to want to go to an airport lounge?

[ssd]

I dont know why, seen an advert for one and they just look so calm, with snacks and drinks and newspapers

I'd just like to go to one then fly off somewhere gorgeous

its not too much to ask, is it?

brain
You can't have been in Schipol recently. It is a building site and absolute hell!

Tartyflette, don't know how it works with Wexas, but unlimited Priority Pass lounges are free with the black Natwest C.C/ account, and the £15 reduced rate applies to any guests you want to take in.

Some of them are awesome, some of them meh. BA Club World at T5 I don't care for but the Virgin one in T4 is freaking amazing. JFK's business class lounges are shit but that's probably because JFK is a shitty airport anyway

Sparechange and Atomic - don't disagree! But is short-term and as long as you're not in a rush to buy duty-free etc, it's bearable...
I'm defending foreign airports, good grief! FS - agree about JFK, but don't know any decent US airports anyway? Detroit? Cincinnatti? Hate Atlanta - just too big....

(Yes - first world problems....)

The BA club lounge at heathrow used to be rubbish - so crowded and woful selection of food. Don't know if it is better since the move to T5,

The Emirates lounge at JFK was utterly wonderful. Half a dozen different champagnes to choose from ....Veuve Clicquot for me.

The small ones you pay for are ok but again pretty crowded and snacks are poor. pre children we used to pay for them but not anymore.

I've been to the one in Bangkok that you pay to enter. About 20 quid which is an obscene amount in Thailand but after travelling for something like 30 hours and still having another flight ahead of me it was bloody well spent.

It was full of Asian business men and one scruffy backpacker (me). I mainly paid the 20 quid to have a shower at that point ; the food and drink was a bonus. I couldn't face alcohol though - was all over the place after the flight.

I'd love to be able to use he business class ones. No chance for me though.

Been in a few business class lounges recently. Emirates was OK last Sunday at Heathrow but bit too busy these days and they didn't keep the food topped up. Great choice of papers and magazines though. Qatars was outstanding in Feb - really felt spoilt and the breakfast was the best I've had in a lounge. I like the, cooked to order, noodles in the Cathay in HK. I like the free wifi most of all in the lounges. The worst by far are the American ones. I use the American lounge in Chicago a couple of times a year and even though I usually don't drink I find their 2 booze food ticket policy a bit mean.

I think they are lovely. For £15/20 they are peaceful and you can nearly spend that much on a cuppa and cake whilst waiting I the main area anyway.

I'd never actually pay to use a lounge. I have a card that gets me into those paid-for ones for free, and they're often too crowded, so I tend to use the airline ones. But anything's better than having to stay out in the concourse.

The Virgin clubhouse is indeed amazing!!

This is all very new to me! I fly quite a lot but have never used a lounge.

In the airport lounges that have hair salons, is it completely free?

Er, no, of course you pay for the treatments.

Hmmmm, I've never tried to sneak a manicure through my expenses ...

We are flying back to London through Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, I can't wait to get to the lounge, the food is amazing and they even have a playroom for dd

(I made dh book the flight with a longer stop over so we can go in the lounge rather than board on the next flight straight away )

I've never paid for any treatments in a lounge! Have never had my hair done, but nails, massages etc that was all complimentary travelling First.

never used a lounge you have to pay for, so can't comment, but agree re BA first and Galleries lounges. Been in a fair few of them all over the world and will be in next couple weeks. :)

Yes, of course, Galinda in First (although I just prefer to stick to champagne really -- never seem to have time for a manicure) but the poster was talking about the paid-for lounges with treatment rooms attached.

I have done many. This week it is Virgin Clubhouse at LHR. Drive through check in, hair, eyebrows, nails, facial and makeup. Then breakfast and cocktails. Great free magazines in Clubhouse. Shoeshine. Quick snack from the deli and then NYC.

The BA 1st class Concorde Room isnt that great. The food is better than Virgin and the Champagne is Laurent Perrier Grand siecle whereas Virgin is Lanson. The loos are like a school or hospital- awful. The elemis spa is patchy and only 1 treatment each- unlike Virgin.

Some of the paid for ones are ok- usually priority pass. LBA is good.

To clarify payment. You get 1 free with Virgin and you pay for the rest but they are very cheap by comparison to my local salons and much better. Virgin used to have beauty staff on the planes.

With BA at LHR you can only get 1 free and not pay for any others.

I think that the Cathy Wing is better than Qantas at HKG.

Champagne is Laurent Perrier Grand siecle whereas Virgin is Lanson

Here's a tip: Qantas 1st class gives you a choice. Rather nice ...

The Nat West Black travel insurance has been amazing with ski accidents with DS. The children also had insurance up to age 26 when travelling without us, and my parents were also covered when they travelled with us. All sorts of perks, water leaks, electricity failure, etc, not just the Airport lounges, though Emirates first class makes BA look like Macdonalds!

caillou The lounge at Abu Dhabi? It's always full and the most uncomfortable seating ever, especially at 1.00 am when we are waiting for the 02.35 back from AUH to LHR.

I'm loving how non-stealth boasting this thread is. Better than FlyerTalk.

Honestly you can get better food outside the lounge, and the cost of getting in to the proper ones (either through flying, or through upgrade) is typically way more than a champagne & caviar meal outside.