Category : Airport Lounges

We’ve waxed lyrical about airport lounges before, taking a good look at the comfort, peace, quiet and great facilities they offer to the travel-worn, noise-averse and crowd-hating travelling public. But there are rumblings afoot… are priority pass airport lounges still good value for money or has the bubble burst? We thought it’d be interesting to explore some of the grumbles and take a look at their future.

Airport Lounge Luxury

Is the term ‘VIP airport lounge’ an oxymoron these days?

According to Airfare Watchdog:

It’s important to note that airline clubs vary greatly in quality, even within a single airline. One location might be new and spacious, while another might have seen its last refurbishment when the Boeing 707 ruled the skies, with nary a free seat to be found. With your membership you get an open bar (although not top shelf) in some clubs, snacks, free wireless Internet, comfy chairs and two guests. Premium spirits, wines, and beers are available for sale in many clubs with rather extensive menus on offer in the American and United clubs. Delta is the only airline to still offer a variety of premium spirits and beers for free.

But another huge perk reveals itself when you need to be rebooked on an alternate flight because yours was cancelled or delayed. Would you rather stand in line with scores of the dumped and grumped, or go to the club, where the lines will be shorter (club receptionists are also able to rebook flights and assign seats). And for some, just having enough power outlets to charge computers and phones is reason enough to join.

Airport lounge club day pass or annual membership?

Airfare Watchdog also look at the benefits of annual airport lounge membership compared to day passes. They found that day pass lounge access tends to be the best value for infrequent fliers, with annual membership the best value for frequent fliers. No surprises there then… it’s exactly the way things should be.

Bangalore Airport Domestic Plaza Lounge

Huffington Post dives in with airport lounge facilities criticism

According to the Huffington Post:

In reality, not all lounges are created equal and there are some that definitely aren’t worth the hassle. Ultimately, whether lounge access is worth it for you will be determined by your travel patterns and needs.

Handily, the Huffington Post also provides an excellent resource in the shape of a breakdown of the bad and good elements of the best airport lounges, looking at Paid Access and Premium Ticket access, Domestic and International lounges.

Again, importantly, they stress the benefits of lounges if you have a problem with your flight, since it’s sometimes possible to sort things out in the lounge itself without having to join an enormous concourse queue. On the other hand it’s usually the airline-specific lounges that provide this level of service. If your BA flight is delayed and you’re relaxing in a Pan Am lounge, it’s probably tough luck.

Airport lounges and children…

Many airport lounges don’t allow infants and young children in. Which is fair enough, since a lounge full of tots isn’t going to be particularly relaxing place, and it’s one of the things people pay to avoid. If you’re not sure whether the lounge you’d like to book allows children, it’s best to check first.

Madrid Airport Iberia Lounge – TV Viewing Area

8 ways to make the most of airport lounge access

The Independent Traveller website has come up with some cool tips for making the most of the airport lounge access program opportunity.

1. Unless you’re a frequent traveller, buy a day pass.
2. Planning ahead sometimes means you can save £
3. Most lounges restrict the amount of time you can spend there to three hours – check before you buy
4. Use a public pay-in lounge instead of an airline-owned lounge. They can deliver excellent value for money
5. If you qualify as a frequent traveller with a particular airline, it’s well worth applying for lounge perks for elite customers
6. Some Credit Cards offer airport lounge privileges – does yours?
7. Airline credit cards can include lounge perks
8. Be a guest. Some lucky people have found that simply hanging around outside airport lounges looking friendly does the trick. Ask lounge members on their way in if they’ll let you come in as their guest and you never know what might happen!

Fabulous new airport lounge club facilities opening soon

There are some excellent new airport lounges opening and others that have recently opened. Take Lufthansa, who say this about their fabulous new Heathrow airport lounge facilities:

Known as ‘The Queen’s Terminal’, the new Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport has been open since 4 June 2014 and mainly houses the airlines of the Star Alliance. The new Lufthansa lounge – at more than 1,600 square metres the largest outside Germany – has also been completed. It provides sufficient space for a Senator and Business Lounge area which Frequent Travellers are also now able to use. Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and Germanwings share a joint ticket counter in Zone B. Business Class passengers as well as HON Circle Members, Senators, Frequent Travellers and Star Gold card holders have separate ticket and check-in counters.

At the same time, travellers at Minneapolis St Paul International Airport can work on their golf game, enjoying the new golf ‘simulator lounge’. It’s called a golf lifestyle facility and comes complete with refreshments, shopping and an ‘immersive golf experience’.  The golf lounge lets golfers of every level play on high tech simulators and they can even get instruction from PGA professionals or get fitted for new clubs. Crikey! The first of its kind, does it herald a new wave of targeted airport lounge access programs designed to appeal to specific demographics? Only time will tell.

SkyTeam is set to open smart, brand new airport lounges at airports in Dubai, Hong Kong and Beijing in 2015. Cathay Pacific will close the Pier Business Class lounge at Hong Kong Airport in June2015 for a radical refit. SAS will open new mini café lounges near main departure gates at a bunch of airports this year. And SkyTeam’s fab Sydney Airport lounge is now open for travellers on the alliance’s partner airlines and paying guests. You’ll find it at Gate 24.

Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Premium Lounge

Great advice from the Australian Business Traveller website

The ABT website includes a really good article detailing five paid airport lounge schemes you should know about, equally applicable to British travellers. Here’s a link.

What are the best airport lounges?

It’s a case of horses for courses, but we get some great feedback about the Marhaba Lounge, Dubai, one of the most popular Dubai lounges, and the British Airways lounge Heathrow, one of the public’s best-loved Heathrow lounges.

All in all, it looks as though the airport lounge phenomenon is still breaking into the mainstream. Which means competition is still fierce, which in turn means the standards and quality should still be rising. If you know different or have suffered a nightmare experience of your own, we’d love to hear about it.

It’s a long, long way away. If you live in Britain, flights to and from South Africa take a while. The last thing you need is to get on your ‘plane home all frazzled and cross, stressed and weary, grubby, thirsty and peckish. Whether you’re travelling international or domestic, you need a comfortable, smart, relaxed airport lounge. We thought it’d be useful to take a detailed look at the airport lounges at Johannesburg airport and repot back to our readers. Here’s a link to our airport lounges page for Tambo airport.

Johannesburg International Airport

Scroll down and you’ll also find some essential tips for staying safe in the city, and a handy list of the best sights and attractions in the area. Happy travelling!

Johannesburg Tambo airport lounges – Time to relax

Enjoy the VIP lifestyle for an affordable price at a spotless Bidair Premier Lounge at Johannesburg Airport. Prices are fully inclusive and you get to chill out in a peaceful haven away from all the usual concourse chaos: crowds, luggage, queues, noise, smells…

International departures – The Bidvest Premier Lounge – Terminal A

Head for the international terminal and you’ll find the Bidvest Premier Lounge, an oasis of calm. The cost? From £20 per adult for a comfortable guaranteed space.

How to find the lounge

Turn right after Security and head for  Duty Free. Grab the escalator at the end of Duty Free where you’ll see the Out of Africa retail outlet. Go up to the mezzanine floor and you’ll find the lounge in the right hand corner. This lounge is also accessible to international passengers departing from the domestic terminal, B.

Here’s what you get, all in with the price:

• Facilities open Monday to Friday 5am to 9pm, weekends 6am to 9pm
• Snacks and drinks, including alcohol (served 24/7)
• Air conditioning, wonderfully refreshing in such a furnace-like heat
• Lovely clean showers to freshen you up and give you a useful second wind
• TV to flop in front of
• Flight monitors, so you don’t have to keep coming and going to check your flight times and so on
• Disabled access
• WiFi
• Telephones

Bidvest Premier Lounge Johannesburg

Domestic departures – Bidvest Sky Lounge – Terminal B

If you’re in Africa to travel, there’s a domestic passengers’ lounge to enjoy. Head for the domestic terminal and you’ll discover Bidvest’s Sky Lounge, where it costs from £20 for all-inclusive comfort. You’ll find it by turning right after Security, taking the lift to the 4th Floor and heading left. Remember, this lounge is only for domestic travellers.

• Open 24/7
• Snacks and drinks (alcohol served from 10am)
• Air conditioning
• TV
• Flight monitors
• Disabled access
• WiFi
• Telephones

Are there any conditions?

There’s a maximum stay of 2 hours. The facilities are only for people with flight tickets. And there’s absolutely no smoking

Things to do in and around Johannesburg Tambo airport

What if you turn up ridiculously early for your flight? An airport is rarely the most pleasant place to while away time with the nasty fluorescent lighting, stale air, uncomfortable seating and surging crowds. So what is there to entertain you at the airport itself, and what about the immediate vicinity? Is it the usual situation, where the airport is sited within miles and miles of inaccessible runways and roads, or is it possible to escape and explore?

