The Al Safwa First Class lounge at Doha is more museum than lounge, with 100+ foot ceilings, complimentary quiet rooms, and an 18-hour experience that rivals any luxury hotel.
The Al Safwa First Class lounge at Doha Hamad International Airport has achieved near-mythical status among aviation enthusiasts. It's regularly cited as the best airport lounge in the world.
Al Safwa means "Elite" in Arabic, and the lounge lives up to that name. This isn't just a place to wait for your flight. It's a destination unto itself with spa facilities, quiet rooms that function as hotel rooms, formal white-tablecloth dining, a dedicated duty-free store, and amenities that go far beyond typical lounge offerings.
I spent 18 hours in Al Safwa during a layover between Singapore and Abu Dhabi. This gave me the chance to experience everything the lounge offers, from multiple meal services to the quiet rooms to boarding via luxury bus directly to the aircraft.
Access to Al Safwa requires a same-day First Class ticket on Qatar Airways. I booked First Class to Abu Dhabi specifically to access this lounge, even though my Singapore to Doha flight was in Q-Suites Business Class.
Here's my complete review of the Al Safwa First Class lounge and whether it deserves its reputation as the world's best.
Where do I start? It's been said time and time again that this lounge is more like a museum than a lounge. That couldn't be more true from my experience.
From the 100+ foot ceilings to the grand water features to the limestone paneling, everything was designed to be grand and calm.
They have just about everything you'd want in a lounge. A spa, family rooms, dedicated duty-free store, sit-down dining, media room. It just goes on and on.
If you have access to the lounge, you're greeted at the bottom of the escalator that takes you up to Al Safwa, which I learned means "Elite" in Arabic.
They scan your boarding pass and you're on your way up the escalators into the lounge.
At the top of the escalator is a help desk staffed with friendly Qatar Airways employees who direct you to the right and into the full lounge.
Immediately entering the lounge, multiple greeters are waiting around making sure you're taken care of. From knowing where everything is to providing information.
Turn right by the entrance and you'll find the dedicated First Class duty-free selection. A small store, but packed with essentials from alcohol to cigars to electronics. Most of what you'd need is there.
Across from that, to the left after walking in, is the dedicated business center. Six fully enclosed desks, each with their own computer—some Macs, some PCs—where you can sit to do work.
Unfortunately, while it's floor-to-ceiling glass, there aren't any doors that close off. Making a fully private call would be tough.
Moving further into the lounge, you hit a T-intersection. This is the central hub where everything branches off, and understanding this layout is key to navigating Al Safwa.
Standing at this intersection, you have three directions to choose from. Each leads to a completely different section of the lounge.
Go straight from the T-intersection and you'll have views of the apron and find the buffet. Plenty of seating in and around the buffet area.
The buffet rotates between breakfast and all-day meal service.
This is also where you'll find the direct gate access that takes you to your airplane. You can literally walk from the buffet straight to your flight.
Take a left at the T-intersection and you land in the great room. This is the showpiece of Al Safwa.
A massive floor-to-ceiling water feature dominates the space. Water drips down a glass cylinder into a pond below. Absolutely beautiful and grand.
There's tons of seating in this main area. Overnight you'll even find people sleeping here.
Off this main room is the media room with a large projector display and tons of seating to enjoy various content.
Toward the back of this section sits the bar, serving cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, beer, wine, and champagne at all hours. Yes, even at 5 AM.
Behind the bar is the formal dining room with white tablecloth tables. A few sections are broken up by the airport's structural pillars, but all of it overlooks either a gate or the apron.
There's also seating at a chef's counter overlooking the kitchen, separated by glass.
Go right at the T-intersection and you'll find the prayer rooms, separated for men and women.
Moving further, you'll find the spa and relaxation rooms. More on this section below.
Even further is where the family rooms, game rooms, and an extra buffet with bathrooms and showers are located.
The family rooms are multiple small areas, each with one or more couches, a TV, and plenty of space to relax. They're first-come, first-served and can be used if you see they're not occupied.
Next to the family rooms is an additional buffet with provisions and a self-service coffee machine.
Finally, there's a game room stocked with analog games like foosball, plus gaming consoles like Xbox and PS5. There's even an F1 simulator inside a racecar. Super neat and fun.
There are two main areas for dining service: the formal dining room and the buffet, both mentioned above.
The buffet featured an extensive menu of items behind glass. The buffet is not self-service and requires a lounge attendant to pick out whatever you want. Just ask and they'll happily assist.
