qatar airways qsuite review

Qatar Airways Business Class Qsuite Review

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Premium champagne on arrival, personalised greetings, luxury Italian amenities, magical double beds and tailored customer service: welcome on board to your Qatar Airways Qsuite. To say this was the best flight and service I experienced while up in the air would be an understatement. The Qsuite experience on Qatar Airways left me simply speechless. Not only they gained one new privilege member, but also one loyal customer as so far, Qatar has been my favourite airline on the economy class, business class and business class Qsuites.

The QSuites only appear on a select number of routes and aircrafts. You’ll find Qatar’s award-winning QSuite business class on flights to and from the following destinations:

Asia-Pacific

  • Bangkok (Flight no: QR 830/831)
  • Bengaluru (Flight no: QR 572/573)
  • Canberra (Flight no: QR 906/907)
  • Colombo (Flight no: QR 668/669)
  • Hong Kong (Flight no: QR 816/815, QR 818/817)
  • Maldives (Flight no: QR 672/673, QR 674/675)
  • Mumbai (Flight no: QR 556/557)
  • Shanghai (Flight no: QR 870/871)
  • Sydney (Flight no: QR 906/907)
  • Singapore (Flight no: QR 944/945)

Europe

  • Amsterdam (Flight no: QR 273, 274)
  • Berlin (Flight no: QR 77/78, QR 81/82)
  • Frankfurt (Flight no: QR 67/68, QR 69/70)
  • London (Flight no: QR 1/2, QR 5/6, QR 7/8, QR 15/16)
  • Paris (Flight no: QR 37/38)
  • Stockholm (Flight no: QR 171/172)
  • Zurich (Flight no: QR 95/96)
  • Munich (Flight no: QR 57/58, QR 59/60)

Middle East

  • Kuwait 
  • Muscat
  • Beirut

The Americas

  • Chicago (Flight no: QR 725/726)
  • Houston (Flight no: QR 713/714)
  • New York (Flight no: QR 701/702)
  • Washington (Flight no: QR 707/708)

I was travelling to Maldives with my family and our flight had a 14 hour layover in Doha. Given that included in the Business Class price we had lounge access, a premium hotel room for the duration of the layover and free visas in Doha, we were actually embracing the lengthy trip. This was my first time experiencing the Qsuites so I didn’t quite know what to expect. I had heard that they are pretty great, but didn’t ever think my experience will be more enriched than the normal business class I have experienced before. Turns out, the Qsuites feel more like a First Class experience at Business Class prices. Hard to say no, considering the level of comfort and privacy I enjoyed up in the air. All the posts related to my stay at Maldives, can be found here!

When we landed in Doha, there was a special shuttle waiting for business class passengers. The shuttle had fluffy armchairs instead of normal bus seats, a rather nice surprise which we don’t get in many other airports. All business and Qsuites passengers and had a dedicated fast track lane which was a breeze. The moment we showed our passports and boarding passes, the staff told us we have a private driver waiting to take us to our luxury 5-star hotel, where we can spend the night in comfort. They also offered all Qsuites flyers QAR175 per person as a meal allowance in our hotel.

Our driver was waiting for us to take us to Oryx Rotana Hotel. Oryx Rotana is a 5-star hotel with classic rooms, deluxe rooms and 12 luxury suites. Business and Qsuite’s travellers will appreciate our state-of-the-art Business Centre and 11 modern meeting and conference facilities. You’ll have the exclusive Jazz Club with live entertainment six nights a week; The Cellar offering Mediterranean tapas; Al Nafourah Garden with its incredible authentic Arabic menu, alfresco dining and hubbly bubbly; and the stunning Sky Lounge with high glass conservatory-style ceilings.

Once we arrived at the hotel, we were put in one of the Deluxe King rooms with complimentary amenities and water upon arrival. We phone the reception to ask for a few extra amenities which arrived quickly and efficiently to our door. We slept incredibly well for around 8 hours which was definitely much better than spending the time in the airport. We used our meal allowance for breakfast which was a vast buffet with everything you can possibly imagine: from a variety of bread, trough traditional food, fruits, spreads, cuts and cheeses. Of course, unlimited tea, coffee and water. Once we finished our breakfast we made our way to the pool area to chill a bit and pass some time, before making our way to the lounge where there were macaroons and chocolate fountains available for those with a sweet tooth. Qsuite’s Business Class passengers do not have to rely on the shuttle buses which leave for the airport every 30-60 minutes, but they can request a private transfer in a luxury car. We left around three hours prior to our flight as we wanted to have the grand experience in the Al Mourjan Business Lounge.

