Etihad First Class Lounge review, beautiful but for too many

First-class lounges are a real "challenge" in the challenge for airlines. E in this category I have to say that to surprise, positively, are often unexpected vectors. And that of Etihad in Abu Dhabi's new airport. is not the exception that proves the rule.

I have already reviewed the business lounge, a few days after it was opened in December 2023, and now I was also able to see the area reserved for the most exclusive passengers.

Location

To enter this lounge you have to pass a double entrance. The first is on the ground floor near gate C29, but from here you can also enter the business lounge since the First Class lounge occupies a small part of the space used by the business lounge.

Then you have the option of taking the escalator or elevator to get to the 3rd floor. Here you are greeted by name by the lounge team, scan your boarding pass again, and then have access to the lounge proper.

Access

First class passengers and holders of the highest level in the Etihad Guest program, namely Platinum, are eligible.

The hall

Passengers can move freely between the two environments, the one more exclusive than the F with all the rest of what this immense lounge has to offer.

The lounge maintains the same characteristics as the less valuable area, only everything here is more elegant. More than 50% of the area is occupied by the restaurant, operating h24.

At the back of the hall is a relaxation area with nice facilities for passengers to be quiet, hidden from the view of other guests and comfortably reclining on chaise lounges.

I honestly don't understand this choice to give so much importance to the restaurant over everything else, as if passengers come here in droves to eat, when then on board you have an even more luxurious experience in terms of food and wine.

I, as always, when I fly F I try to spend as much time as possible in the lounge to take advantage of all the facilities, and here I must say I took up residence for over 12h.

Two gates, those generally used by A380s, are connected to the lounge: in this way, as is the case with Emirates, passengers do not have to leave the lounge to reach the boarding gates, a convenience that saves ups and downs and many unnecessary steps.

The real flaw-but here it is structural and EY has been able to do very little-is the total absence of views and very little natural light that illuminates these rooms, compared to even the rest of the hall.

The Residence for The Residence

There are then Two mini apartments to accommodate as many travelers in The Residence, and I enjoyed it all. Sure is not comparable to Air France's suites, but it is close.

I arrived at AUH at 10 a.m. with the flight leaving at 11 p.m., checked in, headed to the lounge and had breakfast.

A la carte menu and starred restaurant service.

After breakfast was finished, I was escorted to my room and used it, free of charge, until it was time to be taken on board. There is a dining table in the apartment, a large sofa that had been made into a bed for me, and a bathroom with a shower, all exclusively for me and my entire stay.

Guests have a butler at their disposal from whom they can ask anything: eating, drinking, shopping or, for example, to book a treatment at the lounge's spa.

Also waiting for me in my apartment was a rich plate of fresh fruit and snacks.

Food & Beverage

As mentioned, the heart of the lounge is the dining area. The wine list is extensive, although during my stay it was impossible to have a glass of Rosé because they had forgotten to put it in the refrigerator. Okay at 1 p.m. when I first ordered it, but even at 8 p.m. before I went to board it was still "undrinkable," much to the chagrin of the maid assigned to my room.

There is an a la carte menu from which to draw what you want: it is the same for both those who "live" in the apartment and those who are merely F's guests.

There is also a mini buffet. Here, under refrigerated glass bells, small finger foods are displayed, from sweet to savory. If you then want a simple Coke, you can also serve yourself from the special coolers.

I had breakfast with a poached egg and salmon, and snack with shrimp and white rice. I must say that both my choices satisfied me.

The service

Every time I put my nose outside my apartment I was immediately "caught" by the butler, who was ready to escort me around the lounge so that everyone knew I was a "The Residence."

A truly unique service and one that I have never experienced with any other company, although now La Première has real apartments available for F guests, but for a fee (at the cost of an economy ticket... expensive!).

The Spa

For the first time, I took advantage of the SPA in the lounge, partly because it was not yet open at the end of 2023. This space is open to all travelers, even those who are not in the lounge.

As The Residence I was entitled to 30 minutes of free treatment, extendable to a longer one, discounted from the first half hour, while If you simply travel in First you don't get anything for free.

I also took advantage of it for a beard tune-up before leaving.

In conclusion

I would undoubtedly prefer an environment like La Premiere, that is, a choice to give access to the F lounge only to passengers labeled to fly in this cabin, rather than opening it to all Etihad Guest top tiers.

I must say that the mini-apartment made the difference, but being only 2 and only for those traveling in The Residence, makes this lounge a notch lower when compared to other carriers that still offer First Class. The fact that the SPA is "promiscuous" with the rest of the travelers also makes it less exclusive, when compared to Doha, Paris or Hong Kong.

• first class