Virgin Australia Business Class 777 SYD to LAX Review

Virgin Australia flies its five flagship Boeing 777-300ERs on routes from Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane) to LAX. While Virgin Australia doesn’t offer a true 3-cabin first class, they offer “The Business” which on the 777-300ERs consists of a relatively new product that many have raved about. Here’s my full Virgin Australia Business Class review. 

Booking Virgin Australia Business Class seats

I originally tried booking two business class seats with Delta Sky Miles early last year but after I saw that such a booking would only be possible 2 weeks from departure time, I decided to transfer SPG points to Virgin Australia Velocity to book them. This was made extra easy by a special transfer promotion that allowed me to receive a 20% transfer bonus that stacked on top of the 25% SPG standard transfer bonus.

Availability for two business class seats wasn’t great at all but I was able to eventually find two seats on VA1 about one year in advance and I promptly booked those for 95,500 miles plus around $80 USD in total fees. Considering the price of these tickets at the time ($8,000+), that was exceptional value.

Virgin Australia 777 business class cabin

As soon as we entered the cabin, I noticed how sleek the business class seats looked. The seats are arranged in a reverse herringbone 1-2-1 configuration allowing direct aisle access for each seat and high levels of privacy. There’s a section of 24 business class seats in front of the plane and then a smaller section of 13 business class seats behind the bar.

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Virgin Australia business class cabin.

Business class has two lavatories in the front and one in the bar area. The ones up front are more spacious with benches to assist with you changing but overall nothing too lavish.

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Virgin Australia business class lavatory.
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Virgin Australia business class lavatory.

These Virgin Australia business class seats are B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seats which in my opinion are some of the best business class seats available with great privacy and plenty of space to get comfortable.

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Virgin Australia B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seat.

Everything from the shell of the suite to the cushions and pillows have a polished look that emphasizes sleekness and privacy. The seats are also very comfortable and roomy with 23 inches of width and a pitch up to 80 inches.

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Virgin Australia business class seat.

The middle aisle seats are also excellent with a partition that can be lowered if you’re flying together. If you’re not flying together, the privacy is still optimal unlike some other 1-2-1 configurations that can place you very close to your travel neighbor.

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Virgin Australia business class middle seats.
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Virgin Australia business class middle seats.

The seats controls are controlled by the touch screen that’s built in to the side counter. The controls are very intuitive. The only thing that’s not clear is that one of your overhead lights is controlled by the touch screen while the other is controlled by the controller found in the storage compartment.

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Virgin Australia business class seat controls.

The seat tray table slides under the TV monitor but mine was never secured before take-off. So as soon as we took off, my tray flung out and scared the crap out of me.

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Virgin Australia business class tray table.

To lock the tray in position I had to push it all the way in and then pull on the tray release which is found underneath the tray on the right side. It took a few attempts but I eventually got it right.

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Virgin Australia business class tray table.

This tray table sits underneath an 18-inch touch screen which comes with a quality selection of movies and TV shows. I enjoyed the selection of the movies and also the quality of the screen. You can check what’s currently on here.

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Virgin Australia in-flight entertainment.

Virgin Australia business class legroom

There’s plenty of room for your legs/feet in the footwell. While you can’t store your bags under there, there’s enough room for you to store your shoes and other items. I also really liked the “hump” found in the footwell that functions like a footrest.

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Virgin Australia business class footwell.

One of the only negatives about the seat is that there’s not a lot of space between the seat and the wall of the suite. This makes getting in and out of the seat a bit tricky unless you’re petite and/or have small feet. You can see how narrow the passage is in the photo below.

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Not very easy to get in and out.

One of the highlights about these seats is that they have a lot of counter space which really comes in handy. Whether you need a place to put your drinks, laptop, work materials, camera, etc., there’s a decent amount of room for that. I put a lot of value in counter space since I like having a space for my big DSLR and laptop when traveling and so I loved all of the space.

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A lot of counter space!

The counter also houses two of the storage compartments.

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Virgin Australia business class storage compartments.

The main storage compartment is the largest and you’ll find the in-flight entertainment controller inside.

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Virgin Australia business class storage compartments.

It’s not a huge compartment that will fit your laptop but you can still store some personal belongings in it no problem. I put a GoPro HERO4 and gorilla pod in the storage compartment for scale.

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Virgin Australia business class storage compartments.

This main storage compartment also has the ports for the headphones, a USB, and a universal power outlet.

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USB and headphone jack.
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universal power outlet.

The second storage compartment is much smaller and is better suited for storing flatter items like cell phones and passports.

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Virgin Australia business class storage compartments.

Finally, there’s a third compartment that doesn’t open up very wide and I didn’t really find any use for it.

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Virgin Australia business class storage compartments.

Another storage compartment is on the other side of the seat beneath the armrest and it houses the headphones and a bottle of water (I took them out for the photograph). This armrest can also be lowered and raised as you wish.

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Virgin Australia business class storage compartments.

The Virgin Australia headphones were high quality. Not quite Bose quality but they had that distinct “sturdy” feel that usually comes with quality headphones as opposed to the lighter “cheap” feel you might get with United headphones for example. The headphones also did a decent job cancelling out background noise.

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Virgin Australia business class headphones.
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Virgin Australia business class headphones.
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Virgin Australia business class water bottle.

The amenity kit comes with pretty standard items: socks, eye mask, tissues, ear plugs, toothbrush, and various moisturizers by Hunter Lab, which are apparently pretty high-end in Australia (although I’ve seen amenities from REN Skincare in other reviews).

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Virgin Australia business class amenity kit.
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Virgin Australia business class amenity kit.
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Virgin Australia business class amenity kit.
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Virgin Australia pen.

Virgin Australia also gives out pajamas designed by Julie Grbac, which I found very comfortable (though sadly I didn’t get a pic of them). Unfortunately, Virgin Australia doesn’t give out slippers, which would be convenient on such a long-haul flight.

Overall, for a business class amenity kit, the amenity kit offerings are very solid and much more comparable to a first class amenity kit, especially with the addition of pajamas.

Virgin Australia business class privacy

In my experience, privacy is what really distinguishes business class from first class (although with more and more business class suites that’s changing). These business class seats are very private due to the shell of the suite that extends so far out. You can get a sense of the privacy afforded by the photos below.

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Virgin Australia business class privacy.
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Virgin Australia business class privacy.

Getting ready for take-off

Before departure, we were given drinks and I went with champagne and water. Luckily, all of the glasses were taken off the tray before take-off since they would have been spilled on me given how the tray was never secured.

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Virgin Australia pre-departure drinks.

On our way out, we caught some views of some big birds, including a Singapore Airlines A380 and Qantas 747.

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Singapore Airlines A380.
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Qantas 747.

As usual, the take off from Sydney involved some pretty impressive views of the coast.

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Australian coastline at take-off.

The dining experience

I really didn’t know what to expect for Virgin Australia’s dining have read somewhat mixed reports. But I thoroughly enjoyed the dining on board the 777.

It started off with some almond-stuffed olives and savory biscuits, which were excellent.

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Almond-stuffed olives and savory biscuits.

I also went with some Ayala Brut Majeur champagne.

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Virgin Australia business class champagne.

Later on I tried out the Bellini which is a champagne cocktail that’s basically a mimosa but with peach nectar. I wasn’t crazy about that drink but I appreciated being able to try something a little different.

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Virgin Australia business class champagne cocktail.

I really love the Opera House inspired salt and pepper shakers. I wonder how many people are tempted to take those home each flight?

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Virgin Australia business class slat and pepper shakers.

I went with garlic bread for my bread of choice and while the slices were quite small, they were delicious.

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Virgin Australia business class garlic bread.

Then came out the tomato and saffron soup. I really enjoyed the soup and Brad agreed it was great as well.

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Tomato and saffron soup.

And for the main dish, I went with the chargrilled lamb cutlets. This dish was fantastic and on par with any first class dish I’ve had from airlines like Singapore, Etihad, Qatar, etc. I was very impressed by the quality.

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Virgin Australia business class dinner.

And then came one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. If you’ve read my reviews, you know I’ve got a huge sweet tooth and along with that, high standards for desserts. The chocolate tart dish I ordered was outstanding and I seriously could’ve eaten a second one if I didn’t get myself under control.

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Chocolate tart with poached berries.

Below is the full Virgin Australia business class menu for our SYD to LAX flight.

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Virgin Australia business class menu SYD to LAX VA1.
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Virgin Australia business class menu SYD to LAX VA1.
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Virgin Australia business class menu SYD to LAX VA1.
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Virgin Australia business class menu SYD to LAX VA1.
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Virgin Australia business class menu SYD to LAX VA1.
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Virgin Australia business class menu SYD to LAX VA1.
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Virgin Australia business class menu SYD to LAX VA1.
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Virgin Australia business class menu SYD to LAX VA1.
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Virgin Australia business class menu SYD to LAX VA1.

Virgin Australia business class mood lighting

After lunch/dinner, the mood lighting kicked in which is another cool feature of the Virgin Australia 777 business class cabin. It transitioned from pink to blue and then after that the “ceiling stars” came out adding a beautiful and relaxing touch to the cabin.

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Virgin Australia business class mood lighting.
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Virgin Australia business class mood lighting.
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Virgin Australia business class mood lighting.

The sleeping experience

If you want quality sleep on this 13+ hour route, I think Virgin Australia business class is a perfect selection. I didn’t sleep but that’s because it’s very hard for me to get to sleep on any plane (not to mention I was preoccupied with the bar for a good portion of the flight).

