Review: The Pier Business Class Lounge by Cathay Pacific

Earlier than setting off on my return journey from Hong Kong to North America with Cathay Pacific enterprise class, I took a while to go to The Pier Enterprise Class Lounge.

The Pier is just one of many lounges that Cathay Pacific affords at its residence airport in Hong Kong. A couple of years in the past, I had the pleasure of visiting the The Pier First Class Lounge, and I used to be intrigued to discover the enterprise class part this time round. 

The Pier Enterprise Class Lounge by Cathay Pacific – Entry

The Pier Enterprise Class Lounge lives simply past The Pier First Class Lounge, located close to Gate 65, whereas the latter is located nearer to Gate 62.

The lounge is accessible by passengers who maintain Cathay Pacific or Oneworld enterprise class tickets, with no visitor allowance.

Marco Polo Diamond members are granted lounge entry for themselves and two accompanying friends, whereas Gold members can enter with one visitor, and Silver members have solely particular person entry.

Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members are allowed one visitor, whatever the cabin class they’re travelling in.

Upon descending the escalators and turning left, you’ll encounter a set of check-in desks that evoke the sensation of checking right into a lodge slightly than an airport lounge. Right here, I handed my boarding go to the affiliate, who promptly granted me entry to the lounge.

The Pier Enterprise Class Lounge by Cathay Pacific – Seating

The Pier Enterprise Class Lounge is a sprawling airport lounge. With over 3,306 sq. metres and accommodating over 500 passengers, it’s the biggest lounge in Cathay Pacific’s community.

The lounge was designed to replicate the town of Hong Kong, and showcases a mix of recent and conventional components with a heat atmosphere.

Excessive-quality pure supplies like limestone and cherry wooden furnish the house, and are additional accentuated by the cautious placement of lush greenery and smooth lighting.

Furthermore, light-weight partitions and timber screens are strategically positioned all through the lounge to divide the house into separate sections with out compromising the lounge’s open and welcoming really feel.

Upon getting into the lounge, a break up hallway greeted me. To the left are the principle seating and eating areas inside a collection of interconnected rooms, comparable in design to The Pier First Class Lounge.

Moreover, the lounge encompasses a handy locker space the place you’ll be able to securely retailer your baggage and private belongings, so you’ll be able to effortlessly navigate your environment.

Within the first of the lounge’s many “rooms” upon getting into, you’ll discover the Meals Corridor, which is designed to resemble a market with a variety of seating types.

There’s high-top marble bars outfitted with charging shops and USB ports for connectivity wants, eating tables, in addition to picnic-style benches.

Within the subsequent room over, you’ll discover a cozy seating space with leather-based armchairs overlooking the tarmac. This space is ideal for people or small teams of two or three, or in the event you’re eager on snapping a photograph of the Cathay Pacific plane.

Persevering with additional in, you’ll be aware the home windows and seating space spans the size of the lounge, with equally spectacular views. Right here, you’ll discover quite a lot of seating choices to fit your wants, together with particular person armchairs and group seating.

Armchairs outfitted with a facet desk have a drawer which reveals charging shops and USB ports to maintain your gadgets powered up.

Right here on this room, you’ll additionally discover a absolutely staffed bar to assist your self to a drink.

Over within the subsequent room, you’ll discover The Noodle Bar, a Cathay Pacific staple, full with ample sales space seating and communal-style seating.

Heading even deeper into the confines of the lounge is the lounge’s signature function, The Tea Home. This house is unique to The Pier, and also you received’t discover it in any of Cathay Pacific’s different lounges.

It’s value noting that on the time of my go to, the lounge was slightly busy and barely chaotic, which considerably detracted from the expertise. Nevertheless, happily, the lounge’s sprawling dimension meant there was sufficient seating for everybody.

The Pier Enterprise Class Lounge by Cathay Pacific – Eating

The Pier Enterprise Class Lounge has a robust meals and beverage choice, with 5 distinct areas to select from.

Beginning with the Meals Corridor, there’s quite a lot of fast bites, each cold and hot. You may both seize one thing on the go or sit down for a meal.

