Best executive lounge by continent?
#31
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,845
You obviously I've never stayed in a world class Club Lounge with free flowing vintage french champagne, Hennessy XO and 20-year-old tawny port free for the taking all day... Not to mention exquisite coffee and the best eggs benedict ever in the morning, as well as jamon iberico...
#32
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: KUO
Programs: HH Diam, AY/AX/KQ/IHG/VISA Plat, SK/Bonvoy/Melia/Strawberry Gold, Radisson Prem, PP Prest, BT Exec
Posts: 2,249
If I think of memorable lounges, Conrad Tokyo has one, Conrad London used to have one, as well as London Hilton (at Park Lane). Hilton Bankside, Tower Bridge, and Canary Wharf were ok when I still traveled there on monthly basis. Hilton Shiphool remains nice. As well as Helsinki Airport and Strand. Hilton Joburg had a nice lounge and also very nice downstairs and pool bars. But Hilton Capetown (RIP) not did so. It so much depends on what You expect. Getting boozed or avoiding dinner cost...
#33
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,761
You obviously I've never stayed in a world class Club Lounge with free flowing vintage french champagne, Hennessy XO and 20-year-old tawny port free for the taking all day... Not to mention exquisite coffee and the best eggs benedict ever in the morning, as well as jamon iberico...
Yes, I've experienced what you note. Have been to some of the best hotel lounges, airline lounges, and dedicated terminals in the world. And you know what? I kind of got over the idea of that being an end in itself. Sure, if I'm passing through and have a chance to avail myself of better amenities, then of course I'll choose the place that offers them. But the idea of flying to a city just to spend precious time sitting in a chain hotel lounge, no matter how luxe, is something I'm done with.
I can buy all the stuff you list, by the way, at places within a 10-minute drive of my house, at retail prices - the "free" stuff in the lounge isn't the free - it's baked into the price of admission. When I travel, it's about making the memories that I can only get from the location I've traveled to.
#34
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Newcastle, Australia.
Programs: QF Plat+ LTG/ OW Emerald, VA Plat, NZ Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Whatsit. Taxation is theft.
Posts: 2,636
You obviously I've never stayed in a world class Club Lounge with free flowing vintage french champagne, Hennessy XO and 20-year-old tawny port free for the taking all day... Not to mention exquisite coffee and the best eggs benedict ever in the morning, as well as jamon iberico...
#35
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: BAEC, Flying Club, HHonors, Gold Passport, IHG Rewards, Le Club Accor, Club Carlson
Posts: 322
Conrad Macao had a Iberian leg on offer every night with a good spread and decent spirits and bubbles. That was a pretty high level offering imo. Obviously, not a place masses of FT writers are going to go.
#36
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Montral, Canada
Posts: 1,610
You obviously I've never stayed in a world class Club Lounge with free flowing vintage french champagne, Hennessy XO and 20-year-old tawny port free for the taking all day... Not to mention exquisite coffee and the best eggs benedict ever in the morning, as well as jamon iberico...
#37
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,761
I have this strange mental image of the poster reclining in a gold-plated bathtub filled with champagne, his modesty preserved only by a few tactfully-placed eggs benedict and slices of jamon iberico, while butlers pour XO into his gaping maw. But I'm not sure I want to see the photos to confirm.
#39
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Montral, Canada
Posts: 1,610
I have this strange mental image of the poster reclining in a gold-plated bathtub filled with champagne, his modesty preserved only by a few tactfully-placed eggs benedict and slices of jamon iberico, while butlers pour XO into his gaping maw. But I'm not sure I want to see the photos to confirm.
#40
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 302
FWIW. Very Germany-centric.
Frankfurt airport was very good.
Hilton. Mainz. Excellent breakfast. (Can't recall if that was in general or only executive.)
Hilton Munich Park. Just ok but nice basement spa and pool.
Hilton Munich City. My favorite. Wonderful food and drink. In two days I ate and drank there rather than ate out. Drank all their gin!
UK. ok
Paris. ok.
Can't think of anything memorable in the US sadly.
Frankfurt airport was very good.
Hilton. Mainz. Excellent breakfast. (Can't recall if that was in general or only executive.)
Hilton Munich Park. Just ok but nice basement spa and pool.
Hilton Munich City. My favorite. Wonderful food and drink. In two days I ate and drank there rather than ate out. Drank all their gin!
