Fellow passengers: The usual Business Class suspects, and a handful of passengers who, like me, were travelling Auckland to London via Doha. Pretty soon after the seatbelt sign came off, I headed to the bar - most of the passengers seated near me were snoring by the time I got back to my seat.
How full: I saw no empty seats in Business.
Amenities: A selection of Italian products from Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio, including lip balm, anti-ageing moisturiser and a much appreciated hydrating facial mist (my secret for long-haul flights) - housed in a very chic amenities case with leather trim from luxury Italian luggage brand Bric's. The cabin crew also offer a cosy grey pyjama set - which I definitely changed into as soon as we were airborne - and there are also complimentary toothbrushes and mini toothpaste in the toilets.
Entertainment: I managed only one (great) episode of Black-ish before attempting to sleep but there are plenty of film options for those wanting to stay awake, from buzzy new films including La La Land, Loving, Manchester by the Sea and Jackie to classics like Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day.
The screens are more than decent - 17in - and a touch-screen remote felt novel. The A380 also has complimentary Wi-Fi, which is great in theory but I could feel a headache coming on as I was looking through work emails. It was very slow, and conveniently, my free 10mb ran out after opening about two emails.
Service: Perfect. Sometimes I find Business Class service can feel a little rehearsed, like the air hostess and I are performing an awkward thank-you dance - but the hostesses on Qatar were attentive without being overbearing.
Food and drink: It's all about the airline lounge isn't it? With leather seating, red rose decorations and flattering lighting, it felt pretty damn glam. There were sweet and savoury snacks on the bar, and a wide array of drinks and cocktails to choose from - like a Cherry Cobbler (gin, cognac, sugar syrup and lemon juice) or a Pineapple Wine Cooler.
For some reason - blame the jet lag, the altitude, the giddiness of being in a bar in the sky - but I chose the Pink Gin cocktail, straight alcohol with Bombay Sapphire and Angostura bitters and lemon. Back at your seat, there are plenty of luxury drink options too (Billecart-Salmon Brut, Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Champagne or a "luxury non-alcoholic bubbly" called the So Jennie).
You can choose to dine whenever you want on a Qatar flight, which was slightly disconcerting. The crew offer some guidance, which is good for those, like me, who need some structure in their lives. A light snack of a soggy and rather bland grilled chicken sandwich was one of the only letdowns of the flight, but the Bircher muesli for breakfast was just right.
Toilets: Clean and fancy: think red roses, body mist and hand lotion by the beauty brand Rituals, and a leather toilet seat.
Luggage: Qatar has a generous baggage allowance for Business flyers, with 40kg per passenger (although no one bag can weigh more than 32kg).
The airport experience: Before the flight, while in transit at Hamad International Airport in Doha, we spent time in the tranquil Al Mourjan Business Lounge - one of the best business class lounges I've been to. Huge at 10,000sq m, it's broken up into several areas, and there are much-needed showers for freshening up between flights (although there are few amenities in these). For something a little more playful there is the famous Lamp Bear in the centre of the duty free hall of the airport: a 7m yellow bear made out of bronze by the artist Urs Fischer.
