Checked out the new BMI international lounge this morning at about 740am. I was flying on Swiss out of T2 to ZRH, and completely forgot it had opened. I went to my usual Star Alliance lounge in T1 after the walk from T2. Then decided to pop on over to the bmi lounge not realising this is now the old one and it was closed.

Security staff, told me to go over to Gate 5 for the bmi lounge. Plenty of signs all around advising of the new lounge at heathrow T1. Went on over, you go over towards the T1 domestic area, but walk straight through rather than to the LEFT for domestic.

Up the escalators, at the top you turn left, walk around past 2 sets of lifts, through a corridor and voila the BMI London Heathrow "members lounge".

This is the upstairs of the old T1 BA terraces lounge. No downstairs escalators - long gone!

So what is there?

You enter and there is a wonderful black gloss glass entrance featuring the bmi logo and members lounge, you walk through there is a mantle piece and a couple desks where the bmi staff where there to greet you. Had no probs with my Swiss boarding pass, but still wanted to see my bmi gold card.

The design is kinda funky/old school/preppy a bit like habitat type design. WIth the boleyn type of designs. Blacks with whites. I will post the photographs when I get back to London on Thursday.

There is a big round seating area when you enter, on the left are the gents toilets. These are the same old BA ones, but they have put fresh doors, retiled, etc. But the partiotions if you remember between each sink is still there.

When you come out of the mens toilets to the left is another door - this takes you to the showers! There are 3 shower cubicles, with fresh towels, a seperate toilet and shower cabin nicely laid out, with toiletries.

walking through the shower area, there is a reception desk inside -i suspect this is where someone will sit.

So back to the entrance, if you turn right you go into the food area with two large white curved table areas for you to get your standard bmi ish type fare;

- yeo valley yoghurts
- fresh fruits
- pastries (croissants, danish, etc)
- cereal, etc.

Nothing hot and no warm bacon butties or sausage butties like at the star alliance lounge tho. ANd the ususal drink fare. THis is reminiescent of what the BA terraces lounge kinda stocked here.

Same old magazines - economist, time, business week, and plenty around plus the ususal newspapers. There is a set of about 4 internet benches for you to sit on a chair and use - the design is very cool with sitting areas around and a more private sitting area just nearby.

Back to the centre area where the two large white food counters were as you go down there is seating to the right, nice smart leather seats to the left is a surround bar with seats before and after. The bar is called "THe Local" and had some nuts in bowls nearby. Parked outside the bright glass windows was a BMI plane and a star alliance plane - how nice! Strategic placed i'm sure!

And there were nice beautiful lay back chairs for you to lay on.... very nice. near the windows.

ALl in - a great step up, this place will age over time, enjoy it while it's new, I got my swiss brochure who said they are moving to T1 from 11 Jun and they also welcomed guests to use the STar alliance lounge, but also the BMI lounge....

No star alliance gold sign outside... yet.

Great lounge, happy staff, looking forward to pop back and so glad BA is outta T1... hooray!!! Much brighter than the Star alliance lounge, but for the morning, i thought it wasn't worth the bother heading over food wise, dunno what it will be like in the evening. But worth going over to grab my economist, time and business week!