Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.
Today (February 22, 2016): Top 10 best Business Class airport lounges around the world.
Access to an airline’s lounge is considered one of the best perks of booking a Business Class ticket. However, the privilege of waiting for a flight in a lounge has always eluded me. Airport lounges are often located in dark and cramped spaces, most of the time they are far away from the gate, and the food is mediocre at best. But that is not the case at the 10 lounges listed below, which are oases of tranquillity, privacy, and first-rate amenities. In fact, you might even want to get to the airport early to while away the pre-flight hours in my pick of the world’s top 10 best Business Class lounges.
There is more information below the slideshow. Do you agree or have a favorite lounge that didn’t make my list? Leave it in the comments or take my poll below.
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10. BRITISH AIRWAYS GALLERIES LOUNGE, LONDON
British Airways ’s Business Class lounge at Heathrow ( designated ‘Galleries Lounge’) is definitely a step up from most airline lounges. The lounge is very spacious, features Osborne and Little exclusively designed fabric, and embraces the daylight with very large windows that offer nice tarmac views. It has plenty of food on display, with a fresh soup bar, hot and cold entrees, lots of snacks, full coffee stations with all sorts of cappuccino and lattes, and a very broad selection of wines, beers and spirits. There is also an Elemis Travel Spa on site, which provides 15 minutes complimentary treatments.
I have reviewed the Galleries Lounge in the following trip reports:
- Review: British Airways A380 Business Class from London to Los Angeles.
- Review: British Airways B747 Business Class from London to San Francisco.
9. SINGAPORE AIRLINES SILVERKRIS LOUNGE, SINGAPORE
The SilverKris Lounge is Singapore Airlines’ main Business Class lounge at Changi Airport. There is no shortage of seating variety as guests can choose from meeting rooms, café/bars or 13 Italian-leather slumberettes. It has one of the widest variety of lounge foods in the world, and the food quality will satisfy even the pickiest of palates. There is always a good selection of vegetarian cuisines, western dishes, pastas, Chinese stir-fried classics or Indian curries, in addition to Singaporean classic dishes like carrot cake, fried noodles, and chicken rice. Singapore Airlines has plans to upgrade the lounge and introduce its new ‘home away from home’ SilverKris Lounge concept, with unique spaces modelled after living, dining rooms and kitchens, featuring tastefully selected art pieces.
8. ETIHAD AIRWAYS PREMIUM LOUNGE, ABU DHABI
Etihad’s spacious Premium Lounge at Abu Dhabi International Airport features a chic decor that you would expect in a boutique hotel rather than an airport lounge. There is a wealth of services and facilities on offer in the lounge, including shower rooms, champagne bar, cigar lounge, children’s play area staffed with qualified nannies, work and relaxation areas. Several food stations display an impressive, frequently replenished international buffet including a wide variety of meats, cheeses, pastries, fruits, and hot items. The lounge’s Six Senses spa, dedicated to ambient relaxation, provides an urban sanctuary where guests can enjoy a range of complimentary express treatments. At Style & Shave, men can enjoy a wet shave or haircut whilst ladies can book eyebrow shaping, nail treatments or a blow dry.
I have reviewed the Etihad Airways Premium Lounge in the following trip report:
- Review: Etihad Airways Airbus A330 Business Class from Brussels to Male.
7. FINNAIR PREMIUM LOUNGE, HELSINKI AIRPORT
Finnair’s ultra-white, swanky Premium Lounge is designed by the Helsinki firm dSign Vertti Kivi & Co and features a classic Nordic design with dynamic changes in lighting, inspired by the Finnish outdoors. Video projections on the walls and ceiling are in tune with the seasons and time of day. The lounge features design furniture such as Tulip and Wombs chairs created by Finnish American architect and industrial designer Eero Saarinen. Food & beverage selection are plated on Marimekko tableware or served in Iittala Ultima Thule glasses, first designed for Finnair in 1968 by Tapio Wirkkala. The Premium lounge also features a children’s play area, Apple computers, a staffed bar and even a unisex sauna for those wanting to experience real Finnish culture before boarding the plane.
I have reviewed the Finnair Premium Lounge in the following trip report:
- Review: Finnair Airbus A330 Business Class from Helsinki to Phuket.
