Before my 3-day trip to London got underway, I found myself with several hours to kill at Heathrow before my sister’s flight arrived. Our flights landed within 40 minutes of each other, but she found herself in a 2-hour long line at customs! Lucky for me, there was a Priority Pass arrivals lounge in the terminal where I would be meeting her. The Plaza Premium Arrivals Lounge is open daily from 5:00am to 10:00pm.
The main area of the lounge looks like a fancy coffee shop or bar. I walked past it more than once before realizing it was a lounge. When I saw the sign saying Priority Pass was accepted, I headed on in. Unfortunately, this was after I purchased a cappuccino at Caffè Nero…
Unlike a traditional lounge, most food is ordered at the bar. I had already eaten breakfast on my flight so I didn’t get a chance to try anything. However, I did see that they served a full English breakfast in addition to lighter options like pastries and muffins. As lunchtime rolled around, it looked like they had some additional options like salads.
In addition to the food, the lounge offers showers which I didn’t have time to take advantage of. For those who are staying longer, spa services are available for an extra charge.
Individual bathrooms are one of the things I look for in a lounge since it’s nice to have a little privacy after spending time in an airport or on a plane. These bathrooms were a bit small, but they were clean and I never found myself having to wait. I feel silly posting a picture of a toilet, but for those who are curious, here you go!
Final Thoughts
Having sat outside in arrivals for almost an hour before realizing this lounge existed, I was particularly appreciative of the comfortable seating, outlets for charging my phone, and free beverages. While this lounge isn’t as expansive as most departure lounges, it certainly does the trick if you’re looking to freshen up after a flight. Even if you arrive in Terminal 3 like I did, it’s only a 10-minute walk to Terminal 2 so you can still take advantage of this lounge. Also, since you don’t need a boarding pass to enter and the lounge is located land-side, you can hang out and grab a bite to eat if you are at Heathrow picking up a friend.
