sydtogla

I paid the $200 today and lounge hopped from A to B to C. Goodness the first lounge in B is a poor effort.

flyingdoc007

I'd be extremely happy if they axed half the Champagne bar and added some more loos! The queues are horrendous in the crazy busy morning hours in lounge B. It would almost be easier to go back downstairs into the terminal and use the 'common' ones and come back up into the lounge..

XXTSGR

What did you think of the C one then?

sydtogla

For all that C is such a bleak part of DXB, I thought the lounge was actually alright. I like that it is darker due to the shape of the building (beats searing in the heat in the B lounge when you're trying to eat). The staff-passenger ratio in C is higher than anywhere else too, which meant I was taken good care of. That's not a result of staffing but due to the fact that yesterday I had the whole lounge to myself for 1.5h with maybe 20 staff around. The quiet lounge in the C concourse is far superior to B, and possibly quieter than A due to the lower footfall. I slept for about 30 minutes there.

Really love the first lounge in A; Everything is done really well. Cigar bar is special, and the guys kept me filled with Moet 2008 and cigars for a good few hours. Decided to have lunch at 10am and the steak was perfect. First lounge at B was promising on entry (nice water features), but the restaurant is furnished like a mid-00s British Indian restaurant and for all that it has good natural light, its just too hot. The quiet lounge in B is, imo, unacceptably unkempt for an F lounge.

The lounge hopping was a fun experience for an EK enthusiast. A couple of hundred dollars well spent I'd say

skywardhunter

You said 200usd, you don't have status? It's 100 to buy up from J Lounge isn't it?

sydtogla

I went in for 8h, so you pay $100 per 4h block. And once you have paid they update your BP to show that you can use any first lounge, hence the hop!

ft101

Paying for the missus?

sydtogla

My total transit time was 9h15m, couldn't be bothered with yet another STPC transfer so I paid in to the F lounge at A. They made me pay double for the whole time, but I reckon I ate, drank and spa'd my money back more or less.

skywardhunter

Ah yes, thought that could be the other option, nice. Wondered how you fit that much into 4hrs!

I'm tempted to pay the $100 next time, if my layover allows me at least 3hrs. I usually have a 2-3hr transit.

XXTSGR

Glad you had a good time and fun - USD200 well spent IMHO!

I've not used the quiet lounge in years (do prefer a nap upstairs in the hotel if I have a long layover) but agree Re the heat in the B F lounge. It can also get quite noisy in there. Last time I was in the restaurant, I asked to order lunch off the menu around noon and was told I could only have it from 12:30. When I said 'really', the waiter went to the kitchen and came back saying 'OK, for you 12:15'. Weird. Never had that at A.

I remember the days when the (now) C F lounge was The F lounge, fond memories. If I have a flight departing from a C gate, I always pop in there for a couple of drinks. Menu has slightly less dishes on it than A and B but I also found it to be much quieter and staff very friendly and attentive indeed!

sydtogla

Yep well in A I was seated and asked what I wanted for breakfast (it was 10am). I said I was currently operating on it being 6pm and would love a steak and a glass of Burgundy. They were all too happy to oblige/indulge. I was the only person in the restaurant and the chef came out once I had finished to ask how my meal was. Really couldn't fault the experience.

ABZSimy

I will be connecting onto EK38 in BHX next week from another flight, and will find myself in transit for about 6.5 hours. Can anyone tell me if the BHX Lounge is open for the period between EK40 boarding and EK38 check in opening, or does it close for a while in the afternoon?

skywardhunter

I'm not familiar with the timings of those flights but if check-in for EK38 is more than 90 minutes after departure if EK40 the lounge will probably close - this is the case in other outstations I'm familiar with in cases of such schedules

ABZSimy

Thanks, skywardhunter; I thought that might be the case. EK40 departs at 13:30 and EK38 departs at 20:50.

Edgerfly