Review: the Executive Lounge at Cardiff Airport
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This is our review of the Executive Lounge at Cardiff Airport.
This is part of our series of reviews of airport lounges across the UK. You see all of the reviews here.
Reader Nathan kindly sent in some photographs and a brief review of the Executive Lounge at Cardiff Airport:
EDIT: This review is from 2017. We have a more recent 2019 review of the Executive Lounge at Cardiff Airport if you click here.
“The Executive Lounge at Cardiff Airport is located just off the main seating area tucked away in the left hand corner through double doors.
The opening hours are 05:00 – 21:00 daily (except for Saturdays Nov-May when the closing time is 17:00).
The lounge has one area to the left and another to the right. On the left side is an area with small tables and chairs.
If you want to do some work you can use one of the little desks. There are plenty of plug sockets available for use and free Wi-Fi.
There is a selection of newspapers and magazines.
If you turn right at the reception desk you enter the more relaxed and comfortable sofa area, with TVs showing the news on (this is a stock photo):
Both areas join to their own snack bars that ve a good selection of nibbles: pastries, crisps, cereal, fruit, yoghurt and cakes. The rocky road and Welsh cakes are excellent. Note that the food is the same at all times of the day so don’t expect anything special at breakfast or early evening. The coffee machine and soft drinks fridges are also here.
The alcoholic drinks have recently changed to bar service and the bar is in the area with the tables. The service has been prompt during the visits I have made since it changed from self-service.
The selection is good and features the normal range of spirits but I particularly like its selection of spirits from the Penderyn distillery in the Brecon Beacons. I am partial to the single malt and my wife loves the Merlyn (a Baileys-type drink). There is also a selection of wines and locally sourced Glamorgan beers.Entry can be gained with either a Lounge Club card (comes with American Express Gold, two free entries included) or a Priority Pass card (comes with American Express Platinum, unlimited free entries). You can also pay on the door or book in advance.
Conclusion
Though the lounge is small by comparison to some reviewed on HfP lately, it has never been busy when I have been there. When I was there at 6pm on a Friday there was only one other person in the lounge. This is likely due to how quiet Cardiff airport is in general.
I like the theming within the lounge with some Welsh history and a lot of large advertisements for the Penderyn distillery – although this is personal taste. The staff are very friendly.
There are toilets attached to the lounge so you do not have to go back to the main concourse. They could, to be honest, do with a bit of a face lift.
There are flight information screens within the lounge.
The dress code is smart casual. I have been to the lounge in tailored shorts and a t-shirt many times and never had any problems. I have also been in as a group the staff have been happy to keep serving us despite having more than the two drinks they recommend.
It would be nice if there was a larger selection of food and maybe a hot dish. But the nibbles are nice, especially the rocky road!”
Thanks Nathan. If you want to pre-book paid access to the lounge, you can do so via the Lounge Pass website here.
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