Disappointed Booking! Doha Airport AL MAHA Lounge Review

This is a Doha Airport Al Maha Lounge review you should read before booking. I had an 8-hour layover at Doha airport during my last vacation in the GCC countries.

I booked my stay at Doha Airport Al Maha via Viator for around 50 USD. I had high expectations knowing that Qatar Airways manages it. But it turned out to be a great disaster.

As someone who’s traveled extensively and relied on airport lounges to make long layovers bearable, I was excited about this one. Qatar Airways has a stellar reputation, and Hamad International Airport (DOH) is often praised for its modern facilities.

I figured the Al Maha Lounge would be a premium spot to relax, grab some decent food, and maybe even catch a nap.

Spoiler: it wasn’t. From the overwhelming smoke smell to the subpar amenities, this experience left me regretting the booking.

---

✈️✈️✈️ DOHA Airport Lounge is Available! ✅

---

AL MAHA Lounge

Disappointed Experience

I had high expectations for AL MAHA Lounge, given it is managed by Qatar Airways. However, the environment, the food, and the services were sub-par. If you are looking for simple food and a good shower (the only merit), then you could book it via Viator for a discount.

Click To Book Now ✅

---

Where Is The AL MAHA Lounge

There are two Al Maha Lounges in Doha Airport. The South one is located on Level 2 of Duty Free South, next to the iconic Lamp Bear sculpture, near Gates A, B, and C.

 The North one is on Level 2 of Duty Free North, near the Tudor store. I ended up at the South lounge, as it’s the main one accessible via Priority Pass or paid entry, but both are similar in layout and issues, based on what I read online afterward.

You can find the location details on its official website. You can also book your stay there, but booking the lounge via Viator or GetYourGuide is cheaper.

The Lounge Is Not For Sleeping

The most disappointing thing about the lounge is that they put a smoking area in the middle of the lounge (I wondered which genius did that!).

The sleeping area is just opposite it, so you can “enjoy” the second-hand smoke while trying to rest. The sleeping area has no beds but just reclining benches, so it’s not comfortable either. The sleeping area is also crowded.

Not to mention your boarding pass would be “detained” at reception for time-keeping. So you can lose that if you oversleep (if you managed to sleep somehow).

For sleeping, you would be better off booking the sleeping node available at the Doha airport, the south or north node. If sleeping is not a concern, then you should consider a transit tour instead, which is also available even at midnight.

✈️✈️✈️ DOHA Airport Sleep Lounge is Available! ✅

Sleep Loung Is Available

A Better Sleep Option

If you are on red-eye flight, and sleeping is the priority. Then instead of the AL MAHA Lounge. You should instead book the sleeping lounge (“Sleepover”) in Doha. There are one in South node and one at North node. Both nodes are not that far, even you don’t know your departure gate in advance

Click To Book Now ✅

The Food Quality Is Also Below Standard

Despite being managed by Qatar Airways, the Al Maha Lounge is worse than what you have for food in an economy seat. There is only 1 (yes, 1) meat dish during my last visit (chicken soaked in whitish sauce).

Other than that, there are a couple of apples and no salad section (first ever seen in the world). They had a couple of cold dishes, colorful desserts, but none looked attractive. That’s much worse than what I had in Asia, like Vietnam & Philippines, or Africa, like Ethiopia, and any other in the world.

The buffet on the official website promised “international and local gourmet dishes,” but it delivered bland, limited options. The single hot meat option was overcooked chicken in a watery sauce—nothing like the flavorful Arabic cuisine I expected from a Qatar-managed lounge. Cold dishes included basic sandwiches and pastries that tasted stale, and the dessert selection was visually appealing but lacked taste (think dry cakes and overly sweet puddings).

Below is the video I took of all the food there

The Beverage Is Also Disappointing

After days of being dry in the Middle East, I did look forward to alcoholic beverages in the lounge. Yet there are only 2 varieties of red and white wine, respectively. There is no spirit and one variety of beer (Tiger). There are coffee and tea, bottled water (only 1L ones instead of small ones), and soft drinks. It is very sub-par compared to other lounges in the world.

For those asking “Doha airport lounge alcohol” or “Doha airport Al Maha Lounge alcohol,” the selection is minimal and underwhelming. I was hoping for a decent bar setup, but as I said, it is worse than what you would get on a Qatar economy flight.

So instead of the lounge, i should have spent a time on a transit tour instead and there are plenty of great options online.

Services Is Sub-par, Too

The service is also the worst I have ever seen. First, your boarding pass will be kept to ensure you only spend 4 hours there. I don’t know what would happen if you leave late, as I did leave early due to its poor service. The reception is also rude, and the cleaning of tables is very slow.

The only exception is that the staff at the shower room is fast and will hand you a towel before you get into the isolated shower room. No wonder there are loads of negative comments on Reddit, TripAdvisor, or Google Reviews.

Other Facilities

There is also a small family area; unfortunately, it is also located near the smoking room, so I doubt whether it is suitable for families. There is no charger in the lounge for the customer; I had to use the one that the staff use. There is a water fountain near the food area; it is a waste of space. The Wi-Fi is operable, and the lounge does open 24 hours. Locker is also available, but in general, your luggage is safe in the lounge.

Overall, facilities are basic and overshadowed by the crowding and poor maintenance, except for the shower room.

Again if time allowed, I would do a day tour in Qatar instead.

The Only Pros Is The Shower Room

I would have given 1 star out of 5 for this lounge. However, I would give 2 instead because of its shower room. There are around 4 separate shower rooms in the male and female toilets, respectively. The shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and lotion are nice. The staff is friendly and will offer you washed towels before you enter the shower room. Dryer is available on request. The queue was not long, at least during my visit.

If a shower is key to you, then you could still consider booking the lounge.

AL MAHA Lounge Review: Only Book If You Need a Shower And Simple Food

The Al Maha Lounge disappointed me. It is far below standard compared to most other lounges around the world.

If for sleeping, you will be far better off booking the sleeping lounge directly. Yet, if you are looking for a comfortable shower, some simple food, and basic drinks, you could still consider booking that via Viator or GetYourGuide. Or else, taking a transit trip in Doha is a good option too.

---

✈️✈️✈️ DOHA Airport Lounge is Available! ✅

---

AL MAHA Lounge

For Simple Food And Good Shower Only

The shower plus simple food and beverage are the only worthy points for usage of the AL MAHA Lounge. I hope I set a right expectations for your upcoming journey. Again I would rather do a transit tour instead.

Click To Book Now ✅

---