Рубрика: General

These lounges are a welcoming oasis away from the hustle and bustle of a busy airport. 

Traveling on commercial airlines can come with its highs and lows, from enjoying world-class customer service onboard your flight to waiting for hours in a long immigration queue. When it comes to flying first class, however, the luxurious first class airport lounges are a welcome escape from the crowds.

These first class lounges range in size and what they offer guests, but all are a welcoming oasis away from the hustle and bustle of a busy airport. Whether your preference leans toward restaurant-calibre dining, discreet spaces in which to work undisturbed, or a restorative retreat complete with spa-like amenities, these are some of the best first class airport lounges that deliver.

Best first class lounges around the world

Air France La Première Lounge, Paris

Air France’s Salon La Première Paris is the airline’s premium first class lounge, found at Charles de Gaulle airport (Terminal 2E). The space has been designed with two rooms, a larger one at the front and a smaller one towards the back. The larger room is decorated with stylish furniture in Air France’s signature colors of red, white, and grey, while the smaller room has been designed as a private retreat with cozy sofas.

The La Première Lounge offers a cocktail bar, a relaxation area, private bathrooms and four shower suites, to allow guests to freshen up between flights or before they step onboard. The shower suites are equipped with a walk-in rain shower, toilets, a floating vanity table and amenities including bathrobes, slippers and toiletries from Biologique Recherche.

One of the highlights of the Air France lounge is the dining area, which serves restaurant-quality dishes that could compete with several Michelin-starred establishments. Though there is a buffet for drinks and light bites, where the La Première Lounge really shines is with its à la carte dining, which offers a menu of dishes created by Alain Ducasse. Another highlight is the Sisley La Première area, where guests can enjoy complimentary facials and body treatments lasting from 30 to 90 minutes.

Swiss First Class Lounge, Zurich

Easily one of the best in the world, the luxurious Swiss First Class Lounge is found at Zurich International Airport (Terminal E). Spread across 8,000 sq ft of interior space, the lounge has the capacity for up to 80 guests – and even when it’s busy, it feels spacious and welcoming.

The Swiss lounge has a unique offering that makes it one of the best airline lounges in the world; it features two ‘day rooms’, which in effect are two bedrooms available for guests to use to freshen up and relax. Each of the rooms is similar to a guest room in a five-star hotel, complete with a double bed adorned with Hästens bedding and an en-suite bathroom, as well as panoramic views of the Alps. Those interested in a ‘day room’ must request one from the lounge’s concierge – they cannot be booked in advance.

The rest of this exclusive lounge has been designed with three areas: a bar, a restaurant and a large outdoor terrace. Part of the bar has been dedicated to the lounge’s incredible wine humidor, which is capable of holding up to 1,000 bottles of wine from all over the world. Meanwhile, diners at the lounge’s restaurant will be treated to white tablecloth service and an exclusive menu featuring Swiss regional specialties.

See also: The Best First Class Airlines in the World

Singapore Airlines Private Room, Singapore

Singapore Airlines has always been a world leader when it comes to customer service. For those flying in Singapore Airlines’ Suite Class or first class, this service goes one step further with the introduction of the Private Room – an exclusive lounge found within the airline’s home airport, the world-famous Changi Airport (Terminal 3).

A Singapore Airlines First Class passenger’s journey begins as soon as you reach the airport. There is a dedicated check-in area for those flying first or Suite Class, as well as a private entrance to the airport that leads directly to immigration. After this, guests are invited to visit the airport’s SilverKris lounge – and it is within this lounge that you will find the mysterious Private Room.

Within the Private Room, you’ll find comfortable leather lounge chairs and armchairs, which have mostly been arranged as pairs or individual seats to give passengers space and privacy. There are also two private rooms, a collection of shower rooms and a family room, as well as the latest addition: a cozy nap room to rest in between flights. The highlight of the lounge is its silver-service dining room, where you can enjoy a range of restaurant-quality dishes from around the world.

