How Good Is The Heathrow Cathay Pacific Lounge?

The Heathrow Cathay Pacific lounge is an oasis of calm in Heathrow’s busy terminal three. For Oneworld passengers travelling in First, it is an alternative to the British Airways First Class Galleries Lounge. However, it receives much better reviews from frequent fliers, so we decided to check it out on our latest flight to Vancouver.

Heathrow Cathay Pacific lounge reception

The entrance to the lounge is impressive, with dark panelled walls and a glossy reception desk. The entrance to First is the first door on the right which leads to a room furnished with upmarket leather chairs and footstools overlooking the runway. It has a very calm ambience, with plenty of available seating, in a brightly lit area. It is certainly not big, but it was quiet when we arrived so this wasn’t an issue.

★★★★★

Seating area

The main lounge is split into three areas. You reach the first as you enter the lounge, the second is beyond a partition and the third is around the corner from the first (almost like a U shape). Each has spacious chairs with tables that have pull out power sockets for both USBs and plugs.

The only downside to this lounge is that if there are a lot of flights, it might get very busy.
★★★★★

Food and drink

There is a self-service snack area with soft drinks, along with another self-service area for alcoholic drinks. There is also a formal dining area, where classical Asian dishes are served. We had broccoli and hummus, followed by a Thai curry for Jason and noodles for me.

The wine selection was limited, and far too fruity for my liking. There was not a Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio in sight. I also tried one of the champagnes, and found it lacking in flavour. I certainly wasn’t blown away with the wine selection, but the food was passable. It is preferable to the Galleries lounge which is all self-service, but the food in the First Class Concorde lounge at terminal 5 is significantly better.

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★★★

Bathrooms

The bathrooms in the lounge are very impressive. I hate the cubicles that you find in British Airways lounges at Heathrow. They are somewhat sterile and more akin to hospital bathrooms than high-end luxury. However, these bathrooms were more reminiscent of ladies bathrooms in a luxury hotel. With multiple toilets and showers in one room, they smelled delightful and had lush toiletries.

★★★★★

Verdict

I sacrificed a spa treatment to visit this lounge, and I honestly wouldn’t recommend you do the same. The food onboard in First is superb, and hence there is no real need to eat beforehand. The experience in the Heathrow Cathay Pacific lounge may be better than the British Airways Galleries Lounge in Terminal 3 but it is not a patch on the Concorde Room.

★★★