Ten best lounges

[anat0l]

Just out of interest, what lounges would be in peoples top 10 lists?

I don't have a lot of experience in lounges outside Australia, but here are my domestic (AU & NZ) and international lists.

Domestic

1. MEL T1 QF J Lounge - view
2. MEL T1 Qantas Club - view again, and feels less cramped than SYD lounges
3. CHC M Domestic NZ Koru Club - KCs usually trump every QP for food esp. at night; nice calming tones, too
4. CBR Qantas Club - yep, you heard me; better than the J Lounge which feels like a pill box
5. SYD T3 QF J Lounge
6. SYD T3 Qantas Club - better view than SYD T3 J lounge but I feel tends to be more crowded; YMMV very much
7. ADL Qantas Club - great open space, but starting to show signs of age
8. BNE D QF J Lounge - hard to go past home; surprisingly I like the compact J Lounge over the QP, mostly because of the view but the intimacy in the J Lounge seems just right
9. WLG Domestic Qantas Club - at least in the better days; cheese scones were excellent
10. PER T2 Qantas Club - hard to give PER any credit for doing anything right, but the view from the lounge is great if you can get a window seat (crowding is a problem here)

International

1. SYD T1 QF F Lounge - the flagship of QF, only closely coming ahead of...
2. MEL T2 QF F Lounge - lovely and intimate, but the view is pretty ordinary; when there are less people in this lounge, however, the lounge staff really shine in how they look after you - something that you can't really get at SYD
3. BNE I QF J Lounge - love our great "open" environment airport; have not tried the F Lounge yet
4. SIN T1 QF/BA F Lounge - as much as it is gripe-able, it has a nice relaxing feel to it until the masses come rolling in; food is pretty blah, though
5. MNL T1 QF Associated Lounge - well, at least it was good when I was in there in 1999; might have changed by now. A bit small but great food and nice and quiet
6. SYD T1 QF J Lounge - apart from the view being shadowed by the huge lounge upstairs and the food is ordinary, not a bad lounge when all considered
7. AKL I QF F Lounge - fairly standard but intimate, not much view to speak of
8. AKL I QF J Lounge - ditto above, just more susceptible to crowding and more blah food
9. MEL T2 QF J Lounge - might not be a fair assessment, but no view to speak of and feels like being in a decorated bunker. Then again, this was when there was some construction going on in the lounge (late May 2008) - might have changed since then....
10. KIX Asuka Lounge (accessible through JQ Star Class) - I was running out of international lounges I had been to until I put this in to finish off the list. Would be a better view if it looked out at the other side of the terminal (where all the planes really are); food is very subdued (no hot food save for some sweet bakery items) and otherwise a boring lounge.

 

[serfty]

• ...
• BNE I QF J Lounge - love our great "open" environment airport; have not tried the F Lounge yet...

...

Think AKL F but smaller.

..

• ...
• SIN T1 QF/BA F Lounge - as much as it is gripe-able, it has a nice relaxing feel to it until the masses come rolling in; food is pretty blah, though...

...

Food is not that Blah in the Flounge when the waiters walk around offering a selection of hot food ...

 

[anat0l]

Think AKL F but smaller.

As long as it's "open" top like the J Lounge, that just might do it for me. Showers etc. might be another thing, but I was not impressed by the showers in the Dom QP or Int J Lounge (both use those ineffective "water saving" shower heads that IMHO use more water to achieve the same job!)

Then again, how could you get smaller than the AKL F lounge; we'd almost be talking about the size of a board room by then.

Food is not that Blah in the Flounge when the waiters walk around offering a selection of hot food ...

Ah yes, that is true. But that food does go fast, and before such food actually arrives then the selection is truly blah. (Why can't they at least release the ice cream in the early evening before the hot food arrives in the late evening to give some kind of respite?)

 

[tuapekastar]

For various reasons (somewhat perversely on this board, mainly work reasons) my travelling in recent ALA (After Lounge Access) years has been limited to SWP and Asia.

1. MEL QF Flounge - more relaxed, intimate and pleasant than SYD's.
2. SYD QF Flounge - equally good facilities, food, champers as MEL, just a little more crowded and noisy
3. AKL QF Flounge - gets dumped on a bit, but I quite liked the intimate feel, and definitely better fare than on offer in the J lounge.
4. HKG CX Pier Flounge - not quite up to expectations, but the expectations were high
5. ADL QP - the brightest and most enjoyable dom lounge I've been in
6. SIN QF J lounge - was in it not that long after renos, and it showed
7. MEL dom QP (when not chockers) - home QP so used more than most
8. AKL QF International QP - pleasant enough
9. CBR QP - not a very pretty lounge, but pretty spacious (for all those contractors and Pub Servants)
10. BNE QP - for the company every February (apologies to those AFFers who may not get the reference)

 

[serfty]

... 3. AKL QF Flounge - gets dumped on a bit, but I quite liked the intimate feel, and definitely better fare than on offer in the J lounge. ...

