DXB first class lounge: underwhelming
 

I was looking forward to my first visit to the A concourse lounge this morning. I was not impressed. My comparison datapoints are the TK (business) lounge in Istanbul, which I visit frequently, and the LH first class terminal in FRA, which I only visited once.

The lounge is huge. It's not big, or spacious, it's just huge. It feels much more like a (rather deserted) terminal than like a lounge, especially given the duty free shops and the gates on its perimeter.

There's nothing luxurious about it, nothing that spells first class, in sharp contrast to the FCT in FRA. The way there (from the entrance to the terminal) is long and boring. No personal touches whatsoever.

The food quality is meh. Again, in sharp contrast to FRA. I find even the IST food better.

Perhaps the most annoying feature is the service. The lounge is full of attendants who's main function seems to be to greet you whenever you pass them. It's nice at first, then gets annoying, and borders intruding when they accompany you to the restrooms and wait for you to finish washing up. I really don't want a random attendant to be there next to me when I brush my teeth.

A minor point: there's no storage space. I would have liked to be able to leave my carry-on bag somewhere when I'm enjoying myself.

In short, the lounge is boring. There's really not much to do there (compare with TK), the food is mediocre, and the atmosphere is not very relaxing. It's very quiet, even during rush hours (early morning), which is nice, but not somewhere I would plan to stay for several hours.

Shuly

So sorry.

Did you eat at the buffet or the have the sit down table service? I find the table service to be very nice.

The food was great when I was there a few weeks ago. Full table service, with some nice wines.

I find your comment about being accompanied everywhere quite bizarre. This has never happened any time I've been to any of the lines at DXB.

As for quiet and boring, what were you expecting. A busy and noisy lounge?

To be fair I have noticed a little more "following around" recently. I get accosted for shoe shines and spa whatevers. Not a huge issue at all though.

Couldn't agree more. What a bizarre complaint.

It's a nice place to be for a couple of hours that's it.

I had a delightful risotto with an Australian Riesling last time through. Far better than a 'risotto' I had a few days earlier in BA T3 Galleries First, which seemed to be made with long grain rice and not arborio.

I do think the lounge can be somewhat soulless if there aren't many patrons but then again I see many complaints about QF SYD F being too busy.

It's a nice place for a couple of hours.

Admittedly, it could have more style (but then for me that applies even more to the aircraft cabins �� and seem less cavernous. But then what do you expect with one lounge that needs to cater to a terminal of that size (I am quite sure their passenger throughput is much higher than at the LH FCT) with direct boarding access to all gates? My main other gripes are that they could introduce proper sleeping cubicles for longer layovers, and change the restaurant menu more frequently.

For me the A FCL at DXB is actually (together with direct boarding access for all A gates) the only somewhat positive bit of having to transit with EK at DXB, especially when, as Plat, traveling in C and thus being able to avoid the madhouse EK refers to as the business class lounge.

Agree with this.

I was there at what was for me breakfast time. I sat down and ordered from the menu. I first ordered a Muesli, but they did not have it. I then asked for a cheese and cold cuts platter. After about 15 minutes I got a plate with six slices of pretty sorry looking types of pastrami. No cheese, and a few heated and tasteless rolls. I left it almost untouched and went for the buffet instead. There, food was OK but just OK.

Oh, they offered freshly squeezed juice. I opted for grapefruit and got something that was definitely not fresh.

Again, it's a matter of expectations. It was not bad, but it was also not very impressive.

Shuly

I was greeted by two attendants when I entered the washroom. One of them followed me inside and stood there, towel in hand, waiting for me to finish brushing my teeth. Now that was bizarre. And this was on top of the dozens (literally) of people just standing there at arbitrary places greeting me whenever I passed them. They didn't seem to have any other tasks to perform.

I'm certain there were (much) more attendants than patrons there when I visited (1am-3am). I didn't expect it to be noisy, but it felt weird.

Shuly

I wouldn't expect many lounges these day to encourage unattended bags

I have found the EK lounge to be large and quiet ; no problem getting an area to sit on my own. I cannot see that being large, is a negative

I think it's a great lounge with lots of space and good food options. It's perhaps not in the top tier of F lounges, but still very good. I agree that it isn't atmospheric, but I appreciate the space. My only criticism is that the humidity isn't adequately extracted from the shower rooms, so I find it impossible to get properly dry after a shower.

No muesli?! That's always on the buffet! Same with cheese and cold cuts.

Would probably write in to flag up the issue for the lapse in service.

As for the washroom - you need to go to more places with bathroom attendants and overemployment of underpaid (usually imported) hospitality staff: pretty much the norm to be waited on around the bathroom in many "luxury" places :D

I wouldn't really see that a positive or negative, only part of the cultural offering and how you feel about being exposed to something that is culturally unfamiliar.

For instance, some people perceive luxury to be efficiency, minimalism and cosy and abhor what they see as overattentiveness, wasteful and vulgar.

Others might perceive small, unelaborate and not well provisioned as stingy, cheap and inhospitable to guests - the complete opposite of what should be provided in a luxury experience.

