Two floors, lavish buffet, wines a go-go and super views of the slopes. Hooray for Cape Town's Slow Lounge
The 'Slow Lounge' brand is South African, and the lounges are found only in South Africa. They were owned by the late [...]
CPT
'Slow Lounge' brand is South African and the halls are found only in South Africa. They were owned by the defunct Comair, a subsidiary of British Airways that operated (in British livery) domestic routes within and around the country.
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There are five in all: two are at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg (one at the domestic terminal and the other at the international terminal, open 24/7), one in the domestic part of the Cape Town airport terminal, one in Durban, and one at the secondary, low-cost airport in Johannesburg, Lanseria International Airport. TFC visited the one in Cape Town, before a flight to Johannesburg in business class with South African airline Airlink.
Location
The hall is located Beyond the security checkpoints in the part of the terminal dedicated to domestic flights. It is very easily reached by being a few dozen meters to the right from the controls and is A short distance from the gates, especially those with boarding bridges.
Access
It can be accessed by Airlink Business Class passengers and to members with Emerald and Black status of the South African airline's FFP Skybucks (In Johannesburg, in the international terminal, the Slow Lounge is also open to premium or status travelers from Air France, KLM and Delta Airlines).
In addition to them, the lounge is open to Premier, Private, Private Health customers of FNB bank (which owns the Slow Lounges), Platinum and Black card holders of FNB itself, and customers of RMB Private Bank. On the other hand, you cannot enter it with either the Priority Pass or the Dragon Pass and other cards used to access lounges not operated by the airlines. The opening hours go 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., except on Saturday where closes at 8 p.m..
The lounge
Very large and airy, two stories, with a dramatic staircase going to the upper floor, has huge windows overlooking the aircraft apron and the Cape Town airport's only runway that make it very bright. The most commonly used material, for the floors and for the panels on the walls, is wood, which makes it very warm and cozy.
On the entrance floor, to the left of the reception, offers an area with armchairs and sofas, an island with food and a wall counter (opposite the windows) with other food and drinks flanked by a bar with a bartender in front of which there are a few tables at which you can eat and drink more comfortably than in armchairs or on sofas. On the opposite side are the restrooms.
Going up the steps, we land on another living area on which it opens a small room dedicated to massagei. A little beyond that is. A dedicated food & beverage area (the same as on the ground floor, but on a smaller scale) and thus to a 'work area' with a large table equipped with power outlets and Usb-A and Usb-C sockets (which are also present in all the small tables that flank armchairs and sofas on both floors of the room).
Climbing a few more steps leads to a corner space with floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides, armchairs and sofas that has an actual bar (with bartender) in the middle offering coffee, cappuccinos and super spirits.
A corridor branching off to the right leads to a pair of shower-rooms and to the Toilets that have exceptional views of the apron and aircraft (a 'loo with a view' but on the ground). Bath products (gel and hand lotion) are from L'Occitaine en Provence.
Food & Beverage
One is spoiled for choice. Three hot proposals (fried fish, a chicken in some sauce and vegetables) and then a variety of appetizers, cold meats, cheeses, cold skewers of meat and fish, raw vegetables, fruits and an assortment of desserts.
To drink water (sa tapping on tap), soft drinks, three varieties of beer and the famous South African wine, with Two reds and two whites in special refrigerators to be tapped from the bottle.
Pro
- Too many to list
Against
- Closes too early