Is The Qatar Airways Doha Stopover Worth It?

A stopover in Doha Qatar sounds like a good idea but is it really worth it if you’re en route to somewhere else? The answer, in my opinion, is a resounding yes! A Qatar Airways Doha stopover is definitely worth it.

When I was planning a trip home to New Zealand from London I decided to go via Doha as I had never been there before. The flight from London to Doha was relatively short at around 7 hours but the onward flight to Auckland from Doha was almost 16 hours. I decided that a 3 night stopover before my flight onto Auckland would be a good idea and so it was!

There are various reasons why I think a Doha stopover is worth it and why you should consider one when planning your next trip so let’s run through them all and at the end you can let me know if I’ve convinced you!

But First: What Is The Qatar Airways Stopover Program?

As the name suggests, the Qatar stopover program is an option available on eligible Qatar Airways flights that connect or transit through Doha, the capital of Qatar.

The program is offered by Discover Qatar, part of Qatar Airways, and allows you to stay in Doha for between 1 and 4 nights. You can also book various tours and experiences through them. You can choose where to stay in Doha from a range of hotels within the following packages:

• Standard – 4 star hotels
• Premium – 5 star hotels
• Premium Beach – 5 star hotels with beach access
• Luxury – 5 star luxury hotels

The stopover program is not available during certain blackout periods, including during the Formula One Grand Prix.

Why Is A Doha Stopover Worth It?

I’m definitely in favour of a Doha stopover and here are 6 reasons why:

1. You Stay In Affordable Luxury Accommodation

The stopover packages available include 4-5 star hotels with some of those being 5 star luxury hotels and others with beach access. The airlines’ website states that prices (in US Dollars and based on double room share) for 1 night start as follows:

• Standard – from $14 per person
• Premium – from $24 per person
• Premium Beach – from $31 per person
• Luxury – from $83 per person

The hotels are conveniently located near Hamad International Airport or Doha’s major attractions and you have the option of adding on airport transfers for added ease.

I chose the Golden Tulip Doha from the Premium package and was really happy with that choice. It’s located close to the Corniche, Souq Waqif and several of the iconic stops you need to make when visiting Doha…keep an eye out for my upcoming posts on all of these! I have included a map below showing the location of the hotel and its proximity to these places.

The final price will of course depend on when you go and how many people are in the booking but overall these prices do provide an affordable luxury opportunity and a great way to turn an airport layover into a mini luxury getaway!

2. It’s A Seamless Experience With Qatar Airways

The Qatar Airways stopover program is operated by Discover Qatar who are part of the airline. This means that the flight and hotel are coordinated, you need only make the one booking and you have a single point of contact to communicate with if necessary.

The one thing I particularly liked was the fact that each stopover night duration is up to 24 hours meaning that when I checked in around midnight, I did not need to check out again until that same time.

This was perfect for me as my flight to New Zealand left around 3am. It meant I had my room for the entire day and evening until I checked out to head to the airport. This was so convenient and eliminated any concern about having to check out many hours before my flight.

You might even say it’s a big ‘thumbs up’ from me!

3. It’s A Perfect Way To Break Up A Long Haul Flight!

As someone who comes from New Zealand but lives in London, I know first hand what it’s like to fly long haul! Whether its feeling physically and mentally tired, uncomfortable or just plain bored, long haul travel can be tough.

Whilst a layover can give you a chance to get off the plane to stretch your legs for a period of time (or maybe go for a fast sprint to the next departure gate!), a stopover offers the opportunity to properly relax.

A Qatar stopover not only allows you time to recharge ahead of the next leg of your journey, it also gives you the chance to see Doha, in my case for the first time, without planning an entirely separate trip. Given that you can only stay for 1 to 4 days as part of the stopover program, you also aren’t adding a lot more time (or paid time off) to your journey.

A Doha stopover is also a convenient option for those who aren’t necessarily booking a long haul flight, but travelling on to another, closer, destination in the Middle East or South East Asia.