Neither one is correct or wrong.

That's a very good comment. I perfectly agree, and I realize my criticism was culturally-biased. Judgment aside now, I still felt awkward, but that's just me of course.

Looking forward to my next visit on Saturday. This will be over lunch, hopefully the dining experience will be different.

Shuly

Given the main point of reference was the IST TK lounges - then yes :D

The IST lounge is a zoo and there's nothing even remotely luxurious about it. BUT: it's a business class lounge, not a first class one; the food is excellent, IMHO; there's really quite a lot one can do in the lounge. In a way, it's a mirror of Istanbul itself... which I like a lot.

Coming to think about it, the EK first class lounge is a reflection of Dubai...

Shuly

I've visited 3 times now, at a variety of times both day and night, and struggle to get excited about the place. Will be going there again next month, but with Mrs User Name in tow. It will be her first visit - maybe she will like the place.

In what way?

clinical, presumably

I was only in the A concourse J lounge but found it to be sterile and uninviting compared to the B concourse lounge. B felt more "lived in" and more like a nice living room (esp the more darkly lit central area overlooking the terminal).

The A lounge felt expansive, but that's about it. I once heard from an event planner that people unconsciously prefer to be compressed (but not too much) into smaller areas, and I find that true in this case.

Your friend is right. For events. But relaxing between flights in a lounge is not an event and I think the more privacy the better, so I have absolutely no problem with an expansive underutilised lounge.

This is perhaps where the marketing and people's own expectations about what F travel is - an event - might be an issue (EK market F as a luxury experience).

In this case though, I just think that many people do not think that expansive and overly attentive is a hallmark of luxury - for instance, see how many people feel uncomfortable to say the least with Asian service standards of luxury (people kneel down to talk to you, there is an obvious status differential that is emphasised as a selling point) but for many if you *don't* do that, it's not a luxury experience. You can see it on Flyertalk, where some people have such a negative image of EK to the point of it being a serious impact on their travel experience just because of the internal color scheme. I personally easily tune out things like the gold and walnut - but I know that some people literally don't fly EK just because of gold.

I agree that the F lounge reflects its heritage and local market - where bigger is better is hospitable. Intimate and understated are not the prestige characteristics of the region. That is simply the cultural heritage imho.

You said the EK First lounge was quiet, boring, bad food, and you got followed to the toilet.

I don't think Dubai could reflect any of those... other than maybe the last, in a few dodgy night-spots.

Ahh yes, I have failed to look at the A concourse in the context of the local culture. B feels like it was trying to emulate the best of the Asian and European carriers and A takes it to a whole new level to compete with the likes of the other ME3 (2?).

That being said I find the onboard service has the perfect amount of attentiveness, and I am from North America. I also tend to view it more as an event/experience as I only travel international premium cabins max 3 times a year.

The A lounge is pretty boring, IMO too, when you compare it to many other FCL - QF- SYD&MEL, CX- HKG, LH - FCT, even Galleries First at LHR has more buzz!

I was there last week and have to say, nothing inspired me food wise and yes, it is just a whole floor with corridors and gates with food, areas in between. Never tried the wines - too early in the day for me. Service was good and the attendants were very helpful, but, again, bored looking like the pax!

I prefer the B lounge really, for me the food selection seems better and the lounge has just a little more life in it!

EK lounges, I think, need a revamp to brighten them up, esp outstations. GLA and AKL being an exception.

Mind you, was in MUC last week and the staff were fantastic, bright and chatty - what a difference it can make.

I guess this perfectly summarizes what I meant when I said that the A lounge was a reflection of Dubai.

Shuly

I'd say the OP raises some interesting points in his assessment.

Whilst I don't agree with everything he/she says, I do feel the general debate which has been prompted here helps to balance things out a little.

The DXB F lounges have in the past been glorified somewhat - and perhaps overly so. When I first experienced one of them myself, I remember thinking at the time it was pretty 'spectacular' and unique ; and that's pretty much how I described it to friends/relatives who had yet to see it. Emirates deserve due credit for providing what I still regard as a true premium lounge product at their home hub (and distinctly better than many other equivalents ..... notably, BA F lounges at LHR). But .... ambience and perception of luxury can be difficult concepts to define and it all becomes very subjective, as other posters have remarked.

All said & done, airport lounges are essentially waiting rooms. Some are undoubtedly more comfortable and better 'provisioned' than others, but waiting rooms nonetheless. Hence my ongoing bemusement when posters come on to say that they are purposely designing their itinerary in order to spend a whole day in the lounge, because they've been told it's the seventh wonder of the world.

Of all the comments here I reckon m3red (who probably sees far more of these DXB lounges than most of us) hit the spot with his "It's a nice place to be for a couple of hours that's it."

I think the key word here is indeed 'perception'. It is only what it is perceived to be. I have been in 2 of the J lounges at DXB and will have my first visit to an F lounge there in a couple of weeks.

Having heard so much about the lounges I was very disappointed with the J lounge at the C gates and quite impressed by the J lounge at the A gates.....and I confess to being a little excited about seeing the F lounge.

