I recently flew with British Airways from London Heathrow to Geneva in Club Europe (British Airways version of business class, review coming soon!). A perk of flying Club Europe is that it gives access to numerous British Airways lounges scattered throughout Heathrow. But obviously this comes at a heavy cost over standard economy class. So I ask the question: British Airways Galleries Club Lounge Review | Is it Worth It?
- For more details on how to get free lounge access and whether lounges are worth visiting check out my post here!
Please check out my Youtube review too for a more visual impression:
Location
Located at the south end of terminal 5 and up a few flights of escalators, the lounge feels nicely cut off from the bustle of the main departures area. There are several British Airways lounges in this area including the famous Concorde Room. However, this is only for first class passengers.
Interior
Frankly, the decor and furniture in general feels like it has seen better days. I would imagine they’ll refurbish everything some time soon as it’s a bit tatty. Seats and tables were scuffed from wear and tear and the toilets were a bit tired. It wasn’t dirty per se, but everything was feeling its age. This is probably a result of how packed the lounge felt. It is pretty huge as far as lounges go, but for the shear volume of passengers passing through Heathrow I feel they could double the size and still feel full.
There were also some funky interior design choices, such as the strange horse-lamp sculpture. This coupled with more traditional British Airways themed decorations and aircraft models gave for an interesting contrast. Unfortunately as it was so full the cleaners seemed to be struggling to keep things tidy. Dirty dishes and glasses were strewn all over. We also had to clear croissant crumbs from our chairs. If you could find a clean chair however, they were comfy.
Food
The food and drink was definitely the highlight of this lounge. We arrived at about 11:30am just as they were changing from breakfast to lunch service so I got a selection of both. All of the food I tried was top notch. The breakfast was solid and you could essentially make you’re own McMuffin. The salads were also good, especially the tuna pasta salad. There was a wide enough range that I would think it’ll suit anybody’s palette and dietary requirements.
There is a dining area with tables to eat at but unfortunately it was full. Luckily my suitcase doubles as a table so I wasn’t overly worried. However, if you want a more civilised dining experience, either go at an off peak time or be prepared to wait for table.
They also offered a pretty impressive range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Coffee machines were stationed throughout the lounge. The machines had a relatively limited but tasty selection. Only downside was that it splashed hot milk/water everywhere when starting up so stand back.
The wine and champagne offering was also another high point. Free wine and champagne was on offer in several places around the lounge. I didn’t try any, but my mum assured me it met her high standards. Of course being a British lounge, tea was also plentiful. And soft drinks were available for those who don’t drink.
Final Thoughts
Overall this is a very middle of the road lounge. I really enjoyed the food and it’s a much faster and cheaper option compared to the many restaurants and cafes at Heathrow airport. On the other hand it was extremely busy with dirty plates left everywhere. The furnishing were comfy enough but really feeling their age.
As far as choices at Heathrow go this is a good bet if you have a British Airways Club ticket. However, compared to other flagship lounges at airlines such as Cathay Pacific and Qatar, The Galleries doesn’t even come close to comparing.
More from me:
If you want to read my full guide on whether airport lounges are worth it click here
A great way to get free airport lounge access is with American Express. Check out my post here about what kind of rewards you can earn with Amex, the best way to redeem your points, and my American Express referral links below:
- The Platinum Card – You Receive 35,000 Membership Reward points: https://americanexpress.com/en-gb/referral/fREDEGgRA5?CPID=100493012
- British Airways Card: You Receive 12,000 Avios after spending £1,000 in the first 3 months, I receive 8,000 Avios: https://americanexpress.com/en-gb/referral/fREDEGuUeO?CPID=100493012
For more reviews and articles by me please see below: