One of the nice new features of the Hamad International Airport is that it has a transit hotel that’s airside. It’s so convenient to have a hotel that’s past security so that when you wake up you can shower and head straight to the gate.
The last time I had an overnight in Doha I stayed at the Crowne Plaza Doha, which is one of the closer hotels to the airport. Still, that’s significantly less convenient than staying airside.
In this case we arrived at 10:40PM and were departing at 7:40AM. We wanted to be at the gate early for the inaugural A350 flight, so it would be a short night.
I decided to book The Airport Hotel at Hamad International Airport. The rate for a basic room on their website was 800QAR (~$220). A friend alerted me that if you’re only staying for up to eight hours they’ll bump the rate down to 640QAR (~$175). It requires emailing the hotel, but they seem to respond pretty quickly.
Of course that’s still not cheap for eight hours, but it was the best option since I needed to get some rest.
Once we cleared security we found ourselves in the center of the terminal, by the huge teddy bear.
Teddy bear at Hamad International Airport
The elevators to The Airport Hotel are located to the right of the teddy bear.
Hamad International Airport Doha terminal
The Airport Hotel is located on the third level, which is one level above the Oryx Lounge and Al Maha Lounge.
The Airport Hotel Doha Airport elevator signage
The Airport Hotel Doha Airport elevators
Upon getting to the third floor I found myself in the rather spacious lobby (despite the low ceilings), which had plenty of seating.
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport lobby
Just around the corner was the reception desk, where I was immediately assisted. The associate was courteous and had me checked in within a minute.
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport lobby
I was assigned room 149, which was located on the opposite side of the terminal of reception. I had to take a short walk down the hallway, which was located above the main terminal.
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport hallway
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport view
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport room entrance
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport floorplan
The room was a good size taking into account that this is an airside hotel room. The room had a long entryway with the bathroom to the left.
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room entrance
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room entrance
The room itself was furnished in a very simple way. While the hotel is still new and therefore the furniture is “fresh,” I don’t think they could have picked out much lower end furniture than what they went with. The room featured a bed, which faced a flat screen TV and desk.
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room bed
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room TV & desk
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room desk
On the desk was a kettle with instant coffee and tea, as well as a complimentary bottle of water.
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room kettle
Then by the window was a chair and small table. I thought it was smart that the room had a sliding wood panel which covered the windows, rather than shades. They basically acted as blackout curtains.
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room chair & table
The views from the room left a bit to be desired, to put it mildly. The room faced a security gate…
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room view
…and a lot of wiring as well. Not the most glamorous view I’ve ever had from a hotel room, that’s for sure!
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room view
Compared to the rest of the room I thought the bathroom was especially nice and spacious. It featured double sinks, a walk-in shower, and a toilet and bidet opposite one another.
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room bathroom
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room shower
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room toilet
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room bidet
Toiletries were “Rituals” branded, and pretty basic.
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport Deluxe Room toiletries
In terms of the hotel’s other facilities, the pool and fitness center are located on the fourth floor, and are quite impressive. The lap pool is immediately above the center part of the terminal, so it’s one of the more unique views you’ll ever have from a hotel pool.
The Airport Hotel Doha Hamad International Airport pool
The best part of the stay, though? Since we were only a two minute walk from the Al Mourjan Lounge, a group of us headed over to the lounge in the evening for a couple of glasses of Krug. Assuming you’re in transit on Qatar Airways in business class you can always just pop into the lounge for something to eat or drink. Can’t beat that!
Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Lounge Doha Airport
It was a short night, as I slept from around midnight until 4:30AM. The Wi-Fi in the room was functional, though I was surprised they didn’t have international adapters, which I figured would be a given in an airside transit hotel. That being said, I phoned the front desk for one, and it was quickly delivered.
The Airport Hotel Doha Airport bottom line
This hotel is expensive and not the most luxurious in the world, but it’s extremely practical. When you have a nine hour overnight (in reality only about six hours to rest), staying here is the only practical option, so I’d definitely return in the future under similar circumstances.
In the past I may have just “roughed it” in the lounge for the night, but I’m getting too old at this point, and there’s no substitute for a real bed, in my opinion.
I’d probably stay here again with an overnight layover of less than 14 hours, while for a longer overnight I’d stay in the city.
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