Airport lounges are areas at the airport where passengers can relax, enjoy some food and beverages, and wait for their flights. Recently, on my way to Hong Kong, I had the opportunity to visit the Cathay Pacific Lounge at Heathrow Airport in London while I was waiting for my flight. You can read the flight review here.
Disclaimer: Some links in this article contain affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase any service, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Cathay Pacific is a member of the Oneworld Alliance and other airlines such as British Airways, Spain’s Iberia, Finland’s Finnair, Japan’s Japan Airlines and many others.
Where is the Cathay Pacific Lounge located?
Heathrow Airport has got five terminals. Airlines belonging to the Oneworld Alliance are assigned to Terminal 3. The easiest way to get to the lounge is to follow the direction of Gate 11 after passing through passport control and the shopping area. The lounges are marked throughout the airport and are relatively easy to find. The Cathay Pacific lounge is in Block C along with China Airlines, Finnair and Sri Lankan Airlines.
Then you have to take the elevator to the second floor. The lounge is open from 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. More info on the official website here.
Who can enter the lounge?
Every passenger in first and business class has automatic access to the lounge. As Cathay Pacific is a member of the Oneworld Alliance, Sapphire and Emerald members of the Oneworld flight program can use this lounge before departure. As a bonus, these passengers can also invite one guest travelling on the same flight.
Cathay Pacific does not offer single entry for other passengers.
Inside the Cathay Pacific Lounge
As soon as I left the elevator, smiling female employees greeted me and checked whether I could access the lounge. Right after the reception, first-class passengers should follow the “First Class Lounge” sign behind the reception. The rest of the passengers have the “Business Class Lounge” a few meters away.
The Business Class Lounge is smaller than the British Airways lounge at Terminal 5. However, it is sufficient, as Cathay Pacific only has 4-5 flights to Hong Kong daily. The lounge is divided into three main parts. The first room acts as a restaurant, The Noodle Bar, where the staff prepares hot meals in a small open kitchen.
The other two rooms have comfortable armchairs for passengers to sit and relax. I was surprised to see that almost every table had an electrical outlet. I am sure every traveller would be delighted to know that, as it is crucial to always have a charged battery.
The view from the lounge is only to a small part of the terminal, where you can see parked planes. Unfortunately, this lounge does not have a view of the departure and arrival runways.
Food and beverages
There are refreshments for passengers in each part of the lounge. Travellers can enjoy a variety of dishes from Asian or Western cuisine. The Noodle Bar offers a selection of freshly prepared noodle dishes. In addition, there are also cold dishes such as cheese, ham and vegetables, or soup.
I enjoyed the desserts. Several varieties were available, but I chose the chocolate chia pudding with raspberries. It tasted so good that I couldn’t resist and had a second one.
To quench their thirst, passengers can choose from alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. As for alcoholic drinks, various types of wine, beer and classic cocktails are on offer. In addition to those I discovered four types of champagne on the drink menu: Georges Vesselle Brut Rose, Arcobello Prosecco Brut, Vino Spumate, Rodier Pere&Fils.
Two coffee machines offer different types of coffee. The wide selection of non-alcoholic drinks includes fruit juices or well-known bubble drinks. I discovered two special non-alcoholic signature drinks – Cathay Delight and Orange Dream. I highly recommend trying Cathay Delight!
What else does the lounge offer?
Passengers can store their luggage in small boxes immediately upon entering the lounge to avoid carrying them around.
English, Hong Kong and Chinese newspapers are distributed in various parts of the lounge for those who prefer classic paper newspapers and magazines.
Showers are available for those passengers who want to refresh themselves before the journey. I used the showers, mainly after walking around the city all day or after a long meeting.
Conclusion
The Cathay Pacific lounge at Heathrow Airport was a pleasant surprise. The staff was very attentive and took care of cleanliness. After the departure of each passenger, the table was thoroughly cleaned and prepared for the next visitors. Apart from the dessert, I only tried other food as I had dinner on the plane. If I ever find myself in this lounge again, I will definitely try the cutlets at “The Noodle Bar”.