4. You Can Enjoy World Class Dining, Architecture, Shopping and Culture In A Short Time

It goes without saying that the longer you spend in a place, the more of it you will see. With a Doha stopover you can only stay for 1 to 4 days so although time may be short, you can still experience much of what the city has to offer, on land and sea! Make sure you read my post 13 of the Best Things to Do in Doha for a taste of what awaits you!

I suggest maximizing your time and getting the most out of your stopover by joining this city tour and taking this sunset dhow cruise. These are very similar to the tours I joined (the ones I booked aren’t currently available) and will be a great way to experience Doha.

Depending on how long you are in Doha, you may want to consider this sandboarding and inland sea tour. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to do this, but it and other similar tours are very popular.

5. There’s Visa Free Or Easy Entry For Many Nationalities

Many nationalities can enter Qatar without a visa or be granted one on arrival, but do check the visa requirements as they pertain to you before booking your Doha stopover. Whether you need a visa or can obtain one on arrival will depend on your nationality. In addition, your passport will likely need to be valid for at least 3 months from the date of arrival into Qatar.

Entry requirements and travel advisories can change quickly so do check the advice from your own government.

Once through immigration and security (yes, a further x-ray of hand luggage was necessary!), it was easy and quick to get out of the airport and, in my case, into a taxi and to my chosen hotel. The travel time from the airport to the city is about 20 minutes, depending on traffic.

Travel Tip: when you head back to the airport for departure, be sure to plan sufficient time to find the large iconic teddybear within the main terminal and to spend time in The Orchard, a lush green space with running water, pathways at ground and elevated levels and seating areas where travellers can relax ahead of their connecting flights. Just keep an eye on the departure boards!

6. It’s Ideal for Solo Travellers!

As a solo traveller, I didn’t feel that the stopover packages penalized me in any way…think no massive single supplements! The price was affordable and not a great deal more than I was already paying for my flights.

Doha was, in my experience, safe, clean and well organised. There are plenty of tour options available and English is widely spoken. I felt comfortable exploring and dining on my own and, although I didn’t use the metro (which I understand is easy to navigate), I found it easy to get around the city using taxis when I was tired of walking!

Although a 1 to 4 night stopover doesn’t feel like a long time, there is definitely enough to see and do in that time to keep a solo traveller from feeling lonely or bored! I booked a 3 night stay which gave me 2 full days in Doha and I didn’t get to do everything that appealed to me!

How To Book A Doha Stopover

Booking a stopover in Doha couldn’t be easier. Go to Qatar Airways and on the home page, click on the “stopover/packages” tab. From there, you can select your flight destination and dates, the number of days in Doha, whether you want a standard, premium, premium beach or luxury stopover and your preferred hotel before heading to make payment.

The process was quick and although I had no issues, I did raise some queries after having booked and found the service to be excellent. As I mentioned earlier though, do check any visa/entry requirements before booking.

Staying Online In Doha

If you like to stay online when travelling, either to keep in touch with family and friends, update social media, make bookings or use google maps, but you don’t want to incur roaming charges from your home provider, then consider an eSim from Airalo.

Easy to install, an eSim avoids the need to buy a local Sim card (and risk losing your home Sim when taking it out!) and allows you to continue using your own phone number for calls and texts.

I have used data packages purchased from Airalo on several occasions now, including in Doha, and highly recommend them. When time is of the essence as it can be when travelling, accessing online resources can be a real time saver. For solo travellers, it can also be a comfort to know you have online access all the time.

People in Doha tend to travel by taxi a lot (it’s often too hot to walk!) so online access is vital for booking that Uber!

Final Thoughts

The Qatar Airways stopover program is the perfect way to turn a layover into a mini-holiday without any major extra planning.

The seamless experience with Qatar Airways and Discover Qatar makes booking easy and whilst your time in the city is, by definition, short, there is still a lot you can see and do. I personally found a stopover in Doha to be a low stress, high reward experience and one I highly recommend.

If you need further help in planning your stopover in Doha, or any other trip for that matter, do check my Resources page.

Disclaimer – Information correct at the time of writing but do check before visiting.