Except after the 5pm and 6pm SCL and SYD flights depart and one is awaiting the sole remaining flight (MEL) at 9pm - the food basically disappears .

 

[Dave Noble]

Best lounges I use are

EK First lounge at Dubai
BA Concorde Room at London
BA First Lounge at London
CX Wing
QF 1st lounges at SYD and MEL
EK lounges at LGW/SIN/AKL
AA Flagship lounge at ORD

EK beats BA since, although the BA lounge is better, the overall facility at the premium terminal in DXB wins hands down; having the chauffeur drive service drop off at the premium terminal where the waiting porter takes the luggage to the check in ; after check in , through the premium terminal passport control and security and then at the lift that goes straight up to the lounge entrance is hard to beat

Dave

 

[Keith009]

I don't care about spas as i don't use them. My focus is on decor, booze and service.

1) FRA LH First Class Terminal - best service from start to finish, dedicated security/immigration, PA services, the full service restaurant, the comprehensive bar, limo to plane on Porsche or Mercedes

2) LHR T3 VS CH - funkiest decor (very W), awesome music, great coughtails; and this is only a J lounge - can you imagine what a VS Flounge would be like if they do F!

3) FRA LH Flounge - essentially identical to FCT minus dedicated security/immigration and limo

4) MEL QF Flounge - great trendy decor, great service, good food, good wine list, champers a bit low rent but made up by the rest of the lounge

5) SYD QF Flounge - same as MEL but bigger and more crowded, service can be slow and not as personalised

6) LHR T5 BA Galleries F - classy understated decor, good champers bar

7) SIN T3 SQ The Private Room - better service than BA but let down by cheap champers and limited range of drinks

8) NRT T2 NH F - sleek and minimalist decor, ok service, reasonable cook-to-order food, limited booze (some horrid tasting red wine)

9) HKG CX Wing F - has seen better days, but service is generally still good and noodle bar is decent (haven't tried Pier F)

10) NRT T1 JL J - who can miss the auto beer pouring machine?

Will hopefully be trying the TG Flounge in BKK over Easter. I heard it rocks so this list might change!

 

[SnowYeti]

Except after the 5pm and 6pm SCL and SYD flights depart and one is awaiting the sole remaining flight (MEL) at 9pm - the food basically disappears .

I asked nicely once to get some food as there wasn't much or it looked really old. The really nice person got me something out the back (and more than enough)

 

[HB7]

I wonder how the emirates dubai T3 flounge didn't make the top 10 list? I'm not too sure what others thinks, but for anyone who has been to the EK Flounge in dubai's T3, what would you guys rate it compared to the top 10 list in the article?

 

[anat0l]

I wonder how the emirates dubai T3 flounge didn't make the top 10 list? I'm not too sure what others thinks, but for anyone who has been to the EK Flounge in dubai's T3, what would you guys rate it compared to the top 10 list in the article?

Most people are just rating the lounges they have been to.

Except for Dave Noble, I don't know how many people here have been to the DXB T3 EK F Lounge.

 

[samh004]

I wonder how the emirates dubai T3 flounge didn't make the top 10 list? I'm not too sure what others thinks, but for anyone who has been to the EK Flounge in dubai's T3, what would you guys rate it compared to the top 10 list in the article?

Don’t forget that actual blog with the lounges has been picked to death over it’s poor choices, with some even questioning whether the poster went to the lounges he reviewed… so I’d take the list with a grain of salt.

 

[Skyring]

I feel a new blog coming on

Don’t forget that actual blog with the lounges has been picked to death over it’s poor choices, with some even questioning whether the poster went to the lounges he reviewed… so I’d take the list with a grain of salt.

It's a commonplace method of content-generation on a blog to have Top Ten lists. They give a sense of informed knowledge, they don't need any great writing or philosophical skills, they generate traffic and discussion. I'll bet there are any number of folk out there who have bookmarked the original blog post. And, for all its failings, it is a useful list of ten good lounges.

It's been about a week since I registerd a new domain and began a new blog. I'm suffering withdrawal! Maybe I should start one for the travel experience.

Maybe not – I'm finding it difficult to keep my existing blogs up to speed!

Hogjowls.com is coming along nicely. My next entry is about a special place in San Francisco. I was sitting in my taxi at Canberra Airport researching YouTube videos to illustrate the entry when I found one that simply overcame me with a flood of emotion. I had to get out, lean over the top of my cab, look out over the apron and sigh heavily, wishing I were climbing aboard one of the Qantas birds parked on the other side of the chainlink fence heading back to San Fran.