The airport itself has all the facilities you’d expect but, like most airports, not much to entertain you beyond eating, drinking and shopping. And while you can take a brisk walk around the concourse there’s nowhere to go outside. Never mind! You can buy books and magazines and access the internet via your mobile, tablet or laptop via the airport’s WiFi and internet access points. Other than that, the airport lounges are your best bet for comfort and  entertainment.

Johannesburg Skyline

How to stay safe in Johannesburg

Johannesburg has become notorious in recent years for violence, theft, assault and all sorts of other nasties, mainly because the gap between the city’s rich and poor is so wide and still widening.  On the other hand, like all cities, there are safe parts and areas you’d be wise to avoid. Here’s what the airport website recommends for visitor safety, much of which is simple common sense.

• Stay alert. Keep tight hold of your belongings, just like you would anywhere you’re not familiar with
• Check where’s safe and where isn’t by asking at your hotel or the airport information desk
• Try not to overtly display wealth, hiding your mobile phone and leaving your wallet at the hotel
• Only take what you need when you go out – and use a plastic bag for carrying your stuff, less conspicuous than a smart bag or posh backpack
• If you get robbed, don’t fight back. Your holiday insurance will cover it
• Never try to negotiate – just hand over your valuables
• Most of the city’s business and shopping areas have CCTV or Security staff, so there’s less risk of being pickpocketed in such areas
• When you go out after dark, take well-lit paths. Carry a map and sort out your route beforehand so you don’t get lost
• Aimless wandering isn’t recommended. Look purposeful!
• Some areas should be avoided full stop, unless you have a guide or are in a big group. Steer clear of Hillbrow, Alexandra, Yeoville and Berea, all areas that even the locals avoid
• Because Alexandra is next to the road to the airport, it’s particularly important to take care. Use GPS or a map, and avoid going off-route
• While driving in the city is reasonably safe, there are still regular car-jackings. Keep the car doors and windows closed and locked at all times and don’t wander off your planned route into the unknown
• If you park in a quiet or secluded area, take care getting in and out and keep an eye open for thieves
• Avoid public transport in the city. It just isn’t safe

Johannesburg Castle

The 16 best attractions in Johannesburg

Bearing all that in mind, what are the best tourist attractions in the city? Here’s a quick list:

1.  The Apartheid Museum
2. Guided tours of Soweto
3. Soccer City, the continent’s biggest stadium
4. The Nelson Mandela Bridge
5. Newtown Cultural Precinct, where you’ll find the city’s museums and art galleries
6. Zoo Lake, a lovely cool park with lots of shady oak and sycamore trees
7. A trip to the magnificent Game Reserves
8. The shopping malls at Sandton
9. The Rosebank daily African craft market
10. Fordsburg market, an amazing place to buy Indian antiques, fabrics and retro stuff
11. Melville, for excellent nightlife
12. The Civic Theatre
13. The Top of Africa, in the Carlton Centre, one of the nation’s tallest buildings with breath-taking views
14. The Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens in Roodeport
15. Visit one of the famous Witwatersrand gold mines, just 20n minutes’ drive from the airport
16. Lion Park game park

What’s your recommendation?

If you’ve spent time in Johannesburg airport, what do you recommend for making your journey as painless and enjoyable as possible? You can leave a review of the airport lounges at Johannesburg if you like, to help our readers make the right decision.

Some people go there on holiday. But the majority of British people travelling to and from Dubai are there on business. And to do great business, you need to arrive at your destination fresh, relaxed, rested and raring to go. That’s why Dubai airport lounges are such a popular booking on our site, and why cheap Dubai airport lounges are in such high demand.

Dubai Airport

It might only be a seven hour flight but plenty of travellers find it a tiring business, especially when you have to arrive hours before your flight to check in. So we thought it’d be useful for our customers to take a look at affordable Dubai airport lounges, how much they cost and what you get there. If you want to take advantage and beat the crowds, read on to find out more. It needn’t cost you a fortune. In fact it’s remarkable cheap.

A very special Business Class lounge at Dubai Airport

First, let’s look at your choice of lounge facilities at Dubai airport. These days ordinary travellers are just as likely to take advantage of airport lounge facilities as business travellers. Which means their legendary quietness and calm can be compromised, especially when there are children involved. Thankfully for the discerning business traveller, Dubai airport provides a very special Business Class airport lounge serving Terminal 1, accessible via Concourse C.

