The Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge in Doha is over 100,000 square feet (10,000 square meters), making it one of the largest international business class lounges. If you're flying Qatar Business Class and transiting Doha, chances are you'll spend some time in the lounge, so this review, photos, and upcoming video will give you a sense of what to expect.
Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge Location, Hours and Access
Qatar's Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which is a good thing given the many Qatar Airways flights that depart late evening or very early morning. The lounge is located on Level 3 airside in Doha's Hamad International Airport. If you're facing the big bear, go to the left to the escalator, where your boarding pass will be checked before you're permitted to take it up to the lounge.
Access to the Al Mourjan Business Lounge is complimentary for Qatar and oneworld Business Class and First Class passengers (First Class passengers have their own dedicated lounge) and Qatar Airways economy passengers booked with paid tickets directly with Qatar Airways (not codeshare oneworld flights and not award flights) may pay QAR 450 (~USD $125) per person to access the lounge.
The visual map of the lounge is a bit hard to read, since it's on a transparent background:
Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge Amenities
Qatar promotes the lounge as being similar to a 5-star resort, and certainly its size and some of the finishings echo this, although other aspects (there's no pool or fitness center, and the dining offering is sub-par, see below) don't live up to these claims. There are many seating areas, including some with more flair than is typically seen in business class lounges, such as these bright blue chairs.
Similarly shaped maroon chairs are in their own nooks, with a wild bramble theme pervading.
A big plus in my book is the quiet room, reached through these automatic doors with the orchids behind them. This is also where the shower rooms are located.
There are several cubicles here, with no door, so not individual rooms, but apart from that each is quite private, with a large couch that you could nap on, and a large TV screen.
The shower rooms are clean and new looking, with a sink, toilet, and shower with Rituals bath products.
The women's bathroom was also clean and well stocked with towels:
While I didn't explore them, there's also a family room and prayer room.
Dining areas include the large gourmet deli on the ground floor to the left after you enter, which during our early morning visit had breakfast items.
On the right after you enter is a water feature, with small sprays of water jumping and providing some visual interest.
Next to it is a curved staircase that leads up to a bar and additional buffets, with additional hot offerings that aren't available downstairs.
Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge Food and Drink
While this visit was in the early morning, for breakfast, I've passed through the lounge briefly on another occasion around dinner time, and have never been impressed with the food in Qatar's Al Mourjan Lounge. The gourmet deli was serving breakfast sandwiches made to order, from the following menu:
And here were a couple of the sandwiches–nothing special, and iceberg lettuce for the small salad garnish.
Other breakfast buffet items included croissants and rolls, which needed replenishment:
Cold items included hummus, labneh (similar to Greek yogurt), fruit cups, and rather mediocre yogurt and bircher muesli:
Upstairs, there were sliced cheeses, tomatoes, and cold cuts:
Hot dishes weren't all that appetizing either; there were mushroom omelets that were a bit rubbery, and a sausage vegetable stew:
The bar at least seemed well stocked, and there was a cocktail of the month, but it was far too early for me to want to try it:
The Verdict
I was certainly impressed with how large the Qatar Al Mourjan Business Lounge was, with its many seating and dining areas, although the size also makes sense given that Doha is Qatar's hub, and most all premium passengers are business class passengers, as Qatar only has a few flights that offer first class. I found most of the design elements very tasteful, although it was a bit oppressive to have so little natural light in the lounge.
I especially appreciated the clean and well appointed multiple shower rooms (there was no wait for one during my visit) and also the quiet area, with several relaxation cubicles where you could take a nap on the couch. These aren't separate rooms, which you generally only see in a few first class lounges such as the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt, but even the nap cubicles are a much needed (and rarely provided) option in business class lounges.
The food, however, wasn't anything approaching the “5-star hotel” description that Qatar Airways attaches to the business class lounge. None of it was that appetizing to me, and several areas were picked over and in need of restocking.
If you've recently visited the Qatar Business Class Lounge in Doha, what was your experience?
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