Home » Posts tagged 'lounge review' (Page 3)
Tag Archives: lounge review
My review of Air Serbia Premium Lounge, Belgrade
My flight back to London departs at 10.20am, but I wanna review the Air Serbia Premium Lounge so got in quite early.
As you can imagine, Belgrade airport is fairly small and it has only two lounges: the Business Club which is used by the majority of the airlines except Air Serbia, and accepts Priority Pass.
The Air Serbia Premium Lounge is about 10 metres away. admitting the following passengers:
- Business class
- Etihad Guest elites
- Priority Pass
- Economy Comfort, under a current promotion
Economy class booked using miles falls into the Comfort category and thus is eligible for complimentary access to the lounge. As they accept Priority Pass however, gaining access shouldn’t be a problem anyway.
The lounge is separated by a wall with the business area on the left:
And dining area on the right:
There’s a fancy VIP room which is by reservation only.
In terms of food options there’s a decent breakfast spread:
There’s only bottled water in the fridge though. For anything else including soft drinks you’ll need to request it from the bar.
The bathroom is posher than the rest of the lounge. There is a shower room you could use to refresh yourself.
As it’s the flagship (and only) lounge of Serbia’s national carrier, I had high expectations and can’t lie about being disappointed. It’s so tiny to start with and has no natural light, and I’ve been to many independent airport lounges (especially the Plaza Premium lounges) that are better. Anyhow the food is decent and they’ve got a shower room, so feel free to stop by for a bit before your flight but it’s not worth too much of your time.
My review of Plaza Premium Lounge, London Heathrow T4 (Departure)
When travelling from Heathrow, most of the time my flight would depart from T5 or T3, so I haven’t been to T4 or T2 that often at all. Due to their close ties with Etihad Airways, Air Serbia operates at Terminal 4 which gives me a chance to refresh my memories before my flight to Belgrade.
Air Serbia business class passengers and Etihad Guest elite members are invited to relax in the Plaza Premium Lounge before taking off. T4 also has a very good Plaza Premium Arrival Lounge – I didn’t have the time to revisit it but will try to review next time.
The entrance is right by the Qatar Airways Lounge.
I’ve been to the Skyteam Lounge a long time ago when travelling on Air France. It was in the Priority Pass network, closed during the pandemic and then permanently. Strangely enough but It means that Skyteam no longer has a lounge at London Heathrow.
Plaza Premium also terminated their cooperation with Priority Pass recently, but you get still get in with Amex Platinum or Dragonpass.
I arrived at around 12pm and the lounge is really quiet.
It’s got a lot of space, and different areas are carefully curated. Plaza Premium Group is headquartered in Hong Kong and there are definitely some Asian influences in their interior design, for example the orchids.
These semi-private booths remind me of my overnight stay at the Plaza Premium Lounge at HKG…
The buffet area looks like an open-plan kitchen, but it isn’t.
The following hot food options are available:
- Penne pasta with broccoli pesto sauce
- Chicken tikka masala
- Chickpea sweet potato and pepper tagine
- Carrot coriander soup
- Steamed rice
- Peach crumble
I had some chicken tikka masala and pasta and they were really good.
There is a bar on the other side of the lounge but at that time it doesn’t seem to be manned.
As an Air Serbia guest I can order one premium drink for free.
As always I’m very satisfied by this Plaza Premium lounge, although my complaint would be the bar doesn’t get any natural light and isn’t as live as its T5 sibling. I definitely think it’s a better hard product than the Skyteam Lounge, and would also like to check out the Qatar Airways Lounge some day.
My review of Plaza Premium Edinburgh
My three-day trip to Edinburgh comes to and end. I researched my options going back to London, and flying back (redeeming Avios on BA) was the better of the two.
I’ve been to Edinburgh quite a few times, but somehow never visited the BA or Aspire Lounge yet. This time however, Plaza Premium just opened a new site in August, and I’d love to give it a try first considering how great their lounges usually are.
The lounge is located near gate 13, which is a fair bit of walk after the security checkpoints. When you are upstairs, the Aspire and Plaza Premium lounges are here side by side. The main complimentary ways of getting access to Plaza Premium lounges are via Amex Platinum and Dragonpass.
Upon entering, there is a VIP Room to the left which is reservation only.
The Gin Bar is what makes the lounge stand out. You don’t usually see non-airline lounges that feature a bar, not to mention and proper and very stylish one.
I didn’t order anything, but I assume beers and wines are free whereas spirits and cocktails are chargeable.
The entertainment room is another highlight. With foosball, shuffleboard, animation and kids’ toys, there literally is something for everyone.
The dining area with a few tables.
Four hot food options on the day:
- Chicken tikka masala
- Broccoli pasta
- Fish and chips
- Leek and potato soup
Plaza Premium can always pride themselves on food offering – I always prefer them to BA’s Galleries First when visiting Heathrow T5.
As I said the lounge is very new, and the staff doesn’t know how to credit the visit on my Smart Traveller app yet so a small loss for me. Nonetheless I’m genuinely impressed by the lounge’s standard, and highly recommend you to visit if having the chance.
My review of American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle
I wrote about the Amex Centurion Lounge at Denver which wasn’t very impressive. There’s one in Seattle as well, and I’m gonna give it another try after having spent some time in the nice Sky Club.
It’s just one minute away from the Sky Club, with a very recognisable entrance.
Bad news upon entry: the lounge is already full. But fortunately I don’t have to wait long as I’m on my own.
It is indeed very crowded:
But I’m assigned a pretty comfortable seat.
There’s also some reserved seating which are presumably for Centurion members.
A couple of more photos of the decoration.
More seats are available in the bar area, but still limited.
All alcohol drinks, including cocktails are free.
The buffet menu for hot food:
- Spicy collard greens
- Carolina beef grifts
- Grilles asparagus
Again I’m a bit disappointed at the quality of this lounge, and neither of the two Amex Centurion lounges that I’ve visited in the States are anywhere near the standard of the London one.
My review of Delta Sky Club, Seattle
I’m finished with my Seattle trip, and will be flying with Delta for the first time. I read some good things about the Sky Club at Seattle and I’m very excited in trying it out.
The Sky Club is located at Concourse A and hard to miss. All concourses are connected post-security, so although my flight departs from Concourse S it doesn’t stop me from visiting the lounges.
According to Virgin Atlantic’s website, I’m entitled to Sky Club access automatically when flying back to the UK on Delta as a Flying Club Gold member. My boarding pass fails the scanner though, then the staff go on a little discussion before telling me Delta’s partnership with Virgin has terminated a couple of days ago?!
I’m so astonished and know that’s impossible. After exchanging a few words I realise that they are talking about Virgin Australia. Anyway they don’t seem well trained on the reciprocal benefits, and I decide to just flash my Amex Platinum instead. This time it works like a charm.
An array of lenticular cards by the entrance.
The Seattle lounge is generally regarded as the best Sky Club that Delta has. The lounge is huge with two floors, and leaves a very good first impression on me.
Seattle is one of Delta’s main hubs, but the lounge is not as busy as I thought.
Further down the line is more workspace.
A view of Delta aircrafts.
Some memorabilia of Seattle SeaHawks, an American Football team sponsored by Delta.
The second (first) floor:
The upper floor is quieter, but food is only offered downstairs.
The following hot food is on offer:
- Ivar’s clam chowder with bacon
- Spicy tofu stir fry
- Steamed brown rice
- Roasted green beans
- Teriyaki chicken
If you haven’t got to taste Seattle’s specialty Clam Chowder yet, there is one last chance! The Teriyaki chicken isn’t cooked right and tastes salty instead of sweet, but I actually prefer it this way.
A limited selection of beer and wine is complimentary, but most alcoholic drinks are payable. I read somewhere that redeeming Delta miles on Champagne is a good idea, but I didn’t check.
Desserts:
The chewy marshmallow looks very similar to a Chinese snack that I liked when I was a kid.
The bathroom might have been inspired by a few horror movies…
I want to take a look at the Amex Centurion lounge as well so didn’t spend all the time here. The Seattle Sky Club didn’t disappoint me, and is well worth a couple of hours before your flight.
My review of Amex Centurion Lounge, Denver
I’ve had the Amex Platinum card since 2014, but it’s not until now have I visited an Amex Centurion lounge in the States. I was actually in Miami the other day which also has a Centurion lounge, however at the wrong terminal and airside inter-terminal transfer was not possible so I missed the opportunity there.
It’s not an issue in Denver thankfully, so although my Delta flight departs from a different Concourse I’m still able to access the Centurion lounge in Concourse C. I just need to take the shuttle train from Concourse A to C and then back after my visit.
The Centurion lounge is near Gate 46, take the escalator up once you see the sign.
Platinum cardholders can guest up to two people, so I’m able to bring my friend with me. Note that starting from 2023 US-issued Platinum cards can no longer bring any guests unless they spend at least $75,000 the previous year, whilst cards issued by other countries remain unaffected.
The spending target is pretty high, and the aim is to address the overcrowding problem which is getting worse by the day. Denver is no exception:
The lounge is not huge but has a decent size, so despite being fairly crowded it’s not too difficult to find a seat.
Some areas have a view of the runway of airport interior.
There are a pool table and shuffleboard for fun.
The same decorative wall as I saw in London.
It’s early in the morning, so breakfast service is available. Some of the dishes include eggs, sausages and fried potatoes.
All drinks including cocktails are free at the Centurion lounge, which is an edge over other airline lounges in the United States that makes it different.
You can also make yourself a coffee or orange juice, however it’s pretty hard to spot a free glass anywhere.
In conclusion – I think the lounge itself is more than fine, as the decor is nice and the food offering is okay. The experience is considerably overshadowed by the capacity issue though, which is likely to improve from February next year.
