# Spending your layover inside Hamad International Airport

If you can't leave or don't have time to, Hamad's transit area has a hotel, sleep pods sold by the block, free quiet rooms, a pool and lounges you can pay to enter, all without passing immigration.

- Web page: https://dohalayover.com/airport/
- Guide: [Doha Layover](https://dohalayover.com/), an independent layover guide to Hamad International Airport (DOH), part of City Layover
- Updated 1 November 2026

## Short answer

You can stay airside at Hamad International Airport (DOH) for up to 24 hours without a visa, and sleep there. For a few hours' sleep, a Sleepover pod costs about US$99 for 6 hours on Booking.com. For a long or overnight connection, the Oryx Airport Hotel costs about US$320 to 390 a night. Quiet rooms with recliners are free, and lounges, showers and the Vitality pool cost extra.

## At a glance

- **Airside limit**: 24 hours
- **Hotel inside the terminal**: Oryx Airport Hotel, about US$320 to 390 a night
- **Sleep pods**: Sleepover, about US$99 for 6 hours on Booking.com
- **Paid lounges**: About QAR 300 to 550
- **Free Wi-Fi**: #HIAQatar, 4 hours a session
- **Left luggage**: Not offered, says Visit Qatar

## Where to sleep without passing immigration

Everything below is in the transit area of Hamad International Airport (DOH), so you need no visa. Your time here counts towards the 24-hour limit for staying airside. Prices were seen in October 2026.

| Option | Where | Price | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oryx Airport Hotel | South Plaza, near the Lamp Bear | About US$320 to 390 a night | A real bed, a bath and the pool on a long or overnight connection |
| Sleepover pods | South Node, and North Node near gates C30 and C40 | From about US$99 for 6 hours | A few hours of proper sleep for less |
| Quiet rooms | Around the terminal | Free | A recliner and a nap |
| Paid lounges | Al Maha and Qatar Airways lounges | About QAR 300 to 550 | Food, a shower and a seat for a few hours |

## Oryx Airport Hotel

Hamad has one hotel inside the terminal, and it sits in the transit area. You may read elsewhere that there are more, but the Oryx is the only one operating there today.

- **Where**: South Plaza, close to the Lamp Bear. The rooms are on the third floor and the Vitality pool and gym on the fourth.
- **No visa needed**: you never pass immigration, so any passport can stay. You can't collect checked bags, so keep what you need for the night in your hand luggage.
- **Size and limit**: 100 rooms, from standard doubles to family suites. Stays can't run past 24 hours.
- **Price**: Booking.com showed about US$320 to 390 (about QAR 1,170 to 1,420) for one adult for one night, on dates from November 2026 to January 2027, when we looked in October 2026. One date was already sold out, so book early for busy periods.
- **Where to book**: Booking.com and Expedia both list it as a transit-only hotel. Bring your boarding pass and passport to check in. Some websites with similar names aren't run by the hotel, so book through the hotel itself or a booking site you know.
- **By the hour**: booking sites only sell full nights. The hotel's own FAQ mentions shorter packages by email or phone, subject to availability, but travellers posting in 2026 were told only full-night rates apply. Ask the hotel before you count on a short stay.
- **Extras**: guests use the Vitality pool, hydrotherapy and gym free.

## Sleepover pods

Sleepover, which used to be called sleep 'n fly, runs three pod lounges airside. Between them they hold more than 160 guests.

- **South Node**, near the Lamp Bear. This is the one sold on Booking.com and Expedia.
- **North Node at gate C30**, on the lower level, open 24 hours. Rooms range from a single FlexiSuite pod of about 2 m² to bunk cabins for two and family cabins for four.
- **North Node at gates C40 and C41**, the newest and largest, with nap pods and family cabins.

On Booking.com the South Node is sold in fixed blocks: overnight from 11pm to 7am (8 hours), morning from 7am to 1pm (6 hours) and day from 1pm to 11pm (10 hours). For a mid-November date, checked in October 2026, a single pod cost about US$99 for 6 hours and US$112 for 10 hours, a bunk cabin about US$153 for 6 hours and a double cabin about US$167. You need your boarding pass, and showers cost extra.

If your layover doesn't fit those blocks, book direct with Sleepover or walk in. Its own site gives prices from about US$79 a person at C30. Priority Pass lists all three locations, though not every membership covers them.

