Upon first glance, Qatar Airways’ Al Mourjan Business Lounge at Hamad International Airport in Doha looks as much like an art gallery as it does a lounge.
For one, at 2.5 acres, it is vast. The high ceilings make it look even more spacious, as does its low guest count. Secondly, it is seriously beautiful, and on several levels.
As I enter the lounge, a large chrome sculpture and massive body of water set the tone for the aesthetic to come.
The water feature is a masterpiece in architecture, and not just for the eyes, with the sound of the occasional drop of water from a lowered ceiling echoing beyond its edges.
Elsewhere, there are stunning green spaces, artwork, traditional calligraphy, and furniture and fittings that look like they’ve come straight out of an uber-cool design magazine. Even the armchairs and partitions that divide them are gorgeous.
Take your pick
Like many large lounges, there are multiple zones and styles. In the main area, a raised floor boasts a blend of open and more private spaces. Either side of this is a mix of contemporary and traditional armchairs and settings, with comfort as the common thread. There’s no shortage of seats either.
Meanwhile, there are quiet rooms for sleeping and family areas with sofas, widescreen TVs, video games and a nursery.
For those looking to get a little work done, there’s also a large, separated business zone, with its own food and drinks area, workstations and meeting rooms.
To freshen up for the flight ahead, the bathrooms in Al Mourjan are excellent. I love the easy-to-use showers, the oversized shower recess and Diptyque amenities (which I’m later told by my partner are highly regarded).
Award-winning dining
Qatar Airways took out the award for Best Business Class Lounge Dining (and Best Business Class Lounge in the Middle East) at this year’s World Airline Awards, so it has a lot to live up to. And it mostly does.
Throughout the massive lounge, there are numerous self-service snack stations offering Middle Eastern treats like hummus, baba ganoush, dates and baklava, and drink stations that offer a wide range of hot and cold beverages including Billecart-Salmon champagne, and American and Aussie wines like Josef Chromy pinot noir and Rockbare shiraz.
One of two main food offerings, a large cafe-style eatery on the entrance level serves sandwiches, soups and other light bites on marble-top high tables or at more conventional seating. The lentil and coriander soup and panna cotta are especially good here.
But bigger things await … like the continental and oriental brasserie on the mezzanine level.
Even more food
Up a sweeping staircase that winds its way around an enormous chandelier, the lounge’s main restaurant features an extensive buffet comprising sushi, salads, pasta and warm Indian dishes like the delicious mushroom mutter masala served with cardamom and cinnamon pulao.
If all of that’s not enough, there’s an a-la-carte menu featuring gourmet sandwiches and salads, and hot meals – think pan-grilled salmon, chicken kabsa or vegan spinach and tofu tortellini for lunch and dinner, and eggs Benedict or eggs Royale for breakfast.
At the cocktail bar upstairs, guests can order premium beverages like Taittinger Rose Champagne and Dimple Deluxe 15yo whiskey, or mocktails like the mint citrus breezer and honeyed apple cooler. There’s even “luxury non-alcoholic bubbly” called So Jennie. Otherwise, you can’t go wrong with the lemon and mint juice, a super refreshing Middle Eastern speciality of which I order two. But you probably can’t go wrong anywhere in this lounge.
The details:
- Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge Hamad International Airport
- Location? Main Terminal
- Hours? Open 24 hours
- Size? 10,117 square metres
- Access? Qatar Airways First Class and Business Class (Elite, Comfort & Classic) and oneworld First Class and Business Class passengers have free access to the lounge. Business Class (Lite) and Economy Class passengers can also buy lounge passes.
Read our review of Qatar Airways’ Business Class from Sydney to Doha.