Cozy sophisticated decor in Hounslow

“What can I say about this lounge… well when compared to other lounges, even in other parts of Heathrow, it’s not that great. It can’t hold a candle to the Cathay or Qantas lounge in T3, It’s a little dated and I wouldn’t say it’s overly luxurious. However the main selling point of this lounge is that it is not a pay to use lounge and the connectivity of the First Wing in general. It’s the best lounge in T5 and it beats any lounge that isn’t ab airline status lounge . Firstly you can only get access if you are BA Gold or OneWorld equivalent (OneWorld Emerald) or you are flying first class. However if you are flying first you get access to the Concorde Room so wouldn’t use this lounge anyway. The access to the lounge is its main selling point as you go to the separate “First Wing” that has its own check in desks and security, and after security you walk down a short corridor and right into the lounge. This is fantastic as it means you come directly into the lounge without a long walk through the general terminal area. The size of the lounge is pretty big but with only a few drink stations positioned apart from the main food and beverage area. Plenty of seats in various configurations and a few work places. Throughout the pandemic, for food and beverage it was order only through barcode and phone, and at the time writing this is still available but there is a small, ever growing buffet coming back. This phone ordering was actually quite good but the selection could vary. Currently the buffet at breakfast has a decent selection of hot English breakfast, as well as fruit, pastries, cereal and other cold items. There are a few juices available and three coffee machines, that can get quite crowded during peak times. The food selection is good but it’s nothing to shout about, however it is recovering and getting better as time goes on. In terms of seating the furniture is quite old and tired but comfortable enough. It would be good if there was more charging points but if you are really desperate you will find one. I enjoy the Concorde terrace at the end of the lounge as it is usually quieter and offers runway views as well as feels much more open. The staff are always hard working and friendly and keep the lounge generally clean. As is the case with any lounge, how busy it gets really really affects the experience. When it’s busy it’s unpleasant but when empty (very very early in the morning) it can be quite nice. The lounge will fill up quite quickly after opening and usually there is a queue waiting to get in. But toilet facilities are however appalling. While located within the lounge, they are quite dated and usually have a queue of people waiting to get in the 6 or so cubicles available. This is just not good enough for a first class lounge. They are individual stalls which is nice and are generally quite clean but in major need of an upgrade and in need of more! All in all the major selling point of this lounge is its position in relation to the terminal and your route from taxi to plane. It very nice to have you’re own private section of the terminal which usually guarantees no check-in and security queues, and a very short walk from there to a comfy chair and coffee in the lounge. The facilities could use a face lift and if they continue improvement on the food section it will be good but all in all, to even be able to use this lounge you have to travel a lot. This means though you might be a discerning customer when it comes to airline lounges, you will use this place frequently and grow to like it a little bit. You will appreciate its layout in relation to the terminal and your travel experience, you will get to know it’s quirks, it’s up and downs and it will become like a mini home from home…”