FIVE OF THE BEST: FIRST CLASS LOUNGES
Five of the best: First Class Lounges - Luxury Travel Magazine
| FOR LUXURY TRAVELLERS, FIRST CLASS SHOULD BEGIN LONG BEFORE THEY HAVE EVEN STEPPED ON A PLANE. THESE DAYS, FIRST CLASS PASSENGERS CAN EXPECT ENJOY SUCH PERKS AS SPAS, SHOWERS, GYMS, FINE DINING, FLAT BEDS AND EVEN BABYSITTING INSIDE THE AIRPORT TERMINAL. HERE ARE FIVE OF THE BEST FIRST CLASS LOUNGES AROUND THE GLOBE. ANTONIA MAIOLO REPORTS. |
| Qantas First Lounge, Sydney International Terminal, Sydney Qantas |
| The Sydney Qantas First Lounge provides a luxurious pre-flight departure lounge exclusive to passengers flying first class. The Qantas Concierge team is on hand to meet passenger needs, and can do everything from securing guests a restaurant booking in Manhattan, to purchasing tickets to a show in London, or even order in flowers for a last minute occasion. Before boarding flights, passengers can visit the spa for a treatment free of charge, the spa making use of Payot, Paris and Kevin Murphy products for treatments Chef Neil Perry, of Rockpool and Spice Temple fame, has designed the lounge menu to include fresh, seasonal food. There is also a vast selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available. The lounge also caters to first class travellers with business needs. With private work suites equipped with Internet, a photocopier, printer, fax, phone and 106.7-centimetre plasma screens for data and whiteboard presentations, passengers can work in total seclusion avoiding the hustle and bustle of the airport. The Qantas First Lounge even features a library that offers a quiet space for passengers to either unwind or catch up on world news and other reading. |
| Diamond First, Terminal 3, Abu Dhabi Etihad Airways |
| Diamond First, Etihad’s first class lounge in Abu Dhabi offers guests a chance to relax and unwind before taking off at the Six Senses spa that offers a range of 15-minute treatments complimentary to each guest, including facial renewal, scalp massage and foot detox. First class guests also have the opportunity to shower in a private en suite whilst a dedicated staff member irons their clothes and shines their shoes. For ultimate luxury dining guests can eat at the lounge’s restaurant that has a wide spread of cuisine. Once food is taken care of, guests can move over to the champagne bar to enjoy a glass of bubbly from a collection exclusive to the lounge. If you’re travelling with kids and need a break, the family room has professional nannies that will look after them leaving you time to enjoy the amenities of the lounge. Knowing the kids are being taken care of, parents can stop by the cigar lounge that offers strong and mild American and Cuban cigars as well as a range of fine wines, champagnes, cognacs and Armagnacs. Like most superior first class lounges, business facilities that include Apple computers and broadband Internet are available as well as facilities such as flat screen TVs and a selection of reading material to keep guests entertained while they wait for their flight. |
| Clubhouse, Terminal 3, Heathrow Airport, London Virgin Atlantic |
| The entry to the Clubhouse passengers features a sweeping staircase, lit up by a chandelier adorned with Swarovski crystals. The luxury continues for Upper Class passengers with the Bumble and Bumble hair salon that offers a range of professional hair treatments. Once hair is taken care of guests can relax at the Cowshed spa where a range of complimentary treatments is available. Passengers can enjoy a pre-flight meal at the lounge’s deli or restaurant and a variety of beverages including teas, coffees, wines, spirits and soft drinks, and drinks are also available at The Cocktail Bar. The lounge area that surrounds the bar houses leather upholstered sofas with centre armrests that flip open to reveal power and data points for laptops. Side tables can also be brought up for impromptu dining. Unique to the Clubhouse is the Poolside Lounge that has a ceiling to floor Japanese water wall running gently into a pool, and suspended from the ceiling are clear acrylic bubble chairs. The Den and Multiscreen Room allows passengers the opportunity to challenge each other in a game of pool or slump in one of the velvet covered chaise-lounges or extra-deep sofas for comfortable entertainment watching the big screen. There is also an Observation Deck that was designed to give guests great views of the runway and to view the airport from another vantage point, Virgin created the Sky Lounge which features a white marble stairway, full-width sloping windows and a dramatic skylight that offers views of departing aircraft. From the Sky Lounge guests can also access the roof garden, a perfect location for watching the airport in action or to work on your tan on a sunny day. |
| First Class Lounge, Terminal 3, Dubai Emirates |
| The First Class Lounge at Emirates Terminal 3 seeks to provide a tranquil haven featuring three seating areas to suit different moods. Each of the areas is themed as either Arabian, Mughal and Asian. Gentle water features and plants decorate the lounge. Like the other first class lounges, Emirates provides dining that offers an extensive selection of international gourmet dishes, a la carte dining and juice bars. Emirates First Class lounge also features an extensive Wine Cellar. The cellar is a place where passengers can taste and purchase exclusive labels of wine. Expert staff are on hand to answer any questions guests may have about a specific vintage or region. After visiting the Wine Cellar passengers can pamper themselves at the Timeless Spa that provides a range of beauty treatments, massage therapies and hairstyling services using luxury signature products. The first treatment comes complimentary to guests. To fulfil guest entertainment needs, there are two main television areas as well as a kid’s play area complete with child-friendly programs and games. Like the Qantas lounge, staff are on hand around the clock to take care of guests wants and needs, they can even organise a complimentary shoeshine. |
| The Concorde Room, Terminal 5, Heathrow Airport, London British Airways |
| Passengers wanting to catch up on some sleep before they fly can do so at British Airways’ Concorde Room at Heathrow Airport in London. Private cabanas, hotel style rooms featuring a daybed and en suite for complete comfort and privacy, are available in the lounge, an area inspired by five-star and boutique hotels that caters both for relaxation and first class travellers on business. The room is decorated with luxurious furniture and traditional chandeliers creating a calm and five-star environment where guests can also enjoy intimate dining with private booths and full waiter service. First-class passengers can also visit the Elemis Travel Spa that provides a complimentary treatment menu, or refresh at one of the 20 shower suites available, after which they can relax at the terrace area that provides a view across Terminal 5 and out onto the runways. The lounge also features the Concorde Bar that serves complimentary champagne and fine wines as well as coffee and tea, and a state-of-the-art business suite, with seven internet and printer linked computers, news screen and a 40 inch LCD display screen for presentations. It also converts to a fully equipped boardroom that can comfortably accommodate eight people. |
| Details |
| Qantas.com.au |
| Etihadairways.com |
| Virgin-atlantic.com |
| Emirates.com |
| Britishairways.com |