British Airways and American Airlines Soho Lounge - JFK Terminal 8
Jan 30, 2023, 3:21 pm
#76
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: US
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 109
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Summary - for new, much hyped lounges the new facilities at JFK just don't impress me at all. I should try Greenwich on the next visit to see how that is, but on this experience I wouldn't be bothering to make an effort to get to the airport early. In my opinon there are some real missed opportunities and a lack of attention to detail that add up to a downgrade on the facilities that were previously available.
Summary - for new, much hyped lounges the new facilities at JFK just don't impress me at all. I should try Greenwich on the next visit to see how that is, but on this experience I wouldn't be bothering to make an effort to get to the airport early. In my opinon there are some real missed opportunities and a lack of attention to detail that add up to a downgrade on the facilities that were previously available.
Feb 6, 2023, 7:31 am
#79
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Canary Wharf, London
Programs: MyWaitrose, IC Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond & BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,685
It was fish, chips and mushy peas on Saturday, can't remember what the other options were. Delivered in a few mins, not the 15 it stated.
Took three people to decide if my aa bp that said emerald was good enough to let me in. When I said ba gold I was pointed to Greenwich, so they discussed it some more and eventually decided I could enter Soho.
Nice and quiet at lunchtime, well, not busy I should say. It's the same as Chelsea it seems. Someone talking at one end if the room can be heard from anywhere.
Four people waiting for the lift this time, until I pressed the button.
Took three people to decide if my aa bp that said emerald was good enough to let me in. When I said ba gold I was pointed to Greenwich, so they discussed it some more and eventually decided I could enter Soho.
Nice and quiet at lunchtime, well, not busy I should say. It's the same as Chelsea it seems. Someone talking at one end if the room can be heard from anywhere.
Four people waiting for the lift this time, until I pressed the button.
Feb 6, 2023, 8:21 am
#80
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
Programs: QR PC Platinum, TK M&S elite, UA silver, ITA Voltaire Executive (lol), Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 1,168
It was fish, chips and mushy peas on Saturday, can't remember what the other options were. Delivered in a few mins, not the 15 it stated.
Took three people to decide if my aa bp that said emerald was good enough to let me in. When I said ba gold I was pointed to Greenwich, so they discussed it some more and eventually decided I could enter Soho.
Nice and quiet at lunchtime, well, not busy I should say. It's the same as Chelsea it seems. Someone talking at one end if the room can be heard from anywhere.
Four people waiting for the lift this time, until I pressed the button.
Took three people to decide if my aa bp that said emerald was good enough to let me in. When I said ba gold I was pointed to Greenwich, so they discussed it some more and eventually decided I could enter Soho.
Nice and quiet at lunchtime, well, not busy I should say. It's the same as Chelsea it seems. Someone talking at one end if the room can be heard from anywhere.
Four people waiting for the lift this time, until I pressed the button.
Feb 12, 2023, 7:41 pm
#81
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 737
Had breakfast here. There were I think 4 dishes to order to table. I had the avocado toast with a fried egg and bacon roll. There was an omelette and 1-2 others I've forgotten. Champagne was Piper Heidsieck. Found the lounge very nice, much better than GF at T5 which is the equivalent lounge for Golds.
Toilet sinks are designed very weirdly.
Toilet sinks are designed very weirdly.
Feb 14, 2023, 8:43 am
#82
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: BA GGL, GfL, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Lifetime Globalist, AllAccor Diamond, Marriott Ambassador Elite
Posts: 1,042
My first time in here on Sunday. I’m so sick of the Chelsea that I didn’t even bother trying to argue about getting in there ahead of my flight to ORD
The natural light and the phone booths are a big plus on the Chelsea. The staff, food, drinks and acoustics are just as bad.
Nothing quite prepared me for the gents loos. I honestly thought I’d seen the worst public bathroom in history in the Chelsea but the sinks and urinals in Soho look even more ridiculous. Mid-spaced, chaotic, bizarre fittings, no logical arrangement and devoid of any symmetry or aesthetic, they are the worst design I have seen on anything anywhere in a very long time. The pics I took honestly don’t justice to how absurd they appear…..
The natural light and the phone booths are a big plus on the Chelsea. The staff, food, drinks and acoustics are just as bad.
Nothing quite prepared me for the gents loos. I honestly thought I’d seen the worst public bathroom in history in the Chelsea but the sinks and urinals in Soho look even more ridiculous. Mid-spaced, chaotic, bizarre fittings, no logical arrangement and devoid of any symmetry or aesthetic, they are the worst design I have seen on anything anywhere in a very long time. The pics I took honestly don’t justice to how absurd they appear…..
