Review: Etihad Business Class Lounge, Abu Dhabi
I visited the Etihad Airways Premium Lounge - accessible to passengers with lounge access who are unable to access the Etihad First Class Lounge & Spa - on my layover heading back to Chennai. I could've easily accessed the First Class lounge, but I haven't reviewed this other lounge earlier (though I spent a fair bit of time here last year en route to London, but that was during my hiatus from blogging). So here, let's take a peek at the Etihad Premium Lounge in Abu Dhabi.
The lounge is located in Terminal 1, just before taking the escalators to some of the bus boarding gates.
Signage to Etihad Business Lounge
Etihad Business Lounge - entrance
The lounge has a check-in area where you present your boarding pass and, if required, other credentials (frequent flyer card, perhaps), to gain access to the lounge.
Etihad Business Lounge - check-in desk
The first thing that struck me as soon as I entered the lounge, was just how large it was. There was tons of seating, and I reckon it was just over half full at the time (around 8 am). Considering how many flights Etihad and its partner airlines operate, this level of crowd is to be expected.
The lounge has various different types of seating, and it almost looks as though they bought some random sets of chairs and couches, and distributed them across the lounge area!
Buffets are placed in five or six places within the lounge, which perhaps gives you some indication of the size of the lounge.
Etihad Business Lounge - buffet breakfast
Etihad Business Lounge - buffet breakfast
Etihad Business Lounge - buffet breakfast
Etihad Business Lounge - buffet breakfast
Etihad Business Lounge - bar
Etihad Business Lounge - bar seating
Etihad Business Lounge - bar
Etihad Business Lounge - buffet breakfast
Etihad Business Lounge - buffet breakfast
Etihad Business Lounge - buffet breakfast
Etihad Business Lounge - buffet breakfast
Etihad Business Lounge - buffet breakfast
Etihad Business Lounge - buffet breakfast
Etihad Business Lounge - buffet breakfast
Etihad Business Lounge - Buffet breakfast
Etihad Business Lounge - business centre
Etihad Business Lounge - The Den
Etihad Business Lounge - The Den
There's also a Style & Shave as well as a Six Senses spa on the premises. The spa includes a complimentary shower area, but all other spa and shave services are upon payment - no complimentaries here (unless maybe you're a first class guest, but then, why would you visit THIS lounge in that case?).
Etihad Business Lounge - Style & Shave, Six Senses spa
Etihad Business Lounge - Style & Shave
Etihad Business Lounge - Six Senses spa
Etihad Business Lounge - Six Senses spa
Etihad Business Lounge - seating area
Etihad Business Lounge - seating area
Etihad Business Lounge - Smoking room
Index of posts
- Introduction
- Chennai International Airport lounge
- Chennai to Abu Dhabi, Jet Airways B737-800, business class
- Etihad First Class Lounge &pa, Abu Dhabi
- Abu Dhabi to London, Etihad A380, business suites
- London to Dublin on Ryanair (because…I’m masochistic like that)
- Hotel review: Holiday Inn Express Dublin Airport
- Etihad First & Business Class Lounge, Dublin
- Dublin to Abu Dhabi, Etihad A332, business class
- Etihad Business Class Lounge, Abu Dhabi
The lounge is located in Terminal 1, just before taking the escalators to some of the bus boarding gates.
The lounge has a check-in area where you present your boarding pass and, if required, other credentials (frequent flyer card, perhaps), to gain access to the lounge.
The first thing that struck me as soon as I entered the lounge, was just how large it was. There was tons of seating, and I reckon it was just over half full at the time (around 8 am). Considering how many flights Etihad and its partner airlines operate, this level of crowd is to be expected.
The lounge has various different types of seating, and it almost looks as though they bought some random sets of chairs and couches, and distributed them across the lounge area!
Buffets are placed in five or six places within the lounge, which perhaps gives you some indication of the size of the lounge.
The Islamic holy month of Ramadan had concluded just a couple of days before this visit and so, unlike last year, the booze was out on full display at the bar.
Within about half an hour or so of my arriving at the lounge, it became nearly 100% occupied - so much so that chefs and other F&B staff were scurrying around replacing the bain maries with fresh food from the kitchens.
The lounge houses a business centre with some computers and a printer, as well as some secluded seating area called The Den.
The Den is basically a set of comfy couches where you can sit and watch your favourite TV program!
There's also a Style & Shave as well as a Six Senses spa on the premises. The spa includes a complimentary shower area, but all other spa and shave services are upon payment - no complimentaries here (unless maybe you're a first class guest, but then, why would you visit THIS lounge in that case?).
This being the UAE, you're never too far from a smoking room. There's one at the far corner of the lounge, just to the left of the Style & Shave.
This was a rather quick visit, since I had only about an hour or less in the lounge. Nonetheless, the purpose of this visit was to be able to take some pictures and write about it for our readers, so I'd say Mission Accomplished!
It was now time to board.
And it is also time to wrap up this series of posts. In all, it was a fabulous trip, that included both work (short as it was - just over a day) and a slightly longer (2 days) short vacation in Dublin. And the visit the spanking new Etihad First Class Lounge & Spa was the icing on this particular cake! Hope you liked this series, and do leave a comment below if you felt anything in particular interested you. Also be sure to read the other posts in the series - I've provided an index at the beginning of this post. Once again, thank you for reading!
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