## Quiet rooms

Free rooms with reclining chairs are spread around the terminal, with separate rooms for men, women and families. They're a good option for a nap on a short layover, but they fill up at busy times and travellers say they run cold, so bring a layer.

## Lounges you can pay for

### Priority Pass and other passes

Priority Pass dropped Hamad's three **Al Maha lounges** (Southeast, North near ORCHARD, and South Node) in May 2026, then listed them again in October 2026. When we checked on 31 October 2026, its site also listed the Sleepover pods and the **Be Relax** spa in concourses A, C and D/E.

- At the Al Maha South Node lounge, Priority Pass visits are limited to 4 hours, and entry can be restricted at peak times (5pm to 7pm, 10pm to 2am and 4am to 7am).
- Many credit-card Priority Pass memberships cover lounges only, so pods and spa visits may not be included.
- Access changed twice in 2026, so check the Priority Pass app before you fly.

Al Maha also sells lounge visits direct, from about QAR 328. GetYourGuide lists lounge passes at Hamad too.

### Qatar Airways lounges

Qatar Airways sells lounge access to its passengers, economy included. The first-class Al Safwa lounge is sold only to premium-ticket holders. Booking ahead saves about 10%. Prices seen in October 2026:

| Lounge | At the door | Booked ahead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Al Mourjan Business | QAR 550 (about US$151) | QAR 495 |
| Platinum | QAR 440 (about US$121) | QAR 396 |
| Gold | QAR 385 (about US$106) | QAR 347 |
| Silver (South) | QAR 328 (about US$90) | QAR 298 |
| Al Safwa First (premium tickets only) | QAR 715 | QAR 644 |

Children pay half. Lounges have showers, so a lounge visit doubles as a wash.

## Showers, pool and gym

- **Vitality Wellbeing & Fitness Centre**: on the fourth floor of the Oryx Airport Hotel, open to every transit passenger from about 5am to 2am. It has a 25 m pool above the terminal, a gym, hydrotherapy, squash courts and a spa. Hotel guests use it free, and everyone else pays at the desk. Children under 5 aren't allowed in. The pool closes for maintenance every year from about 15 to 25 September.
- **Shower only**: Vitality charges about QAR 105 a person. The price for pool and gym access isn't published, so ask at the desk.
- **Relaxation at the Airport**: Discover Qatar's package pairs a Vitality massage of 30, 50 or 80 minutes with 4 hours of pool, gym and shower use, from about QAR 305. It needs at least 3 hours between flights, is for adults only, and must be booked online at least 4 days ahead.

## Things to see without leaving

- **ORCHARD**: a 6,000 m² indoor tropical garden with more than 300 trees and a 575 m² water feature, between the North Plaza and the concourses. Take the passenger train from the South Plaza.
- **Lamp Bear**: Urs Fischer's giant yellow teddy bear in the Duty Free Plaza South, and the airport's best-known landmark among more than 30 large artworks.
- **Airport art tour**: a short guided walk, available with a 4-hour layover.

## Practical details

- **Wi-Fi**: free on the "#HIAQatar" network, 4 hours a session, and you can reconnect. Inside the airport that's usually all you need.
- **Left luggage**: Visit Qatar says the airport doesn't offer left-luggage storage at present. Some travellers report that Qatar Airways baggage services in arrivals will hold bags, but this isn't confirmed, so don't plan around it.
- **SIM cards**: if you're leaving the airport, Ooredoo's Visitor SIM (QAR 35 for 5 GB and 7 days at its last published price) is sold in arrivals. See [getting into the city](https://dohalayover.com/getting-to-the-city/) for eSIMs.
- **Transit time limit**: you can't stay airside more than 24 hours between flights, including nights at the Oryx. Longer than that, you'll need to [enter Qatar](https://dohalayover.com/visa-and-transit/).

Got 5 hours or more and a visa-free passport? You could take the [metro to Souq Waqif](https://dohalayover.com/getting-to-the-city/), or join a [transit tour](https://dohalayover.com/itineraries/).

## Questions people ask

### Is there a hotel inside Hamad airport?

Yes, one: the Oryx Airport Hotel, in Hamad's transit area near the Lamp Bear. You don't pass immigration to stay there, so you need no visa, just your boarding pass and passport. Stays can't run past 24 hours.

