Virgin Atlantic’s Cool and Contemporary Clubhouse Lounge at London Heathrow Airport
by Krish Patel
Business Class lounges make for a great space to relax before flying. Usually, you can expect to find elevated food offerings and comfortable seating. However, some airlines hype up their lounges and offer amenities such as showers, a full service bar, and a relaxation area. A perfect example of a Business Class lounge that’s fun and cool is the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at London’s Heathrow Airport.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Location, Hours, and Access
The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is located in London Heathrow’s Terminal 3, right above the American Airlines Admirals Club. You’ll come across a large grand staircase or you can take an elevator to reach the lounge. It’s open daily from 6:00 AM to 10:30 PM and is accessible to both Virgin Atlantic Upper Class passengers and Delta One passengers. Select Flying Club or SkyMiles members also receive complimentary access.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Seating, Layout, and Amenities
Once you step foot in the lounge, you’ll notice that it truly reflects the relaxing and chill vibes of the Virgin brand. The Clubhouse opens up past the front desk, with many seating areas for lounging around, working, or dining. I love the ceiling of the lounge, which makes the area feel nice and spacious.
In the center of the lounge space is a massive seating area with communal seating spaces, plush couches, and a variety of chairs. The seating adopts a luxurious tone of red and brown, which pairs nicely with the cozy wooden flooring. While this part of the Business Class lounge offers plenty of comfortable seats with access to table space, it’s among the most crowded part of the lounge, so venturing further to find a seat is recommended. From the central seating area, the lounge splits off in all directions.
There are seating options in the Clubhouse for every type of traveler. Avgeeks would be happy about the incredible views of aircraft the lounge offers, with plenty of seating lining the windows. There are some plush chairs found at the front of the lounge that overlook planes and Heathrow’s iconic air traffic control tower.
If you’re looking to relax, you’ll find a TV area complete with lounge chairs towards the left end of the space. Business travelers might appreciate the dedicated workstation found right behind the television lounge. The work space in the Virgin Clubhouse comes with plenty of charging outlets at each desk, as well as access to a printer and computers.
Right adjacent to the workstation is a staircase that leads upstairs into the games room. Here, you’ll find a shuffleboard, some communal seating, and various CDs and interesting pictures stocked on the shelves. Another set of stairs can be found in the games room that takes you outside onto the rooftop garden. It’s my absolute favorite part of the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, since you’ll be able to enjoy the views of aircraft and soak in some fresh air.
Making your way over to the far right end of the lounge, there’s another seating area with several interesting furniture options. These include swinging egg chairs and several plush furniture options for lounging.
At the right end of the Clubhouse, you’ll also find several cool amenities such as a hot yoga studio, showers, and a relaxation area. The hot yoga studio is complete with Peloton yoga mats, blocks, and dumbbells. You’ll even find towels and flavored water to help you refresh after working out. I’m a fan of the garden-inspired wall that can be found in each of the yoga pods that make the space feel lush and inviting.
Virgin Atlantic has partnered with the skincare company Ren to offer soaps and skin creams in the shower suites. The showers are quite spacious and come with good water pressure and temperature. Best of all, there are several storage lockers outside the shower suites where you can keep your carry-on luggage while freshening up.
Adjacent to the showers is the relaxation area, which features several beds in a quiet and dark setting. It serves as the perfect place to take a nap, especially during a long layover when lounge access comes in handy. You’ll also find some comfortable lounge seating if you prefer not to sleep.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Food and Drink
Virgin Atlantic’s food and beverage selection in the Heathrow Clubhouse is quite exceptional. There’s one cold buffet station offering mixed greens, pasta salad, quinoa salad, and assorted cheeses and cold cuts. If you’re looking for a light snack, then the buffet has a pretty solid selection.
Adjacent to the buffet is the lounge’s restaurant, where you can order breakfast, lunch, dinner, or afternoon tea. Each table comes with a QR code, which you can scan to view the menu and place your order. Additionally, every seat in the lounge has a QR code, making it possible to order food and beverages directly to your seat. Travelers looking for a more substantial meal will be more than satisfied with the á la carte selection.
Found within the main seating area is the lounge’s bar, serving as the focal point of the space. All of the beverages (including the alcohol) are complimentary at the bar, and Virgin offers plenty of wines and cocktails to choose from. Of course, there are also plenty of refreshing mocktails if you’re looking for something non-alcoholic. Each of the cocktails and mocktails are curated by in-house mixologists and utilize a variety of ingredients.
Overall Thoughts
Virgin Atlantic has one of the best Business Class lounges at its hub in London Heathrow. The Clubhouse feels very modern and contemporary on the inside, with amenities that suit every type of traveler. You’re not going to feel bored here since there’s a lot to explore in terms of seating options and amenities designed to enhance the travel experience. Its design makes the space feel very elevated and luxurious compared to traditional airport lounges. If you’re flying Virgin Atlantic Upper Class or Delta One through London, you’re going to have an incredible time in the Clubhouse.
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