Bits: Aspire T5 lounge opening date, Radisson and Park Inn flash sale now on

News in brief:

Opening date for the Aspire Terminal 5 lounge announced

Via their Twitter feed, Servisair / Swissport has announced that the new ‘Aspire’ lounge in Terminal 5 will open on August 4th.

This is good news for me if true as I am passing through T5 on August 6th!

Slightly suprisingly, the base entry price has been set at £35.  This is – to be fair – the same as Plaza Premium charges in Terminal 2 for a two hour visit, but that lounge is of a very high calibre. oozes class and is the definition of ‘oasis of calm’.  It remains to be seen if Aspire can reach this level.  A computer image of the design is below.

If you are planning to visit the Aspire lounge and do not have a Priority Pass, your best option is to book in advance and guarantee admission via the Aspire website here.

Radisson Blu and Park Inn flash sale – save 30%

Both Radisson Blu and the budget Park Inn chain are running flash sales for the next few hours (they end at midnight on Wednesday).

Here are the key features:

you get a 30% discount on the standard B&B rate

only Radisson Blu and Park Inn properties in the UK are included

stay dates are from now until September 6th

you must book by midnight on Wednesday

You will earn points in the Club Carlson loyalty scheme – you can top these up with American Express Membership Rewards points at a generous 1:3 ratio if you are short of a reward.

The Radisson Blu landing page for the sale is here.  The Park Inn page is here.