[bungalow]

Upgrades pre trip in the app can be totally random everywhere, including in UAE, some will show in the app, some wont, but as Platinum I have always had an excellent upgrade in UAE on arrival.
I actually stayed at the new Marriott Marquis on Dubai Creek in November, booked an entry room and checked the app daily for an upgrade. Nothing showed until check-in, when I was promptly given a 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom, 2 floor apartment!

[bungalow]

ClubSmed wrote:

I would check the occupancy rates of the lounges at the time, then make your choice. You can do so via this on your phone via this link:
https://ba-uk-occupancy.livereachmedia.com/

Strangely, when we went through Heathrow on the 3rd, B lounge was ~80% capacity, and the rest all <20%.
So worth checking before trekking…

Great link, could be useful, thank you

[bungalow]

Rooms are still “old fashioned”, think lots of red carpets and matt gold drawer and shower handles – this isn’t one of the new and modern Doha hotels.
However…
The hotel has the pick of Doha locations, short taxi from the airport, stroll into downtown, huge gardens, and a totally private beach with city and gulf views! The rooms (besides being a little dated) are quirky, in that because the hotel is pyramid shaped you have a step down sitting area and balcony.
The Club Lounge at first sight is a bit drab, but food and drinks are aplenty during happy hour.
The breakfast (not available in lounge) is served buffet style down in the lobby and fit for a king, and service exceptional.
I have been visiting the Sheraton Doha for about 5 years now, and although Bonvoy points prices almost doubled after the World Cup, they have remained very affordable cash wise.
Yes the decor is a bit dated, but if you can put your expectations aside room wise, and run the numbers, you will be pleasantly surprised.

[bungalow]

Thats very interesting, I didn’t know that.
Do you know would the same reasoning work for the Gold Souk in Deira (Dubai Creek)?

[bungalow]

Sheraton.
10 minutes from airport, beautiful grounds and best crescent shaped private beach in Doha.
Large circular pool, sectioned off for kids, and one of those huge inflatable climbing/assault course things anchored off the beach for kids and very fit adults! They have jet skis etc for hire as well but not a lot more for children that I’ve noticed.
Forget about the sightseeing, there isn’t any, just enjoy doing nothing at the hotel.
Quirky rooms, Excellent breakfast.

[bungalow]

Am just back, can’t advise on the Amex dining credit, but do hope someone helps you make the most of it…

Coz nothing in Munich was cheap!!

[bungalow]

As NL says, seat selection is free immediately after booking when flying Qatar Business, well I know for sure it is on reward tickets anyway – regardless of status

[bungalow]

Why don’t you just spend the 8 quid and purchase 1,000 points, you’ll certainly sleep a lot better 🙂

[bungalow]

Yes, 4 new passes at renewal.
Your same Priority Pass card will still work it you have renewed your Gold. Failing that just download the PP app and use that to enter the lounges, or just take a screenshot

[bungalow]

If your both reasonably mobile and can swim you must definitely go to Wadi Shab, a wonderful experience, but go early to miss the busy time. A quick google will find lots of companies offering pick up and transfer from hotel tours to it.
Not to be missed

[bungalow]

Give them a bell, unlike BA they are very capable and helpful.
I done this a few weeks ago changing a flight back from DXB-DOH-DUB, so long as you can see Avios seats on your new date just give them the details and they will simply cancel your original flights for $25 per person and re-book you onto your new preferred option. You will get all your Avios back and reallocated, but bear in mind Qatar announced some tax/fee increases on some of their reward tickets a few weeks back so you may be hit with a small price difference.
However its all very easy and you get a few emails shortly after the call confirming same.
I think my changes updated in the app immediately.

[bungalow]

You should really have found someone before checking out and said at the time you weren’t happy, or left a contact number for a manager to reach you. Still worth pursuing as you were late getting into your room, but you have probably cost yourself a few ‘000 points in compo by not acting sooner.

[bungalow]

I’ve a Qatar/Dubai trip coming up in a few weeks, and as part of it will be staying in the Dubai Creek area for a few days. There’s a “Radisson Blu Dubai Creek” there I’ve stayed at before, not exactly Ritz Carlton standards but nice enough for a few days and it does have a lounge. I emailed them to ask, if I was to book what could I expect as a VIP member, and got this reply today:

“Dear Valued guest,
Kindly be informed that as a VIP member your entitled to the Royal club lounge access, complimentary room upgrade.”

[bungalow]

Olly wrote:

Rob raved about the Al Mourjan business class lounge. Is the Al Safwa sufficiently superior to warrant paying to go into it? Do you know what the cost of this is?

Is it worth it? I guess that all depends how deep your pockets are and how much time you have to appreciate all that the lounge has to offer.

A quick google just now tells me that as at Feb 2024 it cost 600 QAR to enter the lounge (just over £120). However for around 20,000 Avios and £80 in taxes, a short First Class flight from Doha to UAE/OMAN etc will also get you access, plus you get to enjoy the very pleasant private airport entrance and check-in at Hamad, not to mention Q-Suite on the short flight.