Can an airport lounge be epic? Apparently, Yes.

When travellers think of airport lounges, they expect slightly airless spaces with those awful ceiling tiles and some fleather (that’s fake leather) bound furniture. They certainly don’t expect a multi level venue which could practically hold an Olympic swimming event. And yes, there is a water feature too.  In the most positive way possible, the Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Lounge is daunting.

This is a lounge where you may need someone to draw a map, and you likely need to schedule your activities the way you would a day of sightseeing in Doha. Otherwise, you just may run out of time.

Your frequent flyer card won’t get you in here. There’s a separate business class lounge for that. The Al Mourjan Lounge is exclusively offered to business or first class passengers departing on Qatar Airways or any other Oneworld Airline. If you’re traveling in first class, use the Al Safwa lounge instead.

The Al Mourjan business class lounge is up an escalator near duty free in the central bit of Doha Hamad International Airport. Your first tip of the day is to get your boarding pass ready, because a friendly agent will want to scan it before you ride the escalator up to the main lounge concourse. Once you’re inside the first round of crucial decisions must begin. If you turn left, you’ll stay on the same level and can find quiet rooms, shower rooms and an a la carte eating area and bar. If you turn right, you can find places to sit in peace and quiet, or go up the stairs to find the most substantial buffet  and bar in the space. If you need a smoke, walk straight, and pass the impressive water fixture. The next big tip about the Al Mourjan lounge is that it’s either absolutely dead quiet, or rammed with guests. If you are in need of a shower or are looking to reserve one of the quiet areas known as the family rooms downstairs, you may want to turn left upon entry first, so that you can get on a waiting list.

If not in search of shower or sleep, the most sociable space in the lounge is a right turn upon entry and then either up the spiralled staircase, or the handy elevator. On the second floor, you’ll find an extensive buffet with both continental and international food options, as well as enough dessert to feed an army. Shout-out to the baklava, it’s great. So, what to eat – or drink? If you enjoy a bit of spice, the Biryani style dishes are always perfect, and not too saucy on the stomach before a flight. There’s generally also a great selection of vegetarian options, including Arabic mezze and things like a French style grilled chicken breast.  The soup is always solid as well.

For beverages, you’ve got a variety of choices between rose or Brut Champagne, red wine, white wine and actually a seriously impressive mojito operation. As to the actual champagne brands in the Qatar Airways Al Mourjan lounge, it varies between Drappier, Lanson Rose, Pommery or something similar. I’ve had some of the better mojitos in my days in the lounge as well, likely on account of the access to excellent mint, lemon and limes. We had a member of staff asking us for our drinks order. They had cocktails on demand and special summer cocktails for those more adventurous.

The seating areas scattered around this upstairs area can actually be quite comfortable, so I’ve been one to camp out up there rather than explore areas elsewhere. If you do get bored, or entirely too full, my absolute favourite space are the quiet “family” rooms. They’re hard to access solo, but if you have a travel partner or a group they’re fantastic. In a way, you can somewhat just rock up and claim an empty space that no one is sitting in. I’ve done it, it works. The proper way to gain access to one of these rooms however is to ask any nearby lounge attendant if they’re available.  The rooms look like the following:

The spaces are ideal for a quick nap, or just unwinding without eyeballs around you. On that subject, it’s important to remember that Qatar does not announce flight departures in the lounge, and some flights depart from gates almost 15 minutes away, so make sure you set an alarm. While there are plenty of other areas, such as the smokers lounge, business centre and prayer rooms, these spots will give you everything you need to rest up, eat up and refresh yourself with a shower before an onward flight.

There is no doubt that the Hamad International Airport was created with the business passenger in mind. We had our own fast track lanes everywhere. Naturally, business and Qsuites passengers were the first to board the plane. Every row had a dedicated flight attendant who personally came to say hello, introduced themselves and welcome us on board. They also offered us a choice of champagne on arrival.Alternatively, you can ask for a glass of Pommery or non-alcoholic drinks. Qatar’s signature drink is a glass of mint lemonade served with a warm towel.