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Virgin Australia business class mood lighting.

The combination of the comforter, mattress pad, and pillows are a bedding trifecta that stands up to anything in other business class cabins and honestly even first class cabins. When I lay down, I got very comfortable very fast in the bed. Had I taken a sleep aid, I probably could have drifted off to sleep for several hours.

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Virgin Australia business class bedding.
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Virgin Australia business class bedding.

As turn down service began, a beautiful sunset could be seen through the windows.

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Virgin Australia business class bedding.

I wouldn’t have noticed it but for another passenger patting me on the shoulder to tell me about it. People in this cabin seemed very friendly during this flight and I think it helped that the staff was also exceptional.

We had a flight attendant who made sure we knew everything there was to know about our seat and who was very attentive to our needs. When it came to service, it honestly felt more like a first class flight.

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Virgin Australia business class bedding.
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Virgin Australia business class bedding.
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En route to LAX.

For breakfast, you fill out a card so that the crew knows all of your requests and preferences when it’s time for breakfast. You also get to choose if you’d like for them to wake you up if you are sleeping.

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Virgin Australia business class breakfast menu.

I went with the eggs, bacon, muffin, and a chocolate muffin. I have to say that I didn’t expect the eggs to be as good as they were but could have gone without the bacon. The decaf cappuccino was great, however.

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Virgin Australia business class breakfast.
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Virgin Australia business class breakfast.

The Virgin Australia 777 bar

One of the standout features of the Virgin Australia 777-300ER is the bar area. It’s super sleek in its design and lighting and honestly just a fun place to hang out and pass the time on this long-haul flight.

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Virgin Australia 777 bar.
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Virgin Australia 777 bar.

The alcohol selection is pretty good with plenty of whiskeys and wines to choose from. There’s also a Nespresso machine for your coffee needs.

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Virgin Australia 777 bar alcohol selection.
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Virgin Australia 777 bar alcohol selection.

The bar is not meant to be self-service but there is a button that you can call if you’re in need of service and no flight attendant is present.

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There are only four bar stools but there’s also some seating in front of the bar where you can also find a number of reading materials, waters, crisps, and chocolates.

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Virgin Australia 777 bar.
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Virgin Australia 777 bar snacks.

The large Virgin Australia centerpiece found in front of the bar is also pretty glorious.

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Virgin Australia 777 bar.

The staff at the bar was very cool and attentive and was even volunteered to get some photos of us two goofballs while we tried out some different drinks. The staff is a large reason why we had such a good time hanging out at the bar and I can’t say enough good things about them.

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Virgin Australia 777 bar.
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Virgin Australia 777 bar.

As other people made their way into the bar area, we had a great time socializing for a couple of hours. In 2011, I flew from LAX to SYD roundtrip in the back of United economy near the lavatory and if you had told me that in 7 years I’d be having the time of my life knocking back drinks in an in-flight bar flying business class on that same exact route I don’t think I’d even been able to begin to process that. Nevertheless, this was one of the funnest flights that I’ve ever experienced.

After all that fun, it was finally time to begin to prepare for landing at LAX.

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Dawn over Los Angeles.

Final word on Virgin Australia business class

Virgin Australia business class is a very strong business class product that often has a first class feel to it. The dining, comfort, and service were all top-notch and on top of everything we had a great time hanging out at the bar. I never thought I’d have this much fun on a flight and although I certainly “felt it” for the next 12 hours or so, it was all worth it 100%.

Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge: The Pier at HKG Review

The Pier First Class Lounge is a flagship first class lounge for Cathay Pacific at HKG — Hong Kong International Airport (not to be confused with The Wing which is another exceptional Cathay Pacific first class lounge at HKG). It’s one of the highly touted first class lounges in the world and we recently experienced it for the first time. This is my full review of the The Pier at HKG.

Airport check-in

We arrived at HKG for our short first class flight from Hong Kong to Bangkok on board the Cathay Pacific 777 about four hours early so we’d have plenty of time check out the Pier and also check out the new Amex Centurion Lounge at HKG (a review on that will come later).

Cathay Pacific had a dedicated first class check-in area which was completely empty when we arrived. Within seconds of arriving the staff helped us with our luggage and we were pointed to the direction of The Pier. The Pier is open from 5:30 am to 12:30am and is located on level 6 in Terminal 1, near Gate 63.

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Cathay Pacific first class check-in.

There was a helpful map near check-in that I took a photo of to help us find our way through the terminal. I honestly found it very easy to navigate Terminal 1 without the aid of a map but it always helps to have one just in case. I believe we could have walked to the other end of the terminal but the train was near us and we decided to just take it to the near gate 60 since that’d put us very close to The Pier. (The other first class lounge, The Wing, was very close to us at check-in.)

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Cathay Pacific HKG Terminal 1 map.

The first step was to go down a level and take a train over to near gate 60. The train, known as the “APM” (Automated People Mover), was very efficient and even though we’d just missed one, the next train came through very quickly.

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Hong Kong International Airport Automated People Mover.

Since this was only a couple of days after Chinese New Year, the airport and everywhere else was decked out with Chinese New Year symbols and decor which was pretty cool to see.

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Hong Kong International Airport Automated People Mover.
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The APM map.

After getting off the train, we made our way toward the lounge and in the process passed up the Amex Centurion Lounge, which we would be returning to later on.

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HKG Terminal 1.

We soon found the escalator entrance to The Pier and took the escalator down to the actual lounge entrance.

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The Pier entrance.
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The Pier entrance.

The Pier First Class Lounge experience

After making our way down the escalator, we approached the check-in desk who promptly admitted us into the lounge. I found it odd that they didn’t ask us if we needed/wanted a quick overview of the lounge since most other airlines have offered that when entering a large flagship lounge containing numerous services and features.

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The Pier at HKG lounge entrance.
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The Pier at HKG lounge entrance.
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The Pier at HKG lounge entrance.

Once we entered the Pier, the first thing that struck me was how elegant all of the corridors and furniture were. I could immediately sense that this was going to be a very high quality lounge just by the look and feel of the seating and decor found throughout the lounge. The entire place has a very distinct ambiance with some serious feng shui.

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The Pier main corridor.
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The Pier main corridor.
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The Pier main corridor.
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The Pier main corridor.

The Pier bar area

We first checked out the bar area, which was very impressive in terms of appearance.  Rather than being stuck at the end of the lounge, it sits in the middle of a large room, acting as a beautiful centerpiece to the room that’s well suited for socializing.The green onyx walls and walnut wood panels create a relaxing yet elegant feel to the area that you also find in other sections of the lounge.

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The Pier at HKG bar area.

There was a decent selection of spirits in the bar but it was still pretty early so we didn’t partake at that time.

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The Pier at HKG bar area.

The bar area was also surrounded by many different comfortable seating options that are spread out in a spacious manner.

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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge: The Pier seating.
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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge: The Pier seating.
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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge: The Pier seating.
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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge: The Pier seating.

The only slight negative to the lounge at this point was that the servers at the bar area seemed stand off-ish to me. Typically at flagship first class lounges I receive a very warm welcome from the staff but I didn’t quite feel that here.

After checking out the bar, we ventured to some of the other seating areas within the lounge which were just as elegant as the bar area. I probably put more value in the ambiance factor of airport lounges than others, but I think most people would still have to agree that The Pier nailed the relaxing concept they were shooting for when designing and building this lounge.

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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge: The Pier seating.
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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge: The Pier seating.
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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge: The Pier seating.

The Pier day suites

After checking out the bar and other seating areas, we decided to explore The Pier day suites, which are located adjacent to the spa. Only two of them were open which was perfect for us two, and they put me in the suite at the very end.

After they checked us in, we were led down a hallway and into the day suite corridors which are sectioned off with curtains from the hallway.

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The Pier day suites.

The curtains do a great job of dulling out any noises but the corridor is so quiet you can hear a pin drop.

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The Pier day suites hallway.
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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge day suite.

The day suites are perfect if you’re looking for a place to nap/relax for around 1.5 hours, but they ask that you limit your time in them to 1.5 hours, so “day suite” is a bit misleading. When I think “day suite” I think an area to rest for a hand full of hours on a long layover but I don’t think that’s the case here.

Inside the suite, there’s a comfortable bench/bed best suited for one person.

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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge day suite.
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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge day suite.

The suites have views of the tarmac though my view was largely obstructed by a giant column, which you can see in the photos above. So try to avoid the very last suite if you want better views. Still, I was still able to see out a bit.

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The Pier lounge day suite view.

You can control the window shade and brightness of the lamps within the suite. My suite was very warm when I got in so I quickly turned off all of the lamps and lowered the window shade which helped to cool the suite down some.

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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge day suite controls.
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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge day suite.
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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge day suite.

These day suites are very quiet. So if you’re not there to sleep, you might not like the utter quietness of the area. After about 15 minutes of relaxing, I was ready to move on toward another area of the lounge since I had no plans of sleeping and it was just too still and quiet in there for me.

The dining experience

After the day suites, we moved on to the The Pier dining area. The dining area is pretty spacious with plenty of restaurant/diner style tables set up and a long bar.

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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge dining area.
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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge dining area.
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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge dining area.
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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge dining area.
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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge dining area.
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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge dining area.
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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge dining area bar.

The dining area was pretty empty when we arrived but after about 45 minutes to an hour, it picked up a lot and many of the tables filled up. We had to flag down a server in order to get a menu which again was something I found odd since servers at these flagship lounges are usually overly attentive and there were only like two other people in the dining area at the time.

