09 Oct
Lifestyle

Vodka Martini

Purists will argue that a true Martini employs gin rather than vodka, but who are we to disagree with 007, whose oft-repeated request for a Vodka Martini is as closely associated with the series of films as his famed introduction as “Bond. James Bond”? We will, however, insist that it should be stirred rather than shaken in order to produce the most silky-smooth cocktail.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 ounces vodka
  • 1/2 ounce dry vermouth
  • Garnish: lemon twist

Steps

  1. Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir until very well-chilled, about 20 to 30 seconds.

  2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

  3. Garnish with a lemon twist.

 

09 Apr
Lifestyle

Gene Sarazen’s 1922 Patek Philippe

A rare Patek Philippe given to Gene Sarazen in honor of winning the 1922 U.S. Open.

Adding to the value is an inscription on the back that reads, “Presented to Gene Sarazen by the Apawamis Club where he started his golf, July 24, 1922.”

Sarazen once caddied at Apawamis, and he won the first of his seven majors that summer at the U.S. Open.

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26 Oct
Lifestyle, Uncategorized

Q&A: Offering More To Your Members and Front of the House Employees

To most clubs and resorts, front of the house employees represent the face of your business –– they’re the ambassadors to your property and have the potential to transform the member experience. Because these employees play such an important role, the clubs they work for should be not only be paying attention to, but strongly investing in, their satisfaction, engagement, and performance.

Forbes Travel Guide is one of the leading companies that provides luxury and full-service hotels with tools and platforms to energize and enrich the lives of their team members through goal setting, professional coaching, and ongoing training which can help drive engagement, and therefore, higher sales. And recently, they expanded beyond hotels and into private clubs.

Private Club Marketing spoke with David Tyson CCM, Vice President, Private Clubs of Forbes Travel Guide, about the company’s belief that greater engagement of front of the house staff translates to greater member/guest experience and increased incremental revenue, as well as how Forbes Travel Guide makes that happen.

PCM: Can you provide a basic summary of what Forbes Travel Guide’s Private Club division does?

David Tyson: Forbes Travel Guide is the global expert on genuine Five-Star service. We’ve been providing training at the most prestigious hotels around the globe for more than 15 years, and it’s because of this reputation that private club owners and managers regularly approach us. They want to replicate the same exceptional service found in Five-Star hotels, so we created our Private Clubs division.

We offer a variety of services tailored to clubs:

Our approach starts with Forbes Travel Guide standards – more than 500 clearly defined guidelines that are a roadmap for member expectations at clubs and provide structure for staff and management.

Our expert in-person training helps staff understand the “why” behind the standards, and how to apply our guidelines in a variety of situations, while engaging and motivating front-line teams and managers alike. We can extend that learning through online training, which is scalable to large teams and helpful for onboarding new employees.

Further, clubs can engage in Custom Standards Development, where our experts collaborate with club leadership to identify the fundamentals of the club’s culture and codify service guidelines specific to that club.

And for clubs that want to benchmark and track their performance on Forbes Travel Guide or custom standards, we also provide Quality Assessments – a detailed service and facility audit to provide clear, independent perspective on what’s happening at the club.

PCM: Many private clubs already run similar employee training and management programs internally. What makes Forbes Travel Guide’s Private Clubs services different from these internal programs?

Tyson: We’ve been defining luxury hospitality for more than 60 years and currently provide support services in 74 countries. We also work with other service-oriented industries, such as luxury residential, cruise lines, private aviation, and event venues. As a result, we have unrivaled expertise and enjoy a unique position in having global visibility of luxury service delivery. This gives us a great perspective when working with private clubs, something that is difficult to match with in-house training programs. It also helps for management and staff to hear a fresh perspective.

PCM: Some people might see what these incremental revenue programs as basic upselling 101. How would you respond to this?

Tyson: Upselling does not make service, but service can make or break upselling. Ultimately, we want to create an environment where the member feels special, where there is trust and rapport built between the member and staff, and where the staff is approaching interactions with thoughtfulness and anticipation of the member’s needs. All of those skills are of a much higher order than basic upselling. When you have them in place, upselling happens of its own accord, and more effectively than it would if it were approached purely from a transactional point of view. Establishing that kind of service culture ultimately supports bigger-ticket concerns such as member recruitment and retention.

PCM: What are some of the other elements beyond pay that hospitality leaders should focus on that contribute to running a strong team?