Each seat has its own private suite– the first of it’s kind for a business class offering! If you’re traveling with someone, book the two middle suites, and you can convert them into a double bed suite. Apart from the superb comfort and incredible double bed suite, what’s unique to Qsuite is the “quad” arrangement of the seats, pairing rear and forward-facing centre seats so they can create a fun space for friends or business colleagues travelling together. For solo travellers, there are single suites located next to the window on both sides of the airplane. The toilets have amenities for business travellers including toothbrushes and razors. The cabin crew made sure the toilets are spotless at all times. There were hand gels, body mist and body lotion from Rituals available in all business toilets.

The seat itself was huge and incredibly comfortable. The seat lies flat and in the rear-facing seats, you can transform it into a double bed for you and your loved one. The seat comes with a hand rest on the side which can be adjusted to your specific height and requirements. It has a nice reading light with adjustable intensity, a storage compartment for small items and a dedicated space for the shoes. There are a few buttons you can use to adjust your seat in the most comfortable position. You can sit up, lie down or be in a lounging position. You have very sturdy seat belts which padding around them, so they won’t be disturbing your sleep at any point. The coolest feature? The seat comes with a massage feature for your back, so when the travel gets a bit too much, simply press a button, sit back and relax!

We also received a luxury amenity kit in a pouch from Brics, the premium Italian bag makers. A nice thought was that all men received a green bag with green amenities, including a sleeping mask and socks. Ladies received a red bag with all red amenities. Both bags contained a luxury lip balm, lotion and face mist for added comfort. 

We also got a pair of noise-cancelling headphones and a bottle of water from Evian. Of course, everything is on-demand so if you wish to drink anything else, you can always just call the flight attendant and ask.

We received two pillows and one large cover. For the first time ever, I was not cold in an airplane. The cover was incredibly comfortable and thick. The pillows were great too, one for my head and one for my back. The flight attendants come around and pass out White Company pajamas (if you’re flying at night) and slippers.

The in-flight entertainment is perhaps the only thing that was a bit of a letdown. Much to our surprise, the movie selection was not great. We found some things to watch but nowhere near as many options as what we had in Emirates or Turkish Airlines.

The screen was huge though, so watching something from our Qsuite was like being in our own private cinema, up in the air. However, even though we struggled to find great movies, we did have access to the internet, which meant we could catch up with work or find our own entertainment online. We had access to one free hour of internet. However, for just 10 USD we got access to the internet for the whole duration of the flight. That’s a bargain considering we could work up in the air.

The menu is on-demand so you can get served food whenever you want. You can order the food at a specific hour or just call the flight attendant for your meal. You can pick anything and everything from the menu.

There is an extensive beverage menu, which is too, on demand. You can have free-flowing champagne for the whole duration of your flight if that’s your thing. There are non-alcoholic beverages on the menu, including soft drinks, juice cocktails, sparkling drinks, tea and coffee.

It’s nice to be served food in real plates with real cutlery for a change. Everything looks premium. You do get a restaurant dining experience up in the air, which is, pretty great. Again, being in a Qsuite, you can simply close the door and enjoy your dinner in your own privacy.

Ok, not everything was perfect, however. We asked for vegetarian meals in advance. Unlike the on-demand menu, we had a set option which was not great. It wasn’t bad, but not as great as what there was available on the normal menu. My uncle didn’t have his vegetarian option registered in the system for some reason, so he got to pick from the on-demand menu. The issue? Prefered food already ran out, so he kinda had to deal with secondary leftover choices. Although we didn’t expect unlimited food on the plane, for the price of the ticket we expected at least to have ALL options available for ALL business passengers.

In conclusion, the Qatar QSuites have an unbeatable WOW factor. With an endless amount of entertainment, luxurious bedding and amenities and plenty of privacy. If you’re looking to burn some miles, I highly recommend splurging on the QSuites! It’s an incredible experience, and you can’t go wrong with an award-winning airline like Qatar! 

Want to book a flight with Qatar? Follow this link to see their latest prices and offers. As a tip, make sure you add a few days in Doha, to really experience the city and the hospitality.

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Until next time, be jealous friends. Be jealous.

Udeety


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