American Express Membership Rewards - Amex Lounge at LGW

Following on from the bad news that UK Amex Plat members can no longer use the VS Clubhouses. I remember when I was going to the LGW Clubhouse in Feb, seeing a sign to 'American Express Cardholders Lounge'. I don't remember seeing any reference to this lounge on this or any other forum - has anyone used it? What are the facilities and conditions of entry?

I know we have the Priority Pass to fall back on, but it is nice to know all of the options.

[This message has been edited by Nottingham Nick (edited 03-17-2002).]

I wonder if the starwoods AMEX would count as plat? Technically it is a Platnum card..

No, only the $300/year US cards, their equivalent European cards part and the various Centurion cards qualify for access. Unfortunately, Optima Platinums and all co-branded cards (including Starwood) won't get you in.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by V60t:
I wonder if the starwoods AMEX would count as plat? Technically it is a Platnum card..</font>

That's the point : technically, it's not a Platinum card.

Co-branded cards (Starwood, Costco, etc.) are never real Platinum cards (so, no exclusive platinum benefit with these cards) . They are a marketing answer to the "platinum for everyone" cards from Visa and MasterCard.

They only commonality is that they both say Platinum, lets be honest here do you think a card with no fee is going to be the same as a card with a $300 fee?

Its the old adage, you get what you pay for!

The lounge branded as an AmEx lounge at LGW is the Sir Robert Hardingham Suite, its opposite the Virgin Clubhouse its part of Priorty Pass so too is the Servisair lounge at the South Terminal. Not used either unfortunately, I try and use LHR when I can. If I remember though you still have to pay to use it even though you have an AmEx card, its merely the entry criteria http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Thanks,
Richard

I have used the Sir Robert Hardingham Suite with my Priority Pass card, which comes with my UK Platinum card.

No fee for PP. Don't know about AmEx without PP.

No fee for you on your PP, but each other person is charged at £15. And UK Plat only comes with one PP membership for the primary cardholder; UK Cent comes with two, one for primary and one for main supplementary.

Thanks,
Richard