REVIEW – Qantas First and Business Class Lounge, HKG
February 5, 2017
REVIEW – Cathay Pacific : Business Class – Hong Kong to Bali (B747)
February 15, 2017
Cathay Pacific (CX)
- Class: Business and First
- Access:
- Oneworld Business and First ticket holders
- Oneworld Sapphire and Emerald cardholders
- Date: January 2016
HKG airport has a monorail system to carry passengers down the length of the middle number gates and stops right outside Cathay Pacific’s The Bridge lounge.
A word of warning though, if you are just up at these higher numbered gates to check out the lounges, leave yourself plenty of time to head back to the low numbered gates. Why? The monorail is one way only, you will have to walk all the way back (or run if you don’t leave enough time!)
Talking of ‘not enough time’…
On the way to The Bridge, I caught sight of our original flight on the departure board: CX 781 to Surabaya. This was the first and only time I’d ever seen a delay featuring a date rather than a time! This goes to show, it always pays to be proactive and check your reservations in the days leading up to your departure. Personally, I start to plan contingency flights whenever I have a tight connection, just in case I misconnect…
The Bridge was originally opened in 2013 and refurbished soon after, re-opening with the latest CX branding in 2015
After heading past the receptionists you are presented with a beautiful piece of minimalist design. I love the contrast of the dark with the light, the wood with the marble. It is clever design which helps to refocus you for a relaxing experience – erasing thoughts of the busy terminal from your mind.
There are numerous different types of seats in this lounge, all of which have easy access to power sockets and all of which benefit from an abundance of natural light.
I love the display shelves used to break up the length of the lounge, it really lends a residential rather than commercial feel to the space. Major props for the beautiful PH Artichoke lamp too.
All the hallmarks of the latest Cathay design aesthetic: soft carpets, plush earth toned seating, marble tables and diffused lighting… and amazing views of the planes!
At the far end of the lounge there is a long, manned bar. Here you can get barista made coffees as well as wines, beers and spirits. I like that there are both fruit and pastry self-serve stations. That way, if you’re in a hurry you can grab a quick coffee and pastry without having to head back into the buffet area for your small item of food.
Even on a cloudy day, the views from the lounge are superb. I love how the mountains peer through the misty cloud – an otherworldly landscape that at once calms and reinvigorates you.
The main buffet area is quite compact in terms of seating but the layout means that there aren’t really any bottlenecks or problems with overcrowding.
Beers and soft drinks, always good to be able to grab bottled water to go (even in premium cabins, you’ll often find that bottled water is limited to one per pax and I like to stay hydrated without having to keep pressing the call button). Keeping the tall glasses in the fridge is also a nice touch.
In addition to cereals, there is also a very decent selection of freshly baked goods. I love how the aroma of the ovens filled the buffet area.
Salad, yoghurts, fruit and juices.
Handmade sandwiches, available toasted.
A selection of breads and a soup option.
Baozi and siu mai
My ‘melting pot’ breakfast: siu mai, ultra crispy bacon and oeuf en cocotte.
The Cathay Pacific Solus chair is such a great piece of design, a private cocoon for individual travellers, with plenty of space for a laptop, extra width at the shoulders to provide a greater sense of space and a handy coat hook. A cluster of these dropped into an otherwise empty space really transforms the lounge. Beautiful and practical.
Conclusion
The Bridge offers an abundance of natural light and a sense of tranquility that is entirely missing from Cathay’s lounge at the low numbered gates: The Wing.
In and of itself it is a great lounge which does everything well and is never usually crowded.
However, having since visited the newly refurbished Pier Business Class lounge, this comes in a definite second. If you just need somewhere to grab something quick and you’re pressed for time, this lounge is great. If you want to spend hours really maximising your lounge time and making a day out of it, The Pier is the lounge for you.
- Part 1:
- British Airways : Galleries North Business Class Lounge – London Heathrow T5
- Part 2:
- British Airways : Club World (Business Class) – A380 – London Heathrow to Singapore
- Part 3:
- Conrad Singapore : Centennial Suite
- Part 4:
- DNATA Lounge – Singapore Changi T1
- Part 5:
- Cathay Pacific : Business Class – A330 – Singapore to Hong Kong
- Part 6:
- Intercontinental Hong Kong : Harbour View Room
- Part 7:
- Qantas : First and Business Class Lounge – Hong Kong
- Part 8:
- Cathay Pacific : The Bridge Business Class Lounge – Hong Kong
- Part 9:
- Cathay Pacific : Business Class – B747 – Hong Kong to Bali
- Part 10:
- Intercontinental Bali : Singaraja Room
- Part 11:
- Villa Kerasan (Airbnb) Ubud, Bali
- Part 12:
- Alila Villas Soori, Bali
- Part 13:
- Villa Jiwa (Airbnb) Jimbaran, Bali
- Part 14:
- Sofitel Nusa Dua, Bali
- Part 15:
- An updated guide to Bali
- Part 16:
- Cathay Pacific : Business Class – B772 – Bali Denpasar Hong Kong
- Part 17:
- Cathay Pacific : Business Class – B77W – Hong Kong to London Heathrow
