Review: Qatar Airways 'First Class' (Oneworld Emerald) Lounge, Doha Hamad Airport
By Chris C., May 24 2016
Country
Qatar
City
Doha
Airport
Doha - Hamad International Airport
Alliance
oneworld
Airline
Qatar Airways
Cabin-class
First
Notes
The Good
- Family area that doubles as a private room
The Bad
- No Oneworld Emerald access to the 'real' Al Safwa first class lounge
- Minimal dining options
- No separate wireless Internet network
X-Factor
- Jacquart Champagne
Introduction
You'd expect that a first class lounge on an airline's home turf would exude luxury and prestige befitting its 'flagship' status, but Qatar Airways' 'First Class Lounge' in Doha is an exception to that rule.
That's because this isn't a true 'first class' lounge, as such: the confusingly-named space caters to Oneworld Emerald frequent flyers (including Qantas and Qatar Platinum-grade members) travelling in economy – not to actual first class flyers who are whisked to the separate and far superior Al Safwa Lounge.
Location & Impressions
To get to the lounge, find the airport's central and iconic teddy bear sculpture and veer left to find escalators leading up to the First Class Lounge.
It's certainly a pleasant space with greenery adding colour to otherwise dark and muted tones...
... but which is firmly on the smaller side.
Access
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum members flying with a Oneworld airline in any class of service, plus two guests when booked with Qatar Airways or one guest with all other Oneworld airlines
- Other Oneworld Emerald members such as Qantas Platinum, Platinum One and Chairmans Lounge when travelling with Qatar Airways or another Oneworld airline, plus one guest
- First class passengers of any Oneworld airline, plus one guest
- Business class passengers of any Oneworld airline are also welcome, but with no guests unless the traveller also holds Oneworld Emerald status
While we've listed all travellers who can technically access this lounge, business and first class flyers would find better comfort in the expansive Al Mourjan and Al Safwa lounges, respectively, while economy flyers of other Oneworld airlines are pointed to the nearby Oryx Lounge by default.
We should also note that when the lounge is overflowing, some fortunate visitors are redirected to Qatar's stellar Al Mourjan (business class) lounge.
Dining
Meals on offer are closer to a domestic lounge than an international 'first class' lounge with a few mezze bites and chilled sandwiches...
... two rotating soups with breads...
... and muffins and nibbles nearby the coffee machine:
That concludes your meal options, which you can enjoy in the dining room.
As pictured, some construction hoarding is in place while this area is expanded but there's no word on when – or indeed, if – true hot dishes will be served here.
The beverage selection is a little more promising with both still and sparkling water, soft drinks, juice, wine and spirits available...
... pleasingly with true (French) Champagne in the Jacquart Brut Mosaique NV, which retails for around A$70 a bottle.
But on the whole, for a lounge catering to frequent flyers jetting between Australia and Europe we'd expect to find much more than sandwiches and soup greeting the airline's – and the alliance's – highest-tier travellers, no matter which class they're travelling in.
Work
A lack of boarding calls here provides for some peace and quiet for getting things done, with power points hidden under various round discs on the floor...
... or near some of the lamps, including in this central private 'family area'...
... but which could equally be used by colleagues stuck in economy.
As the lounge doesn't offer its own wireless service you'll need to connect to the airport's own WiFi network, which we found delivered slow but usable 1Mbps speeds – but there was nowhere great to plonk a laptop, beyond the few tables in the dining room.
Relax
Kick back with a glass of Champagne as you peer into the terminal for some people watching...
... take a shower before your onward flight or pull up a chair in the high-walled TV zone...
... but which could do with a bigger TV to suit the space and make legible the scrolling bars commonly found on international news channels:
On the whole, for Qantas Platinum/Oneworld Emerald members stuck in economy on long journeys to Europe, Qatar Airways' First Class Lounge just doesn't live up to its name.
Also reviewed: Qatar Airways Al Mourjan lounge, Doha Hamad Airport
Chris Chamberlin travelled to Doha as a guest of Qatar Airways.