UK. ok
Paris. ok.
Can't think of anything memorable in the US sadly.
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .57 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 14,819
I might say that the Hilton Budapest Castle has the best lounge in Europe. But take away Tibor or add new management and it might now be rubbish. I also couldn't tell you if it is better or worse today than the Hilton Prague - of which I have no personal experience.
#42
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Join Date: Oct 2001
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#44
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,761
Correct - Budapest City / WestEnd (which was always my favorite of the two full-service Hiltons in town; there was no HGI in those days) has since been rebranded as a Crowne Plaza.
#45
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/1MM, DL DM/2 MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 11,917
I think we should get this discussion started..
If narrowed down to those with a TA rating of 4.5 out of 5 (for Europe at least) there are roughly 50 contenders for Europe...
Hilton St George's Park Burton upon Trent
Hilton London Wembley
Hilton London Tower Bridge
Hilton Canary Wharf
Hilton Angel Islington
Hilton Bankside
Hilton Berlin
Hilton Frankfurt Airport
Hilton Paris Opera
Hilton Madrid Airport
Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
Hilton Sorrento Palace
Hilton Athens
Mersin HiltonSA
Adana HiltonSA
Hilton Bursa Convention Centre & Spa
Hilton Istanbul Bomonti
Hilton Istanbul Maslak
Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus
Hilton Zurich Airport
Hilton Vienna Plaza
Hilton Vienna Danube Waterfront
Hilton Prague Old Town
Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik
Hilton Sofia
Athenee Palace Hilton Bucharest
Hilton Sibiu
Hilton Budapest
Hilton Budapest City
Hilton Belgrade
Hilton Kyiv
Hilton Tallinn Park
Hilton Helsinki Strand
Hilton Helsinki Airport
Hilton Warsaw Hotel & Convention Centre
Hilton Amsterdam
Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Hilton Rotterdam
Hilton The Hague
Hilton Reykjavic Nordica
Doubletree Glasgow Central
Doubletree Tower of London
Doubletree London Islington
Doubletree Istanbul Moda
Doubletree Warsaw Hotel & Convention Centre
Doubletree Wroclaw
Doubletree Amsterdam Centraal Station
Conrad London St James
Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus
Yes I have too much time on my hands but thought this list may come in handy for some.. also it could serve as a reference point for discussion. I get the point that no-one will have been to all of these for one person to make a fair comparison between them all but like someone said above when recommendations are made on here they can prove useful.
Also while I might have time on my hands I don't have enough time to make lists for any other continents!...
If narrowed down to those with a TA rating of 4.5 out of 5 (for Europe at least) there are roughly 50 contenders for Europe...
Hilton St George's Park Burton upon Trent
Hilton London Wembley
Hilton London Tower Bridge
Hilton Canary Wharf
Hilton Angel Islington
Hilton Bankside
Hilton Berlin
Hilton Frankfurt Airport
Hilton Paris Opera
Hilton Madrid Airport
Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
Hilton Sorrento Palace
Hilton Athens
Mersin HiltonSA
Adana HiltonSA
Hilton Bursa Convention Centre & Spa
Hilton Istanbul Bomonti
Hilton Istanbul Maslak
Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus
Hilton Zurich Airport
Hilton Vienna Plaza
Hilton Vienna Danube Waterfront
Hilton Prague Old Town
Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik
Hilton Sofia
Athenee Palace Hilton Bucharest
Hilton Sibiu
Hilton Budapest
Hilton Budapest City
Hilton Belgrade
Hilton Kyiv
Hilton Tallinn Park
Hilton Helsinki Strand
Hilton Helsinki Airport
Hilton Warsaw Hotel & Convention Centre
Hilton Amsterdam
Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Hilton Rotterdam
Hilton The Hague
Hilton Reykjavic Nordica
Doubletree Glasgow Central
Doubletree Tower of London
Doubletree London Islington
Doubletree Istanbul Moda
Doubletree Warsaw Hotel & Convention Centre
Doubletree Wroclaw
Doubletree Amsterdam Centraal Station
Conrad London St James
Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus
Yes I have too much time on my hands but thought this list may come in handy for some.. also it could serve as a reference point for discussion. I get the point that no-one will have been to all of these for one person to make a fair comparison between them all but like someone said above when recommendations are made on here they can prove useful.
Also while I might have time on my hands I don't have enough time to make lists for any other continents!...