While there’s no disabled access or conference facilities, the lounge offers snacks and drinks including alcohol (only served between 8pm and 3am during Ramadan). Plus air conditioning, showers, TV, flight monitors, WiFi and internet, phone and fax. The décor is cool and smart, there’s plenty of greenery to help you relax and it’s open 24/7. There’s even a separate smoking area and a quiet, peaceful prayer room. And the Dubai airport lounge cost for this very special facility? It’s yours from just £35.

A choice of three more Dubai airport lounge facilities for all travellers

As well as the special lounge for business travellers at Dubai airport, there are three more lounge areas to choose from, all perfect for ordinary mortals visiting the country for everyday reasons rather than on business.

1. For terminal 1 – Marhaba Lounge – accessed from concourse C
2. For terminal 3 – Marhaba lounge – accessed from concourse A
3. Also for terminal 3 – Marhaba Lounge – accessed from concourse B

Here’s what’s on offer across the board:

• snacks and drinks
• alcohol
• air conditioning
• showers
• TV
• flight monitors
• conferencing
• disabled access
• Internet
• WiFi
• Phone
• Fax

Terminal 1 Marhaba Lounge at concourse C offers everything except conferencing facilities

Terminal 3 Marhaba Lounge at concourse A offers everything expect conference facilities, phone and fax

The second Terminal 3 Marhaba Lounge at concourse B offers everything except conferencing facilities

Marhaba Lounge at Dubai Airport

What is the everyday Dubai airport lounge price?

These three public lounges are all immaculate, comfy and chilled. And they cost from just £32 per adult. That’s not a lot when it means you avoid the madding crowds and are guaranteed a lovely, comfortable space to relax in instead of coping with the usual airport mayhem. You’ll arrive at your final destination feeling rested, relaxed and ready for anything instead of frazzled to an emotional crisp and in need of a week’s recovery in a darkened room!

What do the lounges at Dubai airport look like?

Dubai is famous for its considerable creativity, the impressive quality of its architecture and its unique contemporary interior design style. Which means the lounges at Dubai  are cool, immaculate and a pleasure to relax in… or get to grips with your next big meeting in.

A haven of peace, there’s real wood furniture designed for comfort. Exactly the right level and type of lighting for either chilling out or effective working. Excellent service by unfailingly polite professionals. Nice, big windows with interesting views of the airport action. And everything is absolutely spotless. What’s not to like? An airport lounge experience beats spending hours on the concourse hands down.

Marhaba Lounge at Dubai International Airport

The money-saving bit

Just like any good airport lounge, Dubai airport lounges provide everything you need in with the price. Say you have four hours to wait, which isn’t unusual for air travel. If you stay on the concourse it’s easy to spend a lot of extra money on snacks and drinks during those four hours, as well as any number of other extras. Relax in a lounge and it’s all-in, potentially much cheaper.

5 great cheap hotels near Dubai airport

What if you’re delayed or need to stay the night near Dubai airport for some other reason? You can easily spend a small (or large!) fortune on an expensive local hotel, somewhere so smart and posh it’s more or less the ultimate in luxury. When you need a basic, affordable crash pad for the night, what’s on offer?

1. The Novotel Deira City Centre is just a quarter of a mile from Dubai airport, a first class hotel on 8th Street in the Port Saeed District without a first class price tag. It’s right near Deira City Centre, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and the Dubai Tennis Stadium
2. Also just quarter of a mile from the airport, the Ibis Deira City Centre is on 8th Street Port Saeed in District F. It’s wheelchair accessible and Deira City Centre, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and the Tennis Stadium are all nearby
3. A third of a mile from the airport, Le Meridien Fairway is a really good hotel on Al Garhoud Road, ideal for families and business travellers. The Tennis Stadium, Golf & Yacht Club and the city centre at Deira are all within easy walking distance
4. Just under half a mile from the airport, the City Seasons Hotel Dubai is on Port Saeed Al Maktoum Street and delivers excellent value for money
5. A grand hotel without a grand price tag, the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel is just over half a mile from the airport and is also close to the Tennis Stadium, Golf & Yacht Club and Deira City Centre. You can easily walk it!

Want to book space in a Dubai airport lounge?

Here’s a link to the right page. All you do is enter your details in the yellow box to get a quote and make your booking.

