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I was wondering what people’s recent experiences of the CCR have been and whether it’s gotten a bit too busy like the rest of the lounges globally.
I went through a few weeks ago on a Thursday afternoon and it was relatively civilised, I even spotted an A-list celeb in the dining room. My father went through this morning however and it sounded like a zoo, queues for the first check-in desks, no seats in the dining room and being forced to have breakfast on the sofas! It’s his first time flying First with BA and the CCR, I think it was a bit of a letdown, especially after I hyped it up for him after my experience!. Maybe it was just a busy Monday morning for them, or has the quality got worse?
It’s the ITB travel show in Berlin, so I suspect a disproportionate number of Prems and GGL who work in the travel sector (and in theory Prems are meant to be travel budget holders) were flying out.
I was wondering what people’s recent experiences of the CCR have been and whether it’s gotten a bit too busy like the rest of the lounges globally.
I went through a few weeks ago on a Thursday afternoon and it was relatively civilised, I even spotted an A-list celeb in the dining room. My father went through this morning however and it sounded like a zoo, queues for the first check-in desks, no seats in the dining room and being forced to have breakfast on the sofas! It’s his first time flying First with BA and the CCR, I think it was a bit of a letdown, especially after I hyped it up for him after my experience!. Maybe it was just a busy Monday morning for them, or has the quality got worse?
The CCR is fine but really not much better than that – it offers some expensive alcoholic drinks, but the food and seating are rather unremarkable to poor. When the CCR or T3 lounges are ‘bigged up’ people are almost invariably, but unsurprisingly, disappointed.
Perhaps best not to hype things up.
The CX and QF lounges in T3 get hyped up which only leads to dissapointment.
They are good lounges with some good features but in no way should be put on a pedestal
I agree. I was excited to go to the CX F lounge a few weeks ago after all the hype and… meh. It’s nice enough, but not better than the CCR.
It’s a shame the CCR was busy, it is nice.I’ve been in the Concorde Room once (at JFK) and was really disappointed. The customer service was cold – despite there being about 4 other passengers in the whole lounge, I wasn’t welcomed by anyone, explained to how the sit-down food service worked, offered a drink, and ended up waiting at the bar for a good few minutes despite being the only person there. The decor was nothing special and the whole place lacked in atmosphere. I ended up heading over to the regular busines lounge.
I’ve been in the Concorde Room once (at JFK) and was really disappointed. The customer service was cold – despite there being about 4 other passengers in the whole lounge, I wasn’t welcomed by anyone, explained to how the sit-down food service worked, offered a drink, and ended up waiting at the bar for a good few minutes despite being the only person there. The decor was nothing special and the whole place lacked in atmosphere. I ended up heading over to the regular busines lounge.
Was this the concorde room in the old BA terminal at JFK or are you referring to the new lounges (Soho, Chelsea, Greenwich) that they have at T8?
I like the CCR. I mean, it’s an airline lounge…. But the staff, service and other guests have been great. A fine dining restaurant it ain’t, but it is far and above anything else in London (I remember the days when you could get a massage or haircut in the lounge!)
I also like the CCR, it’s been very calm and peaceful whenever I’ve been in there and we’ve always been able to get a table at the rear of the dining area, nicely tucked away. Even if it’s not fine dining, the food is served courteously and in a timely fashion, much better than getting overpriced fish and chips flung down in front of you after waiting 30 minutes in a restaurant in the terminal! I tend to run around doing everything at home so I find a bit of attention when travelling utterly blissful!
I’m also in the underwhelmed camp. I’ve only been in the CCR once, but found it quite soulless and uninspiring. Horses for courses I guess, but compared to the fun of the Virgin Clubhouse or the novelty of the Dim Sum Station in the CX T3 lounge, I couldn’t work out what all the fuss was about.
CX and QF lounges are very nice as well. I suppose one person’s soulless is another’s haven of calm 😂
As for fun, well maybe we’ll be allowed to have a Clubhouse up north one day so we can find out!!
Personally I’d say the Heathrow Clubhouse is a bit overrated. Sure, it offers a good selection of food an drink but its a bit of a barn with a 1970s vibe and the noise echoes around the main space when it gets very busy.
My opinion of the Concorde Room varies with my frame of reference.
Within strolling distance of my house in a small provincial town, I have 5-10 local bars and eateries where I would far prefer to spend a few hours than in the Concorde Room. Those places cook high-quality food from fresh ingredients, and the knowledgeable proprietors will talk at length about the provenance of their produce and why each item deserves a place on the menu. In that context, the CCR is pretty poor. Don’t try to engage the staff in a conversation about the source of the breakfast sausages or the variety of pumpkin in the ravioli, or you’ll be very disappointed.
But, compared with alternatives in Heathrow, the CCR is a beacon of excellence, and the CCR breakfast stacks up well against the trash that’s served in a typical lukewarm hotel buffet. In a sea of dismal mediocrity, the merely adequate can appear good.
Here’s a question for those who’ve used it: if the CCR opened a branch in your local high street, would you become a regular patron? I wouldn’t.
Here’s a question for those who’ve used it: if the CCR opened a branch in your local high street, would you become a regular patron? I wouldn’t.
That depends how it works, would it be pay a one off fee and consume as much as you’d like? Like a buffet? I do get your point though, I suspect it wouldn’t do that well, and yes the food quality isn’t restaurant quality aside from the breakfast actually I had there last, that was faultless
Mmm if it was unlimited smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and LPGS I might give it a try 😂
Though in my local high street its rivals would be McDonalds, Greggs and M & S café 🤷♀️
Mmm if it was unlimited smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and LPGS I might give it a try 😂
CCR no longer serves LPGS sadly.
I’ve been a couple of times and like it. Except for the seating in the dining area- those benches are awfully uncomfortable!
I’ve been in the Concorde Room once (at JFK) and was really disappointed. The customer service was cold – despite there being about 4 other passengers in the whole lounge, I wasn’t welcomed by anyone, explained to how the sit-down food service worked, offered a drink, and ended up waiting at the bar for a good few minutes despite being the only person there. The decor was nothing special and the whole place lacked in atmosphere. I ended up heading over to the regular busines lounge.
Was this the concorde room in the old BA terminal at JFK or are you referring to the new lounges (Soho, Chelsea, Greenwich) that they have at T8?
Prior to the changes. The hard product was nice, perhaps I just visited on a bad day.
I’m also in the underwhelmed camp. I’ve only been in the CCR once, but found it quite soulless and uninspiring. Horses for courses I guess, but compared to the fun of the Virgin Clubhouse or the novelty of the Dim Sum Station in the CX T3 lounge, I couldn’t work out what all the fuss was about.
I sat at the bar and talked to the barman and had a few decent off menu drinks made for me. Was fun enough time to kill an hour or so before the flight.
It’s all about what you want. I thought the food was fine deffo not high end fine dining but a cut above the rest of food offerings in LHR restaurants.
It’s also airside in an airport where everything and everyone is scanned for security and I’m sure there are restrictions on open flame cooking.
@jj is spot on. The food’s great for an airport lounge, and the drinks are, er, well, First Class. Good cocktails and reasonable wine (LPGS is £395/btl at my local posh eatery, plus service!). Hard pass at that price!
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