YVR international maple leaf lounge
Oct 3, 2017, 8:38 am
#121
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 2,494
Was very pleased that the new Maple Leaf Lounge was open for my flight back to NZ from YYC. The last time I transited, the ghastly partial lounge was the only option, and it did not have showers. I try to route my travel from NZ to Europe via YVR when possible--much nicer than LAX or SFO. Plus I'm a Canuck and a former Aeroplan addict.
So I got to the lounge and was pleased that one of the two shower suites was free. Yes, that's right, only two. So guess there's no plans to increase *A traffic through YVR...how much harder would it have been to create three or four?
Regardless, I was in: the attendant met me at reception, but when she took out a 10 cent piece to try and open the door ("sorry sir, we don't yet have a key...") I should have expected what would happen. Eventually she gets the door open, I go in and...the door doesn't lock from the inside either. There's also nothing to put a carry-on onto, so after getting out my supplies, I put my carry-on against the door. Which turned out to be a good idea.
The shower suite was spacious, with a massive empty area between the toilet and the shower stall--so perhaps there's more kit going in that empty bit. I showered: there's a rainforest or a hand nozzle and both work really well. The product dispensers are great too. I had a nice shower and was towelling off when I heard voices outside the shower suite door.
"This is one of our new shower suites, but they're both occupied currently."
Except buddy tries the door and opens it--despite the door handle sign indicating it's occupied. I bellowed, he stopped.
I'm certainly not lacking any humour and was smiling when I went to reception and explained what had happened. The reaction was great: a mix of horror and immediate action to make sure it didn't happen again.
So I got to the lounge and was pleased that one of the two shower suites was free. Yes, that's right, only two. So guess there's no plans to increase *A traffic through YVR...how much harder would it have been to create three or four?
Regardless, I was in: the attendant met me at reception, but when she took out a 10 cent piece to try and open the door ("sorry sir, we don't yet have a key...") I should have expected what would happen. Eventually she gets the door open, I go in and...the door doesn't lock from the inside either. There's also nothing to put a carry-on onto, so after getting out my supplies, I put my carry-on against the door. Which turned out to be a good idea.
The shower suite was spacious, with a massive empty area between the toilet and the shower stall--so perhaps there's more kit going in that empty bit. I showered: there's a rainforest or a hand nozzle and both work really well. The product dispensers are great too. I had a nice shower and was towelling off when I heard voices outside the shower suite door.
"This is one of our new shower suites, but they're both occupied currently."
Except buddy tries the door and opens it--despite the door handle sign indicating it's occupied. I bellowed, he stopped.
I'm certainly not lacking any humour and was smiling when I went to reception and explained what had happened. The reaction was great: a mix of horror and immediate action to make sure it didn't happen again.
Oct 5, 2017, 5:31 pm
#122
Join Date: May 2013
Location: west coast best coast
Programs: TINDER GOLD, STARBUCKS GOLD, COSTCO EXECUTIVE!!
Posts: 3,989
Visited lounge yesterday. It was hugely disappointing.
I can see why the only thing Dorian was shared a picture of was the pen.
No more self serve alcohol: only a bar now.
The only hot food at 3pm was a "barley and corn risotto". There were two empty hot plates, so I waited a bit.
Then they brought out steamed rice. Yes, steamed rice so you can enjoy that with risotto.
I left at 4pm. Lounge design was pretty but the entire ground floor was packed.
Pretty disappointing. Let's see how the Skyteam Lounge will look like when it opens.
As it stands, I think United Clubs (the renovated ones) are better than the MLLs atm.
I can see why the only thing Dorian was shared a picture of was the pen.
No more self serve alcohol: only a bar now.
The only hot food at 3pm was a "barley and corn risotto". There were two empty hot plates, so I waited a bit.
Then they brought out steamed rice. Yes, steamed rice so you can enjoy that with risotto.
I left at 4pm. Lounge design was pretty but the entire ground floor was packed.
Pretty disappointing. Let's see how the Skyteam Lounge will look like when it opens.
As it stands, I think United Clubs (the renovated ones) are better than the MLLs atm.
Oct 5, 2017, 5:44 pm
#123
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: TK *G
Posts: 3,099
Visited lounge yesterday. It was hugely disappointing.
I can see why the only thing Dorian was shared a picture of was the pen.
No more self serve alcohol: only a bar now.
The only hot food at 3pm was a "barley and corn risotto". There were two empty hot plates, so I waited a bit.
Then they brought out steamed rice. Yes, steamed rice so you can enjoy that with risotto.