But if that’s not for you a quick search on another forum brought me this post, although I have no idea of the accuracy:

“Your BA Gold will get you into the Diamond lounge by A1 or the much larger Diamond and Gold facility at the end of the C-wing. These easily match Heathrow’s first-class lounge in terms of comfort and victuals, and you won’t pay a penny.”

[bungalow]

Al Safwa as a lounge experience is second to none in my opinion, I always look forward to spending an entire evening in it when travelling through Hamad airport, and am doing so again in a few weeks. The lounge has also had a revamp since I was last there, but no idea what they have done. Not sure if BA Gold makes any difference, but I do know there is/was always an option to pay into Al Safwa if you were travelling Business

[bungalow]

Same here, Metal. Tried 2 ATMs yesterday which I have been using forever and both declined withdrawal.
Contacted Curve, and amazingly got a replay last night to say it was my bank (Hilton Barclaycard), and I should contact their fraud dept and ask them to clear Curve transactions! Yeah right.
Curve is still working fine via Hilton BC for regular purchases.
If this is to be the new norm it’s definitely the end of the road for me with Curve this time, it barely pays for itself as it is…

[bungalow]

Does no harm to ask. If you are that keen to get lounge access I would email the hotel, tell them you are Gold Elite and considering their hotel amongst others but would like to stay there because of the lounge. You never know, you might get in for free. I’ve done this a few times when I was ‘Hilton Gold’ and was given lounge access for free, can’t see it being different with Marriott, will depend on the hotel. Bear in mind though, if you’re partial to a few G&Ts that some of the German lounges only serve local wine or beer, I’ve never stayed at Cologne Marriott before but best check first.

[bungalow]

Haven’t tried Aspire Belfast City with my RJ status yet, but I’m assuming it’s RJ Gold Sparrow you have and you did get into the lounge?

Also, far as I was aware you don’t need your RJ status to be on your boarding pass to get into the lounges anyway, just show them your OW Status as a screenshot or in the app?

The fast track is one I hadn’t thought of though, good spot

[bungalow]

Wife travelling on BA economy hand baggage only fare BHD – LCY this coming weekend, and I went into her MMB earlier to select seat using her new RJ Silver Jay status (which I had booked the flights with, leaving off her BA Blue exec No).
I was allowed to select a seat for her return leg on 17th, but unable to select her outbound seat for 14th!
“Error, please contact BA” both online and in the app.
I just spent 3.5 hours, 2 chat agents and 2 on the phone totally exasperated, first 2 telling me under no circumstances could I book seats for free on a hand baggage only fare at any time, I had to pay whether Oneworld Ruby or indeed BA Bronze! The second one even further insisted I couldn’t book free seats travelling HBO as Oneworld Saphire!!
Third one simply didn’t know.
Fourth agent on the phone was a breath of fresh air, couldn’t be more helpful, told me I was completely correct, booked the free seat herself, and told me to call and change to the BA exec number the day before flights to get the tier points and avios!
Where on earth do they get some of these people!

[bungalow]

Well on the flip side, it would have been cheaper for us to fly with O’Leary or Easyjet, so BA got custom they otherwise wouldn’t have had

[bungalow]

No idea what RJ will get out of it, but it’s already paid off for me!
I just booked Economy return flights to Germany for December, connecting in LHR, but was immediately able to book FREE exit row seats for 2 on all 4 legs, plus I will have access to the lounges in BHD, LHR and MUC.
I also saved over £700 on the Business fares… RJ Status match cost me £115.
No Brainer

[bungalow]

Double post – sorry

[bungalow]

I know this is a long thread, but please bear with me folks.
I’m about to make a BA economy cash booking and use my Gold Sparrow status to select seats. I understand that I don’t log into my BA account, I just make the booking as a guest and enter my RJ status number when asked, thus I presume enabling me to book my seat.
However, I’m sure I have read in one of these threads somewhere, that when some have then changed their RJ status back to BA Exec Club to earn avios and tier points, their seat selection has been removed?
Is this the case or have I imagined it? Or if it is the case, is there a “right” or “wrong” time to change your status back to BA?
Sorry if this has been asked before, I don’t want to make a mistake.
Thank you

[bungalow]

I was in T3 last month flying BA Biz, and visited Quants and Cathay. The Quants flight had just left so the A La Carte was off, so decided to go to Cathay and was less than impressed. They only had prawns! Prawns in the soup, Prawns in the Dim Sum, it was awful. I tried both then promptly left for BA for the pie…

[bungalow]

I was in T3 last month flying BA Biz, and visited Quants and Cathay. The Quants flight had just left so the A La Carte was off, so decided to go to Cathay and was less than impressed. They only had prawns! Prawns in the soup, Prawns in the Dim Sum, it was awful. I tried both then promptly left for BA for the pie…