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
Qantas - QFF Platinum
20 Mar 2012
Total posts 211
These lounges look they're conceived and built to circumvent the spirit and rules of Oneworld membership.
For comparison, you're QF Plat and flying ex MEL on QF you have access as follows
In Eco - QF First Lounge
In PremEco - QF First Lounge
In Biz - QF First Lounge
In First - QF First Lounge
Now ex Doha and you're QF Plat flying QR
In Eco - QR First Lounge, which is worse than the Biz lounge
In Biz - Al Mourjan Lounge, which is better than QR First Lounge
In First - Al Safwa Lounge, which I assume is their real First lounge and is better than Al Mourjan
Bit of a raw deal if you're used to a proper First lounge, but you can see why they do it.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 May 2014
Total posts 49
Well that's confusing! So I'm a QF WP and flying out of Doha (with QR) in J so I should go to the business class Al Mourjan lounge because it's better than the one reviewed here?
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2424
If you're flying at the pointy end your frequent flyer status isn't relevant in Doha – so yes, you'll have a much better experience in the Al Mourjan lounge.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 May 2011
Total posts 233
Was just there last night.
I agree, Al Mourjan business class lounge eclipses everything else in Doha and pretty much the rest of the world.
Do everything you can to sweet talk your way in to Al Mourjan if you have to and give this lounge a miss.
04 May 2015
Total posts 261
If Qatar is serious about attracting frequent travellers across from the competition then something really needs to be done about these piddly Oneworld lounges in Doha.
I usually fly business class for work but sometimes there are no seats available at the last minute or a client books an economy ticket because their own company has a low budget travel policy, in which case my choice of airline for the trip reflects the lounges I can use with my Qantas Platinum card.
Flying Melbourne to London, why would I give up the Emirates first class lounge in Dubai, the Cathay Wing first class lounge in HK or the MH first class lounge in KL to fly through Doha instead and use this lounge??
Same reason I avoid SQ economy with my Velocity Gold: don't take care of frequent flyers in your hub when connections form a huge part of your business model and I won't fly with you, simple.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 548
I'm sure airlines like singapore wont miss you they seem to be doing just fine without your business!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Aug 2014
Total posts 3
[Deleted per AusBT comment policy: personal remark]
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
Agreed re avoiding SQ.
I'm sure in their minds it makes sense. But I certainly don't see the logic of it. Your Business and First experience can't be that exclusive to warrant segregation.
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
I've said it before and I'll say it again.
Take QR for what it is: A good way to earn mileage/TP/SC at an exponential rate in premium cabins from some markets for a very good price.
i.e. It's a filler for your annual travel target but not a reliable OW carrier in real life situations, which calls for unplanned relatively expensive and/or economy class travel.
BA Gold
01 Apr 2012
Total posts 197
It's not totally different to what BA does at it's LHR T5 home. They have a few 'Club Galleries' Lounges for J class/BA Silver/OW Sapphire travellers. Then they have a massive 'Galleries First Lounge' which whilst pretty good (and definitely better than the QR lounge reviewed here) doesn't actually have any BA First Class punters in there. This lounge is really just used by BA Golds/OW Emeralds not travelling in First. The First Class punters will be in the 'Concord Room' which is the 'real' First Class lounge and only for those with an actual F boarding card.
I've used the Al Mourjan lounge in DOH quite a few times when travelling J on Qatar (they offer some amazing J class deals out of europe). You can kinda see why they have this weird lounge policy in place. Reality is even with just the bona fida J class punters having access the lounge (whilst great) is bursting at the seams during peak times. I guess if you factored in frequent flyers with status travelling in Y it would just be overrun.
Qatar also do the same at LHR. They have their own lounge for J/F class QR passengers. If you are flying Y with QR but hold FF status you are sent to the Skyteam Lounge instead (which is still at least decent).
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
The difference is that the CCR and Galleries First is not materially different with the exception of the quality of booze, as I've been told.