We caught the dining area between breakfast and lunch so we were actually able to try out both.

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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge breakfast menu.

For breakfast we split the Eggs Royale, which were good but we weren’t big fans of the sauce on the side which was a bit too heavy/thick.

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Eggs Royale.

About a half hour later we were given the lunch menu.

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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge lunch menu.

We started with appetizers including the Wonton with Noodles in soup. This soup had a distinct fishy taste to it that I think is common in “real” Chinese dishes (not American-Chinese) so that took some adjusting to get used to it but I ended up enjoying it.

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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge lunch.

The other starter we tried was the sesame chicken. I loved this dish but my mouth got hit with that strong tingly sensation which I attributed to Sichuan since I don’t think I have any food allergies to sesame seeds. Nevertheless, this was my favorite dish I tried at The Pier.

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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge lunch.

They then served us the main courses which consisted of beef cheek and spiced pork jowl. These dishes were satisfying but didn’t blow us away.

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Spiced pork jowl.
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Beef cheek.

And finally, we finished up lunch with a couple of glasses of champagne.

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The Pier Cathay Pacific lounge champagne.

Overall, the dining experience was solid at The Pier even though the service was a bit sluggish and I wasn’t crazy about the menu options.

Spa/bathrooms

The Pier has a spa but we didn’t try it out on this visit. I know that you can receive a 10 minute complimentary foot massage but I’m not a big spa person and so I just didn’t give it a try.

The bathrooms at The Pier are very nice. They are super clean with beautiful countertops and lighting.

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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge bathroom.

A staff member who didn’t speak much English gave me a little bit of trouble (and was a bit rude to be honest) when I was trying to get a pic of the (unoccupied) shower room so I wasn’t able to get a pic of the shower itself but I did get a photo of the shower room below, which was very nice.

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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge shower room.

The Pantry

In addition to the dining area, there’s also a snack are called The Pantry. This is a small room with a table full of snack items like sandwiches, breads, pastries, and other small snacks along with drinks. Although I didn’t try anything from The Pantry, most of the items looked very fresh and tasty.

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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge The Pantry.
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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge The Pantry.
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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge The Pantry.
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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge The Pantry.
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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge The Pantry.
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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge The Pantry.

There was a good selection of different sodas along with jars full of random treats and desserts like red bean pudding, mango mousse, and fruit salads.

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Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge The Pantry.

If you’re limited on time, I think The Pantry could offer you some solid snack/food choices but I’d try to set aside enough time to try out the dining experience given the quality of the menu items they are willing to serve.

The Library

There’s another small section of the lounge known as The Library which comes with an array of popular magazines, newspapers, and some random books. It’s a bit more expansive than an ordinary literature section at an airport lounge but I’m not sure I’d call it a “library” if I were asked to name it.

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The Library.
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The Library.

There’s also a work station area called “The Bureau” which houses six secluded work suites equipped with iMac computers.

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The Bureau.

Final word on The Pier

The Pier is one of the most elegant airport lounges that I’ve visited. Beyond the great ambiance of the lounge, it has some solid features like a great bar area, comfy and elegant seating areas, solid dining, and relaxing day suites. I may have just caught it on an off day but the service was definitely lacking compared to other flagship lounges which I found to be more attentive and inviting. Still, The Pier is a lounge that is worth going out of your way to experience if you have access and I would gladly return.

Korean Air First Class Lounge at ICN Terminal 2 Review

After our Korean Air A380 first class flight from LAX to ICN, we spent a couple of hours at the new Korean Air First Class lounge at ICN. This is definitely one of the smaller first class lounges I’ve visited but it still was a refreshing stop for our layover en route to Hong Kong. Here’s my full review of the Korean Air First Class Lounge at ICN Terminal 2.

ICN Terminal 2

We made our way through the new ICN Terminal 2, which debuted January 18, 2018, just in time for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games. It’s a pretty breathtaking terminal with plenty of natural lighting and greenery, among many technological enhancements.

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ICN Terminal 2 scenery.
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ICN Terminal 2 scenery.

A new terminal also meant a new lounge, so I was very excited to try out the new Korean Air First Class lounge just after its grand opening.

Finding the lounge

The lounge is located in close proximity to gate 248. I don’t recall seeing a lot of signage for the first class lounge throughout the terminal so it helps to just head towards gate 248. Upon arrival, we took the escalator up and found a large open area with two lounge entrances at the end.

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Escalator to the Korean Air lounge.

One entrance was to the Korean Air Miler Club lounge (on the left) and the other one was for the Korean Air First Class Lounge (on the right).

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Korean Air lounge entrance.

In the middle of the entrances, a striking photograph spans across the wall, which I thought looked pretty cool.

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Korean Air lounge entrance.

We made our way through the First Class entrance since that’s what access our tickets granted us.

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Korean Air lounge entrance.

The Korean Air first class lounge at ICN

The Korean Air first class lounge at ICN is small but offers a lot of options for high-level privacy that we appreciated upon entering the lounge. There are a number of circular, partially enclosed pods/suites for you to relax in.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge suites.
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Korean Air First Class Lounge suites.

The suites have different forms of furniture to lounge in. Some have lounge chairs while others have traditional seats and others have multiple seats for small parties.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge seating.

Most of the seating options that I saw came with outlets in the end tables.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge seating.

If you enjoy having your own little private nook in airport lounges, you’ll really love some of these suites.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge seating.
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Korean Air First Class Lounge seating.

Brad and I picked up one of the suites that looks out into the terminal for a bit of a view.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge seating.

With a decent wifi connection, I was able to get a little bit of work done.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge seating.

There are a number of monitors along the wall where you can find your updated flight information. Our flight was a bit late in the evening and the lounge only had a handful of other guests during most of the time we spent there.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge at ICN.

The dining experience

A translucent glass partition divides the sitting area from the dining area and helps cut down on the noise. The dining area is pretty small with only a handful of dining tables lining the partition.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge dining area.

There’s a long island in the middle where you’ll find the different dining options and plates and silverware.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge dining area.

The dining options at the lounge are limited but still pretty decent. At the time of our visit they consisted of:

  • Seafood fried rice
  • Braised pork belly
  • Braised short rib
  • Roasted Salmon

They also offered some chili prawn sandwiches, cajun spiced chicken sandwiches, salad items, and fruit slices and yogurt.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge sandwiches.
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Korean Air First Class Lounge sandwiches and yogurt.

I honestly got grossed out by the fruit right after I took the photo below when a family allowed their kid to run around grabbing fruit slices with his bare hands while finding a way to touch almost all of the slices. Five minutes later he was shooting/crashing race cars around the lounge floor, which was seriously annoying to everyone in the lounge. I don’t mind kids in first class lounges, but some parents blow me away with their inability to sense annoying behavior. But I digress….

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Korean Air First Class Lounge fruit.

For snack items, there were an array of breads, cheeses, and pastries to choose from.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge dining.
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Korean Air First Class Lounge dining.
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Korean Air First Class Lounge dining.
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Korean Air First Class Lounge dining.
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Korean Air First Class Lounge dining.
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Korean Air First Class Lounge dining.

I found the bananas wrapped in plastic to be a bit odd but they seemed like a hit in the lounge.

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Bananas in plastic wrapping.

There’s also an à la carte  menu that we tried. I went with some noodle dish that I can’t recall the name of but I thought they were excellent. We didn’t have to approach any staff member to order, so that was another nice perk of the lounge.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge noodles.

And finally, there was a freezer full of small ice cream cups. The ice cream is frozen like a rock so if you want any I suggest you pull it out well before you plan on enjoying it.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge ice cream.

Drinks

The non-alcoholic drink selections consisted of bottled water (still and sparkling), sodas, and some fruit juices.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge drinks.

Unfortunately, the alcohol selection was very limited. Considering this an international first class lounge at Korean Air’s hub airport, I thought there would be a much more diverse range of options.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge alcohol options.
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Korean Air First Class Lounge wine.
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Korean Air First Class Lounge wine.
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Korean Air First Class Lounge beer.

Bathrooms, showers, and massage chair?

The bathroom is very spacious but it’s an individual bathroom so you might have to wait for others to finish up before you can use it.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge bathroom.
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Korean Air First Class Lounge bathroom.

The shower room was very nice and spacious, too. I was tempted to use it but decided to just wait until we reached Hong Kong to freshen up.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge shower room.
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Korean Air First Class Lounge shower room.

You can also store some of your belongings in lockers near the entrance of the lounge.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge lockers.

One really interesting feature about this lounge is that it comes with a massage chair. It’s sort of hidden behind the walls but it’s locate between the dining and seating section of the lounge. Just ask a staff member if you can’t seem to find it.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge massage chair.

There’s only one massage chair and the door/wall closes for an entirely private experience. I honestly didn’t know what I was doing since the controller is mostly in Korean, but I tried out the different modes simply by pressing the different buttons to see what they would do.

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Korean Air First Class Lounge massage controller.

I’d never tried out a proper massage chair so I really had no idea what to expect, but I’ll say that the sensations were honestly overwhelming. I don’t know what settings I put the chair on but at one point it squeezed my thighs/calves so tight, I thought I was going to be getting carried out of the lounge.

Overall, the massage chair was a unique experience but I’ll pass on the chair next time at least until I read up on some Korean.

