“Qatar Stopover” packages allow travellers to spend 24 hours in a four-star hotel. Photo / Supplied
Long-haul flights don’t have to be brutal. A smart stop in Doha can turn an exhausting journey to or from Europe into a restorative mini-break with sleep, culture and a touch of luxury, writes Carmen Jenner.
I made a rookie error on a recent trip to Europe when booking our return flights home. Of course, a long-haul flight was going to be, well, long. However, being in transit for over 40 hours seemed a bit excessive. As if that wasn’t inhumane enough, it also involved two consecutive overnight flights.
Our marathon journey home would begin in Paris with a Eurostar to Amsterdam, followed by an evening flight to Doha. Thirteen hours later, we would board another late-night flight from Doha to Perth, my hometown.
Unsurprisingly, I began dreading the flights weeks before our return home. After sharing my long-haul flight woes with another traveller, they shared a tactic that sounded almost too good to be true.
Run by Qatar Airways, “Qatar Stopover” packages allow travellers to spend 24 hours in a four-star hotel for as little as US$13. There are a few conditions: primarily, you must be in transit for 12 to 96 hours, and stopover bookings must be made at least three days before travel.
With a 13-hour layover, we were just eligible and eager for anything that would ease our long journey home. Yet, if I had known about the packages before booking flights, I would have extended the layover to make even more of the deal.
Over 80 hotels participate in the stopover package deal. We chose a chain we’ve used before with the Le Royal Meridien Place Vendome Lusail, exuding all the luxury you’d expect of a five-star hotel, plus it was only a 20-minute Uber ride from the airport.
Another fantastic feature of the stopover that I wish more hotels could offer is 24-hour check-in, where your booking starts from the moment you arrive and ends 24 hours later. As Qatar has visa-free entry for Australians and New Zealanders, and Doha’s Hamad International Airport is so efficient, we landed at 6.30am, and I was in bed by 9.00am.
Apart from being horizontal in bed, by the pool or on a massage table in your hotel, there are plenty of other ways to make the most of your time. A stroll along the Corniche, a seven-kilometre waterfront promenade, will help stave off the jetlag.
Or you could book a tour where someone else handles the logistics in your bleary-eyed state, such as a sunset dhow cruise, mangrove tour or a sunrise desert expedition. If you’re travelling with kids, the indoor Doha Quest theme park and Meryal Waterpark should tire them out for the next leg of your flight.
Making the most of its coastal location on the Persian Gulf, Doha has several beach clubs with bean bags and casual dining options, ranging from the family-friendly Doha Beach Club and the luxurious La Mar Beach Club with cabanas and an exclusive pool.
The last time I visited Doha, the temperature reached 47C by 9am, so I was relieved for the mild weather during winter, between November and April. As you’re on a stopover and probably haven’t booked your trip to Europe around Doha’s weather, there are plenty of indoor and air-conditioned attractions between May and September, where the heat and sun are extreme.
The Museum of Islamic Art impresses not only for its art collections spanning over 1400 years, but also for the evocative building that seemingly floats on the water’s edge in a geometric marvel. Even if art isn’t your thing, the panoramic city views offer a distinct sense of place. The striking facade of the National Museum of Qatar caught my eye for its design by French architect Jean Nouvel, inspired by the desert rose.
The Katara Cultural Village is top of my list the next time I’m in Doha, as a go-to destination for art and culture, featuring the ornate Katara Mosque and Gold Mosque, a Greek-style amphitheatre, and the Al Thuraya Planetarium. Doha boasts a couple of new urban precincts worth checking out at Msheireb Downtown and the Mina District, in what used to be the Old Doha Port. The innovative development at Pearl Island, spanning four million square metres of reclaimed land, offers a glimpse into the glamorous lifestyle many locals and expats relish.
Of course, shopping is always an option at the high-end Place Vendome Mall. Or for something more local, Souq Waqif sells exotic wares from its mud-daubed buildings among Doha’s glistening architecture.
Even if admiring Doha’s futuristic skyline was all you did, it would be a tantalising teaser for your next stopover.
For more information about the stopover packages, visit qatarairways.com/stopover or visitqatar.com.
The writer travelled at their own expense.