The choice leans in direction of Western dishes resembling pizza, chilly cuts, cheese, and salad. Together with self-serve recent juices, glowing, pink, and white wine, you may as well discover a absolutely stocked fridge providing an ample alternative of soppy drinks and beer.

For espresso fanatics, there’s a bespoke espresso cart impressed by Asian road meals carts. The espresso cart serves freshly brewed specialty espresso made to order by knowledgeable baristas.

Nevertheless, no Cathay Pacific enterprise lounge expertise is full with out visiting the Noodle Bar. Right here you’ll discover Hong Kong- and Asian-inspired specialties resembling pattern dim sum, char siu buns, dumplings, and different regional specials.

There was additionally a small buffet of scorching gadgets to select from, in the event you wished to complement your Noodle Bar orders with just a few different gadgets. 

I had restricted time within the lounge, so I went straight to the Noodle Bar, the place I indulged in not one, however two basic dishes: wonton noodles and dan dan mian. I have to say, each dishes have been wonderful and I dutifully polished off each.

The wonton broth had a clear and refreshing flavour, and the wontons themselves had a fragile but satisfyingly chewy texture.

In the meantime, the dan dan mian was an explosion of flavour, with a fancy and daring style that was without delay spicy, savoury, and barely candy. The chilli oil added simply the correct quantity of warmth to stability out the dish.

The lounge’s bar space has a variety of alcoholic drinks, resembling spirits, cocktails, beers, and wines. Moreover, Piper Heidsieck Champagne, additionally out there with varied different airways and airport lounges, is among the many premium choices.

Lastly, The Tea Home serves a big selection of teas by skilled specialists, in addition to some recent baked items. It’s a singular nod to the airline’s roots and a neat addition to the lounge.

Sadly, I wasn’t capable of spend as a lot time within the lounge as I’d’ve preferred, resulting from having to get a last-minute antigen check upon checking into my flight to Paris. In any other case, I’d’ve actually cherished to take a seat down with a cup of heat tea to correctly recognize the atmosphere of the Tea Home. 

The Pier Enterprise Class Lounge by Cathay Pacific – Different Services

On the very finish of the lounge lies a hidden gem: The Leisure Room. Plush upholstered daybeds are nestled in semi-private alcoves with subdued lighting so you’ll be able to go to sleep simply.

There’s a complete of 14 of those inviting daybeds, accompanied by footstools. These daybeds aren’t fairly as swanky because the Day Suites in The Pier First Class Lounge, however would nonetheless serve nicely any passengers in want of a nap.

Exterior of this rest zone, you’ll discover two generously sized plush sectionals that face one another, serving as a snug ready space if the day beds occur to be occupied.

Adjoining to The Leisure Room are a minimum of 13 exquisitely appointed bathe suites.

The hallways that result in the bathe suites and bogs have a distinctly fashionable look, with gray slatted partitions. Stepping inside, the bathe rooms are marble-clad with a walk-in rain bathe, bathroom, and a single vainness.

There’s satisfactory room out there to position your baggage or suitcase; nonetheless, the rooms are considerably restricted in dimension. Nonetheless, I believed the bathe rooms have been visually pleasing and well-equipped with Aesop tub facilities.

Equally, the lounge’s washrooms have a clear and fashionable aesthetic, full with trendy brass fixtures, elegant marble counters, and Aesop tub facilities.

One remaining function that I didn’t get to take a look at on this go to is The Sanctuary by Pure Yoga, a more moderen addition to the lounge that provides a mini yoga room with 4 yoga mats and a flat-screen TV with guided rest packages.

Conclusion

The Pier Enterprise Class Lounge is a high-end lounge that ticks all of the containers for a snug lounge expertise earlier than taking to the skies, even despite some studies that the standard of meals and providers has gone down in recent times. 

One in every of my favorite components of The Pier Enterprise Class Lounge is the native components that embody the essence of Hong Kong. From the Tea Home to the mouthwatering Noodle Bar, the lounge’s food and drinks choices are an genuine reflection of the airline’s residence territory. 

Add within the well-equipped rest areas and bathe suites, and I’d rank Cathay Pacific’s The Pier as one of many higher home-base enterprise class lounges amongst all of the airways on the market, with just one gripe that I want I had extra time to completely recognize the lounge on this go to.