Final word

This is a decent, small first class lounge but nothing special. It doesn’t compare to some of the other flagship first class lounges like those offered by Qatar, Cathay Pacific, etc., but I liked that it’s small and cozy and has some decent dining options with nice shower facilities. I think it’s worth some time to visit if you have access, but it’s not exactly a lounge where you want to arrive at the airport extra early to spend hours experiencing the lounge.

Korean Air A380 First Class Review (LAX-ICN)

I recently flew on Korean Air’s first class in their A380 from Los Angeles (LAX) to Seoul (ICN) and had an overwhelmingly positive experience. The suites were spacious and comfy and the dining and service were on par with some of the best airlines. The Korean Air A380 is also tricked out with bars and a duty free shop making it a novelty worth experiencing. Here’s my full Korean Air A380 first class review.  

First class configuration

Korean Air’s A380 first class is in a 1-2-1 configuration with a total of 12 suites and is located on the lower deck of the A380. The remainder of the lower deck is economy in a 3-4-3 configuration while the entire upper deck of the A380 is configured with business class seats in a 2-2-2 layout.

Our first class cabin was half empty with only four other passengers in the cabins besides us, so we had a very quiet and private flying experience.

The A380 first class cabin

Initially, I wasn’t overly impressed with the appearance of the suites. Something about the color scheme just didn’t jive with me and from the outset, and it didn’t look like I’d have a lot of privacy in these “suites.” However,  most of my reservations wouldn’t last very long.

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Korean Air A380 first class cabin.

The first class cabin feels very spacious since the bottom deck of the A380 has plenty overhead space. There’s also plenty of aisle space and so it’s very easy to get in and out of your seat at all times. All this room creates a relaxing and inviting feel to the cabin.

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Korean Air A380 first class cabin.

The overhead storage bins easily fit my two carry-on bags, one of which is quite thick.

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Korean Air A380 first class overhead storage bin.

We made our way to our seats which were 3D and 3E, the middle seats in the back of the first class cabin.

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Getting settled into our seats.

I thought the actual seats were moderately comfortable. Nothing to rave about exactly but they didn’t have any glaring deficiencies that made them uncomfortable to me.

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Korean Air first class seat.

What I really loved about these suites is all of the leg room. I’m not a fan of business or first class seats that limit your space in a confining footwell so having all of this open space to rest my feet was a huge plus.

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Korean Air first class seat.

Privacy

Although the open Cosmo suites don’t fully enclose like the new Korean Air Cosmo 2.0 suites, they still are very private. You can raise the partition between the middle seats and also a side partition that both allow you to have better privacy.

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Korean Air first class seat partition.

You can see the difference with the side partition raised in the photo below. While not the most private first class experience, it works okay when sitting upright and feels very private when in a reclining position.

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Korean Air first class seat partition.

You can see just how private the view is in the photo below.

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Korean Air first class seat partition.

On our big round the world trips, we try to sit in conjoining suites at least once for the sake of trying out the experience. However, if I could’ve gone back, I would have chosen the window seats for this flight mostly because they just felt more private. With four windows to each suite, they also have a cool private jet look to them.

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Korean Air first class window seat.
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Korean Air first class window seat.
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Korean Air first class window seat.
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Korean Air first class window seat.
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Korean Air first class window seat.

Even though you’re a bit far from the monitors, the TVs are 23 inches, so the distance really isn’t an issue. The TV screens are quality and I didn’t have any issue with the picture quality being reduced when I reclined into my seat. I enjoyed the in-flight entertainment and thought they had a decent collection of movies and TV shows.  

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Korean Air in-flight entertainment.
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Korean Air in-flight entertainment controls.

Like other A380s, the aircraft comes equipped with exterior cameras which are cool to view but only so entertaining when you’re flying over the ocean 99% of the route.

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A380 external camera view.

Korean Air first class storage compartments

The first class suites on the A380 come with plenty of storage compartments. Underneath the ottoman, you can fit your smaller carry-on bags or other items like shoes, blankets, amenity kits, etc.

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Korean Air first class storage compartments.

On the side of the seat there are three additional storage compartments. One is very deep and can fit things like laptops but the other two are better suited for things like smaller electronics or passports.

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Korean Air A380 first class storage compartments.

Inside the middle storage compartment, you’ll find two USB ports and the headphone jack. (The universal power outlet is found on the outside of where the larger compartment is.)

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Korean Air A380 first class storage compartments.
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Korean Air A380 first class storage compartments.

Korean Air first class A380 seat controls

The seat controls for Korean Air first class are very intuitive. You have three separate tiers to control within the seat and the two arrows below those controls are for the privacy partition.

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Korean Air A380 first class seat controls.

You can also easily move your seat into lie flat, dining, or the upright position for take-off.

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Korean Air A380 first class seat controls.

The Korean Air first class pajamas were from Italian designer, Gianfranco Ferré. These pajamas were extremely soft and comfortable and probably my favorite pair that I’ve ever been given by any airline.

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Korean Air A380 first class pajamas.

I ordered a size large and it was nice not to be swallowed up for once because so many airlines have ridiculously sized MC-Hammer inspired pajamas. I’m about 6’1″ and you can see that the large pajamas fit me perfectly.

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Korean Air A380 first class pajamas.

The first class Bose headphones were high quality and a nice addition to the other amenities.

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Korean Air first class headphones.

The amenity kit came with a set of lotions and creams along with lip balm and a dental kit. They also provide you with a face spritzer that I enjoyed from time to time.

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Korean Air first class amenity kit.

We were also given some Korean Air slippers, which were pretty small and thin.

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Korean Air first class slippers.

I’ve come to value slippers a lot on flights as it makes it much easier to make your way around the cabin when relaxing. I still shutter when I see others walking in and out of the lavatories with only socks on!

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Korean Air first class slippers — a bit small.

The dining experience

I felt that the hard product for Korean Air’s first class was pretty good but not enough to blow me away on any significant level. However, once the dining experience kicked off the first class flying experience bumped up to another level.

It started with some nuts and a glass of water. One thing I found odd was that they didn’t serve any alcohol, including bubbly, on the A380 before departure. Considering the quality of the bubbly poured out on this flight, it would’ve been nice to kick it off with some before we even took off. Still, other airlines like Qatar have done this so this isn’t unique to Korean.

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Korean Air nuts and water.

However, as soon as we got up in the air, they came around serving Perrier Jouët Belle Epoque Rosé 2006, which is a premium champagne that costs a pretty penny. This was my first time trying out this bubbly and I fell in love with it and honestly liked it more than some of the other premium champagnes like Dom.

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Korean Air first class champagne, Perrier Jouët Belle Epoque Rosé 2006.

And then it was time for the dining experience to begin.

They started us off with appetizers consisting of asparagus with rolled salmon, which were very tasty.

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Asparagus with rolled salmon.

Then came the garlic bread.

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Garlic bread.

And then came the caviar. I’d never had caviar on a plane that came with such an elegant presentation.

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Korean Air first class caviar.
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Korean Air first class caviar.
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Korean Air first class caviar.
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Korean Air first class caviar.

I’m not sure how it happened but after not caring for caviar the first time I tried it, I actually enjoy eating it now. And it’s not like I acquired the taste by eating it everyday. I guess taste buds really do change?

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Korean Air first class caviar.

Then came the creamy tomato soup, which was absolutely delicious.

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Tomato cream soup.

After the soup came the salad. I’m not sure if it’s a cultural thing, but the salads on Asian airlines I’ve tried are very very small. Still, the dressing was tasty and I finished the salad very quickly.

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Korean Air first class salad.

Then it was time for the main dish. I had to go with the famed Bibimbap.

It’s a dish Korean Air is known for serving up. It requires you to do a little bit of work to put it together but it’s something I highly recommend. You’ll receive an instruction page when you get your meal so that you know what you’re doing.

Korean Air Bibimbap instructions.
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Korean Air Bibimbap.

They then served me up a barbecued beef tenderloin dish with port wine reduction. I tried it out and it was quite tasty and seasoned well but I generally try to avoid beef on planes.

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Barbecued beef tenderloin dish.

Then they brought out seaweed soup. I tried out a few spoon fulls but after that, the seaweed flavor was just too strong for me to keep going.

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Korean Air seaweed soup.

So by the end I had a full tray with way more food than I could handle. The Bibimbap was great but watch out for the gochujang hot pepper paste! I definitely got carried away with it to the point that it almost ruined the dish for me because it was so freaking spicy.

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Korean Air first class lunch.

For dessert, they brought out strawberry cheesecake and ice cream. I honestly wasn’t in love with the dessert dish but I also was so full by that time that it was hard to really enjoy anything.

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Korean Air first class dessert.

By the time they brought around the cheese and crackers I was wayyy too full to try anything else so I just asked if I could take a quick photo of the cheese tray.

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After all of that they came around and offered Korean Air branded toothpicks and dental floss.

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Korean Air toothpick and dental floss.

All things considered, this was surely one of the best first class dining experiences.

The staff was also extremely attentive and helpful during the entire dining experience. The only drawback to the service was that the staff didn’t speak great English, especially compared to other airlines like Singapore. This made it a bit difficult to work some things out regarding the meals but overall it wasn’t a major inconvenience.

The Celestial Bar

One of the cool features of the Korean Air A380 is that is has a bar. It actually has three bars but the Celestial Bar at the back of the upper deck is the primary bar in the aircraft. It’s a beautiful bar and lounge area that’s a bit more spacious than I though it would be.

The bars are only available to first class and business class passengers.

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Korean Air Celestial Bar.
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Korean Air Celestial Bar.

