Vote for the worst and best lounge
Mar 14, 2019, 12:15 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London, Prague, Dubai
Programs: BA Silver, * Alliance Gold, Emirates Gold AMEX Plat'm, Marriott Titan'm, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,127
Vote for the worst and best lounge
Sorry, bored, fed up, etc. Mostly annoyed tonight
Worst - Milan Linate. Sitting in it at the moment. No food, no glasses, truly unclean and untidy. Bar is shrinking without being replenished. Staff .... hmmm
Best - Oddly Newcastle at the moment. Great time last week, clean, tidy, friendly staff, chatty, had champers brought to me without asking. A pleasure to be in
Lounges don’t have to be new, don’t have to have the latest furniture , huge range of food or drink. They are places you’d like to spend some time in and feel comfortable
Worst - Milan Linate. Sitting in it at the moment. No food, no glasses, truly unclean and untidy. Bar is shrinking without being replenished. Staff .... hmmm
Best - Oddly Newcastle at the moment. Great time last week, clean, tidy, friendly staff, chatty, had champers brought to me without asking. A pleasure to be in
Lounges don’t have to be new, don’t have to have the latest furniture , huge range of food or drink. They are places you’d like to spend some time in and feel comfortable
Mar 14, 2019, 12:24 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Platinum; Hilton Gold, IHG Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 788
Worse: Faro, hands down the worst lounge I've ever seen, although I a aware my sample size is much smaller than lots of posters here. 
Best: I know it's no CX lounge, but I've always been impressed with the BHD one. The direct boarding from the lounge is hard to beat. And the staff is always great.
Best: I know it's no CX lounge, but I've always been impressed with the BHD one. The direct boarding from the lounge is hard to beat. And the staff is always great.
Mar 14, 2019, 12:40 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Platinum, ALL Gold, Bonvoy Gold Elite, HHonors Gold
Posts: 384
My sample size is definitely small, but I remember being particularly impressed by the brand-new AA Flagship lounge at MIA. I only got a fleeting moment to spend in it, but the decor was beautiful, the food selection was gorgeous, and the self service bar brilliant. Their salty chocolate chip cookies were very curious. There were a lot of people, but because of the size (also in terms of ceiling height, an often overlooked component), it didn't feel crowded.
Worst lounge (so far!) has been BA Club lounge in LHR T3. Packed like a doctor's waiting room, small, noisy and bit tattered. Corridor leading there looked like we were about to use a staff exit to visit a basement storage area. Not impressed with the food selection. We sat down for a single Baileys before making our escape back to the Qantas lounge for their scones and gin!
Worst lounge (so far!) has been BA Club lounge in LHR T3. Packed like a doctor's waiting room, small, noisy and bit tattered. Corridor leading there looked like we were about to use a staff exit to visit a basement storage area. Not impressed with the food selection. We sat down for a single Baileys before making our escape back to the Qantas lounge for their scones and gin!
Mar 14, 2019, 12:59 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,387
Best: A tie between LH F Terminal FRA and CX Pier F. I really like the decor, the drinks, the sit down restaurants, the bathrooms, the private areas for snoozing or watching flights.
Worst: BA lounge in SEA. Stayed there waiting for a BR flight close to midnight one late December night. It just looked tired and shabby, holes in upholstery, like it hadn't been getting attention, just wear and tear for a decade+. I got a drink which was fine, but food on offer was just cup of noodles, biscuits or fruit. I'd agree with Geordie405 that it wasn't terrible; it just wasn't very good, even compared to lounges I've been in out of the way like TG's lounge at CNX or DL's lounge in FRA (which is moved/gone now, but it was a nice lounge in FRA T2 to wait for a flight).
Worst: BA lounge in SEA. Stayed there waiting for a BR flight close to midnight one late December night. It just looked tired and shabby, holes in upholstery, like it hadn't been getting attention, just wear and tear for a decade+. I got a drink which was fine, but food on offer was just cup of noodles, biscuits or fruit. I'd agree with Geordie405 that it wasn't terrible; it just wasn't very good, even compared to lounges I've been in out of the way like TG's lounge at CNX or DL's lounge in FRA (which is moved/gone now, but it was a nice lounge in FRA T2 to wait for a flight).
Mar 14, 2019, 1:05 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Newcastle/London & Worldwide
Programs: BAEC Gold, Virgin Flying Club Silver
Posts: 818
Best for me is still the LHR Virgin Clubhouse (but within OneWorld I would say HKG Pier F)
Worst within BA network - Nice
Worst ever: the Club America lounge pier F MIA that Virgin used before they moved to Delta terminal last year - truly a depressing end to any holiday in Miami.
Worst within BA network - Nice
Worst ever: the Club America lounge pier F MIA that Virgin used before they moved to Delta terminal last year - truly a depressing end to any holiday in Miami.
Mar 14, 2019, 1:15 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,667
Best for me in recent years is the ZRH one at the E gates. Light, airy, lovely hot food and a great view over the airfield.
