Qatar Premium Lounge London Heathrow is an upscale lounge offering that is befitting of it’s award winning onboard product. Qatar does not have it’s own lounge in every destination but given it has up to 7 flights a day out of Heathrow, this is one of their most important markets alongside the likes or Paris, Bangkok and Singapore.
Qatar’s Premium Lounges across the world offer a consistent experience from the deco, level of service, a la carte dining etc. To me however, the London one does feel a little more special. I’ve visited this space in 2018 and a couple of times after – Qatar is doing a great job maintaining it, though regular Qatar travellers might appreciate a more substantial refresh.
The Lounge is very conveniently located both for entry from Check-in (literally only a few steps after check-in and past fast track security to the left) as well as the gates Qatar departs from.
Access to the lounge is available by invitation only for Qatar Airways First and Business class passengers. A policy that is very much intentional to keep the lounge and the environment within it exclusive.
No status will be sufficient to gain entry here unless you are flying at the pointy end of Qatar on the right ticket ( unfortunately no entry either if you buy their cheapest Business Class fares either )
The lounge is located in Terminal 4 near gates 1B.
After mostly swift dedicated check-in and security it was only a few minutes to get to the lounge. As I approached the entrance an attendant was only too eager to greet me and check me in..
As you walk in, you might be mistaken for thinking you are entering some kind of spa in the Middle East. The lobby feels like an oasis with Arabic calligraphy found on the walls, carpets down to the mosaics.
A sense of serenity prevails in the elegantly designed space. While the lounge itself is not huge, its very functional and divided up into several areas.
After going past the foyer is a relaxed seating area great for groups of travellers or solo leather seats which can be positioned as desired.
Further seating space are zoned alongside the window for those who like to watch the traffic outside.
Straight ahead, you will find a small business centre with a few workstations and printers etc, as well as the bathrooms.
This was Qatar’s First ever outstation lounge to open way back in 2012. And while not it’s flagship lounge, it was kept the quality of the deco and finishing touches to a high standard to it’s home lounges
The lounge is at it’s quietest in the mornings – and given only one other oneworld airline is based out of Terminal 4, it is mostly just Qatar Airways passengers. It’s always such a treat being in such a facility and almost having the whole space to yourself.
Still there are busy periods in afternoon/evening, when 2 Qatar flights depart with only 1 hour apart.
Depending on what you are looking for, you can choose to enjoy a delectable selection of light bites of your choosing prior to your flight or a more substantial sit down meal.
To the right, there is a cafe stocked with fresh fruits, smoothies, yogurts, pastries etc during the mornings. These are then switched over as a Deli after 11am with fresh lunch items..
You will find a good selection of cold and hot buffet items that you can enjoy in various cafe-style dining tables dotted around.
There are several refreshments stations where you can help yourself to a cold drink or tea/fresh coffee.
The lounge also proudly showcases the extensive wine selection Qatar Airways offers.
You even have a whole wall dividing the space up – build from floor to ceiling fridges full of wine !
Further down, is the main show, a full service a-la-carte dining restaurant which can accommodate around 30 people at once..
I tried not to take pictures which capture other people dining. Whist not especially big or private, the space has a setting of a high end restaurant, with every table meticulously dressed.
When you are ready/want to dine, the staff will usher you in to a table.
The tables further in provides a good view of the semi open kitchen – where you can see the chefs preparing your meals!
My experience here is that I’ve not always been offered a physical menu here, which is a little odd. Is Qatar pushing for guests to view them online? If you did want a menu – just ask and they will bring you one!
Out of my three visits here – both the times I had time for a sit down meal still had breakfast service. This is not great – since your flight will most likely also be serving breakfast as the first meal unless your departure is after 11am!
On this occasion, I ordered some scrambled eggs with toast and coffee..
The eggs were nicer than they looked. You can off-course order a full English but I wanted to save room for onboard too!
I did love being able to have a fresh mango smoothie considering this was London. The coffee here is also freshly made!
In the afternoons, you can order anything from choices of soups, steaks, biryanis, sushi and even afternoon tea !
The lounge features a dedicated circular bar on the other side of the Brasserie.
It is a striking space with the semi caved blue padded walls on one side and same deep blue wall tiles on the other contrasting with the hundreds of Martini glasses hanging down – it felt like you could be in a modern Moroccan museum.
In the afternoons many people do use this space to enjoy a drink or two!
There are dedicated bar staff here who was very friendly and happy to whip you up your favourite drink, other than a Martini!
Given this is Qatar Airways we are talking about – you can have any kind of mocktail you desire!
As would be expected for any decent business lounge, there are nice showers separate for men and women..
The shower rooms are fully kitted out with luxurious bathrobes, slippers and toiletries. Since I only had a shower an hour ago, I did not need to use the facilities on this occasion.
This is a delightful lounge to pamper yourself before your flight.
What struck me most was just how tranquil this lounge was, just for that as well as the elegant ambience and design, this was more akin to a First Class lounge than a business one.
There service had the hallmark of Qatar excellence. Location within the terminal is brilliant. I also love being able to watch the plane I’m about to board directly from the lounge.
This lounge is almost faultless in design or service. It’s everything you need and more to set you up for a great flight.
Having said that, while I understand this is Heathrow, with no 24 hour flights. I wish they had a rest area of some sort – because catching a 8am flight in a winter day can mean having to wake up at 4 am to get to the airport!
Qatar Airways offers similar Premium lounges in Paris, Bangkok and Singapore. Opening times can vary so do check your specific lounge before hand here.
Faze, founder of Wander Up Front and Elevate Your Stay, is a London-based travel specialist with a deep passion for aviation. With over 2 million miles flown, he has spent the last 7 years focusing on First and Business class experiences.
Faze provides straightforward, no-frills insights into premium airline products and services, sharing what matters to help travellers make informed choices.
Follow him on his adventures and behind the scene stories on Instagram !
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