Come April, I will. And my first stop of many will be the Qantas SYD Flounge, where I'll board the CX blackeye taking me directly to the Wing.

Bugger it. I've talked myself into it. Now I just need a snappy name that hasn't already been hijacked. Hmmm. UpInTheAir.com? OnTheWing.com? FLounge.com?

 

[dfcatch]

My thoughts on lounges visited in recent history:

- QF SYD F lounge - just as good as I remembered it from early 2009, had a few good hours this time, so noticed the difference in service between when the lounge was packed vs mostly empty. Getting breakfast, and a massage before a long flight is always nice. Add spacious clean bathrooms, and attentive service to seat changes and other requests make this lounge a top effort. Very glad as a WP to have access here.

- AA LAX T4 FL - was packed compared to my previous visit here, but good food and drink offering and still easy enough to grab a shower. The T4 QP/AC is just as adequate in my opinion (FL gives free Internet and food).

- AA SFO AC - having been here countless times, it may be basic, but it still beats sitting at the gate lounge and the staff are always friendly and helpful.

- AA JFK AC - Quite nice for an AC. Didn't get to use the FL as was in F in the wrong direction and no FL at SFO.

- AA ORD AC - Similar to JFK - quite spacious for an AC.

- AA Toronto AC - Actually missed it the first time flying out of YYZ as it's before the additional security screening prior to the gate for US-bound flights. Small, but again beats the gate lounge.

- AA DFW AC - Ranks similar to JFK/ORD, decent enough for an AC, especially given DFW as AA's hub.

- BA Vancouver J lounge - comparable to a lot of offshore J lounges, nothing noteworthy. Reminded me of the JAL lounge in LAX, or the ANA lounge in SFO.

- BA LHR T5 J lounge - Good food selection, spacious lounge, plenty of PC's. Nice lounge - but would expect nothing less for LHR T5.

- BA LHR T5 F lounge - Champagne bar looked nice, but really didn't see much difference to the J lounge. Others may have a different experience here.

- BA LHR T5 Concorde Room - This was a nice lounge. Didn't use the cabanas, but dining was superb, drink service was prompt, and enjoyed the terrace area to relax in. The express spa with massage chairs was nice but not as good as the QF SYD offering.

- BA LHR T3 J lounge - met expectations for a major J lounge. Good (but had high expectations).

- Zurich - some generic lounge - can't even remember the branding, quite sterile, but again beats the gate lounge.

- BA BOS J lounge - small but food offering was quite good. Dining service was enhanced due to reduced cabin service as a result of the BA strike action.

- CX SIN J lounge - didn't like it at all, busy, crowded, felt less relaxing than just wandering through the terminal.

- QF SIN F lounge - arrived just 30 mins before they were closing it till later in the day so didnt really get to experience it. Seemed ok, just more private than the J lounge. Couldn't really see much of a premium F offering compared to the J lounge.

- QF SIN J lounge - spacious, spread out, very nice for a QF int J lounge. Was quite happy to relax here for a few hours.

- CX WING (HKG) F/J lounge - Dining service was nice, cabanas were ok, but actually moved into the J lounge after finishing eating. I have to say that I was really very disappointed with this lounge. I had high expectations of the Wing, and given the accolades it receives, I expected to be impressed. But I actually found it to feel dated, and a bit of a let-down.

- QF HKG F lounge - didn't think much of this lounge. Like SIN, I couldn't really see much of a premium F offering compared to the J lounge.

- QF HKG J lounge - other than its "bunker" location and feel, I actually liked this better than than the F lounge. Liked the different zones which made it feel more intimate.

- CX Pier F lounge - I liked the feel of this lounge much better than the Wing and actually wish I had of moved to the Pier earlier in my transit than hanging out at the Wing and QF lounges. Will definitely go straight to the Pier next time in HKG.

In summary - would have to say QF SYD F lounge is tops, BA Concorde Room just behind, CX Pier F lounge and BA/QF J lounges in LHR next in line.

 

[simongr]

Out of interest why didnt you go into the F lounges at JFK and LHR T3? As WP on OW metal you have access...

 

[serfty]

The LHR T3 J lounge opened several months before the F lounge.

You need to be outbound from JFK T8 (or inbound to T8 and outbound from JFK on oneworld) to access the AA F/L.

 

[dfcatch]

Out of interest why didnt you go into the F lounges at JFK and LHR T3? As WP on OW metal you have access...

Excellent question - I was only SG at the time - hit WP on the LHR-SIN flight.

Did get a peak inside the LHR T3 F lounge for a little while as I was chatting to the Qantas F Host (had to get some bags retagged in SIN, plus wanted to find out if my WP status would be recognised in SIN and HKG (same day).

JFK - was only SG and inbound to T8 in F and onto YYZ in Y on American Eagle. So didn't get to check out the AA FL there