Tried & Tested

Lounge review: Skyteam Lounge, Heathrow Terminal 4

1 Jul 2019 by Tom Otley
Skyteam Exclusive Lounge Heathrow Terminal 4

Background

The Skyteam Lounge at Terminal 4 recently celebrated its 10th anniversary (in June 2019). I use the lounge probably four or five times a year, and haven’t done a specific review of it for many years, so having passed through it twice in recent weeks, thought I would do one on this occasion, partly because of the anniversary, and partly because, for once, it was quiet enough to take a few photographs.

Skyteam-Lounge-entrance

Where is it?

You’ll find the lounge by turning right once through security and walking down towards the lower numbered gates. The lounge is just beyond WH Smith around Gate 10. If you see the Pink shirt shop, you’ve just missed it. For a 360 degree tour of the lounge, see:

Skyteam Lounge Heathrow T4

Skyteam lounge at Heathrow T4

Who can access?

Here’s the edited terms of access from the Skyteam website: all first and business class passengers travelling on, or connecting to/from, a same-day international flight operated by a Skyteam member airline have access to a lounge.

For connecting customers, both the domestic and international flights must be operated by a Skyteam member airline and all segments need to be booked in first or business Class.

Regardless of their travel class, Skyteam Elite Plus members travelling on, or connecting to/from, a same-day international flight operated by a Skyteam member airline have access to a lounge. For connecting customers, both the domestic and international flights must be operated by a Skyteam member airline.

Guests:  Skyteam Elite Plus members can invite a guest travelling on a Skyteam member airline operated flight. Simply present the boarding pass of your guest for the lounge agent to validate for admission. In addition, Priority Pass has access.

First impressions

When you get to the lounge you’ll also see signs for what was once the Etihad Lounge, and now has been opened up to other airlines. you can read about that here.

UPDATED: No1 Lounges to manage Etihad lounge at Heathrow T4

When I arrived I was greeted and asked if I wanted to use the Clarins spa. I said I didn’t think I would have time, but in fact since there was no queue I could probably have had one of the complimentary facial treatments which last about 15 minutes. Instead they mentioned the massage chairs, which I have a weakness for and have not tried in this lounge before, and so a lady walked me around to the spa and I tried them.

She said the middle one was the best, and I had a very relaxing and only occasionally painful massage for 20 minutes. I may have overdone it because 24 hours later I was still feeling the effects, but to be fair, you can alter the pressure using the control.

Clarins spa Massage-chairs

The lounge is on two levels, and normally the staff try to encourage people to go upstairs so that the lower level doesn’t get too busy. This Sunday was no exception, and there was a sign saying that the hot buffet breakfast was being served upstairs, with only cold options available downstairs.

Skyteam-salads

The design of the lounge has held up well, I think, and I like the curves of the design and of course the greenery planted in there – it must be very difficult keeping it alive.

There’s a good choice of newspapers and magazines in many different languages, and lots of different areas to sit, from the tables around the buffet to more comfortable seating, and also some workstations.

I’ve been in here at pretty much every time of the day, and although it can get busy recently the whole terminal seems to have got quieter, mainly because of the loss of Jet Airways, I think.

Anyway, for now this is a quiet refuge during the day after the morning rush. I asked one of the ladies working there how many passengers they looked after each day, and though it fluctuated, she estimated about 7,000 per week.

Skyteam-Lounge-LHR-breakfast

I enjoyed having the hot buffet breakfast, and there was also a selection of drinks, from self-serve soft drinks and teas and coffees…

Drinks-cabinets

… through to a self-serve Heineken trolley as well as the wine bar.

Skyteam-Lounge-wine-bar-1

Here’s another view of it.

Skyteam-Lounge-wine-bar-2

By most of the seats there are charging points, and in a couple of places on both levels there are screens showing the flights. They always say they aren’t going to call the flights, but in my experience they sometimes do, and are always calling for passengers who haven’t shown up for their flight and the gate is closing.

Skyteam-buffet

Verdict

I like this lounge. It’s not the sort of place to get very excited about, but I think the staff are good and the range of food and drink is fine, though not outstanding. If you have time, enjoying a Clarins facial treatment for 15 minutes would be good, and I’d definitely try one of the massage chairs. They have them in the Elemis Lounge at T5, and you can wait over an hour for one of those.

skyteam.com

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