VSLover

i expect it will be operational just in time for summer.

flybymonkey

Looks like one of those cylindrical fish tanks. minus the fish. Which would have probably been a nicer feature.

lost_in_translation

If anyone has watched the recent BBC adaptation of His Dark Materials, I would say it looks like The Magisterium have found a new way to target Lyra...

ijgordon

Well it’s great until it explodes, like in Berlin.

Football Fan

That was in my office building

spanishflea

The staff were talking about a stone surround for it, so guess that will be coming in soon!

ryanbriar

Just arrived…pretty quiet, though there is a man watching a news channel on his phone sans headphones. Given the layout, it is impossible to avoid unless you’re in the dining area. The lights seem a bit dimmed compared to the photos.

No LPGS (or the Ruinart) tonight, though there is the LP Rosé as the mystery signature premium champagne — it’s like the manager’s special at Hertz. I like Nectar, but I buy that at home. Hopefully they get a re-stock soon.

Boreas

If you have spare headphones, offer to lend them to him! That may however make him turn red - which is far from ideal. Otherwise perhaps just a very polite intervention, or ask a member of staff to get involved. I'm sure there would be no question about this in the CCR. Why should it be different in Chelsea?

Genius1

I recently approached a couple in the quiet area of the AA MIA Flagship lounge watching a TV show on their iPad without headphones and asked them politely to either stop or use headphones. They complied, as I'm sure most would in this situation. Don't suffer in silence because others are rude.

ryanbriar

Most of the comments have been covered above, so I’ll add a few supplemental points. It was a fine place to wait for a flight, but not on point with FFD and the T7 CCR.

JWB will not be returning. It has been replaced by other scotch offerings per the bartender. The 18 Yr. that he poured (name is escaping me) was pretty decent. That said, it was not as smooth as JWB, and their 20 Yr. offering (the official replacement) was not as good. This is all personal preference, but figured I’d share.

The bartenders were attentive throughout my stay. I didn’t sit at the chairs so I can’t comment on the level of service.

The rotating “manager-special” champagne offering is a nice concept, but not when it is clearly a cover for walking back Krug and having inconsistent purchasing. I may get killed for saying this, but Hattingley was the best sparkling wine on offer (perhaps I’ve been trained to like it after draining the LPGS in-flight).

Dinner was fine (and the lamb was quite good), but not on par with the November offerings at both the CCR and FFD. Service was a bit spotty and definitely server-dependent from what I could tell.

Bottom line — adjustments are needed to bring this lounge back in line with not only the “Day 1 Blogger” level, but where the CCR and FFD were at on November 30th.

Pictures:



Menus for the evening. Sparkling wine, food, wine and snacks. Should be readable.


Bar snacks — nuts and olives. Ran out of time for fries.


Caesar salad. It was good, but I could get this from Sweet Green or make it at home.


This dish was actually pretty good. Almost in point with the FFD osso bucco. Asked for a red wine, which never showed up.


Fair point. To each his own. I’ve personally found that people generally don’t like being told what to do, even when politely asked, so I don’t even try.

ermis177

Caesar what? This cannot be a salad… really?

LHRJFK

ryanbrian, thanks for the review of the new Business Lounge. When you get to the new First Lounge let us know.

AA/BA are opening themselves up to a new entrant with the crap experience that is Chelsea. Keep shaving service pre-flight and on-board (as is happening) and they will get their comeuppance. This is the usual path of monopolies.

xenole

There was, the other day, some well spoken gentleman, sitting at the Chelsea bar, singing his prsises about the lounge,staff and excellent food to a woman (who may have been management?)

Either he believed it to be the greatest place ever, or just being awfully polite as an English gentleman

I did suggest a candy station like in LHR T3 to the woman on the desk. Do like picking at peppermint patties etc. rather than Miss Vickie's potato chips, or those bags of asparagus!
Should have mentioned Lundt truffles in order to convey the BA F experience

ryanbriar

Will do. Perhaps it is a speakeasy type set-up lurking behind this door

ISTFlyer

Just sharing this as a datapoint, I am at the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in JFK right now and you would be much more disappointed with them than BA/AA & Chelsea when you see the current menu is not identical to what's on the VS website but far much inferior.

Until Delta opens their Delta One Lounge, I don't think there would be any superior lounge than Chelsea which offers lounge access on a direct London service from JFK.

Edit: There is United Polaris out of EWR as a better alternative compared to Chelsea

The AF Lounge First Class section and LH First Dining & Wining are also available if someone is willing to connect and if it's a big spender.