6. QANTAS HONG KONG LOUNGE, HONG KONG
Qantas relatively new Hong Kong Lounge (opened in 2014) is stylish and contemporary, designed to reflect the colour, vibrancy and luxury of Hong Kong. Tiling, screens and trees delineate the lounge which seats 300 and there’s a gorgeous cocktail bar area with impressive views across the airport. Qantas has partnered with Sofitel to offer new services in the lounge, including shirt pressing, shoe shining, priority access to showers, and enhanced dining experiences. Menus have been designed by chef Neil Perry based on his Rockpool and Spice Temple restaurants using regional flavours and served from the Spice Temple BBQ Bar, buffet and trolleys. The rich food pickings are designed to leave those on the flight to Australia sated and ready for sleep on the overnight flights.
5. VIRGIN ATLANTIC CLUBHOUSE, LONDON
Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouse in Heathrow features a design that is inherently Virgin, providing a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of the UK’s busiest airport. Here, you can freshen up pre-flight with power showers and complimentary spa products, or visit the Clubhouse Spa for a haircut or manicure. The Clubhouse also offers a sumptuous range of dining options from the brasserie restaurant to an extensive a la carte menu. Passengers looking to unwind can visit The Lodge with its après-ski vibe. Or if you’re looking for peace and quiet, the specially designed Viewing Deck offers great views of the runway and the setting sun, with comfortable seats making it the perfect place for a preflight snooze.
4. STAR ALLIANCE LOUNGE, LOS ANGELES
The stunning, award-winning Star Alliance Lounge Los Angeles at LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal is created and managed by Air New Zealand in consultation with its Star Alliance partners. The lounge’s main attraction is an outdoor terrace which invites guests to enjoy views over the airfield and distant Hollywood hills. By day you can enjoy Southern California’s famous sunshine and by night a sophisticated and cosy fire lit ambience. The lounge has a serviced bar with complimentary cocktails and refreshments available. Its numerous areas allow guests to relax, work, dine or be entertained as they wish. Well-appointed shower suites are available for guests wishing to freshen up before their flight.
3. CATHAY PACIFIC THE WING, HONG KONG
The Wing is Cathay Pacific’s flagship lounge at Hong Kong International Airport. It is split over two floors including a space adjacent to The Wing First Class lounge. It comes with a whopping 24 shower suites on the lower floor, along with six workstations, a buffet counter with cold food and four Asian and Western hot dishes. But you’ll want to head upstairs for the Noodle Bar, serving freshly made Asian dishes, such as dan dan noodles, char siu buns, dumplings, and regional specials, or for sipping a glass of premium champagne or a fine wine at the iconic Long Bar, made with gleaming, white marble with scenic overlooks of the tarmac.
I have reviewed the Cathay Pacific The Wing lounge in the following trip report:
- Review: Cathay Pacific B777 Business Class from Hong Kong to Beijing.
2. TURKISH AIRLINES LOUNGE ISTANBUL, ISTANBUL
Turkish Airlines’ Lounge Istanbul, which covers an area of 6000 square meters and seats 1,100 people, blends the modern with the traditional. A great range of services and activities— including a realistic racetrack providing the excitement of a car race, video game consoles, a cutting-edge golf simulator, private resting and showering areas, media wall, cinema, a play area for children, a library, a pool room, a prayer room, a teleconference hall, and massage service— are at arm’s reach. For those interested in Turkish cuisine, the lounge provides some of the unique tastes of Turkish and global dishes you’ll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere, such as “mantı” (Traditional Turkish beef ravioli).
1. QATAR AIRWAYS AL MOURJAN BUSINESS LOUNGE, DOHA
Qatar Airways’ Al Mourjan Business Lounge at Hamad International Airport is the best Business Class lounge that I ever encountered during my extensive travels. It simply outclasses all the current competition out there. The physically stunning space with its high ceilings has a refreshing resort-like ambience. The lounge is adorned with marbles, designer furniture, and bronze walls featuring traditional Arab calligraphy. It offers a variety of dining areas, with a choice between an extensive buffet and a la carte menu, as well as as fully equipped business centres, private workstations equipped with personal display screens, shower rooms, prayer rooms, and game rooms (all of them state-of-the-art and incredibly well designed).
I have reviewed the Qatar Airways Al Mourn Business Lounge in the following trip report:
- Review: Cathay Pacific B330 Business Class from Doha to Hong Kong.
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How is Emirates First Class Lounge not on this list?
Because the article is only about Business Class lounges 🙂