While at the Korean Air Celestial Bar, you can grab something to read while you relax and enjoy the bar.

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Korean Air Celestial Bar reading material.

In addition to drinks, they also served up snacks that they keep out on the bar.

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Korean Air Celestial Bar snacks.

I liked these little colorful snacks that taste like sweet Cheetos.

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Korean Air Celestial Bar snacks.

There’s a special bar menu that they serve drinks from so your choices will be limited to that menu.

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Korean Air Celestial Bar menu.
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Getting a little sip on.
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More sipping.

We made our way back to the bar for a second time at some point during the middle of the flight to check out some more drinks. We were the only ones in pajamas but without a care in the world.

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Pajama party at the Celestial Bar.

Korean Air A380 duty free shop

If you follow the stairs down from the Celestial Bar, you’ll enter the Sky Shop, which is a physical duty-free shop in the sky. It’s pretty wild.

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Korean Air A380 duty-free shop.

The Sky Shop had all sorts of different colognes, perfumes, and random things like multi-vitamins and probiotics. We didn’t purchase anything but it was sort of a spectacle to see a shop set up in the A380.

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Korean Air A380 duty-free shop.
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Korean Air A380 duty-free shop.
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Korean Air A380 duty-free shop.

As mentioned there are two other bars on the A380. On the opposite end of the Celestial Bar on the upper deck, there’s a smaller bar area with a couple of seats where you can make your own drinks.

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Korean Air A380 secondary bar.
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Korean Air A380 secondary bar.

Brad served up a bloody Mary when we made our way to the bar.

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Serving up a bloody Mary.
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Reading materials.

There’s also a special first class bar on the A380 which is located just outside of the first class cabin on the lower deck. It also comes with some snacks and different alcohol options.

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Korean Air first class bar.

Lavatories

There’s nothing very special about the lavatories on board the Korean Air A380.

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Korean Air A380 lavatory.
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Korean Air A380 lavatory.

The bed

Unfortunately, I lost the photos of the bedding due to a memory card issue. However, I felt that the bedding was decent. The padding and pillows could have been a bit softer or fuller but they weren’t nearly as bad as some of those paper thin pillows some airlines are guilty of handing out.

Also between the pajamas and duvet, it was pretty warm in the suite but aside from that I was pretty comfortable.

The Korean Air First Class Lounge at ICN

When we arrived at ICN, the Olympic theme song played which I thought was pretty cool (the 2018 Winter Olympic Games were going on at the time so it made sense). After landing we went on to visit the Korean Air First Class Lounge at ICN, which was a decent lounge but not on par with top first class lounges.

Final word

Overall, the Korean Air A380 first class experience is special. The A380 loaded with bars and a duty free shop is a unique departure from your normal flying experience. While they are somewhat gimmicky, it’s great having an area to walk around in for a change of scenery and to and stretch your legs during the ultra long-haul flights.

And while the first class suites are adequate and spacious, it’s the quality of the dining and service that puts the Korean Air first class experience on par with other top airlines, in my opinion. I genuinely enjoyed almost everything we were served and felt that the attentiveness of the crew was top-notch. If it weren’t for some language barrier issues, the flight would’ve been virtually perfect in the service department.

I would happily fly the Korean Air A380 again, though I’m interested in trying out those Cosmo 2.0 Suites.

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Lounge at LAX Review

The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse lounge at LAX is located in Terminal 2 and it’s one of my favorite airport lounges I’ve stopped at to date. It’s a small but beautiful lounge with great cocktails, decent entrees, and a passionate and attentive staff. Here’s my Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at LAX review.

Finding the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at LAX Terminal 2

We easily found the lounge a little after we went through TSA Pre-Check at Terminal 2. Look for the illuminated staircase and then walk your way up the stairs and you’ll see a sign pointing you directly to the Clubhouse — you can’t miss it.

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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse entrance at LAX Terminal 2.

This area of the terminal was recently renovated and it’s a pretty stunning sight.

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LAX Terminal 2.

After we strolled up to the entrance, the receptionist met us with a warm greeting and within seconds, we entered the lounge.

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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse entrance.
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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse entrance.

There had been a number of cancellations out of LHR due to snow and our Virgin Atlantic flight 24 had been delayed for over an hour. Due to the delay, we had a total of about four hours to spend at the lounge, which actually passed pretty quickly thanks in large part to the never-ending cocktail selection.

I should note that while this is a Priority Pass lounge, admission is limited to certain hours. Also Priority Pass guests do not get the full selection of hot menu items or cocktails so the Priority Pass experience will differ a lot from the experience below.

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Priority Pass hours for the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse.

The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX Lounge

Upon entering, I noticed how chic all of the furniture and lounge decor was. There was nothing “boring” about this lounge and I could quickly tell that I’d be enjoying my time at the Clubhouse.

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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse entrance.
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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse entrance.
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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse entrance.

The first part of the Clubhouse lounge has comfy seating in the form of long couches with plenty of multi-colored pillows that emphasize the modern look. There are some small tables as well, which all come with menus for your convenience.

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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX seating.
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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX seating.
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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX seating.
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The seating options come with bright colors.

In addition to the couches, there are several swanky chairs you can choose for your seating options if you’re not into sharing a couch with others.

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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX.
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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX.

The walls are lined with seating options that look out to the taxiways. It’s mostly Delta and Southwest jets that you’ll be viewing but you also get views as far as the LA skyline and the Hollywood Hills.

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View from the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at LAX.
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View from the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at LAX.
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View from the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at LAX.

As you move more inside the lounge, the seating transitions into more dining-friendly tables and chairs.

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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse dining seating.
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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse dining seating.

At the very end of the lounge, there’s a semi-private booth area with a soothing LCD display. I wanted to snag that area but there was a gentleman there before we arrived and he never moved an inch so we had to admire it from afar.

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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse dining seating.

Eventually we chose one of the tables seen below for our dining experience. There were no outlets near our table, though you can see that one of the other tables did have outlets near it.

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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse dining seating.

The bar is also located in the middle of the lounge.

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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX bar.

Beside the bar is an area with chips, cookies, and water. (The cookies are soft, chewy, and amazing.)

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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse snack area.

The bathroom is also nearby, just around the corner.

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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX bathroom.

Overall, it’s not the largest lounge but there are a lot of seating options. Considering that they limit access for Priority Pass members when Virgin Atlantic flights are set, I don’t think overcrowding will be a major issue. I will say that about 1.5 hours before departure, the lounge filled up and there were very few empty seats in the lounge so I strongly recommend arriving early to lockdown a preferred seat.

The dining experience at the Clubhouse

We decided to go ahead and grab a table in the portion of the lounge dedicated to dining. Within seconds we were greeted by Andy, a passionate server who most frequenters to this lounge have probably have met in the past. He was excellent in every respect and his passion for serving was infectious and greatly appreciated.

We chatted it up with him for a while and decided to let him serve up some different cocktails to get our lounge experience started.

He started by bringing us the Mediterranean, which is a fresh cocktail that comes with Grey Goose, Lillet Blanc, Singani 63, Aperol, strawberry, lemon juice, and seltzer. It’s a great starter drink. They also brought out some chips and spiced nuts to snack on.

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The Mediterranean

The next drink was the Bramble, which was another great starter drink that came with Bombay Sapphire Gin, blackberries, lemon juice, and blackberry liqueur. I really enjoyed this cocktail as did Brad.

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The Bramble.

At this point, we started to work up an appetite and ordered one of the starters, the salmon poke bowl. The poke bowl was absolutely delicious and both me and Brad agreed it was one of the best dishes we’d been served in any of the lounges we’d visited over the past couple of weeks.

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The salmon poke bowl.

Our server then surprised us with another drink called the Reckoning, which was a strong rum and punch that came in a formidable Tiki-inspired mug. It took me back to our trips to the Caribbean and was delicious, although by this point I was barely finishing half of my drinks before moving on to the next round.

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX 21
The Reckoning.

We then decided to order main entrees. I went with the Clubhouse burger and Brad tried out the tagliatelle. These dishes were not quite on par with the poke bowl but were still decent.

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX 22
The Clubhouse burger.
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The tagliatelle.

During our entrees, our server brought out another beverage which he touted as one of the top signature cocktails of the lounge. This was the Beach Bonfire. It came with Bourbon, aged Cachaca, pineapple, gum syrup, Angostura and Bitterman’s Chocolate Mole Bitters, fresh hickory smoke, along with a shorty of pilsner. I absolutely loved this drink!

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The Beach Bonfire.

To cap things off, our serve brought us out a serving of the donuts which were very good as well.

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Dessert.

After finishing up dessert, our server decided to bring us our yet another cocktail. At this point, I wasn’t even coming close to finishing up all of the drinks but decided to just roll with it and try out as many different drinks as possible.

This drink was the Virgin Redhead which came with some bubbly and Sapphire Gin.

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The Virgin Redhead.

After all of these drinks and entrees, we’d passed over three hours in the lounge and it was nearly time to board. Thankfully, our flight had not been cancelled though it’d been delayed over a 1.5 hours. Still, we happily made our way down to our gate (which was only a couple of minutes away) and boarded the aircraft bound for snowy London.

The menus

Below is the full menu for the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at LAX as of March 2018.

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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX menu.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX 49
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX menu.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX 48
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX menu.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX 47
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX menu.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX 46
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX menu.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX 44
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX menu.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX 41
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX menu.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX 37
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX menu.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX 45
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX menu.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX 39
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX menu.
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Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX menu.

