Foltan

Deleted

flatlander

The arrivals spa cannot be pre-booked. It is first come, first serve on the day. That said the appetite for spa from the lounge users seems limited so you may well get a spot before 09:00 if you're on an earlier (pre-06:30) arrival.

In addition there are the cabanas with baths, as discussed upthread. They are available to anyone, not exclusively F passengers - I asked this last time I was in there. They take a lot longer than a shower, as they take something like 20 minutes to fill, but they're huge, it's like bathing in a private pool.

Concorde Breakfast room service is fairly snappy in my experience; I've never had to wait more than a few minutes. The buffet is pretty good though, especially at busier times when there's a good turnover on the bacon so it's fresh. Last time I was there they had even put kippers out on the buffet so we were all sorted.

agjil

Does the Arrivals lounge have any facilities for a short nap?
I'm flying JFK-LHR, and since this route is too short to get a good night's sleep, it'll be great if I could doze off a couple of hours before heading to the city.

geo1005

Great question - can anyone answer?

(I arrive T5 in F from IAD and have a two hour wait until a friend arrives... a little nap pre-meeting would be good.)

MPH1980

No, not really. There are plenty of comfy seats where I've seen people sleeping before though.

When I came through last Saturday morning there were more people zoned out on the sofa than eating. Don't really understand using the arrivals lounge as a waiting area, but I guess if you're waiting for a late taxi or something.

LTN Phobia

Spreading out on a sofa can be inconsiderate given how crowded the arrivals lounge gets, as well as not being particularly conducive to rest as it gets a bit noisy and not particularly dignified either.

However, there are reclining seats (they look like deck chairs) in the shower area where it always seems very quiet - I've never seen anyone using them so if you choose to have a nap there, it shouldn't adversely affect others and it's quieter than the main part of the lounge.

There are also comfortable seats near the Elemis Spa and usually not fully occupied but I am not sure if it would be appropriate for sleeping.

You may be well-rested if you've flown in in F though?

psychopomp1

Hi
Plan on using the arrivals lounge next month after a 16hr flight from Chile via GRU into T5. Flying cattle class but am a BAEC Gold member. Probably a silly question but how are the showers/washroom facilities laid out in the lounge? Will I be given an individual cabin which contains a toilet, washbasin, shower & private changing area? I guess amenities such as a razor, toothbrush, shave gel are supplied as standard?
Cheers
psycho

windowontheAside

One could argue that the main purpose of an arrivals lounge is to give people somewhere to wait. People may be waiting for other travellers, for check in time at their hotel, or just to rest before their onward journey (by plane or land).

I know many use it as a quick self-serve breakfast restaurant but I doubt BA see that its main function.

zeltergiset

Quick logistics question re the arrivals lounge, which I'll ask here since the thread is live.

I will be arriving from Hong Kong at T5 at 04:50. I am then connecting 2.5 hours later to a short haul flight also from T5. I will want to shower. Would you advise I go out through immigration & to the arrivals lounge, or through flight connections & to GF? Or does it not matter at that time in the morning?

I am 18+ and EU citizen so can use the e-gates.

Thanks.

MADPhil

Going land side may well be your quickest route and, if you get in on time, you should have plenty of time. It is usually faster to get showers in the Arrivals lounge and the breakfast is pretty good. I haven't been in the lounge that early so it may be busier than I am used to!

corporate-wage-slave

You'll get - well a cubicle, not overly large, but along the lines you suggested. They can supply razor and toothbrush, but you'd be mad or a masochist to use them, especially the razor. You can bring them through in hand baggage. The liquid soap is better than the shave gel, incidentally.

Normally I'd suggest going landside if you can use the e-gates, and if you want a hot breakfast and are not Emerald or First. My advice slightly changes in your very specific case, particularly if you have your boarding pass all printed. The reason being that the HKG flight often is the first one in, and though BA customer service doesn't switch on until 05:00 hrs, there is a chance you'll be at the UK Border / Flight Connections at or very near that time, particularly if HKG is the first in. When you get to the transit station you may want to continue on foot via the passageway (see guide via the Forum Dashboard) if there looks like a wait. In other words, there is a good chance of being first through Flight Connections and therefore will brook no delay. Since you are Gold then Flounge would be the better place for breakfast, and you may also get first dibs of the showers there.

If you're late and Flight Connections looks busy (06:00 hrs and onwards) then go via the e-gates.

flibbly

Yes you will get a "cabin" (as good a word as any I guess!) containing toilet, basin, shower etc. Don't expect a great deal of room though. You should be asked whether you need any toothpaste etc or clothes pressing when you go to the showers reception desk (which is through the lounge entrance and turn right).

zeltergiset

Thanks both. This will be the first time I've ever connected from BA26/32, so have never had the leisure of an option before!

corporate-wage-slave

Thanks to a reference elsewhere, I'm reminded to add some more photos of the infinity bath and the CCR Breakfast room.

The corridor with the infinity bath cabanas. Note the double thickness doors, which allows for the discrete exchange of clothing for pressing (you mention this to the receptionist, who then arranges this to happen).



As you enter, you find there are two parts to the room, this is the WC and sink area, and the supplied items:





Then on the other side of the partition is the bath itself. The water streams down from the metal plate (second picture, though it doesn't really show it very well).





Then for the Concorde Breakfast room - entrance:



The entire area is set up like this:





There are only about a dozen tables or so, it's not big. Breakfast itself - note no black pudding, not that I asked for it. The menu is the same as the main CCR breakfast menu, see the thread in the dashboard.

CD747

The large baths are very nice, although they begin to make slightly disconcerting creaking sounds if you fill them up more than 3/4 full!