I remember a few years ago when I had my first access to the BA F lounge at LHR I organised my connecting flight to give me more time there than I needed :D I wouldn't do it now but I enjoyed the experience then.

If one is 'given' access to something that seems exclusive (whether or not it is) then it can make one feel 'special'. If it doesn't live up to ones expectations then disappointment is felt but that is about the perception not what is perceived, surely.

Once something becomes habitual or humdrum there is no longer any anticipation which is I assume when, as subject2load says, any lounge becomes only a waiting room..... as any car is a means of transport but there are some I'd rather travel in.

I like all the F lounges in their own way. I think that at B gates the F lounge is miles better than the J one. The BJ lounge is very busy :D

At A there is less of a difference although I've not been in the A J lounge for a while. I like that its direct boarding (on the whole) and that its like a whole private terminal with nice food and drink and places to chill (for a couple of hours...). I don't like how the spa is outside the lounge at A. A is not as smokey with the cigar room...

C lounges are both average being quite small but again ok for an hour or so.

I'm on first name terms with the spa and the staff in the lounge I've been there that much this year and always find them pretty good (smoking areas aside).

I had the same feeling the first time I used the J lounge in C in DXB. It is too big and impersonal and with what felt like walls along the entire length on the edge purposefully making it impossible to look out at the aircraft. You might as well be in a warehouse or under the ground. But then again how else do you connect every gate directly to the top deck of an A380? By its very nature that means a lounge exactly as long as the concourse you're in, which is nearly 950 meters. So you will have lots of empty open spaces making the place feel as dead as a morgue. At the far ends you can look down into the F lounge below and it looked as dead as the J lounge - but then very few people would venture that far unless their gates are at the end.

The B Concourse J lounge of course is from a time before they wanted direct access to the top deck and you have to go down to get on your aircraft. It is still a very long and impersonal lounge in my book.

The DBX J lounges are strange places. Two hours max in there (as suggested above) is about right in my book.

I think you mean A not C

The B lounges have some gates that are direct entry to the upper deck. You access them from the lounge complex.

I didn't read through the whole thread but I kind of agree with the OP. The lounge is acceptable but doesn't show glitzy glamour that EK is notorious for. There are no sleeping rooms, and the shower rooms are meh. You can barely fit all your luggage in one of the shower rooms they are so tight. I would expect more from an EK F lounge at their hub.

However, unlike the OP I actually like the people following you around to make sure you're okay. If you make it known to them you don't want them, they will go away. Also if you sit down and get a space for yourself, and make it clear you don't want them bothering you, they don't.

What is cool about the lounge is the restaurant, and the fact that they can literally make you any dish and any drink at any time of the day that your little heart desires. I arrived at 6am and they were serving breakfast but I wanted dinner and just told the waiter what I wanted and 30 minutes later it came out. In addition, you can order exotic drinks like Lassi's and Asian drinks like Vietnamese coffee, and the attendants are from those parts of the world so they know how to make them. Those are my favorite parts of the lounge.

Just curious, is there an alternative lounge at DXB with a partner airline we can use flying EK F?

You are correct - I had my C and A the other way around! Apologies. I've never flown from C!

Yes, but only very few and it's hardly worth mentioning.

And as I stated elsewhere before, I'm working on the new DWC terminal here in Dubai to which all of EK will be moving around 2025 and there will be NO direct access from any J or F lounges to the upper deck of any A380 sadly. Someone realised having a near kilometer long lounge simply doesn't work if you want any atmosphere in said lounge.

So sadly all F and J pax will have to go down to the shopping centre floor (that's what airports are these days!) and walk with the general Y class peeps to get to a standard gate from which they will board all flights. I think it is a great shame to take away the direct boarding. But at least there will be dedicated airbridges connected to the top deck - unlike the B concourse where you just have Code E airbridges connected to the lower deck and you have to climb the stairs inside the aircraft to get to the top deck making it impossible to roll your luggage all the way to your seat.

I'll beleive that when I see a line of EK A380's at DWC.

I'd bet £10 of m3red's money that EK end up staying at DXB, and it effectively becomes an EK only airport.

You are not the first to state that to me... :) Time will tell of course.

I have been in the F lounge in B terminal four times in the past month and in my opinion service levels are dropping fast.

It appears to my untrained eye that they have reduced the number of staff in the dining areas and it is taking far too long for simple requests.

Last time I was there I ordered something really simple like a plate of chips and took over 30 minutes to arrive, then I had to wait another 10 minutes for the requested condiments.

Ok not a big thing in the grand scale of things, but, not something you would expect from somewhere that is marketed as a premium experience.

Was there a few times this month (2xA and 2xB). I haven't noticed staff service standards slipping, by and large I find them quite efficient and friendly, and didn't get the impression there were less. However, I do find the service standard of the a la carte food items has been gradually going down, and they seem to run out of one or the other items more frequently (today I was surprised it was the (admittedly sushi) rice they serve with the dashi salmon main course).