My review of Virgin Atlantic Upper Wing & Clubhouse at London Heathrow T3
I have been to most of the lounges at Heathrow. Amongst the remaining ones (that are still open) Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouse definitely tops my list. I didn’t fly with them that much, and never from Heathrow with a qualifying ticket so had no chance of trying the Clubhouse out.
This June I bought a ticket in Premium to the States, and used my credit card voucher to upgrade to Upper Class. In fact I status matched to Virgin Gold last December so should gain access to the lounge anyway.
In short, the following passengers can access the LHR T3 Clubhouse:
- Virgin Atlantic Upper Class / Delta One passengers
- Virgin Atlantic Gold / Virgin Australia Gold or above, when flying with Virgin Atlantic
- Delta Platinum and Diamond / Flying Blue Platinum, when flying with Virgin Atlantic or Delta
What I find really confusing is, Delta and Flying Blue elite members can use the lounge when flying with Delta, but Virgin Atlantic Gold members can’t. It must be a mix-up?
The entry rules were once very generous to VS Gold, as they could use the Clubhouse no matter which airline they were flying with (even BA). Sadly due to the overcrowding issue introduced by Delta passengers, it’s no longer the case.
Similar to BA’s First Wing at T5, Virgin Atlantic has an Upper Wing at T3 as well. If I interpret it correctly, only Upper Class and Delta One passengers are welcomed here so elite members aren’t allowed. It even has a dedicated driveway, and they verify your name at the entrance.
Don’t quote me on this, but I think it’s outside the Heathrow £5 drop-off charge zone.
The inside is much smaller than First Wing though, with only a couple of desks.
Thanks to its exclusiveness the check-in is really fast. When ready you can proceed to the security checkpoint.
Unfortunately Upper Wing doesn’t have its own security check facility, and it’s simply a reserved corner of the T3 screening facilities. After it’s done, you’ll merge with the general public and find your way to the Clubhouse.
The experience is a bit underwhelmed and not comparable to BA’s First Wing, as the latter has their own security checkpoint and you arrive into Galleries First within seconds. If you are travelling peak times (for example half-term) it might save you significant time, but otherwise I’m not sure if it’s necessary.
The Clubhouse is nicknamed Lounge H. When you enter the area of airline lounges, Qantas and Cathay Pacific are on the left, whereas BA, AA and the Clubhouse are on your right.
It’s above American’s Admirals Club.
Today happens to be the Platinum Jubilee and they’ve added some special celebratory decorations.
I was a bit shocked by how busy the lounge is…
You should notice the very long bar right away, which is deemed as the best at Heathrow.
There are many different kinds of seats in the lounge.
Going past the dining area (I forgot to take photos there) and you’ll reach the quieter business zone.
You can watch TV here.
Behind the bar there are some window seats shielded by a glass wall. They are probably the best spot in this lounge for good privacy and runway view.
The lounge is very purple-y, just like Virgin’s planes. There is also a mini-gym with three Peloton bikes, although I don’t think it’s a good idea to exhaust yourself before boarding a flight.
This is the other side of the lounge, with a couple of hanging pods.
A very Instagram-able spot:
This is the very quiet relaxation area.
On the first floor there’s a small entertainment room with a pool table.
Further up there’s a nice terrace if you want to enjoy the sun.
Bathroom:
Dining is mainly table service. You can either order from the waiter or scan the QR code.
I had a big breakfast here.
There’s also a deli counter where you can grab some stuff yourself.
What do I think? Well, don’t get me wrong – Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouse at Heathrow T3 is still a pretty decent lounge, but it’s not at the same level as it was years ago. Before its partnership with Delta and Flying Blue the Clubhouse was a quiet paradise reserved for its own passengers and members only, and now it simply doesn’t feel exclusive at all anymore. In fact I find it even busier than BA’s Galleries First Lounge.
Virgin’s cost cutting measures in the past years are also to blame. The Clubhouse used to offer a hot tub, free haircut and massage services, yet now there’s nothing left besides food. Unfortunately it can no longer differentiate itself from the other lounges at Heathrow. In fact I probably prefer the Amex Centurion Lounge or Cathay Pacific Business Lounge unless I really crave an a-la-carte menu.
My review of Eurostar Business Premier Lounge, Paris
Eurostar departs from the Gare du Nord station in Paris, with a dedicated entrance on the second floor. After entering, you’ll pass the border control of France and UK, the security check and then you’ll be in.
On your left, you can take the stairs or lift up to find the Business Premier lounge, which is available to Business Premier / Carte Blanche guests, or Amex Platinum cardholders.
Unlike the London lounge, the Paris one occupies only one floor, but it pans out nicely. Once inside you see the main lounge area on your right.
Which is connected to the drink and snack area.
The selection of snacks is noticeably better than London. There is also a bar, which isn’t serviced at the moment.
The left part of the lounge is comprised of semi-private compartments, ideal as a workspace.
Some of the seats come with a view of the station.
Similar to its London counterpart, this lounge is a good place to chill and refuel a bit before your journey, but not really worth spending a lot of time in.