After flying from Dubai to Doha on the next leg of this round-the-world-trip, we had an eight-hour layover at Hamad International Airport before continuing to Johannesburg.
Eight hours is a long time to spend at any airport, but thankfully, we had access to the Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden. I’ve visited this lounge a few times now, and it remains one of my favorite places to spend a long layover at in Doha.
Located in the northern part of Hamad International Airport, the lounge overlooks The Orchard, giving it a completely different feel from the original Al Mourjan Business Lounge South. Once you reach The Orchard, the lounge is fairly easy to find, with signs directing eligible passengers toward the entrance.
Who Can Access Al Mourjan – The Garden?
Complimentary access is available to eligible Qatar Airways First Class passengers and Business Class passengers booked on Elite, Comfort, or Classic fares, as well as eligible oneworld First and Business Class passengers. Business Lite and Economy passengers may be able to purchase access separately.
One important distinction: oneworld Emerald status alone does not give you access to Al Mourjan when flying Economy. Eligible Emerald members traveling in Economy are instead directed to Qatar Airways’ Platinum Lounge in Doha.
First Impressions
The first thing that stands out about The Garden is just how open everything feels. The lounge incorporates plenty of greenery and natural light, while large open areas overlook The Orchard below. Qatar Airways says the lounge covers approximately 7,390 square meters and can accommodate up to 707 passengers, so this is not a small lounge.
Despite its size, different seating areas help break everything up so it doesn’t feel like one huge room. There are sofas, armchairs, tables, individual seating areas and plenty of quieter corners depending on whether you want to eat, work or simply relax.
Having visited The Garden several times, I also find the overall atmosphere quite relaxing, especially when compared with some of the busier parts of Hamad International Airport.
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Views Over The Orchard
One of the biggest differences between The Garden and Al Mourjan South is the location. The lounge sits directly above The Orchard, with large sections overlooking the greenery and water features below.
It gives the lounge a completely different atmosphere from Al Mourjan Business Lounge South. Neither lounge necessarily replaces the other for me. They each have their own design and amenities, and which one I use sometimes depends on where I’m departing from and how much time I have.
Dining at Al Mourjan – The Garden
The Garden has several dining areas spread throughout the lounge. Qatar Airways currently offers hot and cold buffets, sushi and salads, coffee and pastries, a cocktail and bistro bar, as well as à la carte dining.
À la carte dining is also available. Guests can scan the QR code placed at each seat to view the menu and order directly. During this visit, I ordered the salmon with mashed potatoes, broccoli and carrots, and it was well presented, flavorful and satisfying.
The presentation was good, and this was exactly the kind of proper meal I wanted during an eight-hour layover. Having eaten at both Al Mourjan – The Garden and Al Mourjan South several times, I don’t notice a major difference in food quality between the two.
The food is generally around the same standard, and I’ve had good meals at both lounges. So, I wouldn’t necessarily choose one lounge over the other based purely on food.
More Food and Drinks
Beyond the main dining area, there are several places around the lounge to grab something lighter. Depending on the time of day, you’ll find pastries, desserts, sandwiches, fruit and other small bites.
The lounge also has several staffed bar areas where guests can order a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. You’ll also find multiple self-serve drink stations throughout the lounge.
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Quiet Rooms
For a layover this long, one of the amenities I appreciated most was the quiet room. The Garden has 24 quiet rooms, including single and double options. When Qatar Airways first introduced the rooms, guests could use them for up to six hours at no extra cost.
We were able to use one during our layover, which made a big difference. The rooms aren’t comparable to the proper bedrooms at the Al Safwa First Class Lounge, but they serve their purpose well.
If you have a long layover and want to use one, I’d recommend checking availability early rather than waiting until you’re ready to sleep.
Showers & Restrooms
After flying in from Dubai and knowing we still had another long flight to Johannesburg ahead of us, it was good to shower and change before continuing the trip.
Being able to take a shower during a long connection is one of those lounge amenities that I probably value more than almost anything else. The shower rooms were clean and had enough space to get ready comfortably.
The restrooms in the lounge were spacious, modern and kept very clean throughout my visit.
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Other Amenities
One of the amenities I found especially useful is the luggage room. It gives guests a convenient and secure place to store their bags, which is especially helpful during a long layover if you plan to leave the airport and spend some time in Doha.
The lounge also has a few other useful spaces, including a family room, game room and meeting room. These are nice additions for passengers with longer layovers, whether you’re traveling with children, looking to pass some time, or need a quiet space to get some work done.
Al Mourjan The Garden vs Al Mourjan South
I’ve visited both lounges multiple times, and I don’t necessarily see one as being clearly better than the other. They each have their own strengths.
Al Mourjan – The Garden has the newer design, views over The Orchard, quiet rooms, a fitness center and a more open atmosphere. Al Mourjan South has its own unique design and amenities, including the large water feature, grand staircase and distinctive dining areas.
When it comes to food, I find the quality to be fairly similar between the two. So, for me, the decision often comes down to where my next flight is departing from and which lounge makes more sense at the time.
Final Thoughts
After several visits, I still have a very positive impression of the Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden. It is spacious, comfortable and has enough different areas that even a long layover doesn’t feel quite as long.
During this eight-hour connection, we had a proper meal, used one of the quiet rooms and took a shower before continuing to Johannesburg. And that’s really where a lounge like this earns its value. The food quality is about the same as what I’ve experienced at Al Mourjan South, so I wouldn’t choose between them based solely on dining.
Have you visited Al Mourjan – The Garden? What did you think of the lounge? Let me know in the comments.
Kayode is the creator behind Travel With Kayode, sharing practical tips on points, miles, premium travel, hotels, and destinations around the world. His goal is simple: help travelers get more value from every trip and experience more for less.
