took an absolute age to get to the terminal (including having to wait for premium pax to disembark!), which would put me off doing it in future. We stayed a further 5 nights in Doha so the layover issue didn’t arise.

When is your flight? I’ve booked DOH-MAN in J for next Feb and it’s currently showing Q Suite …

[The real Swiss Tony]

gill321 wrote:

My concern is not the 8 hour layover or guarantee of a bed – it is knowing that we would def get access as although Dubai to Doha in First, second flight is in business.

It’s from a sample set of 1 but I had no problems getting in on an itinerary like this. There was a lot of keyboard tapping at the lounge entrance, but we got there in the end.

If you like sushi, do hunt out the sushi bar. I was the only guest, so I think the chef was delighted to have something to do.

[Aston100]

gill321 wrote:

My concern is not the 8 hour layover or guarantee of a bed – it is knowing that we would def get access as although Dubai to Doha in First, second flight is in business.

I did BKK > DOH in F and then DOH > BHX in J.
Had no issue getting into Al Safwa.

[gill321]

Thanks everyone