Final Word

Overall, this lounge experience was a departure from the norm. I don’t think I could handle every lounge experience being like this (with the never ending cocktails) but this was a fun instance to enjoy some indulgence. Having a passionate and personable server made the experience that much more memorable and I’d have to rate this lounge experience as one of the best I’ve had in recent memory.

First Impressions: New Singapore Suites

This article will just provide my initial impressions of the new Singapore A380 first class suites. I’ll have a much more detailed review to follow in the coming days/weeks.

The first class cabin

The new Singapore Suites first class cabin has a single aisle and only 6 suites. The aisle is a bit tight but that’s not really a problem if you plan on spending most of your time in your suite. For people like me trying to get a ton of photos, it’s a bit of a struggle though.

Singapore A380 first class suites cabin.

I liked the abstract decor and lighting found on the suite walls/doors and on the ceiling, especially with the mood lighting. It’s a bit futuristic looking to me but not quite over the top.

Singapore A380 first class suites
Singapore A380 first class suites.

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The Suites are spacious and impressive

When I originally viewed photos of the new Singapore Suites, I found them to look very sterile, almost like a dentist office. But when I actually saw them in person, I didn’t get that feeling. While the suites are a bit simplistic, they also have a level of elegance to them that reminds you that you’re in one of the top first class cabins in the world. And that excitement is what helps make these cabins special.

Singapore A380 first class suites.
Singapore A380 first class suites.

While the designs on the exterior of the suites are more abstract, the interior of the suites have a floral theme, which helps add to the relaxing feel of the suite.

Singapore A380 first class suites.

The TVs are huge and they swivel out so that you can always maintain your preferred viewing angle. Having such a big TV makes you feel more like you’re in a hotel and adds to the in-flight entertainment experience. I also loved how it shows you how much time you have left for your movies in relation to the time left on your flight.

Singapore A380 first class suite TVs.

I also really loved the cordless tablet for the controls. I wish the default screen has an option to play/pause the in-flight entertainment (since you have to hit a few buttons to do that), but I found it very handy to be able to pull the table out whenever you wish.

Singapore A380 first class suite in-flight entertainment tablet.

The seat controls

The seat controls are a bit confusing at first.

The initial walkthrough with the flight attendant didn’t show me how to use these controls fully so I had to sort of figure it out how to recline the seat on my own. Once you know how the controls work, though, it’s surprisingly simple and intuitive to use.

Singapore A380 first class suite seat controls.

The seat is comfortable but not remarkable in that aspect. It can recline all the way into the position pictured below but that’s it. So for people who like to be able to lie fully flat in a seat, they’ll have to pull out the bed for that to happen.

Singapore A380 first class suites seat reclined.

The Singapore Suites beds

The new Singapore suite beds didn’t feel much different from the old ones. The beds are very firm but still comfortable mainly because you can stretch all the way out. I think it’s very special that you can share a true double bed in Singapore Airlines and still get window views with the new cabin and that’s what makes these suites stand out.

I took a peak at some of the single suites and while it still seemed like a great experience to fly in those, I think the double suites offer an entirely different and more spacious feel.

Singapore A380 first class suites bed.

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New lavatories

One area that Singapore lacked in previously was that the lavatories on the A380s were small and unimaginative. This time, they are spacious and elegant. I really wish Singapore had chosen to go with a shower but these lavatories are still comfortable and relaxing spots to freshen up.

Singapore A380 first class suites lavatory.

The one glaring omission

The one glaring omission of these suites is that you can make eye contact with your neighbors during take-off/landing and when dining. Pretty much any time you have your suite door open, they’ll be right there across from you.

The solution is to obviously keep your door closed but that makes getting service for drinks and dining more problematic. This privacy issue doesn’t even happen in many business class products so I was a bit disappointed to see it here.

Privacy is a bit of an issue on the new suites.

Overall impressions

My overall impressions are that this is an exceptional product. The service on here was outstanding once again and the dining was also fantastic (much more about those later). My expectations were actually exceeded by the experience and I was left overwhelmingly satisfied by the new product. 

Our Month-Long Round the World Trip Kicks Off Today!

Today marks the day that Brad and I will embark on another round the world journey!

This is by far the biggest trip we’ve ever put together and will span approximately four weeks to cover over 47,000 miles (almost 2X the circumference of the Earth)! It’s been a while since we took our last trip since we’ve had to save up enough time to be able to take this much time off work. So my travel skills feel a little bit rusty.

This is also the longest we’ve ever waited for a trip to come around. We booked many of these segments about a year in advance and started to rack up miles and points many months before we started booking anything.

The itinerary

I don’t like to put my specific travel itineraries out there in the interwebs until after I finish up trips due to there being too many weirdos out there and to not spoil the fun.

However, some of the hot spots include: Hong Kong, Bangkok, Auckland, London, Paris, Rome, New York, and the Maldives. Almost every single hotel room in these cities was booked with points and we’ll be staying at a lot of different hotel chains including Hilton, Ritz-Carlton, SPG, Hyatt, and IHG but not every hotel will be with a major hotel chain.

We’ll be in some of these locations for three to four nights while others will only be one to two night stays.

The airlines

This trip is also very much about trying out experiencing different types of premium cabins.

Some of the first class cabins that we’ll be trying out are Korean Air, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Etihad, Qatar, and Emirates. We’ll also be flying on some great business class cabins like those for Cathay Pacific, Virgin Australia, and Virgin Atlantic.

I’m incredibly excited for this mega-trip and slightly nervous given how many moving pieces there are. Since we planned this trip and started putting it together, a lot of changes took place. We had to deal with a number of devaluations, route changes, aircraft swaps, and other unexpected hiccups that made putting together this specific line-up of airlines extremely difficult.

Then there were other forces we had to deal with like Hurricane Harvey, which almost made it impossible for Brad to earn enough time to take off for us to be able to take this trip (not to mention the chaos that it brought to us and so many people around us). And then there were other scares like a last minute computer crash that made preparing for this trip incredibly stressful.

In short, it’s been a year of patiently waiting with high anticipation for this day and I’m absolutely stoked that it’s here.

Follow along on Instagram!

I’ll be trying to keep up posting as much as possible but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep up to my usual schedule.

If you want to follow along with the round the world trip then head over to my instagram page: @uponarriving. I’m going to try to step up my photography game for this trip and also incorporate more video when possible so I should be able to put out some interesting content.

Wish us luck on the trip and hopefully everything goes (mostly) smoothly! 

Can You Renew Your Passport Online?

If you’re trying to learn how to renew your passport online you’re in luck. Well, partially in luck. That’s because you can’t actually renew your US passport online but you can get almost everything you need online and easily send in the forms to renew your passport via mail. In this article I’m going to show you step by step how easy it is to renew your passport using documents found online.


You can’t do it all online

As stated, you can’t just click a button and have a new passport out on its way to you. Instead, you’ll have to print out some forms, take a passport photo, and send in your passport via mail.


Restrictions

You can only renew your US passport by mail if the following is true.

You passport:

  • Is submitted with your application
  • Is undamaged (other than normal “wear and tear”)
  • Was issued when you were age 16 or older
  • Was issued within the last 15 years
  • Was issued in your current name (or you can document your name change with an original or certified copy of your marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order)

If any of the above statements do not hold true to you, then you must Apply in Person using form DS-11.

So as long as you’re eligible to renew your passport, then all you have to do is:

  • Fill out this Form DS-82
  • Submit your US Passport (yes, you have to actually mail your passport in)
  • Include name change documents (if needed)
  • Include your photo
  • Calculate your fees
  • Mail off your form

Where to get a passport photo?

6 months old

First, keep in mind that the image of you should have been taken within the last sixth months.

I don’t think your passport is going to be denied if your photo is one day older than 6 months, but try to keep things reasonable. If you’ve got a head full of gray hairs but your photo looks like you were at your high school prom, there’s going to be a problem.

Get your passport photos at a pharmacy

You can go to a local drug store like CVS or Walgreens and ask them to take your passport photos for your and print them out. It only takes a few minutes for them to do it but it will cost you around $12. Some feel that’s too expensive but others value the convenience of the process.

Doing it yourself

There are a several ways you can take your passport photo yourself.

You can use apps to assist you with taking the photos. For example, there’s the Passport Booth App for Apple and Android and also ID PhotoPrint.

Keep in mind that if you take your passport photo by yourself using a digital camera, phone, or app, you’ll have to make sure that you abide by the criteria below. Some people don’t like bothering with all of that so paying $12 at a pharmacy could be worth it for them.

Here are the passport photo guidelines:

  • Submit a color photograph of you alone, sufficiently recent to be a good likeness of you (taken within the last six months),
  • 2×2 inches in size.
  • The image size measured from the bottom of your chin to the top of your head (including hair) should not be less than 1 inch, and not more than 1 3/8 inches.
  • The photograph must be in color, clear, with a full front view of your face.
  • The photograph must be taken with a neutral facial expression (preferred) or a natural smile, and with both eyes open and be printed on photo quality paper with a plain light (white or off-white) background.
  • The photograph must be taken in normal street attire, without a hat, or head covering unless a signed statement is submitted by the applicant verifying that the hat or head covering is part of recognized, traditional religious attire that is customarily or required to be worn continuously when in public or a signed doctor’s statement is submitted verifying the item is used daily for medical purposes.
  • Headphones, “bluetooth”, or similar devices must not be worn in the passport photograph.
  • Glasses or other eyewear are not acceptable unless you provide a signed statement from a doctor explaining why you cannot remove them due to medical reasons (e.g., during the recovery period from eye surgery).
  • Any photograph retouched so that your appearance is changed is unacceptable.
  • A snapshot, most vending machine prints, hand-held self portraits, and magazine or full-length photographs are unacceptable.
  • A digital photo must meet the previously stated qualifications, and will be accepted for use at the discretion of Passport Services.