The quality of the QR "First" lounge at DOH makes a mockery of the whole deal.
14 Jun 2013
Total posts 352
Yes, this is very much like BA at Heathrow except that the BA 'first class' proposition for those not actually flying in First is much better than the Qatar lounge. Airlines don't do themselves any favours by branding a lounge as 'first class' when there is actually nothing 'first class' about it.
Anyway it's good to see that AusBT can fly as a guest of an airline but still keep their independence and call a spade a spade!
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
Agreed on the independence point! Good point!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 548
+1
27 May 2016
Total posts 5
I have to agree the review is spot on, if not a little generous. I experienced this inferior Doha QR lounge set up in February this year and was very let down. It is a very poor set up and one of the worst aspects is the smokers room in the middle of the lounge, immediately on entering the lounge you can smell the stench of stale cigarette smoke pervading every part of the lounge. It certainly is not in the spirit of the one world agreements and the other One World alliance members should call out Qatar on their very shabby treatment of high tier members. I am platinum on QF and this is the first place where an airline actively discriminate against economy ticket holders in this way.
The reality is, to be platinum on QF you have to be doing a huge numbe of flights/miles to earn this level. Not just two or three business class flights. The loyalty of high tier members is simply not recognised by this arrangement.
I have already chosen to not fly Qatar again out of Perth or anywhere else for that matter in protest at this shabby and underhanded treatment of Economy Platinum travellers. Emirates have their failings but they have honoured the agreement with QF and provide superior lounges in most places.
Poor form Qatar!
QF
21 Jun 2016
Total posts 3
The QR biz lounge still look better than the QF international terminal lounge at Perth. Should QR not have the right to say QF mistreat their elite flyers?
27 May 2016
Total posts 5
It is true QF have dropped the ball out of Perth with only one narrow body service daily to Singapore (2 on some days) so they clearly will not bother upgrading until they start more services out of Perth - we wait for that one. Anyone on high level QF travelling on EK would go to the Emirates Lounge for a superior experience. One World passengers get an average lounge with QF But you really can't compare the QF Perth International lounge with the so called first lounge in Doha. The food is well yes, ordinary in QF Int'l Perth but it is a far more roomy generous lounge, not a second rate after thought aimed at circumventing the aims and reciprocity of One World. We wait with some scepticism for the Dreamliner non-stop London service. In meantime as average as economy is on EK, they do meet their obligations with very superior lounges all over the world. This makes my long haul business trips bearable.
04 Dec 2013
Total posts 156
Agree withat all this. I'm here right now. Flying at the back of the plane and could have flown any of the ME3 for my current flight. EY would have given me their superb first lounge, EK their presumably acceptable J lounge (not flown with them since I lost WP) but I assumed QR would be fine as a One World Emerald.
04 Dec 2013
Total posts 156
Add to that...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Sep 2018
Total posts 1
Totally agree with this review
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
27 Aug 2014
Total posts 40
Traveled economy with Qatar with a 6 hour connection at Doha, and was offered paid access to "First Class Lounge" @ around $120 pp when I made the booking.
Etihad - Etihad Guest
20 Jun 2019
Total posts 7
Glad I read this before heading there next week... family had 1.5 hour transit at the airport and I was worried about missing out on a fine Lounge experience... might pop my head in for a look, but not so disapointed with the short turn around time now.
19 Aug 2011
Total posts 55
Even though its over three years since you wrote your review there still is nothing “First Class” about the lounge or access as Platinum QF ff.
Flying economy on Qatar you cant get access to the real Business class or First class lounges. Your picture of the bar trolly says it all, looks like an after thought and a great way saving space in what is an already tiny lounge. Food choice is very limited.
You gave them three stars for work, yet there is still no dedicated quiet work area unlike the real business class lounge, one star?
I would suggest you down grade the overall star rating as two is way too generous for what they market as a First Class lounge.
A real disappointment
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Qatar Airways 'First Class' (Oneworld Emerald) Lounge, Doha Hamad Airport