Qatar Al Mourjan Business Lounge- South

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Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

  • Gin&Tonic
    Participant

    Having passed through Doha and the Al Mourjan Business Lounge- South, it seems QR are a victim of its own success. I’m a big fan of QR Business and the facilities at Doha. Like many passengers I often transit late night/early morning and would often take a meal in the lounge prior to my next flight to maximise my sleep. This week however the lounge dining area was so busy you had to give your name and wait for entry.
    It occurred to me there are so many single travellers such as myself occupying a table, but also if you only want a light snack then maybe QR should consider putting some simple finger food selections on the main floor of the lounge.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    AndrewinHK
    Participant

    I will be transiting in Doha next week, hopefully it’s not the same as your experience!


    Nick Pike
    Participant

    I’ve always thought that the Al Mourjan lounge is very overrated. Yes, it’s a stunning design, but the layout includes a water feature which requires you to walk all the way round the lounge to get to the loos; there aren’t anything like enough loos so queuing is regular; the seats are not comfortable and impossible to doze in; the snack selection is poor.

    I understand that the is a second, and brand new lounge opening for Qatar business passengers- is that open yet?


    cwoodward
    Participant

    The Cathay Wing first used to have a rather nice stream like water feature but the refugees from the Champagne Bar keep falling in it thus it was quickly drained as were of course the bottles of Champagne.
    It has potted plants in it now – the dry stream that is.

    New Cathay lounges in HKG are coming I understand.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    DoorsToManual
    Participant

    There is a new Qatar Lounge called the Garden located in the new wing at the end of the C Gates. It’s huge and well appointed. As of Jun 1st 2023 the Spa and Gym were not yet open. It has a Louis Vuitton cafe in the Lounge (payable for food and drink) as well as a fully serviced complimentary Restaurant. Well worth a visit.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    The Al Mourjan lounge can get very busy and whilst most travellers accept a 5 – 10 minute wait to climb the stairs, there are always the few that just jump into the lift by the stairs and try to bypass the queues.

    Nick Pike’s observation about circumnavigating the ‘lake’ to get to the loos, should also include the showers, where there are simply not enough to cope at peak times. Whilst I was waiting in line for a shower, chatting to a fellow traveller the shower attendant asked whether we wanted to share a shower!!!!

    IMHO the food offering is one of the best Business Class lounge offerings I have experienced (admittedly, I have never flown Emirates) and does put a lot of European Business class lounges to shame. As cwoodward I am sure will agree, the Al Mourjan Business class lounge, is certainly en par with the Cathay First lounges in HKG.

    Agreed, a victim of its own success.


    Gareth
    Participant

    I’ve been through airside 3 times and arrivals once in the last 3 weeks and all the lounges have been pretty empty, whether its been 4 am or 4pm.


    fsav81
    Participant

    I agree with the comments about the Al Mourjan lounge being a bit style over substance. Feels like a lot of space with not much in the way of practical facilities. The food at the restaurant is very good, but I also encountered a busy period recently on my way between Australia and London…and when you’ve been flying for 14 hours, with another 7 hours ahead of you, the last thing you want is to be waiting for a table to eat something. I also had to wait for a shower. They could do so much more with all that space that would serve the practical needs of travellers, sure the water feature and chandelier is spectacular, but I don’t really care when all I want is a shower and some food and drink while I await my next flight. I find the Emirates lounge at Dubai far more practical and satisfying, if less visually remarkable.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    cwoodward
    Participant

    To be perfectly honest I don’t want to poke around any lounge in the early hours of the morning and why so many do is frankly a little beyond me unless it is the garish subsidised ‘comfort’ of both aircraft and lounges of the sandpit airlines.

    The dessert airports were sold – in to the general public because they offered a lot of bang for your bucks and the established airlines were very slow (perhaps too late) to realise the dangers that they posed to their businesses and future growth

    The cheap fuel ( some would argue free) and soft loans will not last forever and I see that many of the frills have disappeared.
    These airlines were assisted by the pandemic as funding was never a problem and they were able to pile on capacity and new ports of call.

    Subsidy’s are not a solid way to build any business (short term assistance yes) as they always end.

    The strong Asian airlines have, after a slow start responded well, held there ground and are poised for good growth. Some not Asian based have not and are still to realise that someone is eating their dinner and will possibly never recover

    Some experienced frequent travellers are starting to move back to the more civilised comforts and timings of the longer established airlines but the less frequent and leisure travellers ‘more bang for your bucks’ brigade are still providing (perhaps short term growth)

    I do from time to time travel on the ‘sandpit’ airlines but now try to avoid due to ME uncivilised stopover timings and frankly because I can chose and don’t like the ethos or the atmosphere, décor or robotic service of the lounges or aircraft.

    Mr Sinclair the above should answer your question re lounges and I would only add that I have seldom had any problem with the food being offered in ether place.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    Setting aside why passengers travel through Doha, I certainly wish the Al Mourjan business class lounge was replicated in Europe (bearing in mind it is a business class, not F lounge). I do enjoy a good layover lounge experience, hence why I can get to the Pier or Wing 4 hours before a flight to set up computer and work in wonderful surroundings. Whilst I have enjoyed LH, F in Munich, I would love a long layover in Paris or Doha to experience what I understand is an amazing F class lounge experience with Air France and Qatar.

    As far as longhaul civilised flight timings are concerned – do they really exit ? 🙂 – more of a personal choice…


    cwoodward
    Participant

    I am wondering why anyone would find my post inappropriate on an open travel forum . Most certainly many may disagree with my thoughts but inappropriate I believe not.
    Perhaps the thin skinned perpetrator would summon up the guts to explain -no probably not.

    1 user thanked author for this post.
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