REVIEW – Cathay Pacific : Business Class Lounge, London Heathrow T3 (post-refurb)

The bathrooms are immediately outside the First Class lounge and are shared between First and Business class passengers

The brass fittings and natural stone countertops are very impressive. One small issue though, the paper towels are rough and cheap feeling. When you pick one up, twenty moe follow it. I would hope that over time these will be upgraded to either better paper towels or to proper cotton ones

What is most impressive is that Business Class customers are given highly exclusive Aesop amenities to use (my favourite!)

Moving on from the bathrooms we made our way to the bright and expansive entrance to the Business Class lounge

I like how the seating has been arranged into a series of private cubicles (reminiscent of places like Din Tai Fung. When this place is full, you’ll still be able to retain a decent amount of privacy.

The noodle bar is very sleek looking and dominates this section of the lounge with its signature Cathay green colour.

Front row seats 🙂

When I started taking detail pics, the lounge manager Paul came over to introduce himself and gave me a tour of the rest of the facility. I love how every bit of lighting in these lounges, is considered and elegant looking.

After The Noodle Bar, you come to The Pantry with its expansive communal dining table, reminiscent of countless hipster coffee shops in London and New York.

I guess they made the seating here deliberately uncomfortable to stop people from gathering for too long!

A selection of bakery items, covered to prevent people coughing on them – more lounges and buffets in general should do this!

Very similar to the options in the F Lounge

There was one hot option available: a vegetable quiche

Fresh juices, salad and fruit salad. When I come to this lounge, if I’m unhealthy at least it was my choice!

Fresh fruit and a variety of main courses

Pan fried salmon and a soup

The lids were quite difficult to keep open. A lounge attendant helped me by quickly lifting them all and then running to the side. Thanks!

Again, some healthy but delicious options.

An array of chilled options, including a wheel of camembert!

I was particularly impressed with this seating area, up against the divider of The Pantry. How nice does this look? I actually did a double take, looking through my pictures, thinking that an F lounge photo had made its way into my shots from the Business Class lounge!

Moving on from The Pantry you come to the fully staffed bar, offering a variety of Cathay signature cocktails as well as Moët champagne

At the end of the bar is this little nook offering hot and cold soft drinks as well as flight information

Another shot of the final seating area, after the bar.

GoPro version: Once again is is really nice to see so many power ports, muted lighting and plants. The variety of furniture really makes a difference too. It just doesn’t feel like a waiting area, in the way that so many other lounges do.

I am a big fan of these new Solus chairs, gone is the hard plastic shell – replaced by a wider, softer and more comfortable seat, replete with elegant brass fixtures.

To anybody from Cathay is reading this: if you have any spares lying around I will gladly take one off of your hands! 

Finally, at the far end of the lounge you come to an office area featuring three iMacs, in a wooden walled room, reminiscent of an old library.

After my tour of the Business Class lounge I headed back outside and quickly popped over to see the showers (these are at the end of the hallway, by the bathrooms). You are greeted at the reception desk and escorted to a shower room by the attendants. There is a ‘menu’ of extra amenities on the reception desk.

I love stone clad shower rooms

I really like how the theme of using brass for all the fixtures is continued in the shower rooms. Also nice to see an option between handheld and rainfall shower heads.

Just like being at the spa in the Park Hyatt Tokyo

For those that are interested in what the hairdryer looks like…

So much Aesop stuff!

Plenty of counter space to spread your things out.