By now, you know that gosimply.com should be your first and only stop for the best deals on your travel extras. Now there’s even more reason to come to us when you want to book an airport lounge!

New lounges and lower prices!

Our partner provider, Lounge Pass, has added several new lounges over the past couple of months, meaning we can now offer great prices on over 150 lounges at more than 110 airports worldwide. Don’t worry about whether or not you’ve got the right type of ticket to get access to the lounges either. Anyone and everyone is welcome to escape the crowds and noise of the airport terminal and chill out in comfort.

We’ve also got new, lower rates for UK airport lounges (some as low as £13.50 per person!), so there’s little excuse for not taking advantage of the VIP treatment on offer.

No matter where you’re travelling, it’s very likely we’ll have a lounge for you to enjoy, so pre-book your airport lounge today and see just how relaxing a trip to the airport can be. You’ll start your holiday before you’ve even stepped on the plane, plus you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’re one of the smart people who gosimply.

gosimply.com now offers you even more choice in Airport Lounges after adding 5 new lounges, all available for pre-booking.

• Mumbai International – Celebrations Lounge- NEW!
• Birmingham International – 4Deck Lounge – NEW!
• Barcelona El Prat T1 – Sala VIP Miro & also the Sala VIP Pau Casals – NEW!
• Plymouth City – Air Southwest Business Plus Lounge – NEW!
• London Heathrow T2 – Cobalt Lounge – NEW!

We also have further reductions on some existing airport lounges:

• Gatwick Wentworth Lounge was £18.50 now £15.00 – saving £3.50!
• Gatwick Aviance Lounge was £18.50 now £15.00 –  saving £3.50!
• Manchester Escape Lounge was £20.00 now £18.50 – saving £3.50!

So what are you waiting for? It’s simple. Smart people gosimply.com

GoSimply.com is pleased to announce the addition of two new airport lounges, which are now available for pre-booking.

Passengers 12 years of age and older who are flying out of Durham Tees Valley Airport can now enjoy a pre-flight stay in the Servisair Lounge, located next to Gate 4 and offering a little respite from the hustle and bustle of the terminal.

If you’re departing from Hong Kong International Airport, why not book a stay in The Travelers’ Lounge?  As with virtually all of the lounges we offer you’ll enjoy free refreshments (including alcoholic beverages), plus you can take advantage of the shower facilities and WiFi Internet access.

Johannesburg is ready to welcome tens of thousands of visitors with open arms for the 2010 World Cup.

Extensive works at OR Tambo International Airport and the Coca-Cola Park Arena have been completed in readiness for the 2010 Fifa World Cup. The Confederations Cup on the 14th June this year between Bafana and Iraq is being seen by many as a dress rehearsal that will test the enhanced facilities at both the airport and venue.

Johannesburg airport

Interest in South Africa and Johannesburg as a holiday and business destination has grown in popularity over the last decade with passenger numbers increasing from over 12 million to over 17 million between 2002 and 2006.  Air traffic movements increased by over 25,000  in the same period from around 175, 000 to more than 200, 000.

To cope with the increased demand of recent years and predicted future growth, improvements at Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport have included: the construction of a main central terminal building, refurbishment of existing services such as the airport lounges at Johannesburg, the development of the international pier, construction of a multi-storey car park, road infrastructure development and a link to the multi-billion Gautrain station, amongst others.

With the huge investments made at the airport, the Coca-Cola Park Arena and in local infrustructure, Johannesburg is ready to demonstrate its ability to host a major part of one of the world’s biggest sporting events.

Here’s a hot tip for all you intrepid travellers partial to a little celeb-spotting…….

A major Warner Bros picture ‘Clash of the Titans’ is scheduled to be filmed on location in Tenerife between 15th May and 3rd June. The main locations are the Teide National Park and along the coast in the districts of Icod, Buenavista del Norte and Guía de Isora.

Celebrity spotting

So, if you were considering a last minute deal to Tenerife before the summer rush take our advice and book yourself a lounge at Tenerife Airport. Who knows – you could be relaxing with the paper and a nice cup of Joe when all of a sudden Ralph Fiennes taps you on the shoulder and asks “Is this seat taken?”. Cue a full scale debate with Mr Fiennes as to whether the remake will be better than the 1981 classic – or perhaps he’ll simply make polite conversation about the state of the world economy. Either way – we think it’s a great opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the beautiful people!

PS – Don’t forget your camera.