Both the buffet and sit-down dining have two services: breakfast from 5:00 AM to 10:30 AM, and an all-day menu from 11:00 AM to 4:30 AM.
I didn't spend much time at the buffet, but I saw they had a sushi bar with the classics. I sent a picture to my friend who's a sushi fanatic.
The real star of the show is the sit-down dining. You can find the Al Safwa Lounge menu linked here, though they rotate offerings on a seasonal basis.
Since I was there for 18 hours, I chose to do two full meal services. I could have done three but wanted to finish eating well in advance of sleeping to ensure good rest.
The first meal I had was dinner. I sat down around 5 PM and started with a beer and Arabic Mezze.
After some time I realized I didn't want the beer, so I traded it for a glass of champagne. I found it a little strange, but understandable, that only one drink per customer is allowed at a table at a time. There isn't a limit on how much you can drink, but it has to be consecutive.
There was a bread basket, but I had to ask multiple times for it. When it came out, it was only three rolls without great variety.
For my appetizer I went with the Szechuan Prawns with Wasabi Mayo on the side. Very good with the perfect amount of spice without being overbearing. These were truly jumbo prawns.
After over an hour, they finally brought out my main course. The wait was frustrating and reflected lackluster service. Although I found this to be the only service inconsistency during my visit, so it's not that big a deal.
The main course was Angus Beef Tenderloin. It was cooked to my liking, but the tenderloin itself wasn't seasoned well and felt like it was cooked on a flat-top grill.
Since all the desserts had nuts or they thought they might, and I have an allergy, I decided to just go with a scoop of ice cream with a side of berries. Good ice cream, nothing special.
In the morning, it was time for breakfast. I started early since I had an 8:30 AM departure, beginning breakfast around 5 AM.
Since breakfast is my favorite meal thanks to all the heavy carbs, I ordered a full bacchanal.
I started with a spinach and onion omelet with asparagus and mushroom accompaniments.
From there, I also ordered waffles and poached eggs.
Finally, as a caffeine addict, I ordered coffee up the wazoo.
Overall, I'd give the F&B an A. However, being perfectly honest, I might prefer the Delta One Lounge at JFK Brasserie to the food at Al Safwa.
At Al Safwa, the food feels like it's being made in bulk and presented with nice plating. At the Delta One Lounge, it feels more made-to-order.
The spa at the Al Safwa First Class lounge was interesting. Spa treatments were available starting at around $100 USD, but no treatments were included in your ticket.
This is unlike other First Class lounges I've been to, most notably the Etihad Lounge in Abu Dhabi where treatments are complimentary.
The spa was separated by gender. A men's side and a women's side. I'm under the impression they're identical, but I'm not entirely sure.
Between the men's and women's side was a water feature with angled slats so you couldn't see to the other side.
To the back of the spa was a large window with a calming waterfall. Opposite the window were three bean bags where you could sit and relax.
Next to that was a jacuzzi you could sign out on a first-come, first-served basis. I didn't use it, but I checked out the room. I was under the impression that each person got 60 minutes in the jacuzzi room.
There were three shower suites in the spa. It seemed like the one I was assigned to was inside a spa treatment room.
There was a large table inside the entry room before the shower with fine rocks and three Tibetan singing bowls on it. Actually quite relaxing, as much as I hate to admit it.
The showers are rainfall style with Diptyque products, along with various amenities like body lotion and Q-tips.
Showers can be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
First Class passengers have access to the Quiet Rooms, which function as a hotel. Quiet rooms are located adjacent to the spa and require check-in at the spa front desk.
Quiet rooms can be reserved for up to six hours included, and extended to 12 hours with about a $100 USD fee. I was quoted 415 AED. This could be worth it if you have an extremely long layover, almost like a hotel room.
Rooms are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's best to check in early.
I noticed they were willing to schedule me a room in the future corresponding with another passenger leaving. For example, it was 2 PM and they told me a passenger would be leaving a little before 6 PM. They could schedule me in after him if I wanted.
The quiet rooms feature a single twin bed, or two if you're traveling with someone else. There's also a desk and a TV.
The rooms themselves are pretty minimal. At least the one I had didn't have a toilet or shower, but it wasn't that big an issue because the spa had shower suites to freshen up in.
Boarding from the lounge was a unique experience, not because there was a gate with a connected jetway, but something different entirely.
When it was time to board, we were escorted down to the apron where a Qatar First Class bus was waiting to take us to our aircraft.
