Qatar Airways debuts exclusive Louis Vuitton Lounge in Doha

Qatar Airways made a splash with the debut of its second Al Mourjan Lounge at Doha Hamad in April, with the vast 7,000 sqm space dubbed ‘The Garden’ boasting an impressive roll call of features. But it turns out the Gulf carrier had another ace waiting in the wings.

In addition to the multiple dining venues, 24-hour quiet rooms, and gym with treadmills and exercise bikes, as well as its own Dior day spa, there’s an adjacent ‘lounge within a lounge’ created in collaboration with fashion house Louis Vuitton.

The lounge is perched directly above the Louis Vuitton store.

Officially known as the ‘Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno’ (yes, the 16-star Michelin chef), the space is accessed via an elevator at the rear of the LV duty free store and welcomes Louis Vuitton VIPs, in addition to lounge worthy guests of the Al Mourjan.

Chef Yannick Alléno is behind the dining at the new Doha Louis Vuitton Lounge.

Within the glass-encased branded lounge, which curiously faces away from the striking ceiling of the ‘Orchard’ atrium, is a bar serving up premium spirits, Veuve Champagne and a curated list of mocktails, in addition to a lavish section of gold-hued seating.

Surprisingly, Louis Vuitton branding is rather subtle, ranging from a simple golden motif on the marble floor to ‘grill marks’ on sandwiches. That said, sometimes less is indeed more.

For the restaurant, Alléno has developed what he calls a “multilingual” concept, with a menu highlighting local ingredients, French favourites and international fare, along with dishes for various palettes and dietary needs. 

However, there is a downside. Unlike food and drinks freely available in the wider lounge, those found within the Louis Vuitton hangout come at an additional cost. 

On the extensive menu you’ll find soups, salads and hot sandwiches, as well as sushi and caviar. There are also larger items representing Alléno’s distinct approach to cuisine, such as langoustine carpaccio with geranium essence, confit lamb shoulder flavoured with yuzu and pilaf rice with dried fruit and spices.

Prices vary from around QR70 (AUD$29) for a soup to QR1570 (AUD$659) for 50g of top-shelf caviar. There’s also a QR1500 (AUD$630) degustation menu taking you through up to six of the menu highlights. 

The lounge is accessed via a roped-off elevator at the rear of the Louis Vuitton store.

If that doesn’t float your boat, you’ll be glad to know there’s a lot to love in the main lounge.

Inside the Al Mourjan North ‘Garden’ 

Perched overlooking the leafy ‘Orchard’ atrium at Concourse C, the 707-seat Garden complements the existing Al Mourjan at Concourse A, which has been renamed ‘Al Mourjan business class lounge – South’ and remains the larger of the two, welcoming some 800 guests and boasting a footprint of over 10,000 sqm. Guests are free to choose which lounge they visit.

Al Mourjan Garden looks out across the leafy Orchard atrium.

Many transit passengers will find themselves already in the Orchard area, making the new lounge a handy option. Those departing Doha or transitting from another concourse can access the Orchard easily via a convenient monorail connecting Concourses A and C.

The lounge has a similar aesthetic to its southern sibling.

The Garden’s guest list is a little shorter than you might expect though, in line with Qatar’s Al Mourjan access policy:

• if you’re in business class with Qatar Airways, that ticket must be one of Qatar’s Classic, Comfort or Elite business fares – not the Lite fare, which doesn’t include business lounge access (although if you have frequent flyer status, you can get get into the relevant Platinum or Gold lounge

• Qatar Airways business class fares purchased using frequent flyer points or miles – ranging from QR’s native Avios currency to Qantas Points and Velocity Points – do qualify for lounge access at The Garden, but not those who use miles or points to upgrade from economy to business

• business class passenger on Oneworld partners like British Airways and Royal Jordanian are of course welcome

• frequent flyer status alone doesn’t grant you access to The Garden or other Qatar Airways business class lounges: if you’re in economy (or premium economy on the likes of British Airways) and holding Platinum or Gold status with Qantas and Virgin Australia, or Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire status, you will be directed to Qatar Airways’s new Platinum and Gold frequent flyer lounges.

Instantly familiar, yet different

Inside, the Garden adheres to the established aesthetic of its sibling – natural finishes of marble and timber, as well as a relaxing central reflection pool. Where it differs however is the abundant greenery, no doubt inspired by the concourse it overlooks.

The Orchard's glass ceiling bathes the lounge in natural light.

From the balcony guests also enjoy an impressive view over the Orchard’s central forest and treetop walk, not to mention its bold geometric glass ceiling and waterfall, frequently compared to that of Changi Airport’s Jewel shopping complex in Singapore.

The lounge also has a number of private spaces.

Bordered by retail outlets, a transit hotel and several departure gates, the Orchard opened just in time for the World Cup in November 2022 and will eventually house three frequent flyer lounges. It’s an enchanting space, yet so is the new Al Mourjan.

Buffets, à la carte dining and a patisserie bar

On top of an array of seating options – low-set leather lounges and wingback chairs alongside lamp-lit coffee tables – are two dining areas at opposite ends of the East and West Wings.

The East Wing is where the primary dining venues are located. Similar to the Main Dining Room at the North lounge, guests can enjoy à la carte dining, as well as peruse hot and cold buffets. Local and international flavours are all on the menu.

Grab a coffee, juice, smoothie or pastry from the patisserie bar.

Those after a caffeine fix, sweet treats or sandwiches can head over to the coffee and patisserie bar, while a cocktail and bistro bar pours an extensive selection of wines, spirits, cocktails and mocktails, together with a savoury snack menu.

The West Wing houses the lounge’s showers, quiet areas, prayer rooms and meeting rooms, along with another coffee and patisserie bar featuring pastries, sandwiches and juices.

Spa treatments, quiet rooms and a gym

If a little solitude is what you seek, book one of the single and double quiet rooms. These are available 24 hours a day and free of charge for the first six hours. Or, pop into the spa – a collaboration with luxury fashion brand Dior. 

Neck and shoulder massage chairs, mani-pedi stations, relaxation chairs and seven treatment rooms are found within, giving plenty of opportunity for some pre-flight pampering.

Potted plants add to the garden-like feel.

Other features include a gym housing treadmills and exercise bikes, in addition to a children’s room, nursery, games room and smoking room. Showers are available too.

A garden within an airport

The Garden lounge is the centrepiece of the Orchard concourse, which houses over 300 trees and over 25,000 plants sourced from sustainable forests and plantations around the globe, selected to acclimatise to the airport’s indoor conditions.

Creative lighting brings the Orchard to life after the sun has set.

Linking the current D and E concourses and serving as a focal point for travellers, the garden dominates the new concourse, with the central forest a great place to sit and relax.

Beyond the gardens, the expansion includes the 100-room Oryx Garden Hotel, which opened in September, and numerous dining and retail options, including a line-up of prestigious brands such as Louis Vuitton Boutique, Gucci, Burberry, and Tiffany.

The fountain is considerably smaller than Changi's Rain Vortex, yet still rather impressive.

The concourse also includes nine more gates for the twin-aisle aircraft which form the bulk of Qatar’s long-range fleet, plus an additional transfer area to reduce connection times.