Overnight stay in Al Safwa lounge?

[PaulST]

Hi all, I've got an upcoming 20hr layover in (arrive at ~2300 and fly out at ~2100 the following day and I'm considering being rather tight and spending the entire layover at the airport.
As I'm flying into and out of DOH in QR F, I'm allowed access to the Al Safwa lounge and I understand that they have 'nap rooms' where I could spend the night, sleep in and grab a shower, then stumble out for breakfast at around 0900. I have a bit of work to do as well as filming a review of the lounge so I'm sure I could busy myself for the next ~12hrs...

As I'm already blowing my budget on this trip, I'd be happy to save a few $100 avoiding a hotel/taxis/food...etc. I spent 48hrs in Doha (I did leave the airport ) last year so I feel like I've explored most of it.

Also, as it's all booked on the same ticket (CDG-DOH-SYD), would my bags be sent through to the final destination? I could get away without access to my bag at DOH.

Am I being ridiculous?

 

[michaelk]

I did what you are suggesting in April in the Al Safwa lounge from 12:40 to 08:25 in April (so around the 20 hours too) with my partner.

It was excellent until the time zone changes catch up with you.

What I cans say is the sleep rooms are complementary for a 6 hour period. They are ridiculously large - same size for two singles as the Novotel I stayed in Bangkok the night before.

Outside of these sleep rooms (which are part of a spa company/subsidiary which is inside the Al Safwa lounge) there is a single Male shower room in one of the two restroom sets. This can have a high utilisation and I wanted to sleep for the 6 hours in the sleep room - so used the shower room twice.

There are family rooms/lounge rooms - approximately 12-16 of these with multiple 8 foot lounges, chairs and footstools that can sleep two easily. The staff are accustomed to this and it is in a quiet place in the lounge. Its first come first served, but near midnight the majority were occupied by couples/families.

I will not spend 20 hours in this lounge again unless I add 6 hours to the room, so I would have a private space for 12 hours.

My other half went into all four lounges and that took up his time so I think you will be fine as a once off.

With regards to your bags, yes they would be checked through.

 

[boomy]

I had 20 hours connection last year through DOH landing 11:30am departing 7:30am the next day.
Was no problem checking in bags all the way. It was a beautiful winter day so I took an Uber to the city.
Came back in the afternoon and spent 12 hours in the F lounge, 6 of them sleeping in the private room, which was very comfortable. It makes no sense wasting money for hotel in the city when you have an early departure so no, you're not being ridiculous at all.

It was fun experience, the lounge is absolutely amazing. Was bit awkward being completely alone there at some point after 8pm (before BKK pax started showing up) but most employees were very friendly so I had good time. I've done TR if you're interested.

 

[PaulST]

Great, thanks michaelk and boomy!

It was excellent until the time zone changes catch up with you.

Coffee o'clock?

There are family rooms/lounge rooms - approximately 12-16 of these with multiple 8 foot lounges, chairs and footstools that can sleep two easily. The staff are accustomed to this and it is in a quiet place in the lounge. Its first come first served, but near midnight the majority were occupied by couples/families.

When did you visit? From the multiple reviews I've read, the lounge appears very sparsely occupied so I'm surprised that the majority were occupied.

My other half went into all four lounges and that took up his time so I think you will be fine as a once off.

Yep I'll plan to do the same, and probably walk around the terminal and try and do a bit of plane spotting. I recall arriving to HKG for my last flight 6hrs early to visit all of the CX lounges (and I still didn't leave enough time! )

With regards to your bags, yes they would be checked through.

Cool.

I had 20 hours connection last year through DOH landing 11:30am departing 7:30am the next day.
Was no problem checking in bags all the way. It was a beautiful winter day so I took an Uber to the city.
Came back in the afternoon and spent 12 hours in the F lounge, 6 of them sleeping in the private room, which was very comfortable. It makes no sense wasting money for hotel in the city when you have an early departure so no, you're not being ridiculous at all.

It was fun experience, the lounge is absolutely amazing. Was bit awkward being completely alone there at some point after 8pm (before BKK pax started showing up) but most employees were very friendly so I had good time. I've done TR if you're interested.