These buses were as luxurious as they get. Large captain's armchair seating with a perfectly-sized sandwich holder for your carry-on bag that didn't require lifting anything.
Plus, as an aviation geek, it was great. Up-close and personal views with the airplanes.
The Al Safwa First Class lounge at Doha lives up to the hype. This is genuinely the most impressive airport lounge I've experienced.
The 100+ foot ceilings, grand water features, and limestone paneling create an atmosphere that's more luxury hotel or museum than airport lounge. The T-intersection layout organizes everything logically once you understand how it works.
The facilities are comprehensive. Duty-free shopping, business center, formal dining, buffet, bar open at 5 AM, media room, game room with F1 simulator, prayer rooms, spa, and quiet rooms that function as hotel rooms. If you can think of an amenity, Al Safwa probably has it.
The food deserves an A grade with sit-down dining featuring substantial portions and good execution. The Szechuan Prawns were genuinely jumbo and perfectly spiced. The breakfast bacchanal with omelets, waffles, and poached eggs hit the spot. Though being honest, I might prefer the Delta One Lounge Brasserie at JFK for the more made-to-order feel versus Al Safwa's bulk preparation with nice plating.
The quiet rooms are a game-changer for long layovers. Six hours included with the ability to extend to 12 hours for about $100 gives you a genuine place to sleep. The rooms are minimal without bathrooms, but the spa shower suites make up for that.
The spa facilities impressed with the gender-separated relaxation areas, jacuzzi rooms, and shower suites with Diptyque products and Tibetan singing bowls. Spa treatments aren't complimentary like at Etihad Abu Dhabi, which was surprising, but the facilities themselves are still excellent.
Boarding via luxury First Class bus with captain's armchair seating and up-close airplane views was a fun touch that added to the premium experience.
After 18 hours in Al Safwa, I understand why this lounge has achieved legendary status. It's not just the best Qatar Airways lounge or the best Middle Eastern lounge. It's genuinely the best airport lounge experience available.
If you're booking Qatar Airways First Class, build extra time into your Doha connection. This isn't a lounge you rush through. It's one you actually want to spend half a day exploring.
The Al Safwa lounge alone justifies booking First Class on Qatar Airways, even if the flight itself is in Q-Suites. That's how good this experience is.
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The Al Safwa First Class lounge at Doha Hamad International Airport has achieved near-mythical status among aviation enthusiasts. It's regularly cited as the best airport lounge in the world.
Al Safwa means "Elite" in Arabic, and the lounge lives up to that name. This isn't just a place to wait for your flight. It's a destination unto itself with spa facilities, quiet rooms that function as hotel rooms, formal white-tablecloth dining, a dedicated duty-free store, and amenities that go far beyond typical lounge offerings.
I spent 18 hours in Al Safwa during a layover between Singapore and Abu Dhabi. This gave me the chance to experience everything the lounge offers, from multiple meal services to the quiet rooms to boarding via luxury bus directly to the aircraft.
Access to Al Safwa requires a same-day First Class ticket on Qatar Airways. I booked First Class to Abu Dhabi specifically to access this lounge, even though my Singapore to Doha flight was in Q-Suites Business Class.
Here's my complete review of the Al Safwa First Class lounge and whether it deserves its reputation as the world's best.
Where do I start? It's been said time and time again that this lounge is more like a museum than a lounge. That couldn't be more true from my experience.
From the 100+ foot ceilings to the grand water features to the limestone paneling, everything was designed to be grand and calm.
They have just about everything you'd want in a lounge. A spa, family rooms, dedicated duty-free store, sit-down dining, media room. It just goes on and on.
If you have access to the lounge, you're greeted at the bottom of the escalator that takes you up to Al Safwa, which I learned means "Elite" in Arabic.
They scan your boarding pass and you're on your way up the escalators into the lounge.
At the top of the escalator is a help desk staffed with friendly Qatar Airways employees who direct you to the right and into the full lounge.
Immediately entering the lounge, multiple greeters are waiting around making sure you're taken care of. From knowing where everything is to providing information.
Turn right by the entrance and you'll find the dedicated First Class duty-free selection. A small store, but packed with essentials from alcohol to cigars to electronics. Most of what you'd need is there.
Across from that, to the left after walking in, is the dedicated business center. Six fully enclosed desks, each with their own computer—some Macs, some PCs—where you can sit to do work.
