DOH Qatar Al Safwa First Class Lounge
While Hamad International Airport is a spectacular facility to explore and appreciate the architecture, I had other plans.
It is a grand entrance up the massive escalator to an open lobby seemingly without a ceiling. The entrance itself depicts the opulence of this one of a kind first class lounge.
After admittance off to the right is a duty free shop area that I wouldn’t be able to pay the duty, let alone buy whatever is in there.
So I entered the lounge. This lounge is something you have to see to fully appreciate.
Space wise it is probably the largest lounge I’ve ever been in, but with the fewest chairs and most open space.
When you enter if you turn left there is the bar and dining room where you can order off a menu as well as this water feature.
There were more dining tables off to the right.
Even though I said fewest chairs, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of chairs. It’s just the place is so big.
Throughout the lounge are attendees who ask if you need anything, want to eat or visit the spa. They aren’t intrusive, just there to help.
Off to the right is the Spa as well as a game room and kid’s area.
Most of the spa treatments are at a cost. The spa attendant gave me a tour. There were various massage rooms.
This one looked interesting, a massage on a warm bed of sand.
Pedicure room.
This is the jacuzzi room which I opted for. There is no charge for this. No duck though! What I found strange about this room is there are 2 showers opposite the jacuzzi but no toilet in the room.
And a relaxation room after your warm bath.
The spa was very tranquil with the sounds of this gentle flowing stream of water.
After the jacuzzi I continued my tour of the facility in search of food. Tucked away in the back of the lounge is a typical lounge buffet style area for a quick bite in case you don’t have time to for a sit down meal.
But I had time so I headed to the dining room. There was only one other person in the room, a lady at the bar who was headed to Sydney as well.
I know I took a photo of the menu, but I must have deleted it by mistake as it’s nowhere to be found.
This Saint Julien is not something you will find in a typical lounge.
Not wanting to eat anything too heavy I opted for the vegetable tart. It was delicious.
And the waiter recommended the Pistachio cake.
And it was as good as the presentation.
This is a magnificent lounge. If you are flying first class on Qatar do your best to either arrive very early or have a long layover. I’d put this lounge on par with Lufthansa’s FCT, minus the ensuing walk to end of C concourse to catch QR908.