Etihad Airways Residence Lounge, Abu Dhabi International

The Etihad Airways Residence Lounge is actually located within Etihad Airways’ main first class lounge at Abu Dhabi International Airport. While the main lounge is available to all Etihad Airways first class passengers, the only guests able to access the Residence Lounge are those traveling in The Residence: a three-room private suite found on Etihad’s A380 aircraft.

The Residence Lounge has been designed as the ultimate space to relax and unwind before your flight. In the living room space, there are lounge chairs and leather sofas, a dining table, a television and a personal bar counter. Guests of the Residence Lounge are also treated to personalized butler service.

The larger first class lounge outside of the Residence is also an impressive location in its own right. Guests of the Etihad Airways first class lounge can enjoy the relaxation area, the TV rooms and a range of world-class food and beverage options, from Arabic mezze to high-end cocktails.

Cathay Pacific The Wing / The Pier, First Class Lounge, Hong Kong

The Wing is one of Cathay Pacific’s two first class lounges at Hong Kong International Airport (Terminal 1). Designed as a large, open-air space, The Wing offers guests a range of seating options, from armchairs and lounge chairs to office-style furniture where you can work in peace and quiet.

There are four food and beverage areas within The Wing, including an excellent à la carte restaurant called The Haven – dishes include everything from butter chicken masala to Wagyu beef – and a Champagne bar where guests can help themselves to several varieties. Within the lounge, five shower cabanas have been designed as mini spas. Each one is temperature-controlled, comprising a walk-in shower, deep bathtub, daybed, workspace, and amenities from Jurlique.

Looking for a more secluded space? Visit Cathay Pacific’s other first class lounge, The Pier. Designed by Studioisle, The Pier is found downstairs, under HKG’s Departures level. Designed as a calm retreat, The Pier features three food and beverage options, eight day suites with daybeds and complimentary massage service.

Thai Airways Royal First Lounge, Bangkok

This first class lounge has a dedicated check-in area designed to fast-track guests through security, and cold towels and bottled water are offered on arrival. The space boasts two VIP rooms and six private corners, each containing seating, a TV, and coffee table.

The lounge is predominantly known for its service and the its unique offering of a complimentary one-hour spa treatment in the Royal Orchid Spa, stocked with L’Occitane amenities.

For dining, there’s a small buffet or à la carte options in The Dining Room, serving up a selection of local culinary delights.

British Airways Concorde Room, London

Situated in London’s Heathrow Airport (Terminal 5), you must be flying on a British Airways flight in first class to gain access to this exclusive area. Deep within Heathrow airport, the private space can be found inside the Galleries First Class Lounge.

The Concorde Room has been designed to feel residential, reminiscent of a luxurious living room; it is appointed with comfortable sofas, armchairs, and beautiful chandeliers. Within the lounge, there is also a space designed as an indoor-outdoor terrace that offers expansive views of the runways, ample natural light and daybeds to relax on.

The Concorde Lounge features a dining room where those waiting for their flights can enjoy restaurant-quality fine dining and full table service, with extensive seasonal menus and pairings with fine wines and champagnes. 

Chelsea Lounge at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York

Operated in partnership with British Airways, the Chelsea Lounge at JFK bridges the historical bond between New York and London. A large champagne bar and fireplace lounge act as the centrepieces for the space, which has come under some fire for lacking any natural light. 

The dining is all à la carte, spanning an all-day menu with both British and American culinary influences, with a small snack station also on offer. Relaxation areas and three shower suites are also available for use.

Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge — South, Doha

Sprawling across some 10,000 sq metres, Qatar Airways’ flagship business-class lounge’s scale is almost disorienting. An elaborate chandelier is framed by spiral staircase is framed by and black-tiled pool. A sequence of dining options (the à la carte one serving up Arabic specialities that share the stage with sushi, hot dishes, and extravagant desserts, should you need a sugar boost) and several relaxation zones form the wider space.

Stretch out in a sleep pod, surrender to chaos in the games room, or catch up on emails in the expansive business center – there’s plenty of spaces to explore if you can find the time.

