After our flight from Hyderabad, we headed to the Etihad Business Class Lounge for a quick breakfast (we slept through the flight). The lounge was located not far from the security check point and we were promptly admitted upon presenting our boarding passes.
Disclaimer: Lately Etihad has made significant cuts to its lounge offerings and hard product so I’m not quite sure whether this lounge still stands as it did when I visited.
The area of the lounge is quite large, but is also quite confined. There were no windows to be found anywhere, which took away from the lounge’s elegant bar and clean design. The lounge is crowded, but not unbearably so like the Centurion lounges. There was plenty of seating even during this peak hour in the morning.
While the Etihad lounge does lag behind Emirates in grandeur, it certainly felt to me like the lounge which had more useful food options (especially for vegetarians). The breakfast menu included all kinds of continental breakfast items alongside a few hot options. There is more than enough food here to make yourself a good breakfast. I always find that Emirates tries to complicate matters by trying too hard with items in their buffet. Not everyone wants a full English or South Asian breakfast!
There’s also a kid’s play room in the lounge, but the entertainment options overall were quite limited when compared to Emirates in Dubai where they have multiple play areas and video games set up to pass time.
If you are in need of a computer or printer, both are available within the lounge at multiple locations.
Anyway the space is definitely nice enough to spend time in for a quick layover, but it really isn’t anything spectacular for you to come and hang out in just for the heck of it. The Style and Shave along with spa part of the lounge is now permanently closed so all the more reason to not spend too much time here.
There is a concierge desk in the lounge and I am assuming that it is there to take care of travel changes and perhaps leave your luggage while taking a shower.
Bottom Line:
Overall, a solid lounge with better food options than Emirates does in its business class lounges. However, it is pretty much second second in all other aspects when compared to likes of Emirates’ lounge in Dubai and of course Qatar’s in Doha.
TRIP REPORT INDEX:
United Club SFO Concourse F Rotunda
United Global First Lounge – SFO (Now Replaced with the Polaris Lounge)
United NEW Polaris SFO-AKL (777-300ER)
Air New Zealand Economy AKL-CHC
AirBnB Review: Lake Tekapo
Focal Point: Tekapo
World’s Greatest Drives: Tekapo to Franz Josef Glacier
Te Waonui Forest Retreat: Franz Josef Glacier
Focal Point: Lake Matheson
Focal Point: Korowai-Torlesse Tussocklands Park
Crowne Plaza Christchurch
Manaia (Priority Pass) Lounge Christchurch
Qantas Economy Christchurch – Melbourne
Westin Melbourne
Photowalk: A Day in Melbourne
Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge Melbourne
Singapore Airlines First Class Melbourne – Singapore
Singapore Airlines Private Room @ Changi
Singapore Airlines Silver Kris Lounge @ Changi
Singapore Airlines Economy Class Singapore – Hyderabad
Westin Hyderabad Mindspace
Focal Point: Hyderabad – Old City
Plaza Premium Lounge Hyderabad
Etihad Business Class HYD-AUH-DFW
Etihad Business Class Lounge Abu Dhabi
Etihad Business Class Lounge Abu Dhabi (US Departures)