Unfortunately, while it's floor-to-ceiling glass, there aren't any doors that close off. Making a fully private call would be tough.
Moving further into the lounge, you hit a T-intersection. This is the central hub where everything branches off, and understanding this layout is key to navigating Al Safwa.
Standing at this intersection, you have three directions to choose from. Each leads to a completely different section of the lounge.
Go straight from the T-intersection and you'll have views of the apron and find the buffet. Plenty of seating in and around the buffet area.
The buffet rotates between breakfast and all-day meal service.
This is also where you'll find the direct gate access that takes you to your airplane. You can literally walk from the buffet straight to your flight.
Take a left at the T-intersection and you land in the great room. This is the showpiece of Al Safwa.
A massive floor-to-ceiling water feature dominates the space. Water drips down a glass cylinder into a pond below. Absolutely beautiful and grand.
There's tons of seating in this main area. Overnight you'll even find people sleeping here.
Off this main room is the media room with a large projector display and tons of seating to enjoy various content.
Toward the back of this section sits the bar, serving cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, beer, wine, and champagne at all hours. Yes, even at 5 AM.
Behind the bar is the formal dining room with white tablecloth tables. A few sections are broken up by the airport's structural pillars, but all of it overlooks either a gate or the apron.
There's also seating at a chef's counter overlooking the kitchen, separated by glass.
Go right at the T-intersection and you'll find the prayer rooms, separated for men and women.
Moving further, you'll find the spa and relaxation rooms. More on this section below.
Even further is where the family rooms, game rooms, and an extra buffet with bathrooms and showers are located.
The family rooms are multiple small areas, each with one or more couches, a TV, and plenty of space to relax. They're first-come, first-served and can be used if you see they're not occupied.
Next to the family rooms is an additional buffet with provisions and a self-service coffee machine.
Finally, there's a game room stocked with analog games like foosball, plus gaming consoles like Xbox and PS5. There's even an F1 simulator inside a racecar. Super neat and fun.
There are two main areas for dining service: the formal dining room and the buffet, both mentioned above.
The buffet featured an extensive menu of items behind glass. The buffet is not self-service and requires a lounge attendant to pick out whatever you want. Just ask and they'll happily assist.
Both the buffet and sit-down dining have two services: breakfast from 5:00 AM to 10:30 AM, and an all-day menu from 11:00 AM to 4:30 AM.
I didn't spend much time at the buffet, but I saw they had a sushi bar with the classics. I sent a picture to my friend who's a sushi fanatic.
The real star of the show is the sit-down dining. You can find the Al Safwa Lounge menu linked here, though they rotate offerings on a seasonal basis.
Since I was there for 18 hours, I chose to do two full meal services. I could have done three but wanted to finish eating well in advance of sleeping to ensure good rest.
The first meal I had was dinner. I sat down around 5 PM and started with a beer and Arabic Mezze.
After some time I realized I didn't want the beer, so I traded it for a glass of champagne. I found it a little strange, but understandable, that only one drink per customer is allowed at a table at a time. There isn't a limit on how much you can drink, but it has to be consecutive.
There was a bread basket, but I had to ask multiple times for it. When it came out, it was only three rolls without great variety.
For my appetizer I went with the Szechuan Prawns with Wasabi Mayo on the side. Very good with the perfect amount of spice without being overbearing. These were truly jumbo prawns.
After over an hour, they finally brought out my main course. The wait was frustrating and reflected lackluster service. Although I found this to be the only service inconsistency during my visit, so it's not that big a deal.
The main course was Angus Beef Tenderloin. It was cooked to my liking, but the tenderloin itself wasn't seasoned well and felt like it was cooked on a flat-top grill.
Since all the desserts had nuts or they thought they might, and I have an allergy, I decided to just go with a scoop of ice cream with a side of berries. Good ice cream, nothing special.
In the morning, it was time for breakfast. I started early since I had an 8:30 AM departure, beginning breakfast around 5 AM.
Since breakfast is my favorite meal thanks to all the heavy carbs, I ordered a full bacchanal.
I started with a spinach and onion omelet with asparagus and mushroom accompaniments.
From there, I also ordered waffles and poached eggs.
Finally, as a caffeine addict, I ordered coffee up the wazoo.
Overall, I'd give the F&B an A. However, being perfectly honest, I might prefer the Delta One Lounge at JFK Brasserie to the food at Al Safwa.
At Al Safwa, the food feels like it's being made in bulk and presented with nice plating. At the Delta One Lounge, it feels more made-to-order.
