Previous to my A330-900neo Higher Class flight to Miami, I visited the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow. I’ve visited this lounge many instances over time, although not because the begin of the pandemic, so I used to be curious to see the way it was holding up.
Nicely, the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse continues to be an distinctive enterprise class lounge, among the many finest on the earth. It has lovely decor, nice views, some distinctive facilities, pleasant service, and engaging meals. Visiting a Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is such an enormous distinction to visiting your typical British Airways Galleries Enterprise Lounge.
Nevertheless, it’s value acknowledging that the lounge has additionally made some main cutbacks. Gone are the times of massages, a hair salon, and a jacuzzi. Let’s get into the overview…
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow location
The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is situated in Heathrow Terminal 3, which is the place all Virgin Atlantic flights depart from. When you clear safety, simply comply with the signage to the “Lounge H” space. It’s only some minutes stroll from the safety checkpoint.
When you get to this space, you’ll discover the American Admirals Membership on the terminal stage, whereas the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is up a stage.
You possibly can both go up a stage utilizing the swanky elevator with seating, or you’ll be able to stroll up the steps.
The doorway to the lounge seems like a pleasant resort foyer, with cool lighting and design.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow hours
The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow is at the moment open each day from 6AM till 10:30PM, or till the final departure. I can admire the necessity to management prices, however personally I discovered the opening time to be form of limiting.
For what it’s value, Virgin Atlantic’s flight from Johannesburg arrives earlier than 5AM, and many individuals join from there from america, so are doubtlessly caught standing outdoors the Clubhouse for almost an hour. Moreover, Virgin Atlantic’s first departure from Heathrow is at 8AM, which doesn’t give company all that a lot time to benefit from the lounge.
I used to be on the lounge when it opened, and there have been actually dozens of individuals ready to get in, so clearly passengers have the will to entry the lounge sooner than the present opening time permits.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow entry necessities
Who can entry the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow? With Virgin Atlantic now a part of SkyTeam, lounge entry has been expanded fairly a bit. The next passengers can entry the Clubhouse:
- Virgin Atlantic Higher Class passengers (with one visitor)
- Delta One passengers (no company)
- Aeromexico enterprise class passengers (no company)
- Air France passengers connecting to a La Premiere flight (one visitor)
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership Gold members touring on Virgin Atlantic, Delta, or Aeromexico (one visitor)
- Delta SkyMiles Diamond and Platinum Medallion members touring on Virgin Atlantic or Delta (one visitor)
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue Platinum members touring on Virgin Atlantic or Delta (one visitor)
- SkyTeam Elite Plus members (excluding Delta SkyMiles Gold Medallion and Air France-KLM Flying Blue Gold members) touring on Virgin Atlantic, Delta, or Aeromexico (one visitor)
- Virgin Australia Velocity Membership Platinum and Gold members touring in Virgin Atlantic (no company)
- Singapore KrisFlyer Solitaire PPS Membership, PPS Membership, and KrisFlyer Gold members, touring on Virgin Atlantic (no company)
- Air New Zealand Elite or Gold members touring on Virgin Atlantic to San Francisco (no company)
As you’ll be able to see, there are fairly a couple of pathways to accessing the Clubhouse.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow structure & seating
The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow spans 26,000 sq. toes. Despite the fact that not a complete lot has modified with the decor over time, it nonetheless feels contemporary and effectively maintained. I like how the Clubhouse is damaged up into so many various zones, relying on what you’re trying to do, and what sort of a vibe you like.
While you enter the Clubhouse, you’ll first see the 46-foot lengthy bar, the place all of the drinks are served from. There’s loads of seating across the bar, from chairs with ottomans, to couches, to high-top seating.
The realm to the fitting of the bar has the very normal design you’ll discover in any respect Clubhouses, with colourful seating, and even “swing” seats and different enjoyable furnishings.
The realm to the left of the bar is devoted to eating, and nearly seems like a restaurant. There are dozens of tables and cubicles the place you’ll be able to sit in case you’d wish to take pleasure in an a la carte eating expertise.
The realm of the lounge alongside the home windows has extra conventional lounge seating for stress-free.
There’s additionally an extended and slim seating space behind the bar, which regularly stays pretty quiet.
This space additionally has the very best views of the apron, with an particularly superior view of no matter aircraft is parked on the gate closest to the lounge (on this case a Delta Airbus A330).
