United Polaris Lounge Open in Newark (EWR)
Nov 17, 2021, 1:15 am
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,520
Nov 17, 2021, 2:58 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 11,513
How would the condition improve; it is still way far away from a ton of gates.
There are four (4) open at ORD; there is one (1) open at EWR terminal C and it is not centrally located as far as half of the gates are concerned.
I have nothing against exercise, but sometimes I only have 5 minutes to use a club-- literally-- to grab something before a flight without meal service. It is useless at EWR half the time.
There are four (4) open at ORD; there is one (1) open at EWR terminal C and it is not centrally located as far as half of the gates are concerned.
I have nothing against exercise, but sometimes I only have 5 minutes to use a club-- literally-- to grab something before a flight without meal service. It is useless at EWR half the time.
Nov 17, 2021, 3:19 am
#19
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,334
How would the condition improve; it is still way far away from a ton of gates.
There are four (4) open at ORD; there is one (1) open at EWR terminal C and it is not centrally located as far as half of the gates are concerned.
I have nothing against exercise, but sometimes I only have 5 minutes to use a club-- literally-- to grab something before a flight without meal service. It is useless at EWR half the time.
There are four (4) open at ORD; there is one (1) open at EWR terminal C and it is not centrally located as far as half of the gates are concerned.
I have nothing against exercise, but sometimes I only have 5 minutes to use a club-- literally-- to grab something before a flight without meal service. It is useless at EWR half the time.
Nov 17, 2021, 6:51 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,157
How would the condition improve; it is still way far away from a ton of gates.
There are four (4) open at ORD; there is one (1) open at EWR terminal C and it is not centrally located as far as half of the gates are concerned.
I have nothing against exercise, but sometimes I only have 5 minutes to use a club-- literally-- to grab something before a flight without meal service. It is useless at EWR half the time.
There are four (4) open at ORD; there is one (1) open at EWR terminal C and it is not centrally located as far as half of the gates are concerned.
I have nothing against exercise, but sometimes I only have 5 minutes to use a club-- literally-- to grab something before a flight without meal service. It is useless at EWR half the time.
Took long enough.
Nov 17, 2021, 12:20 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,317
I visited EWR PL late yesterday afternoon after arriving from Narita.
The lounge was quite crowded between 4 pm and 6 pm. I would say it was 90% full and the only seats available were close to the shower.
The offerings on the buffet were similar to pre-covid. No pre-package food. All food is out in the open just like before.
I did not have to wait for the showers, but had to wait to get into the seated dinning areas.
There was no drink menu. I ordered Blood Mary but was told it was not available, so I settled for Champagne. I ordered the cauliflower appetizer and Polaris Burger and waited for about 35 minutes before the food came. By that time I only had less than ten min to eat before having to go to gate C82 for my next flight. The burger came first and I asked the server to cancel the appetizer but it came regardless two min later. Food tasted great! Server was great too, but there is clearly staffing issues at both front end and kitchen. This is expected due to the lounge is only just open.
Overall, I welcome the opening of EWR PL, and pleased with my first PL experience since March 2020. Other than having to wait for food and looking for places to sit, it is business as usual. I am just happy to have a place to shower and relax after started my trip from Singapore almost 20 hours before landing at EWR.
The lounge was quite crowded between 4 pm and 6 pm. I would say it was 90% full and the only seats available were close to the shower.
The offerings on the buffet were similar to pre-covid. No pre-package food. All food is out in the open just like before.
I did not have to wait for the showers, but had to wait to get into the seated dinning areas.
There was no drink menu. I ordered Blood Mary but was told it was not available, so I settled for Champagne. I ordered the cauliflower appetizer and Polaris Burger and waited for about 35 minutes before the food came. By that time I only had less than ten min to eat before having to go to gate C82 for my next flight. The burger came first and I asked the server to cancel the appetizer but it came regardless two min later. Food tasted great! Server was great too, but there is clearly staffing issues at both front end and kitchen. This is expected due to the lounge is only just open.
Overall, I welcome the opening of EWR PL, and pleased with my first PL experience since March 2020. Other than having to wait for food and looking for places to sit, it is business as usual. I am just happy to have a place to shower and relax after started my trip from Singapore almost 20 hours before landing at EWR.
Nov 18, 2021, 7:57 am
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
Nov 20, 2021, 9:53 am
#24
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: PHL, EWR
Programs: UA Gold; AA; Amtrak Select Plus;HH Diamond;Hyatt Disc;Hertz PC; Total Wine Grand Reserve!
Posts: 2,400
Breakfast 11/20
My S.O. arrived at the lounge shortly before 6AM. Although they were letting people into the lounge (I think it officially opens at 5:15), service didn't really start until 6:30. Prior to 6:30 there were just some cold items at the buffet (bread, fruit, yogurt parfaits). Didn't seem to be a bartender yet as well.
He sampled three of the cooked to order dishes once the sit down restaurant area opened at 6:30. He declared the french toast to be the best of the three by far!
No bartender at 5:55 AM
French toast was pronounced very delicious!
He sampled three of the cooked to order dishes once the sit down restaurant area opened at 6:30. He declared the french toast to be the best of the three by far!
No bartender at 5:55 AM
French toast was pronounced very delicious!
Last edited by rittenhousesq; Nov 20, 2021 at 9:57 am Reason: typos
Nov 20, 2021, 2:29 pm
#25
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,334
....and waited for about 35 minutes before the food came. By that time I only had less than ten min to eat before having to go to gate C82 for my next flight. The burger came first and I asked the server to cancel the appetizer but it came regardless two min later. Food tasted great! Server was great too, but there is clearly staffing issues at both front end and kitchen. This is expected due to the lounge is only just open.
<snip>
<snip>
Nice to hear that the quality of food and overall experience has returned. Let's hope they keep this up.
Kudos to United!
Nov 20, 2021, 2:55 pm
#26
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Anywhere but home
Programs: UA 1K/MM, DL GM/MM, AA Gold, HH Dia, PC Plat, ALL Sil, MR Gold
Posts: 4,550
Nov 20, 2021, 4:08 pm
#27
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,447
The entree portions aren't that big; I could see how three entrees could constitute a normal portion size for a few folks. I've ordered three items several times at various locations (two apps and one entree or one app and two entrees, but never three entrees), and I've never gotten any pushback.
Nov 20, 2021, 4:10 pm
#28
Join Date: Jul 2015
Programs: UA Platinum, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 873
Nov 20, 2021, 5:57 pm
#29
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: PHL, EWR
Programs: UA Gold; AA; Amtrak Select Plus;HH Diamond;Hyatt Disc;Hertz PC; Total Wine Grand Reserve!
Posts: 2,400
Also worth pointing out that he was flying, EWR-SFO-TPE, and as we know the meals in Polaris leave much to be desired at the moment, so might as well fill up on the decent food in the lounge prior to those long flights!
Last edited by rittenhousesq; Nov 20, 2021 at 6:04 pm