Qatar Airways is known for its relatively unconventional approach to airport lounge access. Rather than combining status holders and pointy-end flyers inside shared spaces, the airline offers separate lounges for each. At Qatar’s Doha hub, a Business Class ticket gets you into Qatar’s newest high-end lounge: Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden.
Complete with a restaurant, water features, games room, spa, and views of the indoor greenery, The Garden lives up to its name. The space also gets a good supply of natural light, even though there are no outside-facing windows. That’s thanks to the central glass atrium, under which, that indoor garden resides.
As one of two dedicated lounges for Business Class passengers of Qatar Airways and oneworld here in Doha, here’s a look at what you can expect when flying through.
American Express Velocity Platinum
Location and layout
Doha’s Hamad International Airport is huge – so even if you qualify for Business Class lounge access, your best bet is to use the lounge closest to your gate. With that in mind, you’ll find Qatar Airways’ Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden in the ‘Northern’ part of the terminal. That’s conveniently close to the departure gate for both Paris and Melbourne. That’s the case on the days I pass through, anyway.
In an unexpected nod to aviation history, the space can accommodate exactly 707 passengers. It’s a long, thin and largely L-shaped lounge, which allows it to wrap around The Orchard from end to end. High ceilings create a great sense of space.
You’ll enter around the middle of the lounge. The main dining space is to the right, which makes this end much busier. If you’re after a quiet spot to work or relax, venture left instead. I quite like the open pods by the railing. These provide peace and quiet while taking in those Orchard views.
Food and beverage in the Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Lounge – The Garden, Doha
There’s a broad range of food on offer in the Al Mourjan lounges, including in The Garden. Champagne, wine and other alcohol can be enjoyed 24/7 – reflecting that the lounge’s many guests will be on different time zones. Today’s morning visit finds a well-stocked buffet spread of hot options and chilled bites.
I assemble a small tasting plate to try various things, and I’m not disappointed. But I’ve saved my appetite for the à la carte service. After a few days of sampling local favourites and Middle Eastern signatures, a simple Eggs Benedict with (turkey) bacon hits the spot. The barista-made latte is also up to scratch.
Having said that, there’s a bit of a queue to access the dining area. Given the size of this lounge, that shouldn’t have been the case as there’d be more than enough room to include enough tables for all. Staff offer juices to guests waiting in line. Hopefully none had tight connections.
Amenities
Over and above the expected shower facilities, the Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden has a few extra features up its sleeve. There’s a games room with a pool table and foosball, along with a fitness centre. If I knew this were here, I’d have packed my gym gear and snuck in some cardio. Next time.
For a spot of relaxation, there are also seven spa treatment rooms. But in this lounge, charges apply. Large groups can also request use of the private dining room, for a secluded space.
The lounge doesn’t have its own dedicated Wi-Fi network, as the airport-wide Wi-Fi is zippy enough. I test the speeds throughout the visit and measure downloads between 45 and 79Mbps. Upload speeds are even faster, ranging between 95Mbps and 175Mbps – perfect for backing up all your travel photos to a cloud drive.
Accessing the Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Lounge – The Garden in Doha
Qatar Airways has always kept the guest list tight for the main Al Mourjan Lounge, and this extends to The Garden as well. Here’s who makes the cut.
- First Class passengers of Qatar Airways and oneworld. (But, if you have the time, go to Al Safwa instead for the best experience).
- Qatar Airways Business Class passengers, except when travelling on a Business Lite fare or certain upgraded tickets. For clarity, you’ll need to be booked on an Elite, Comfort or Classic paid fare, or be travelling on an outright Business Class reward seat. This includes Qatar Airways Business Class reward seats booked through partner programs like Velocity.
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum members are exempted from those fare intricacies and can access the lounge if booked on an otherwise-ineligible Qatar Airways Business Lite fare. But there’s no access when flying Economy.
- Business Class travellers on Virgin Australia’s ‘wet lease’ flights operated by Qatar Airways, as well as Business Class passengers departing on oneworld Alliance airlines.
The Al Mourjan Lounge – The Garden is designed to offer a more premium experience than in Qatar’s Silver, Gold and Platinum lounges. So even if you have top-tier Platinum or oneworld Emerald status, if you qualify for Al Mourjan, go to Al Mourjan.
Keen to experience this lounge but don’t make the cut? You may be able to pre-purchase access for 450 QAR (around A$186) via the ‘manage my booking’ section of the Qatar Airways website. Alternatively, there’s the option to pay 500 QAR (about AU$207) at the door.
The verdict
Qatar Airways’ Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden offers a comfortable space to await your flight. It’s the kind of lounge where a few hours would be enough time. You have a meal, kick back for a while, and you’re ready to continue to your next destination. If you’re particularly motivated, the gym and showers are also ready and waiting.
While there was a small queue for the main à la carte section, most Business-level lounges only offer buffet dining. Even at busy times, that remains a quick and easy option for a bite. But if you have the chance, make use of the made-to-order selections for something prepared to your liking.
Separately, there’s a Louis Vuitton Lounge nestled within this space. But as it’s a separate offering with differing access requirements and inclusions, we haven’t covered it here.
All photography by Chris Chamberlin, who travelled to Paris as a guest of Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways.
Also reviewed: Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge, Doha
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