QATAR. Hamad International Airport is celebrating one year since it opened its vast indoor tropical garden, The Orchard.
As reported, the airport facility was inaugurated in November 2022.
The 6,000sq m indoor tropical garden was designed to be a focal point for all travellers, offering them a place to “relax, rejuvenate and recharge”.
The Orchard’s unique design features a column-free, grid shell roof that controls and filters the light required to maintain the rainforest trees, promoting a sense of well-being.
It has 300 trees and more than 25,000 plants and shrubs sourced from sustainable forests around the world, including Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.
{This short film on The Orchard, shot by Martin Moodie on his iPhone last November has attracted 4,767 views and the one below a further 3,885}}
Impressive blend of retail and F&B
The Orchard showcases a diverse array of shopping and dining options, with more than 90 brands in one vast commercial area.
Out of the airport’s 180 retail and dining offers, the facility houses more than 65 retail and F&B outlets, spread across its three levels.
Qatar Duty Free, owner and operator of all retail and F&B outlets at Hamad International Airport, scooped 12 titles including Airport Food & Beverage Offer of the Year at The Moodie Davitt Report’s Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Awards 2023.
It also snapped up the Airport Retailer of the Year at the annual Frontier Awards in Cannes. Qatar Duty Free is the first company to ever win both awards in a single year.
The Orchard features many world firsts and exclusives, including a duplex Fendi boutique complemented by the first airport Fendi Café, and Ralph’s Coffee Shop – both winners at the FAB Awards 2023.
Fendi Café won the Global Airport Restaurant Design of the Year and was highly commended for the Airport Food & Beverage Opening of the Year (Global) accolade. Ralph’s Coffee was named Airport Coffee Tea Shop of the Year (Regional) and was highly commended for the Airport Coffee or Tea Shop of the Year award.
Offering business travellers a unique bleisure experience, The Orchard has added four lounges including Al Mourjan Business Lounge – the Garden, which recently unveiled its double FAB Award-winning Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno, North Plaza lounges – Al Maha Lounge, Oryx Lounge and Gold and Platinum Lounge.
Retail and F&B offers at The Orchard include a wide range of offers for families and children. Among them are Hamleys, the first Oreo Café at an airport and two food courts.
Oreo Café yesterday won the Best Omnichannel Strategy accolade at The Moodies 2023 Travel Journey Omnichannel Awards.
Earlier this year, the airport installed several digital wayfinding solutions to assist travellers with information, such as retail and dining options, flight information, attractions and host QR codes to navigate from one point to another.
To keep passengers connected and to allow them to easily navigate the terminal, the airport offers unlimited free WiFi.
Sustainability at the forefront
With its sustainable design, Hamad International Airport is the first airport in the region to achieve a 4-star Global Sustainability Assessment System Design & Build (GSAS-D&B) rating from the Gulf Organization for Research & Development. The certification was attributed to The Orchard, Oryx Garden Hotel, the North Plaza lounges, Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden and the Remote Transfer Baggage Facility.
The GSAS-D&B certification validates that a project is designed and built with sustainability in mind.
The airport company noted that it is constantly reviewing its operations and travel trends to meet the demands of travellers and partners.
Phase B of the expansion project will increase the airport capacity to 70 million passengers, with over 95,000sq m in extension of Concourses D and E and a new cargo terminal. ✈
