Prologue:

Hello and welcome to the continuation of my QR flight to CAI from 2017.

Back when I took my trip I felt fortunate that I was able to avoid the diplomatic crisis that erupted between some Middle Eastern countries and Qatar which culminated in the suspension of flight service between these countries. Egypt as we all know was one of countries involved and if I had decided to take this trip a week later I would be writing about this trip with another carrier. All my efforts to have my award trip changed from EY to QR would have been in vain. Who would have thought?

Upon entering I stop by the desk to reserve a room to rest. The attendant tells me that the room will be ready in half an hour and invites me to visit the restaurant in the meantime.

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The lobby with its remarkably high ceiling gives a sense of unlimited space and it almost makes the surrounding furniture look "Lilliputian". The centerpiece is the modern fountain with a steady stream coming out of the ceiling.

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The restaurant and WC's are adjacent to the fountain. When i stepped into the WC an attendant greeted me and even turned on the sink for me. He was performing his duty diligently but I find that such effusive style of service to be slightly unnerving. As you can imagine with such vigilant service I did not dare take a pic of the facilities.

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Upon entering the restaurant that first thing that you will notice is the extensive bar. However due to Ramadan alcoholic drinks were not displayed on this occasion. The bar staff greeted me warmly and asked if I desired something to drink. I thanked them but declined the offer.

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The dining area is divided into smaller areas and when I requested a quiet spot I was taken to the far right side at the end which remained blissfully empty during my entire stay. At least 3-4 different staff members waited on me.

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I was presented with a menu with limited choices. Soon an attendant came by to take my order and I had the seafood bisque to start followed by lamb chops and Arabic desserts. A simple three course meal this late at night (or morning). It was around 01:00.

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Seafood bisque - disappointingly flavorless accompanied by "So Jeannie" non alcoholic bubbly.

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Herb crusted lamb chops - delicious and tender although I would have preferred it a bit more "pink" in the center. I enjoyed this dish.

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Arabic desserts - sort of like bread pieces in custard sauce and rice pudding. I don't particularly like rose water as a flavoring for dessert.

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I returned to the service desk and I was informed that my room was ready. I was directed to the Spa area where one of the receptionists there asked for my connecting boarding pass and then showed me to my room.

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Wall with cascading water.

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Art display.

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I was assigned room #12. The room was comfy and had an ensuite WC but the door to the WC would not stay open and it felt a bit stuffy.

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I got a couple of hours of rest and the following morning I explored more areas of the lounge.

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There is a separate Duty Free store located inside the lounge.

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The lounge never became crowded and it truly felt like an oasis of tranquility in the middle of a busy airport. It lived up to another characteristic that every First Class lounge must possess - exclusivity.

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I returned to the restaurant to have something to eat. One of the staff members from the previous visit recognized me and welcomed me back. Again I requested a quiet spot and this time I was taken to the far left side of the lounge. There were some buffet items displayed by the seating area.

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The menu had a limited selection of "a la carte" items. I chose the Eggs Benedicts which was cooked right but the use of turkey bacon instead of pork was perceptible in the overall taste of the dish.

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Breakfast.

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Business Center with individual "offices".

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I still had time to spare so I checked out the "Al Mourjan" Business lounge.

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Reception.

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The entrance is behind the reception wall with the pool and stairs connecting to the restaurant above. I did not venture into this restaurant.

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Seating area at the end of the pool.

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At the opposite end there is a sit down Deli restaurant with some buffet items but I ordered a chicken sandwich. As expected it was busier here than at the Al Safwa F lounge. Right by the restaurant there was a family or game area where a child was having a tantrum crying inconsolably. To the family's credit they left quickly allowing the rest of us to enjoy our meals. Within a few tables from where I was sitting I was able to hear an inquisitive conversation between some patrons and a waiter. The party took a keen interest in finding out where the server was from and he shyly replied that he was from Bangladesh. This was followed by how long he's been in Doha which in my opinion seemed somewhat intrusive. Anyways it's not polite to listen to the conversation of others but it was so loud that I couldn't help to avoid hearing it. I took a bite of the sandwich which was satisfying and then I left. ;)

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I regret not being able to explore the restaurant upstairs but after a light breakfast at the F lounge and a bite of the chicken sandwich in addition to counting on a decent breakfast aboard I just couldn't indulge in more sinful gluttony. Hopefully I will have the chance to pay a visit on a future trip.

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The lounge was expansive with different areas that offered privacy.

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========== Qatar Airways Al Safwa First Class Lounge ==========



Staff Service: 10/10
Entertainment: 10/10
Business Center: 10/10
Food: 9/10
Lounge Design: /10
Spa and Bathroom: /10
Wifi: /10

Summary:

My transfer at DOH was smooth and it seems like a well run and efficient airport with the teddy bear by Swiss artist Urs Fischer as its centerpiece. Supposedly there are 3 versions of it - the other two are private collections.

QR's Al Safwa and Al Mourjan lounges are impressive in their sizes and offerings. My rating above is obviously for Af Safwa since that was my designated lounge and the one in which I spent the most time. The nap rooms are a convenient feature for the weary traveler who has a long connection at DOH and are greatly appreciated. Originally I was booked on EY for my CAI trip but the fact that EY does not have nap rooms in their lounges was one of the reasons that I switched to QR. I can't believe that EY is behind in this area compared to QR and EK.

Catering at the lounge was fine but I think that it could have been better, especially for a F class one. I did not partake in the buffet, but the "a la carte" choices were a bit limited and not all dishes shone. Service however was very good and some staff were truly exemplary in this area making you feel like a welcomed guest.

Aboard QR is a solid airline with great crew that are willing to please. The hard product is excellent with many extras like amenity kits and pajamas that competitors would not offer on flights that are not considered long haul. The cabin configuration tends to vary a lot depending on the aircraft and there are a lot of different ones out there for QR. Hopefully with the introduction of the new Q Suites in J, there will be some consistency in the future.

I like QR's catering with meals that are well presented and varied in choice. In addition I think the wine menu had a great selection to satisfy every taste. The dine on request feature is great and adds a true premium touch to its product. Because of this, I can see more staffing in the front cabins in order to accommodate this but at the same time it tends to create a more "chaotic" feel in the cabin with staff running back and forth.

I enjoyed my experience on QR and hope to repeat it in the future.

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