I left at 4pm. Lounge design was pretty but the entire ground floor was packed.
Pretty disappointing. Let's see how the Skyteam Lounge will look like when it opens.
As it stands, I think United Clubs (the renovated ones) are better than the MLLs atm.
I can see why the only thing Dorian was shared a picture of was the pen.
No more self serve alcohol: only a bar now.
The only hot food at 3pm was a "barley and corn risotto". There were two empty hot plates, so I waited a bit.
Then they brought out steamed rice. Yes, steamed rice so you can enjoy that with risotto.
I left at 4pm. Lounge design was pretty but the entire ground floor was packed.
Pretty disappointing. Let's see how the Skyteam Lounge will look like when it opens.
As it stands, I think United Clubs (the renovated ones) are better than the MLLs atm.
Oct 5, 2017, 8:17 pm
#125
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,321
Oct 5, 2017, 8:48 pm
#126
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 2,494
Wow, sounds like rice is replacing pickles. At least it was two different rices. Was the steamed rice jasmine? Bismati? I love jambalaya, maybe they can add that next?
Oct 6, 2017, 7:58 am
#127
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
That's actually a great idea - fairly easy and cheap to prepare, and it's still tasty after sitting around for a while.
Along the same lines, a good stew (Irish stew or similar) instead of the watery soups would be nice.
Along the same lines, a good stew (Irish stew or similar) instead of the watery soups would be nice.
Oct 6, 2017, 8:15 am
#128
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,255
Visited lounge yesterday. It was hugely disappointing.
I can see why the only thing Dorian was shared a picture of was the pen.
No more self serve alcohol: only a bar now.
The only hot food at 3pm was a "barley and corn risotto". There were two empty hot plates, so I waited a bit.
Then they brought out steamed rice. Yes, steamed rice so you can enjoy that with risotto.
I left at 4pm. Lounge design was pretty but the entire ground floor was packed.
Pretty disappointing. Let's see how the Skyteam Lounge will look like when it opens.
As it stands, I think United Clubs (the renovated ones) are better than the MLLs atm.
I can see why the only thing Dorian was shared a picture of was the pen.
No more self serve alcohol: only a bar now.
The only hot food at 3pm was a "barley and corn risotto". There were two empty hot plates, so I waited a bit.
Then they brought out steamed rice. Yes, steamed rice so you can enjoy that with risotto.
I left at 4pm. Lounge design was pretty but the entire ground floor was packed.
Pretty disappointing. Let's see how the Skyteam Lounge will look like when it opens.
As it stands, I think United Clubs (the renovated ones) are better than the MLLs atm.
Oct 7, 2017, 3:42 pm
#129
Join Date: Dec 2000
Programs: AA Platinum 1MM, AC SE*100k, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,353
Passed through the International lounge briefly yesterday at 1030am. Love the design, hate the food (I.e. No food to be had other than toast and banana) and only ONE Slow Lavazzo coffee machine. Barebone!
The shower rooms are so new, they haven’t put locks in them. No hairdryer.
2 international flights at this hour Taipei and Seoul. Pitiful lounge at this time.
Even the YYZ MLL Dom have hot food - scrambled eggs and sausages
The shower rooms are so new, they haven’t put locks in them. No hairdryer.
2 international flights at this hour Taipei and Seoul. Pitiful lounge at this time.
Even the YYZ MLL Dom have hot food - scrambled eggs and sausages
Oct 7, 2017, 4:19 pm
#130
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Toronto, ON, CANADA
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Bonvoy LTE
Posts: 1,881
Oct 7, 2017, 4:27 pm
#131
Join Date: Dec 2000
Programs: AA Platinum 1MM, AC SE*100k, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,353
Oct 7, 2017, 6:16 pm
#133
Join Date: Dec 2000
Programs: AA Platinum 1MM, AC SE*100k, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,353
Oct 7, 2017, 8:00 pm
#134
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: トロント
Programs: IHG Gold
Posts: 4,820
Very unimpressed. Flew into YVR on first flight out of YYZ, with connection to TPE ar 11:10. Went to door of lounge...they are not open till 9am..so I went to the premium plaza lounge...very nice showers.
Later sauntered over to the Intl Mll...abysmal food selection. Won’t be a priority of mine to revisit.
Later sauntered over to the Intl Mll...abysmal food selection. Won’t be a priority of mine to revisit.
Oct 8, 2017, 4:11 pm
#135
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SE (*A Gold), Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum / AP Reserve, NEXUS, Global Entry
Posts: 5,691