Review Al Maha lounge at Doha airport: "rather than nothing"

Doha Airport was recently awarded the title of best airport in the world. Title certainly deserved, although not all travelers are of the same opinion, especially when comparing with Singapore Changi, which has now ended up on the second step of the podium.

Among the shortcomings of the Emirates airport is definitely the poor supply of independent lounges, a situation in stark contrast to what is available to passengers traveling aboard Qatar, the home carrier, and oneworld carriers.

Location

There are two lounges one in the southern, historic area of Doha Airport and one in the new northern area near the recent Orchard extension. In this review I discuss the first and historic Al Maha South which Of the two, it is also the more beautiful.

Al Maha South is located within walking distance of the "tender" teddy bear symbol of this airport. Looking at the iconic taddy bear, you have to go up the escalator to the left of the yellow puppet, which I remind you is not fluffy at all since it is made of concrete.

The photo above I took prprio from the escalator leading toward the lounge entrance.

Access

The lounge is available to a very high number of users. It has agreements with several carriers that operate at this airport and cannot use Qatar lounges, and then it has agreements with all the major networks such as Priority pass, Loungekey, and many others.

Needless to say, it is often crowded and, for those entering with a Piority pass, there is a strict adherence to a maximum stay of 4 hours.

The lounge

Surely it is great, but then one would have to discuss how the spaces are actually used. Let's say that the impression is that many more passengers could be accommodated, but that there is a desire to maintain a social distancing similar to that of QR lounges.

They are two large open spaces, furnished very similarly and sharing a common feature is the flowered wall to the glass window overlooking the terminal and duty free.

It doesn't offer much except precisely seats and armchairs and a buffet area.

On the opposite side there is in addition to an area generally less crowded even a darker small room, although the presence of TVs reduces the possibility of completely isolating oneself from everyone.

Amenities-wise if you exclude a locker area and bathrooms it only offers a family area, but there is nothing special inside.

Food & Beverage

I have visited this lounge several times, out of curiosity not out of necessity since if I fly to Doha I do so aboard Qatar and therefore because of the status I have better lounges to go to. The buffet has always been one of the most skimpy and least attractive I have ever found.

Suburban lounge stuff and not even comparable to some of the independent lounges around the Middle East, such as Muscat's spectacular Primeclass lounge, not to mention the rest of Asia.

In conclusion

The bare minimum, as if they decided to invest the minimum just to not look bad. Of course there is no alternative, but I would maybe get something to eat and go to the Garden, at least the environment is pleasant.

• Priority Pass

The verdict

In my day we used to say you are political, when you didn't study and the teacher could tell you had played smart. Here this lounge is just that. It's there, it's open, and it welcomes visitors, but it certainly doesn't measure up to what surrounds it in what is the best airport in the world in 2024.

6

Rated Location

7

F&B

5

Services

5

Pro

• It is big

Against

• Not big enough
• It has practically nothing but chairs