The spa at the Al Safwa First Class lounge was interesting. Spa treatments were available starting at around $100 USD, but no treatments were included in your ticket.
This is unlike other First Class lounges I've been to, most notably the Etihad Lounge in Abu Dhabi where treatments are complimentary.
The spa was separated by gender. A men's side and a women's side. I'm under the impression they're identical, but I'm not entirely sure.
Between the men's and women's side was a water feature with angled slats so you couldn't see to the other side.
To the back of the spa was a large window with a calming waterfall. Opposite the window were three bean bags where you could sit and relax.
Next to that was a jacuzzi you could sign out on a first-come, first-served basis. I didn't use it, but I checked out the room. I was under the impression that each person got 60 minutes in the jacuzzi room.
There were three shower suites in the spa. It seemed like the one I was assigned to was inside a spa treatment room.
There was a large table inside the entry room before the shower with fine rocks and three Tibetan singing bowls on it. Actually quite relaxing, as much as I hate to admit it.
The showers are rainfall style with Diptyque products, along with various amenities like body lotion and Q-tips.
Showers can be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
First Class passengers have access to the Quiet Rooms, which function as a hotel. Quiet rooms are located adjacent to the spa and require check-in at the spa front desk.
Quiet rooms can be reserved for up to six hours included, and extended to 12 hours with about a $100 USD fee. I was quoted 415 AED. This could be worth it if you have an extremely long layover, almost like a hotel room.
Rooms are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's best to check in early.
I noticed they were willing to schedule me a room in the future corresponding with another passenger leaving. For example, it was 2 PM and they told me a passenger would be leaving a little before 6 PM. They could schedule me in after him if I wanted.
The quiet rooms feature a single twin bed, or two if you're traveling with someone else. There's also a desk and a TV.
The rooms themselves are pretty minimal. At least the one I had didn't have a toilet or shower, but it wasn't that big an issue because the spa had shower suites to freshen up in.
Boarding from the lounge was a unique experience, not because there was a gate with a connected jetway, but something different entirely.
When it was time to board, we were escorted down to the apron where a Qatar First Class bus was waiting to take us to our aircraft.
These buses were as luxurious as they get. Large captain's armchair seating with a perfectly-sized sandwich holder for your carry-on bag that didn't require lifting anything.
Plus, as an aviation geek, it was great. Up-close and personal views with the airplanes.
The Al Safwa First Class lounge at Doha lives up to the hype. This is genuinely the most impressive airport lounge I've experienced.
The 100+ foot ceilings, grand water features, and limestone paneling create an atmosphere that's more luxury hotel or museum than airport lounge. The T-intersection layout organizes everything logically once you understand how it works.
The facilities are comprehensive. Duty-free shopping, business center, formal dining, buffet, bar open at 5 AM, media room, game room with F1 simulator, prayer rooms, spa, and quiet rooms that function as hotel rooms. If you can think of an amenity, Al Safwa probably has it.
The food deserves an A grade with sit-down dining featuring substantial portions and good execution. The Szechuan Prawns were genuinely jumbo and perfectly spiced. The breakfast bacchanal with omelets, waffles, and poached eggs hit the spot. Though being honest, I might prefer the Delta One Lounge Brasserie at JFK for the more made-to-order feel versus Al Safwa's bulk preparation with nice plating.
The quiet rooms are a game-changer for long layovers. Six hours included with the ability to extend to 12 hours for about $100 gives you a genuine place to sleep. The rooms are minimal without bathrooms, but the spa shower suites make up for that.
The spa facilities impressed with the gender-separated relaxation areas, jacuzzi rooms, and shower suites with Diptyque products and Tibetan singing bowls. Spa treatments aren't complimentary like at Etihad Abu Dhabi, which was surprising, but the facilities themselves are still excellent.
Boarding via luxury First Class bus with captain's armchair seating and up-close airplane views was a fun touch that added to the premium experience.
After 18 hours in Al Safwa, I understand why this lounge has achieved legendary status. It's not just the best Qatar Airways lounge or the best Middle Eastern lounge. It's genuinely the best airport lounge experience available.
If you're booking Qatar Airways First Class, build extra time into your Doha connection. This isn't a lounge you rush through. It's one you actually want to spend half a day exploring.
The Al Safwa lounge alone justifies booking First Class on Qatar Airways, even if the flight itself is in Q-Suites. That's how good this experience is.
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