After a short overnight stay at the JW Marriott Doha City Center, and an Uber transfer to Doha Hamad International Airport, I resume my departure circuit to Bangalore.
As a reminder, here is the itinerary followed:
| # | Type | Review |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diary | Let’s go, let’s go for the adventure… Banga…lore |
| 2 | Lounge | British Airways Galleries First, London Heathrow Terminal 5 (not reported) |
| 3 | Flight | Qatar Airways Business – Qsuite, London Heathrow – Doha Hamad, Boeing 777 |
| 4 | Hotel | JW Marriott Doha City Center |
| 5 | Lounge | Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge, Doha Hamad International |
| 6 | Flight | Qatar Airways Business Class, Doha Hamad International – Bangalore, Boeing 787 |
| 7 | Hotel | The Ritz-Carlton Bangalore |
| 8 | Lounge | Zero Eight Zero Lounge, Bangalore |
| 9 | Flight | Qatar Airways Business – Qsuite, Bangalore – Doha Hamad International, Boeing 777 |
| 10 | Lounge | Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Class, Doha Hamad International |
| 11 | Flight | Qatar Airways Business – Qsuite, Doha Hamad International – London Heathrow, Boeing 777 |
Check-in and ground experience
Having already my boarding pass for Bangalore, I nevertheless go to the check-in counter to get a new one. The process is extremely long, and I will spend almost 10 minutes to get this boarding pass, with all the checks done again.
Once I have received my boarding pass, in a very courteous and professional manner of course, I head for the security checkpoint dedicated to the Business class. I have to pass the passport control first, which will be rather quick. The security check will be quite basic, since liquids and electronic devices can stay in my bag.
Location
At Doha Hamad International, Qatar Airways has a number of lounges. In the Departure area, four lounges are available: The Oryx lounge is for Oneworld Sapphire passengers. The First lounge is for Oneworld Emerald passengers. The “real” lounges are reserved for passengers in the corresponding classes.
The two Al Safwa and Al Mourjan lounges are located on the mezzanine of the terminal. The eligibility check at the lounge is done at the bottom of the escalator, by a flight attendant who checks the boarding passes.
Lounge design
Just like the airport, the lounge is simply beautiful.
First, it benefits from the airport’s very airy architecture, which makes it largely livable with very high ceilings that hug the terminal.
On the other hand, the many relaxation, lounging, or dining areas make it quite difficult not to find a place you like in the lounge.
On the main floor, there are different types of chairs with a different level of privacy.
A first room a little apart allows you to rest, and some seats adapted to rest or sleep are proposed.
A Business Center, with separate cabins and various work spaces, allows you to work without any limits in the lounge, and in complete tranquillity, without disturbing other passengers.
Toilet facilities are located throughout the lounge. They are immaculately clean, with an agent maintaining them on a recurring basis.
I am quite impressed with the cleanliness and design of the lounge, which at this point makes it one of my favorite lounges in the world.
Catering
A first light catering area is located on the first floor. No hot food in this area, but a snack menu.
On the mezzanine is the main dining area, with both buffet and table service. The service is excellent, and I will settle down for a light snack before my flight to Bangalore. The offer will be excellent.
Small coffee and soft drink stations are located throughout the lounge.
Bottom line
An excellent lounge, in which I have enjoyed staying for three hours before my flight to Bangalore. It won’t be the same on the return trip…