Can you smile in a passport photo?

Yes. You can smile your passport photo. 🙂

If you read carefully in the terms above you saw that you are permitted to have your photo taken with a “natural smile.”


Filling out the Form DS-82

I went old school with mine and just printed out the form and filled it in with a black ink pen.

If you can’t stand filling out paperwork you should rejoice because there are only two pages to fill out (really 1 1/2 pages).

The first four pages of the From DS-82 document are instructions so you don’t have to send those in (but you should still read them).

On the Form DS-82, you’ll be asked to fill in basic info like:

  • Your name
  • Birthdate
  • Social security number
  • Place of birth
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • Old passport information

On the second page, you’ll need to be prepared to answer some descriptive questions like your height, hair color, eye color, occupation, employer, emergency contact, and future travel plans.

Choosing a regular book or large book

The price of a regular book or large book is same. The large book is made for people who will be doing a lot of travel since it comes with extra passport pages — remember you can no longer add pages to your passport book! I recommend going with the large book because you never know when you might need the extra pages for visas, etc. 

Passport book vs passport card

You also need to check whether you want the passport book, passport card, or both.

Unlike the passport book, the passport card is valid only for entry at land border crossings and sea ports of entry when traveling from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. The passport card cannot be used for international air travel.


Stapling your passport photo

You’ll also need to staple your passport photo right onto the form. You should see exactly where they would like for you to place the staples, too. Just to make thing easier for you, I’ve put red rectangles around the area for the photo.

The instructions state to use caution when stapling and to use 4 staples vertically in the corners as close to the outer edge as possible. They also tell you not to bend the photo.


What documents do I need if I changed my name?

If the name you are currently using differs from the name on your most recent U.S. passport, you must submit:

  • A certified copy of your marriage certificate OR
  • A court order showing the change of name

These documents will be returned to you. 

If you can’t get the documents to verify your name change then you cannot renew via mial. Instead, you must apply on the DS-11 application form by making a personal appearance at:

  • (1) a passport agency
  • (2) U.S. embassy or consulate, if abroad
  • (3) any federal or state court of record or any probate court accepting passport applications
  • (4) a designated municipal or county official
  • (5) a post office, which has been selected to accept passport applications.

Where do I mail my passport application documents to?

There are three different mailing addresses you might send your documents to depending on where you live or if you are going to expedite your application.

I suggest sending in your application via Priority mail or UPS so that you can track your package. Remember, you’re sending off your passport, so you need to be able to keep tabs on it.

If you live in CA, FL, IL, MN, NY, or TX:

  • National Passport Processing Center
  • P.O. Box 640155
  • Irving, TX 75064-0155

If you live in any other state or Canada

  • National Passport Processing Center
  • P.O. Box 90155
  • Philadelphia, PA 19190-0155

For expedited service

For expedited service, regardless of where you live, there’s a special mailing address:

  • National Passport Processing Center
  • P.O. Box 90955
  • Philadelphia, PA 19190-0955

Note that there is an additional fee for expediting your passport (more on that below).

Here are the three addresses you need to choose from.


How do I expedite my passport application?

The first thing that you need to do is write “Expedite” on the outer envelope when mailing.

The second thing you need to do is include the expedited fee with your application.

Passport Services also recommends using overnight delivery when submitting the application AND including the paying the additional fee for return overnight delivery for the newly issued passport book.

Expedited service is only available for passports mailed in the United States and Canada.

Expedite Fee

The passport expedite fee is $60 per person.

Overnight Delivery

The overnight delivery fee per application for overnight delivery of an issued passport book  is $15.89. This only applies to mailing addresses within the United States and is not valid for passport cards.


Emergency expediting

If you have a family emergency, such as a death or you are traveling within a couple of weeks. You probably don’t want to mail in your application to expedite it. Instead, you can take other measures such as scheduling an appointment to meet with a passport agency.


What are the fees to renew your passport?

To figure out your passport fees you can use their handy calculator which you can find here or you can just take a look at the fee chart and figure it all out yourself.

The chart shows that the fees to renew your passport (book only) are $110. If you want to expedite then you simply add the costs seen above to these totals.

You need to send in your passport payment with money order or checks made out to the “U.S. Department of State.”

Make sure to print your full name AND date of birth on the front of the check or the money order. And do NOT send cash as a form of payment. 

The passport application fee and the execution fee are non-refundable. They are collected and retained by law even if a passport is not issued.


How long does it take to renew your passport?

If you expedite your passport application you can get it back very quickly, such as in a week or two.

Obviously, factors come into play with the timing of your application being processed. For example, many people trying to renew their passports for summer could certainly slow down the processing time.


How can I check the status of my passport application?

  • You can check the status of your US passport application buy clicking here. 

You’ll need to input details such as your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your social security number.


FAQs

Can I apply at an acceptance facility instead of mailing in my renewal application?

  • No, if you are applying on Form DS-82, acceptance facilities will not take your application

Can I renew my passport if it’s still valid?

  •  Yes. Your passport does not have to be expired for you to renew it. In fact, they recommend renewing your passport well ahead of any planned international travel, even if it still has a months validity left on it. 
Remember there are a number of countries that require a passport be valid at least six months beyond you travel dates
  • You can click here learn more about entry requirements for different countries.

I’m behind in child support. Can I get a passport?

How will my passport book and/or card be mailed back to me?

  •  Newly-issued passport books are delivered using Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation, unless you pay for Priority Express return service at time of application.
  • All passport cards will be mailed using First Class Mail.

Note that if you pay for expedited shipping, your new passport will be expedited but your old passport will likely arrive much later.


Should I pay a service to renew my passport?

I honestly think it’s a waste of money to pay someone to take care of your passport renewal unless you really struggle with filling out forms.

Remember, all you have to do so is fill out your application and then send the following documents along with your application:

  • Your most recent U.S. passport book and/or card
  • A certified copy of your marriage certificate or court order (but only if your name has changed)
  • A check or money order for your passport Fees
  • A recent 2″x2″ color photograph

And that’s it.

Final word on renewing your passport

Overall, even though you can’t renew your passport online, renewing your passport is actually very easy if you’re allowed to just mail in your documents. If you pay attention to the instructions and information in this article, you shouldn’t have an issue.

Planning Stonehenge Tours or Visits? Read These Tips First!

Stonehenge is a bucket-list item for many tourists heading to the UK. But it’s one of those attractions that are a little outside the city that force you to make plans in order to plan a good visit. Here are some tips for anybody planning their Stonehenge tours or visits in the near future.

A word on Stonehenge

Stonehenge and the surrounding structures date back as far as 5,000 years ago. Today, the location is still full of mystery with some speculating that the site was for astronomical purposes while others have pointed to more sinister happenings like human sacrifice. Considering that the structure has existed for so many centuries it probably served a multitude of purposes.

Just recently, geophysicists discovered around 15 more underground monuments that may take our understanding to a whole new level (pun unintended). Clearly, there’s a lot more to Stonehenge than just the monolithic stones that make it up.

If you can get into the fascinating history and mystery of Stonehenge and take advantage of a few simple practical tips, you’ll  have a great trip to Stonehenge even if you aren’t excited about the prospect of paying to see “a bunch of rocks.”

Stonehenge day time
Stonehenge on a nice September afternoon.


To make your Stonehenge tours or visits better, here are some things to know about Stonehenge.

Stonehenge ticket prices

  • Book online: Adult prices are £16.50 per person; kids (5-15) are £9.90 per person
  • Walk-up prices: Adult prices are £19.30 per person; kids (5-15) are £10.50 per person
  • There are also family prices you look into
  • Free! – We didn’t do this but apparently some people will simply walk from the parking lot to the outside barriers of Stonehenge to see it. This is actually not that bad of an idea if your goal is to simply see the structure.

Book in Advance

If you just show up to Stonehenge, you are not guaranteed admission any longer. Thus, you really need to book your tickets in advance, plus you save a pound if you do so. Generally, you can book your tickets the day of or day before so there’s usually not a huge rush to book them but the morning time slots will fill up sometimes.

Stonehenge tours from London

A lot of tourists visiting London want to make it out to Stonehenge. The problem is that not everyone has a vehicle or is willing to drive through London to get there.

The good news is that there are Stonehenge tours from London! If you’re interested in booking a roundtrip tour from London to Stonehenge, then click here.

It’s going to be a day trip since the entire trip will last around six hours. But if you really want to see Stonehenge and you’re staying London, this might be the best option for you.

Stonehenge tour from London
Book a Stonehenge tour from London.

  • Quick tip: while it’s a good idea to respect the time slot you selected, the admission folks don’t require you to enter during that time. We happened to show up an hour early and we were able to get in just fine.

Getting to the Stonehenge parking lot 

If you put Stonehenge into your GPS it might just lead you to the rocks and not the entrance like it did us. However, just follow the signs showing Stonehenge and you will eventually wind up seeing a huge parking lot with big charter busses parked inside.

Find a parking spot and then head towards the ticket booth. Another reason why you want to book online is that the line is much shorter to get in.

The hike or the trolley?

You have a choice to walk or ride a trolley to Stonehenge from the visitor center area. Because we had some little ones with us and the wind was pretty brutal we opted to take the trolley. However, the walk to the rocks would definitely add more excitement to the trip as well as an adequate build-up to seeing the stones.

There are tons of burial mounds that you will see along the way and it’s really cool and fascinating to think about the stuff that probably occurred in and around the area. So if the weather’s not too bad, go ahead and make the walk to the site; you can always take the trolley on your way back.

Stonehenge Burial Mound
Photo by Amanda Slater.

You’ll be walking in a circle… enjoy it

Stonehenge seems to receive a fair amount of criticism for being a boring destination. A lot of that stems from the fact that the visit is a bit anti-climatic (and to some over commercialized). You show up, walk around in a circle, head to the gift shop, and then it’s over.

So my advice is to take your time, admire all of the different view points, take plenty of photos, and really take time to ponder the history of this place. And like I mentioned, that’s key to having a great visit. Try to read up on at least a little bit of history before your visit so you can appreciate this place.

There’s some truly fascinating history to find out about. And not just stories of the past, read up on some of the recent developments and breakthroughs that historians and scientists have discovered — it’s pretty mind-blowing that we are just now discovering more about what this civilization was all about.

Stonehenge tours
Embrace what Stonehenge has to offer.

It can get pretty windy and a little crowded

We went to Stonehenge on a relatively cool and calm September day in southern England.

However, when we arrived to Stonehenge the wind was really strong and whipping us in the face pretty much the entire time. For that reason, you want to be sure to bring some sort of defense against the wind because you will likely be standing still as the wind batters down on you.

Also, around peak times mid-day it can get a little crowded. The good news is that there is room for you to wander off into the grass and get away from the crowds a bit.

Cloudy days are great for Stonehenge photos

Don’t be discouraged by the forecast upon your visit to Stonehenge. While I prefer the look of the sun casting stark contrasting shadows among the stones, even cloudy days will offer you spectacular view of the site. In my opinion, the cloudiness allows you to capture the mysteriousness of Stonehenge in a way that a bright blue sky doesn’t offer. So regardless of what the weather looks like, you will be in able to capture this place in unique and interesting ways and shouldn’t feel discouraged.

Stonehenge tours.
Stonehenge is full of mysteries.

You either appreciate it or you don’t

At the risk of sounding slightly offensive, in my opinion, visitors to Stonehenge fall into two categories: those who appreciate it and those who don’t. And I’m not saying that if you don’t appreciate Stonehenge you’re somehow ignorant, uncultured, or less of a traveler or something along those lines.

I think it’s just a personal preference thing.

Some people enjoy hiking, others don’t. Some people enjoy ruin sites, others don’t. For me, seeing Stonehenge was an absolute bucket list item. For others, it’s just a “bunch of rocks” that you have to pay to look at.

Hopefully, you’ll fall into the “appreciator” category and will enjoy the visit as much as I did. Otherwise, you’ll probably be ready to leave after about 10-15 minutes, honestly. If you are fairly confident that Stonehenge will not do much for you but still feel the urge to visit it, then perhaps the free option described above will best for you.

Stonehenge tour
Hopefully, you’ll appreciate Stonehenge as much as I did.

Consider a Stonehenge private tour

A Stonehenge private tour or private access will allow you to actually walk amongst the stones. Here’s the deal, though: it’s not easy to book. If you book a private tour through a company it’s usually going to cost you close to £100 per person (though these tours usually offer more than just seeing Stonehenge).

There is a way to book a private Stonehenge tour (non-guided) without paying that much, however.

English Heritage Association Stonehenge tours

You do this by applying with the English Heritage Association. The inner circle access costs 38.50 for adults (16+) and £23.10 for children aged 5-15. The times available for the tour differ throughout the year — you can find out more about these inner circle tours here and here.

You can only book for either sunrise or sunset times (which happen to be the times for the best pics). The only real catch is that you have to plan this well in advance. You will likely have to plan this at least a month in advance unless you get lucky and there are some open slots.

I recommend doing the private access route because I think that being able to move about the inner circle adds a whole other dimension to your experience —  not to mention plenty of unique photo opportunities that are not available to the general public.

The new visitor center ain’t too shabby

They recently built a visitor center and gift shop and it’s pretty nice. Take some time to stroll through the shop and you’ll find plenty of quality souvenirs for all budgets. There’s also a cafe on-site, though we didn’t choose to eat there so I can’t comment on the quality of the restaurant.

Final word on Stonehenge tours and visits

So there you have it. The recipe for successful Stonehenge tours and visits: read up on the history, book in advance (really try to get the inner-circle access), choose the walking option from the entrance gate, take your time soaking in and marveling at the site, and bring plenty of wind-resistant/cold weather apparel. If you do all of these things and harness the power of your imagination along the way then you are setting yourself up for a great visit.

The Hilton Americas-Houston Pool and Gym Review

The Hilton Americas-Houston is one of the top hotels in the city of Houston and two reasons for that are the pool and gym found at the the hotel. Both the pool and gym are part of the Skyline Spa & Health Club found on the 23rd floor of the hotel, which means they offer exceptional views. Here’s a look at what the pool and the gym at the Hilton Americas-Houston have to offer.

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The Hilton Americas-Houston pool

The pool is located on the 24th floor of the hotel. However, the pool entrance is on the 23rd floor (you’ll have to make your way up some stairs to get to the floor). If accessibility is an issue, you can take the elevator to the 24th floor but that entrance is exclusively for people with limited mobility.

In order to access the pool or the gym, you’ll need your room keycard with you.

The pool is heated and fully enclosed indoors. It’s an infinity-edge pool but there’s no drop off at the edge of the pool. Instead, the water just sort of blends into the ground level which looks really cool and sort of trippy.

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The Hilton Americas-Houston Pool.

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It’s a long swimming pool with three marked lanes for swimming laps. At the end of the pool is an oversized whirlpool that looks more like a mini-pool.

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The Hilton Americas-Houston Pool.

There are also several chairs positioned around the pool for your relaxation. Personally, I’d rather turn the chairs around and face the view of the city rather than the pool, but I guess if you have kids you’re watching it’s probably a good idea to keep them as they come….

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The Hilton Americas-Houston Pool.
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The Hilton Americas-Houston Pool.
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View from the Hilton Americas-Houston Pool.

The view gets even better near sunset.

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The Hilton Americas-Houston Pool.
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The Hilton Americas-Houston Pool.

Although I really like the lazy-river pool at the Marriott Marquis in Downtown Houston, it’s nice to have a fully indoor heated pool when the temperature drops down and the views from up on the 24th floor are just phenomenal. 

We visited the pool on Friday evening and there were a couple of families enjoying the pool but it was not very crowded. However, I know how nice hotel pools can get at times so crowds could become an issue.

The pool area opens up to an outdoor rooftop terrace which was a really cool place to get some fresh air and check out the views. Unfortunately, the outdoor terrace is not connected to the Executive Rooftop Lounge.

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Hilton Americas-Houston rooftop terrace.
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Hilton Americas-Houston rooftop terrace.
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Hilton Americas-Houston rooftop terrace.
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Hilton Americas-Houston rooftop terrace.

From the terrace you get a bird’s eye view of the hotel.

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Hilton Americas-Houston rooftop terrace.
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Hilton Americas-Houston rooftop terrace.

You can see the Houston Galleria (6 miles away) in the background of the photo below which was taken just before sunset.

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Hilton Americas-Houston rooftop terrace.

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The fitness center

Another major highlight of this hotel is the fitness center.

The Hilton Americas-Houston has an amazing gym (open 24/7) and it’s definitely one of the nicest hotel gyms I think I’ve ever worked out in.

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The Hilton Americas-Houston Gym.

And just like the pool on the level above, the gym offers exceptional views of Houston. Below is a look at the Marriott Marquis as seen from the ellipticals (you can barely see its Texas shaped lazy river).

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View from the Hilton Americas-Houston Gym.

In this gym you should be able to find just about any machine you like to use and they all looked and felt like high quality workout machines.

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The Hilton Americas-Houston Gym.
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The Hilton Americas-Houston Gym.

There’s a long wall of dumbbells along with a hand full of benches so you can get a good workout with free weights, too. I don’t recall seeing a bench press so you’d probably have to resort to dumbbell press for your chest workout if you didn’t want to use a machine.

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The Hilton Americas-Houston Gym.

And when it comes to cardio equipment, this gym has plenty of options. There are ellipticals, treadmills, zero-runner machines, and bikes and there are plenty of them to choose from. Most of the ellipticals and treadmills have great views of the city though most of the bikes and zero-runner machines don’t have views since they are in front of the wall.

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The Hilton Americas-Houston Gym cardio equipment.
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The Hilton Americas-Houston Gym cardio equipment.
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The Hilton Americas-Houston Gym cardio equipment.
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The Hilton Americas-Houston Gym cardio equipment.

Aside from a rogue Starbucks cup on the ground, the gym was very tidy. The gym has a rack for towels and even a refrigerator that keeps some of the towels cool for you which would be great during the summer.

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The Hilton Americas-Houston Gym.
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The Hilton Americas-Houston Gym.

The Skyline Spa & Health Club also offers a sauna, steam room, locker room, not to mention all of the spa services available as well. If you’re interested in spa treatment at the Hilton-Americas Houston you can check out the menu here.

Final word

Without question, both the pool and the gym add tremendous value to the Hilton-Americas Houston. The sweeping panoramic views along with the quality of the facilities make this hotel stand out above many others in the area and are definitely worth checking out if you plan on staying at this hotel.

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