Experience Luxury at Qatar Airways Al Safwa First Class Lounge: A Comprehensive Review

A recent highlight of our journey to Asia was a First Class leg to Abu Dhabi and back via Qatar Airways just so we could experience this lounge. Micah and I were traveling together and he has become quite the travel hacking enthusiast with me and is learning a lot. I’m excited for him to be learning and mastering all of this at such a young age. Since we are both so deep in the world of points and miles, we are a little obsessed with lounges and we jumped at a chance to check this one off the list. The only problem is, this incredible lounge probably ruined all other lounges for us forever. The space, the service, the calm…was quite honestly EPIC.

Check-In

Because our journey was ticketed via three different award redemption tickets, our bags were unable to be checked through and we had to collect them after our leg from JFK to DOH. We stayed overnight at the Hyatt Regency Oryx in Doha before heading back to the airport for our next flight. This was great because it allowed us to experience the Qatar Airways first class check in at Doha. This check in and security experience is incredible if you are flying first class. There is a separate entrance just for first class and there are luggage attendants waiting outside to assist with your bags to the check in desk. This was such a unique experience and really makes you feel special. There are single check in desks with seating and you feel like you are checking in at a 7 star hotel, not at an airport for a flight. After they get you checked in, you head down the hallway to a private immigration and security area just for first class. We were the only ones there and the process was very quick. There is also a separate check in for business class, but we did not experience this. Once we cleared security, we headed straight for the lounge which was just a short walk away.

The Space

The lounge is simple in design, but gorgeous and thoughtful. The small details and the simplicity of the design truly just add the feeling of calm when you step inside. I have never experienced a lounge like it. I especially like the way they have designed the layout of the space. It was thoughtfully spaced out to ensure you never felt crowded and each space was meaningful and well planned. There was copious seating with different kinds of options.

Here are a few of the highlights of the spaces in the lounge:

Family Rooms

These are semi-private rooms with a large couch and a chair. There is also a ton of storage space to spread out your belongings, open your suitcase to find a change of clothes, etc. Micah and I slept several hours here sharing the couch and it was quite comfortable. The staff will also supply you with a blanket if requested. There are bathrooms very close for convenience. When we were there in the morning, the rooms were empty, but overnight the rooms were full and there was an attendant who assisted with reserving the room.

Quiet Rooms

These are private rooms that you can reserve from the staff at the spa. Unfortunately, there were no rooms available when we arrived around midnight and there was already a waiting list. But from other reviews, they look very nice and include a private bathroom with shower in the room.

Cubicles, Sofas, Chairs, and more

Throughout the lounge there is copious seating, ranging from semi-private cubicles with a comfortable chair and ottoman, to armchairs, couches, and more. You can always find a comfortable place to sit.

Game Room

The game room has several gaming systems, a sim racer (that much to Micah’s disappointment wasn’t working), and foosball. To be honest, I would say the game room at the Al Mourjan Garden Business Class Lounge was actually better than this game room. There was also a kids playroom nearby.

Restaurant

The restaurant is huge and the service is incredible. There is so much seating and again it is spread out thoughtfully so as not to feel overcrowded. You can watch planes taxi to and from their gates from the restaurant as well. We will discuss the food further down in the post.

Luggage Storage

There is a room with lockers where you can store your luggage. You simply request to store your luggage at the desk nearby and they will assist you to set a pin code for the locker. The lockers are big enough to fit a rolling suitcase, but not a guitar if you happen to be traveling with one like us.

Bathrooms

The bathrooms in this lounge are incredible. You walk in via a corridor and come to an automatic sliding door. When it opens, pure luxury meets your eyes. The bathrooms are kept spotless with pyramids of hand towels for drying that seem to be replenished by magic. The women’s bathroom has separate vanities with seating for applying all your creams and potions. The bathroom stalls themselves are cleaned almost instantly after use and are spacious and private. Can you tell I was a little obsessed with the bathrooms?

Spa/Shower Rooms

There is a spa where you can book spa services for a fee, or reserve a shower room for free. We did utilize the shower rooms and had no trouble getting a shower room at 5am. The rooms are private and they have a women’s and men’s side of the spa area. They have all the amenities you’d need in the shower room and again, it felt very luxurious.

Private Boarding Area

Possibly one of my favorite things about this lounge was that for certain flights, you can scan your boarding pass and get on the private first class bus to your gate right from the lounge. We were able to board our first class flight to Abu Dhabi straight from the lounge and this felt so luxurious and was just a really fun experience.

The Service

Even though there were many other passengers in the lounge, the staff made us feel like we were the only ones. In fact, we were in the lounge in the morning and then again overnight after our return from Abu Dhabi and quite a few staff remembered us and were surprised to see us.

Staff were constantly available and at times it felt like the number of staff outnumbered the of guests in the lounge. They were more than willing to assist in any way we requested. One staff member was so thoughtful that when we mentioned in passing on our way to the restaurant that we had been unable to secure a private sleeping room, he asked for my boarding pass and told us he would see what he could do while we had some refreshments in the restaurant. He came back to us sometime later, explaining he had checked in the business class lounge for a private room as well, but all were taken. He did however secure us a family room where we could get a few hours of rest. We were so grateful for his persistent assistance and the ability to have a place to rest (semi-)privately for a few hours. This is just one example of how the staff went above and beyond to ensure our stay was memorable.

The Food

The lounge has an a la carte menu that you order off of in the restaurant. The menu has a decent selection. It’s not extensive, but it is adequate and the food is delicious. There is an extensive bar menu and plenty of soft drinks, juices, tea, and coffee. You can order as much as you’d like, whenever you’d like as the restaurant is always open. The service is fantastic and reminded me of dining at a 5 star hotel in Asia. My sons personal favorite drink was the pink ribbon fizz mocktail which was very good. They didn’t have a very extensive dessert menu but it was enough to suffice. Overall the restaurant is very luxurious and had great service. It doesn’t feel like a restaurant in an airport lounge at all.

The Calm

The lounge is very large and open, allowing guests to move around freely without disturbing the peace and quiet. There is an atmosphere of pure calm and we felt very peaceful and relaxed while in the lounge. In fact, it is SO quiet that when you leave, it feels like sensory overload. I think we had honestly forgot we were in an airport when we left the first class lounge to try out the business class lounge and we both were a little shocked by the noise and chaos around us. Of course, when you board your flight directly from the lounge, like we did for our first flight in the morning, the calm feeling continues as you board the first class only bus directly onto your plane.

If you find yourself in Doha and love points, miles, or luxury travel experiences, consider booking a first-class flight on Qatar Airways to a nearby destination like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Oman. It's the perfect way to enjoy the luxury of Qatar Airways' first-class service.