I spent 9 hours in Qatar Airways' newest airport lounge. It had perks, but the quiet rooms felt like a dentist's office. (2024)

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Our flight landed just before midnight, and the airport was packed with travelers.

Passengers flying first and business class on Qatar Airways, or any other Oneworld carrier, have complimentary access to the lounge. Passengers with lower-tier tickets can purchase access at the entrance.

I was worried about how busy the lounge would feel, but upon entering, I found a tranquil atmosphere.

The lounge's layout was in the shape of a U and overlooked The Orchard, the airport's lush indoor tropical garden.

One side of the lounge offered full-service and buffet-dining options, including a sushi and salad station. The other side had a coffee bar, beverage station, and various seating areas.

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The lounge had various spaces for travelers to wait comfortably.

The lounge could fit 707 passengers at nearly 8,000 square feet.

There were various seating arrangements, and I saw family rooms, showers, a smoking room, a game room, a prayer room, a gym, a spa, quiet rooms, and private meeting rooms.

Some lounge amenities, like spa treatments, cost extra.

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I was eager to book and visit one of the lounge's quiet rooms.

To get to the quiet rooms, I stopped at the area's dedicated front desk.

The rooms are first come, first served, and the free bookings last six hours.

The airline describes these spaces as designed for napping, resting, and reading. When I visited, there were 18 single rooms and six double rooms. Since it was the middle of the night when I arrived, they were all full.

I waited nearby so my travel partner and I would be first in line. Thankfully, two adjacent single rooms became available after only 15 minutes.

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The rooms felt like they were set up for resting — not for deep sleeping.

I was hoping the room would have a cot or even a basic mattress I could lie on. But there was only a thin chair in a fixed reclining position. A blanket was provided — but no pillow.

I would say that nothing in the room aside from that thick, soft blanket could be described as cozy.

The chair and environment made me feel like I was in a dentist's office —but at least one where I could turn the lights off and no one was pulling teeth.

I ended up in a single room but had the opportunity to view the double. It was essentially the same, except the space was larger, and there were two chairs instead of one.

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I found basic amenities in the room.

Visitors weren't allowed to eat in the rooms, but the space had a small refrigerator and complimentary bottled water.

The quiet area didn't have any restrooms or showers, which could only be accessed in the main lounge.

The quiet rooms didn't feel super secure because the sliding doors to get in didn't appear to have locks, but nappers also had the option to store their luggage at a separate secure counter if they were worried.

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I struggled to get comfortable but eventually fell asleep.

Because the chair was immovable and designed with a curve, sleeping on my side didn't feel possible.

As a side sleeper, I eventually ended up moving to the floor to get more comfortable. I folded the blanket up several times to lie on it and used my backpack as a pillow.

I could hear some noises outside my room, but to be fair, the room is billed as "quiet" — not "silent."

My room was next to a staff door that I heard opening several times an hour, and the airport-intercom recordings were faint but consistent. I didn't hear any conversations, phone alerts, or other more annoying sounds.

Earplugs were also provided to alleviate the noise.

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I later enjoyed other amenities at the lounge, including breakfast.

After about four hours of somewhat unsatisfactory snoozing, I freshened up and rejoined the main area of the lounge.

As the sun began to rise, the light streamed through the massive lounge windows and illuminated the space.

I sat at one of the few open tables in the restaurant section and had avocado toast with poached eggs and mimosas for breakfast.

The service in the lounge was excellent, and I loved all the natural light.

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The quiet rooms weren't the best for sleeping, but they were better than the lounge area.

The quiet room is a fine place to relax for six hours during a layover in Doha, but I'd tell other visitors not to expect the most comfortable rest of their lives.

The chair in the room wasn't nearly as comfortable as the lie-flat seats in Qatar Airways' epic business class, where the seat was adjustable and the crew could provide a mattress pad and pillow.

Next time, I'd rather sleep more on the plane and take the extra time to enjoy the lounge's other wonderful amenities.