Review: the impressive new Clubrooms lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3

This is our review of the new Clubrooms lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3.

The No1 Lounges group has opened a brand new Clubrooms lounge at Heathrow T3, hot on the heels of the recent No1 Lounge opened in Heathrow Terminal 2, reviewed here.

Clubrooms is the most premium of No1’s three lounge brands, which go from My Lounge through No1 to Clubrooms. The key difference between a No1 Lounge and a Clubrooms lounge – apart from the different design – is that the latter comes with an a la carte menu and table service.

How to access the Clubrooms lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3

As an independent lounge it is easier to access than the airline equivalent as Clubrooms is airline-agnostic. As No1’s most premium brand you will, however, have to pay to get in – even if you hold a Priority Pass or DragonPass membership.

Here are your options:

• Book Clubrooms on the No1 website here from £48+ per person
• Pay a £15 uplift when booking in conjunction with Priority Pass or DragonPass membership

The latter is almost a no-brainer if you receive Priority Pass membership from an American Express Platinum or Gold card. It is well worth paying the £15 for a la carte table service dining and the quieter, less crowded Clubrooms versus No1 Lounge next door.

You can also walk in to the lounge and pay on the door, although you are at risk of being turned away if the lounge if full. However, this is less common at Clubrooms because the need to make the extra payment puts many people off.

Standard opening hours are 5am to 9pm, seven days per week. Children under 12 are not allowed.

Where is the new Clubrooms lounge at Heathrow T3?

The good news is that the signage for lounges at Heathrow T3 is very good. Simply follow the signs for the No1 and Clubrooms lounges:

Terminal 3 also has a letter designation for all the lounges. In this case, the British Airways lounges, Clubrooms and No1 Lounge all share the Lounge F designation.

You have to walk down a very utilitarian corridor. It looks like you’re heading towards the BA lounges but just before you get there you’ll see a staircase and set of lifts on your right.

Take the lift up to the first floor and you’ll see the No1 Lounge in front of you. Turn right for the Clubrooms and go down another utilitarian corridor (which I’m told is Heathrow’s property so they can’t make it prettier and Heathrow refuses to repaint!)

Inside the Clubrooms lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3

The new Clubrooms is surprisingly big at 390 square metres with space for 116 guests. I’m told that this was originally an empty space – just raw concrete floors, a few columns and some windows – before No1 took it over. Given the lounge crunch at Heathrow I’m surprised it’s gone unused this long.

First impressions are set with a gold leaf chandelier and pampass grass centrepiece:

Unlike the No1 Lounge next door Clubrooms is divided into a collection of ‘rooms’ to break up the space and create a more intimate atmosphere. Seating varies between them:

On the far right is a small grab and go section with soft drinks and a few snacks such as chocolate brownies and flapjacks. Remember that the entire lounge features table service so staff will bring you anything you want regardless.

Here’s some more seating:

There’s an attractive long stretch along one set of windows with a beautiful statement marble faux fireplace at one end:

Sadly there’s no real view from these windows as they overlook the roof of the terminal. I was told that there were discussions to turn this into a terrace but unfortunately it would have been too difficult and expensive:

Away from the windows you have a small dining / working area with five full-height tables. There are plenty of mains sockets around the skirting board underneath the banquette:

This is the best spot for getting any work done as the rest of the lounge only features lower coffee-table height tables.

There are plug sockets almost everywhere:

The real star of the show, however, is the so-called Orangery. This is an overflow space and can be used by either Clubrooms or No1 depending on where the demand is. It is a corner space with two aspects, one of which lets you spy on an Emirates’ A380s if you’re lucky.

A very clever light feature in the centre mimics a skylight – you really wouldn’t know it was an electric light! It feels like you’ve stepped into a Mediterranean garden thanks to the (fake, but very convincing) olive tree at the centre:

All the plants are sadly fake, even those in the windows, but c’est la vie. There’s a small bar here although, again, the waitstaff will come to you:

Food and drink in the Clubrooms lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3

As I previously mentioned, virtually all food and drink in the Clubrooms is a la carte with table service. You’re given both a food and drink menu on arrival and can order as much or as little as you like during your stay.

I arrived at lunch time and the menu featured mains such as:

• Sous vide pork belly with roast potatoes and red cabbage
• Roast chicken breast with a smoky bean ragu and tarragon butter
• Seafood linguine with king prawn, squid and mussel in a garlic butter sauce
• Fable mushroom teriyaki bao buns
• Chicken & wild mushroom pie with mashed potatoes and fresh green vegetables
• North African chickpea tagine with roasted vegetable couscous

Other lighter bites were also available including a chicken, bacon and avocado ciabatta sandwich and apple, walnut and feta salad.

I went for the pork belly, which came with a generous serving of red cabbage (which I love) and roast potatoes and a side of gravy. I would have liked a few roast carrots on the side and left my feedback!

The drinks menu is also more generous than what you’d find at the No1 Lounge next door. You can order freshly made cocktails and mocktails with the bar staff able to make pretty much whatever you request.

Non vintage French sparkling wines are included but there’s a supplement for champagne, starting at £12 per glass or £40 per bottle. Otherwise there’s quite a selection with five white wines, two rosé wines and another five red wines.

Conclusion

The new Heathrow T3 Clubrooms lounge is a fantastic addition to the terminal’s loungescape and adds an excellent new premium option.

The space has been beautifully designed in the Clubroom’s more muted, British design aesthetic with herringbone parquet and dark blue furniture. The stand out for me, however, is the spectacularly light Orangery.

The table service and a la carte dining are obviously a big upgrade over other independent lounges and well worth the £15 upgrade if you have a Priority Pass.

You can find out more, and book entry for cash, on this page of the No1 website.