Thanks for your TR. I'm reading through it now. I'm glad to see that the 6hr rule in the private rooms is more of a guideline. Once I get off my flight, I wouldn't get into the room until 0100 so access to that until 0700-0800 would be perfect. Did they knock on your door when the time was up?

A drink at the bar and chatting with the workers sounds like a great idea. I enjoy hearing from the working class (I mean this in the nicest way possible) as their experiences are probably far more representative than those of the wealthy (other pax in the lounge).

Would it be worth killing any time in the arrivals lounge or go straight to the Al Safwa? I was just thinking that I should use the shower in the arrivals lounge so that I can dedicate the entire "6hrs" to sleeping?

I see that you were escorted to the gate. How did the lounge staff know which flight were you on? Or were there really such a little number of pax in the lounge?

 

[boomy]

Thanks for your TR. I'm reading through it now. I'm glad to see that the 6hr rule in the private rooms is more of a guideline. Once I get off my flight, I wouldn't get into the room until 0100 so access to that until 0700-0800 would be perfect. Did they knock on your door when the time was up?

No one knocked on my door. As I said, the 6 hour "rule" is not strictly enforced but more of guideline to avoid pax with long connections staying there all day.

Would it be worth killing any time in the arrivals lounge or go straight to the Al Safwa? I was just thinking that I should use the shower in the arrivals lounge so that I can dedicate the entire "6hrs" to sleeping?

The DOH arrivals lounge is the most impressive I've seen but that's compared to other arrival lounges so unless planing to exit the airport I wouldn't bother.

I see that you were escorted to the gate. How did the lounge staff know which flight were you on? Or were there really such a little number of pax in the lounge?

I was the only pax in F on that flight

Maybe you'll get lucky to board directly from the lounge

 

[PaulST]

Great thanks.

My flights are CDG-DOH-SYD and from the trip reports I've seen on youtube, the first leg in particular is often very empty.

 

[michaelk]

Great, thanks michaelk and boomy!When did you visit? From the multiple reviews I've read, the lounge appears very sparsely occupied so I'm surprised that the majority were occupied.

We we're there Easter Sunday, I think that was the reason it was so busy (though the family rooms only became busy from 6-8pm). Most people were either British or from the subcontinent, I believe likely travelling to London.

 

[Danger]

I've slept overnight in Al Safwa twice. On the first occasion (January this year, I think) I was told that the time limit on the quiet rooms is four hours. The lounge agent had to get permission from a supervisor to give me six. The second time I had no problem with six.

With Australians now allowed visa free entry into Qatar I would give some thought to leaving the lounge for such a long layover, even just the following day. It's a beautiful space but with the spa costing money and nothing like a pool table or cinema (such as in TK's lounge; not that I'd want one here), I think it's worth considering.

 

[PaulST]

I've slept overnight in Al Safwa twice. On the first occasion (January this year, I think) I was told that the time limit on the quiet rooms is four hours. The lounge agent had to get permission from a supervisor to give me six. The second time I had no problem with six.

With Australians now allowed visa free entry into Qatar I would give some thought to leaving the lounge for such a long layover, even just the following day. It's a beautiful space but with the spa costing money and nothing like a pool table or cinema (such as in TK's lounge; not that I'd want one here), I think it's worth considering.

Thanks Danger.
Interesting your experiences with the time limit. What I'm hoping to do is butter up the staff and ask if they'd be ok with 7 or so hours.
If I hadn't visited Doha before (or found it an interesting city), I'd leave the airport but I'm not really that motivated to. I've visited the two tourist attractions in Qatar before (last year when the visa wasn't free) and given the heat at that time of the year, I doubt it'll be that pleasant to just walk around in.
I've looked at some of the reviews of the lounge and it doesn't seem that amazing (it seems very poor that the massages...etc cost money, and a lot of money!!) I can't really see many alternatives. I'd also be keen to save the ~$250 on the hotel/food/taxi as I'm already blowing the budget on this trip (and saving for the next one).

 

[oh_lol]

Do you qualify for a free hotel for your transit?
I guess you could do the free city tour if you get bored too.

Also, QR does not allow short checking, so your luggage will go all the way to the final destination.