From Miles to Smiles Stylish travel for professionals seeking luxury at affordable prices
On our recent flights from London to Beijing, we used AVIOS for First Class reward tickets and were keen to trial the British Airways Concorde Room perks.
This post shares our experience of the lounge, but I must confess I don’t have a lot of First Class lounge experience with which to compare. We’ve visited the First-Class lounge in Mumbai, which is more luxurious, however compared to the Club Class lounges I’ve experienced, it packs a punch. Compared to the First Class lounge we visited in Beijing however, it is seven star luxury!
Accessing the lounge
Unlike the Club Class lounges at Heathrow T5, this lounge is easily accessible almost directly from security. Follow the short corridor from security into the first-class lounge, exit that lounge and cross over to the Concorde Room opposite. It’s signposted and easy to find.
This is a marked improvement on our Club Class experience as the main Club lounge is something of a trek from the security lanes.
Layout
The Concorde Room is smaller than the Club lounge at Heathrow T5 but much more exclusive. It even has a baby piano decorating the entrance, inviting guests to play.
The seating area is comprised of little alcoves complete with fireplaces and larger sofa areas. There’s even a terrace overlooking the main concourse below if you feel the need to people watch.
It’s considerably less busy and gets a big thumbs up from me in this respect.
Food And drink
The most impressive aspect of the lounge in my opinion is the dining. You can order food to eat in the main lounge area or take a seat in one of the dedicated dining booths. These are arranged to allow for privacy in little booths overlooking only one or two other booths. Fear not celebrities, you can hide away in peace!
I opted for leak and potatoe soup, salmon and asparagus and a rhubarb cake. Each serving came beautifully presented and tasted gorgeous.
Furthermore, from the moment we entered the dining area, we were regularly offered champagne refills. This feature of the lounge alone has convinced me that I will be flying First Class whenever the opportunity arises in the future.
In addition to the usual selection of spirits and wines, there’s endless champagne and a small selection of cocktails. Whether you are in the dining area or lounge, table service is provided, meaning you can kick back and enjoy the prelude to your flight.
Facilities
The least impressive aspect of the lounge was the bathrooms which were more hospital than high end.
Cabanas
There are cabanas (private rooms) which can be pre-booked for free. There’s only two but these would be ideal for those seeking privacy, although they can hardly be described as luxurious. Read this post by One Mile At A Time to find out more. They certainly don’t compare with the private rooms in Mumbai’s first-class lounge.
British Airways First Class Review
You can find out more about our overall First Class experience in our review below. We flew British Airways to Beijing and stayed at the Renaissance Wanfujing. The hotel is close to the main attractions and has super comfortable super king size beds. Be sure, to download a copy of a Lonely Planet or other Rough Guide before your trip to China as you will definitely need it.
Overall verdict
The Concorde Room is a big step up from the Club Class lounges with great service, food and drink.
What do you think?
How do you think this lounge compares to other First Class lounges you have experienced? I would love to know.