### How much is the Oryx airport hotel?

About US$320 to 390 for one adult for one night, when we checked Booking.com in October 2026 for dates from November 2026 to January 2027. One date was already sold out, so book the Oryx early for busy periods.

### Can I book the Oryx Airport Hotel by the hour?

Not on booking sites, which sell full nights. The Oryx mentions shorter stays on request, subject to availability, but travellers were quoted full-night rates in 2026, so ask the hotel first. For a few hours' sleep at Hamad, a Sleepover pod is usually the better fit.

### Can I sleep at Doha airport for free?

Yes, in Hamad's quiet rooms, which have reclining chairs and separate areas for men, women and families. They fill up at busy times and travellers say they run cold, so bring a layer.

### Does Priority Pass work at Doha airport?

Yes, again. Priority Pass dropped Hamad's three Al Maha lounges in May 2026 and listed them again in October 2026, along with the Sleepover pods and Be Relax spa. Many credit-card memberships cover lounges only, so check yours before you fly.

### Can I use the pool at Doha airport without staying at the hotel?

Yes. The Vitality centre at the Oryx Airport Hotel is open to all transit passengers for a fee, from about 5am to 2am. A shower alone costs about QAR 105, and the pool and gym price isn't published, so ask at the desk. The pool closes yearly for maintenance, from about 15 to 25 September.

## Sources (checked 1 November 2026)

- [Oryx Airport Hotel](https://oryxairporthotel.com/)
- [Oryx Airport Hotel: FAQ](https://oryxairporthotel.com/faq)
- [Oryx Airport Hotel: Vitality Wellbeing & Fitness Centre](https://oryxairporthotel.com/vitalitycentre)
- [Qatar Airways: Hamad airport hotel](https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/hia-hamad-international-airport/hia-airport-hotel.html)
- [Sleepover: Doha North](https://www.airport-sleepover.com/en/terminals/doha-north)
- [Airport Dimensions: new Sleepover location at Hamad](https://www.airportdimensions.com/news-and-insights/sleepover-opens-new-location-at-hamad-international-airport-doha)
- [Priority Pass: Hamad International](https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/qatar/hamad-international)
- [Priority Pass: Al Maha Lounge (South Node)](https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/qatar/hamad-international/doh2-al-maha-lounge-south-node)
- [Al Maha Services: lounges](https://www.al-mahaservices.com/)
- [Qatar Airways: paid lounge access](https://www.qatarairways.com/tradeportal/en-au/ancillaryservices/Lounge-Services.html)
- [Discover Qatar: Relaxation at the Airport](https://www.discoverqatar.qa/transit-exclusive-discover-relaxation-at-the-airport)
- [Hamad International Airport: transfers](https://dohahamadairport.com/airport-guide/at-the-airport/transfers)
- [Visit Qatar: Hamad International Airport](https://visitqatar.com/intl-en/plan-your-trip/hamad-international-airport)
- [Visit Qatar: airport access and facilities](https://visitqatar.com/intl-en/practical-info/airport-access)
- [UK FCDO: Qatar entry requirements](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/qatar/entry-requirements)
- [Gulf Times: ORCHARD one year on](https://gulf-times.com/article/672624/qatar/hia-marks-one-year-since-orchard-opening)
- [Ooredoo: Visitor SIM](https://ooredoo.qa/web/en/press-release/ooredoo-qatar-visitor-sim-now-gives-5gb-data-for-international-guests)
- [Booking.com: Oryx Airport Hotel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/qa/the-airport.html)
- [Booking.com: sleep 'n fly, Hamad transit area](https://www.booking.com/hotel/qa/sleep-39-n-fly-sleep-lounge-doha-hamad-international-airport-transit-area.html)
- [Head for Points: Priority Pass returns to Doha (secondary)](https://www.headforpoints.com/2026/10/17/priority-pass-lounge-access-doha/)
- [LoungeFrog: Al Maha lounges back on Priority Pass (secondary)](https://www.loungefrog.com/news/priority-pass-doha-hamad-al-maha-lounges-return-october-2026)
- [Sleeping in Airports: Doha guide (secondary)](https://www.sleepinginairports.net/guides/doha-airport-guide.htm)