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Amsterdam’s Conservatorium Hotel now bears the name of the international group – we checked in. 

In 2024, Amsterdam took a firm stance against overtourism, introducing a strict ban on new hotel developments to curb the steady influx of millions of annual visitors. As with all rules, there was a getaround: big-name groups who wanted a presence in the city could take over an existing one.

It’s under this guise that earlier this year, the Conservatorium Hotel became the Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium, Amsterdam. Dating to 1897, the building has lived many lives. It was first the Rijkspostspaarbank (National Savings Bank), then transformed into the Sweelinck Conservatory of Music – one of the nation’s most prestigious music schools – in the 1980s, before lying dormant for several years until it was transformed into a luxury hotel in 2011.

The building’s history remains embedded. From the front, the building is all towering Gothic Revival grandeur, but head up the steps, past the row of boutique shops, through to the back of the hotel, and you’ll find an ultra-modern lounge, lobby, and dining atrium, where a soaring glass ceiling gives the impression of open skies.

See also: The Check-In: Mandarin Oriental Announces its First Hotel in Mallorca

In the older portion of the property, ornate tiles line the walls, with their design becoming more simple the higher you climb. “There were no elevators when the bank was built, so the most important people had offices lower down,” I’m told. “Their offices were the ones with the better designs.”

So far, the Mandarin Oriental touches have been light (minus the arrival of an all-new, big-name restaurant): the team all bear the brand’s signature fan pin, and the logo is liberally dotted around, but otherwise the handover feels understated. Time will tell how much of a stamp the big-name group will put on the historic property.

Stay

During the Mandarin Oriental takeover, the hotel remained fully operational and felt pretty close to full when I visited mid-week in early spring. As a result, the guest rooms and suites haven’t been given much attention – although, I have been told they will be upgraded in due course.

Until then, guests will find slick, contemporary rooms (129 in total), each with plenty of space. Despite the number of rooms (129 in total). The property’s biggest accommodation is the Penthouse, which has floor-to-ceiling windows throughout, a mammoth soaking tub, lounge and dining areas, and private lift access. While the penthouse has the biggest square footage, the other signature suites all have special merits: the Amsterdam Suite, for example, sits way up in the eaves and has its own rooftop terrace, while the Garden Suite has, as you’d expect, its own pretty garden area.

The age of the hotel shows in places, namely in the in-room technology, which was likely top of the range when it was installed but, in 2026, feels frustrating to manage.

Dine

The headline act of Mandarin Oriental’s takeover was the launch of Israeli-British chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s first restaurant in the Netherlands. In London, Ottolenghi’s premium delis have achieved cult-like status, and he is widely credited for bringing veg-forward Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes to the forefront in the city. 

This approach has carried over to Amsterdam. Like Rovi, Ottolenghi’s Fitzrovia restaurant, the menu here is predominantly vegetarian and focused on open fire cooking – expect lively, fresh flavors, with a dose of smoky charring.

Breakfast, too, has had the Ottolenghi treatment and in addition to a substantial buffet, guests can order from a small selection of specials – the tahini French toast is good, but the shakshuka is even better.

Taiko remains a core part of the hotel’s dining scene since the takeover, and continues to serve Japanese-inspired fine dining, highlighting local Dutch ingredients.

Relax

The hotel’s subterranean spa has been largely left alone in the re-brand – likely due to standards already being high. The space includes a substantial gym (far larger than most hotel offerings), a 59-ft lap pool, a hydrotherapy pool, and a yoga studio. It might be below ground, but a smart glass wall pulls in plenty of natural light.

Explore

The hotel is a touch out of the main Amsterdam drag, but feels quieter for it. What is right on your doorstep, however, are some of Europe’s – if not the world’s – most famous museums. This includes the Rijksmuseum, where you can see works by a selection of the great Dutch master, including Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh – and the dedicated Van Gogh museum, which houses some of his most celebrated works as well as personal letters and mementos.

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