Second best is AMS (which is often criticised on here) for mostly the same reasons as ZRH except no hot food. But then I don't go to a lounge expecting a hot meal.
I agree on the one at LIN being awful but for me the worse by a loooong way is the one at GOA. No natural light at all, is pre-security and also there is never any food at all except packets of crisps and a biscuit. Nothing else. Ever. Oh and the coffee machine is often broken or simply out of coffee.
Second best is AMS (which is often criticised on here) for mostly the same reasons as ZRH except no hot food. But then I don't go to a lounge expecting a hot meal.
I agree on the one at LIN being awful but for me the worse by a loooong way is the one at GOA. No natural light at all, is pre-security and also there is never any food at all except packets of crisps and a biscuit. Nothing else. Ever. Oh and the coffee machine is often broken or simply out of coffee.
Mar 14, 2019, 1:21 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
Worst Centrair Airline Lounge in NGO by far.
Best has actually been (but not on the latest visit) the number 1 lounge at MAN, I was sporting Man Flu and without saying anything, the lounge greater has the bar make me a sugary hot lemon- just what I needed when I felt so terrible.
Best has actually been (but not on the latest visit) the number 1 lounge at MAN, I was sporting Man Flu and without saying anything, the lounge greater has the bar make me a sugary hot lemon- just what I needed when I felt so terrible.
Mar 14, 2019, 1:23 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Newcastle
Programs: BA Silver, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 80
As someone who gets to use lounges very infrequently....
Newcastle has to be my favourite, not just because its my closest (which it may not be thinking about it). Staff seem really friendly, lounge never seems busy even when really early and actually go out the way to help you (like trying to get me on an earlier flight without asking).
Worst, dont think I could say as I havent tried enough BA lounges and maybe the novelty hasnt worn off quite yet.
What I havent found is any rude unhelpful staff. Even at Galleries North at Heathrow I found the lounge reception really friendly even letting me know we would be boarding via a bus so didnt have too long.
Newcastle has to be my favourite, not just because its my closest (which it may not be thinking about it). Staff seem really friendly, lounge never seems busy even when really early and actually go out the way to help you (like trying to get me on an earlier flight without asking).
Worst, dont think I could say as I havent tried enough BA lounges and maybe the novelty hasnt worn off quite yet.
What I havent found is any rude unhelpful staff. Even at Galleries North at Heathrow I found the lounge reception really friendly even letting me know we would be boarding via a bus so didnt have too long.
Mar 14, 2019, 1:29 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Yorkshire
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 355
I Don't have the widest experience but from the ones I have been in:-
Best- Virgin LHR clubhouse
Worst - Bangkok Airlines - Luang Prabang (admittedly, free for all passengers and better than the terminal (This was before the new terminal opened five or so years ago) Bangkok airlines are fantastic however so I wont knock them for the free lounge.
Best- Virgin LHR clubhouse
Worst - Bangkok Airlines - Luang Prabang (admittedly, free for all passengers and better than the terminal (This was before the new terminal opened five or so years ago) Bangkok airlines are fantastic however so I wont knock them for the free lounge.
Mar 14, 2019, 1:30 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Newcastle/London & Worldwide
Programs: BAEC Gold, Virgin Flying Club Silver
Posts: 818
Best for me in recent years is the ZRH one at the E gates. Light, airy, lovely hot food and a great view over the airfield.
Second best is AMS (which is often criticised on here) for mostly the same reasons as ZRH except no hot food. But then I don't go to a lounge expecting a hot meal.
I agree on the one at LIN being awful but for me the worse by a loooong way is the one at GOA. No natural light at all, is pre-security and also there is never any food at all except packets of crisps and a biscuit. Nothing else. Ever. Oh and the coffee machine is often broken or simply out of coffee.
Second best is AMS (which is often criticised on here) for mostly the same reasons as ZRH except no hot food. But then I don't go to a lounge expecting a hot meal.
I agree on the one at LIN being awful but for me the worse by a loooong way is the one at GOA. No natural light at all, is pre-security and also there is never any food at all except packets of crisps and a biscuit. Nothing else. Ever. Oh and the coffee machine is often broken or simply out of coffee.
Mar 14, 2019, 1:52 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Surrey
Programs: BAEC - Gold
Posts: 882
Worst - Verona. Even worse than Nice. Literally beer, coke and crisps. Also landside.
Best longhaul - CX Wing in HK.
Best shorthaul - it’s hard to choose. I liked Helsinki before the refurb. Now, possibly Brussels with the nice food and free Leffe and Hoegaarden?
Best longhaul - CX Wing in HK.
Best shorthaul - it’s hard to choose. I liked Helsinki before the refurb. Now, possibly Brussels with the nice food and free Leffe and Hoegaarden?
Mar 14, 2019, 1:53 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,925
I must defend the Almaty lounge; it was neither BA or OW and you did get a voucher for a free cup of coffee and a KitKat! What more can the international traveller want for?