Feb 14, 2023, 9:40 am
#86
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: BA GGL, GfL, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Lifetime Globalist, AllAccor Diamond, Marriott Ambassador Elite
Posts: 1,042
The gold taps do indeed blow dirty water all over your face and clothes. If you are not into the special dryer treatment then you can use the “other sinks” which appear to have been inserted as an after thought and are plain white and stick out at either end. They do not have driers disguised as taps. Instead, they are next to wall dryers and towel dispensers. The sink at one end has one such device, the sink at the other end has two (different models, not level and unevenly spaced, so you don’t miss them).
you see. It’s easy once you’ve worked it all out.
you see. It’s easy once you’ve worked it all out.
Feb 14, 2023, 9:58 am
#87
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: A3*G,BA Silver
Posts: 2,012
My first time in here on Sunday. I’m so sick of the Chelsea that I didn’t even bother trying to argue about getting in there ahead of my flight to ORD
The natural light and the phone booths are a big plus on the Chelsea. The staff, food, drinks and acoustics are just as bad.
Nothing quite prepared me for the gents loos. I honestly thought I’d seen the worst public bathroom in history in the Chelsea but the sinks and urinals in Soho look even more ridiculous. Mid-spaced, chaotic, bizarre fittings, no logical arrangement and devoid of any symmetry or aesthetic, they are the worst design I have seen on anything anywhere in a very long time. The pics I took honestly don’t justice to how absurd they appear…..
The natural light and the phone booths are a big plus on the Chelsea. The staff, food, drinks and acoustics are just as bad.
Nothing quite prepared me for the gents loos. I honestly thought I’d seen the worst public bathroom in history in the Chelsea but the sinks and urinals in Soho look even more ridiculous. Mid-spaced, chaotic, bizarre fittings, no logical arrangement and devoid of any symmetry or aesthetic, they are the worst design I have seen on anything anywhere in a very long time. The pics I took honestly don’t justice to how absurd they appear…..
Feb 14, 2023, 1:06 pm
#88
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: BA GGL, GfL, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Lifetime Globalist, AllAccor Diamond, Marriott Ambassador Elite
Posts: 1,042
you’re being very generous with your use of the word “design” but I’d like to know too, so I can make sure my firm never hires them to do anything!!
Feb 14, 2023, 3:42 pm
#89
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Vale of Glamorgan
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,992
I'm in the Soho right now, but it was a bit of a struggle.
I'm BA Gold (OW Emerald) and the first agent told me that her computer was telling her "No". But she said it was her first day and she didn't know what the various statuses mean or what the lounge rules are so she passed me on to a colleague.
Her colleague's computer also said "No" butNthe colleague said it didn't "sound right" so consulted another colleague who assured her that, no matter what the computer says, I do get access. And I was in.
Now, the AA app is telling me that it's 65 minutes to gate 14, via the train. I'm sure that it's just downstairs.
I'm BA Gold (OW Emerald) and the first agent told me that her computer was telling her "No". But she said it was her first day and she didn't know what the various statuses mean or what the lounge rules are so she passed me on to a colleague.
Her colleague's computer also said "No" butNthe colleague said it didn't "sound right" so consulted another colleague who assured her that, no matter what the computer says, I do get access. And I was in.
Now, the AA app is telling me that it's 65 minutes to gate 14, via the train. I'm sure that it's just downstairs.
Feb 14, 2023, 3:52 pm
#90
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,263
I'm in the Soho right now, but it was a bit of a struggle.
I'm BA Gold (OW Emerald) and the first agent told me that her computer was telling her "No". But she said it was her first day and she didn't know what the various statuses mean or what the lounge rules are so she passed me on to a colleague.
Her colleague's computer also said "No" butNthe colleague said it didn't "sound right" so consulted another colleague who assured her that, no matter what the computer says, I do get access. And I was in.
Now, the AA app is telling me that it's 65 minutes to gate 14, via the train. I'm sure that it's just downstairs.
I'm BA Gold (OW Emerald) and the first agent told me that her computer was telling her "No". But she said it was her first day and she didn't know what the various statuses mean or what the lounge rules are so she passed me on to a colleague.
Her colleague's computer also said "No" butNthe colleague said it didn't "sound right" so consulted another colleague who assured her that, no matter what the computer says, I do get access. And I was in.
Now, the AA app is telling me that it's 65 minutes to gate 14, via the train. I'm sure that it's just downstairs.