Whereas the above covers the primary a part of the lounge, there are another distinctive areas. Inside the doorway and to the very proper is a TV space that’s a bit secluded. There are some couches you can kind of nap on, with an enormous wall of TVs.
Then there’s the the world which was the previous spa, which has been repurposed into… effectively, I’m undecided what precisely that is imagined to be?
There are a handful of issues that nearly appear to be pool cabanas, besides they’ve leather-based chairs with ottomans. They’re surrounded by pretend bushes and greenery, and I suppose it’s imagined to be somebody to relax out.
It’s good that Virgin Atlantic did one thing with this house slightly than simply shutting it down altogether, although it undoubtedly appears extra like a low finances afterthought than one thing that numerous effort was put into (not like the remainder of the lounge).
Additionally on this space is a mannequin Virgin Voyages cruise ship, which is a logical cross-promotion.
Within the house of the previous hair salon, Virgin Atlantic has a couple of Peloton bikes, the place you may get train with an incredible view. This can be a cute idea, although I didn’t see anybody use this facility for the a number of hours I spent within the lounge.
The above covers what’s out there on the primary stage of the lounge. Within the again left of the lounge there’s a staircase main up a stage. As soon as right here, there’s a small space with a pool desk, the place it’s also possible to sit.
Then there’s a staircase from there that leads up an extra stage, to what Virgin Atlantic refers to because the lounge’s “backyard.” That is such a cool outside house with seating and superb views of the airport. How enjoyable!
Whereas the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse isn’t fairly as excessive was it was previously, it’s nonetheless an distinctive enterprise class lounge by way of design. The lounge undoubtedly acquired busy throughout peak hours, however not uncomfortably so, which I’d contemplate to be a win these days (given what number of lounges have main crowding points).
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow meals & drinks
Virgin Atlantic takes a very completely different strategy to lounge catering than what you’ll discover in most enterprise class lounges. Whereas most lounges primarily have self serve choices, Virgin Atlantic has servers roaming the lounge who serve you.
Every desk within the lounge has a QR code, the place you’ll be able to scan the menu and even do cellular ordering. Alternatively, you’ll be able to flag down a server, they usually’ll be pleased that will help you.
Certainly one of my favourite issues in regards to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is how good everyone seems to be. The servers genuinely look like they take pleasure in their jobs and need to make company pleased. They’re proactive and pleasant, and consistently examine if anybody desires one thing. That’s such a refreshing distinction to your typical airport lounge.
The lounge does have a small buffet space, however slightly than serving your self, one of many individuals behind the counter will serve you.
For breakfast, choices right here included all types of contemporary fruit, juices, a number of sorts of yogurt with quite a lot of accompaniments, chilly cuts, cheese, hardboiled eggs, pastries, cereal, cookies, and extra.
There’s additionally a station with filtered espresso, tea, and orange juice, although the workers are pleased to serve you this as effectively.
Throughout my prolonged go to within the lounge, I attempted a few issues from the menu. Yow will discover the breakfast menu under.
Yow will discover the breakfast drink menu under.
Throughout my keep, I had a cappuccino, a latte, and a berry smoothie, all of which have been scrumptious. Kudos to Virgin Atlantic for having barista-made espresso, accurately.
For breakfast, I ordered the malabar masala with chapati and pickled salad, which was very tasty.
Afterward I additionally had some fruit salad, in addition to some yogurt with granola.
For a enterprise class lounge, the catering right here is outstanding, each by way of high quality and selection. The pleasant and proactive service is the icing on the cake. This can be a restaurant high quality expertise in each manner.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow loos & showers
The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow has loos in two completely different areas of the lounge. One of many rest room areas has extra of a shared males’s room, with urinals, stalls, and shared sinks.
In the meantime the loos within the different a part of the lounge all have particular person loos which have bogs and sinks.
The workers within the lounge have been consistently refreshing the bogs, so that they have been at all times stored clear.
On prime of that, the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse has a number of bathe suites, that are fairly good. Every has a walk-in bathe, a bathroom, and a sink, and is sort of spacious.
Backside line
Whereas the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse isn’t fairly pretty much as good because it was, it’s nonetheless an distinctive enterprise class lounge. It has a enjoyable vibe, loads of seating, wonderful meals and drinks, pleasant service, and a few enjoyable facilities, like an outside terrance and Peloton bikes.
When you ask me, this ranks as one of many prime “hub” enterprise class lounges on the earth, and that is infinitely higher than the bottom expertise that British Airways gives its enterprise class passengers at Heathrow.
What do you make of the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow?