Tyson: Positive company culture is single-handedly the most important element for running a strong team, and it needs to be driven by strong leadership. Hospitality leaders must prioritize culture, as it is their key differentiator and can drive strong business outcomes. Culture informs how staff behave and perform, which is paramount in the hospitality industry. Additionally, the best staff want to work at the best organizations, which in turn fuels stronger teams.  Our tailored training solutions help to enhance and elevate company culture since we work closely with team leaders to maintain and sometimes even co-create great company culture.  Excellent service is always at the core.

PCM: How does this directly translate to higher property revenue?

Tyson:  It’s proven that organizations with a positive company culture perform best. It’s simple to see why — a great company culture equates to happier teams which results in happy customers, thus better guest retention and brand reputation. The end result is a contributing factor to higher club revenue.

PCM: Forbes Travel Guide puts a lot of emphasis on real-time data and insights to show what’s working and what’s not working. Can you talk about how Forbes Travel Guide thinks about data and metrics?

Tyson: Forbes Travel Guide’s super power is combining data and training. The results of our Quality Assessment – where we assess a club on more than 500 service and facility standards – give our trainers insight into each club’s unique strengths and opportunities, allowing them to target their training approach.

For club leaders, our Quality Assessments provide actionable insights through a combination of scoring and detailed evaluator observations that explain the hits or misses on each standard. Our online reports include tools to filter, sort and search results – all the way down to the level of tracking individual standards over time – so that club leaders can identify trends and examine their performance from a variety of perspectives.

PCM: Forbes Travel Guide works with hospitality clients in more than 72 countries. Can you talk about managing programs that drive employee and guest satisfaction on a global scale?

Tyson: Every engagement is unique, depending on the level of staff skill, management goals, and local environment. That would seem like a challenge on a global scale, but it’s not because we do not mandate a cookie-cutter approach to service. Instead, we strive to make service consistent, efficient, thoughtful and anticipatory within the personality and circumstances of each organization. We focus on helping staff see their actions through the eyes of the people they serve, and we give staff the guidelines and skills they need to provide intuitive and genuine Five-Star service.  In the end, the essentials are the same everywhere:  Committed leadership, clearly defined operating procedures, and well-trained staff focused on common goals. It’s a proven combination that we’ve seen succeed time and time again in the world’s most exceptional hotels.

PCM: Can you provide an example of a brand in the club industry you’ve partnered with that achieved higher incremental revenue and employee and guest satisfaction? 

“Forbes Travel Guide is the ultimate training tool. The team is a dedicated, extremely knowledgeable group of hospitality professionals who have added tremendous value to my organization.” – RYAN M. DIONNE, GENERAL MANAGER-COONORTH JERSEY COUNTRY CLUB

“I believe every club that would like to be “relevant” in today’s service and hospitality culture should be partnering with Forbes Travel Guide services. I am so glad that they decided to venture into the club business. Their trainings have been carefully crafted to deliver only the very best experience in member services.” – MICHAEL RIOS,CCM, GENERAL MANAGER-DORADO BEACH RESORT AND CLUB

Forbes Travel Guide has recently partnered with Distinguished Clubs to create a strategic partnership working together to improve the service values that members expect to receive.  This partnership is important as the two brands will work collaboratively to elevate service standards within private clubs. The aim is to broaden and further lift private clubs and their management in meeting expectations and demands of current and future members in the private club industry.

This content was created in collaboration with Forbes Travel Guide’s Private Club Division and published by Private Club Marketing’s branded content studio.

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23 Oct
Lifestyle

These 7 Iconic Hotels Are Reopening

Time is a cruel mistress. No matter how beautiful a hotel is at its birth, inevitably, the paint will chip, the design will grow old-fashioned, and the glamour of “newness” will all but fade away. Of course, all these buildings need is a little—or, in the cases below, big—refresh to bring them back into their heyday. Which is why we can hardly contain our excitement that these seven sleeps, after being shuttered for years undergoing complete makeovers, are finally ready for their second closeup.

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12 Aug
Export, Learn, Lifestyle

The Ultimate Preppy College Books

Our top 10 preppy must read books that have been inspired up throughout the ages from the hallowed wings of the campuses of America's elite, Ivy League universities.

 

 

THIS SIDE OF PARADISE F. SCOTT FITZGERALD: PRINCETON

In the novel that shot Fitzgerald to the limelight, he fictionalises his Princeton youth with the social-climbing misadventures of Amory Blaine, a greedy undergraduate who strongly desires to live in the fast lane. Come for the novel's august reputation, but stay for the prose—this is Fitzgerald at his lyrical best. (Amazon $6.99)

 

 

BRIDESHEAD REVISITED BY EVELYN WAUGH: OXFORD

In the post-war swan song written to the English aristocracy by Waugh, architectural student Charles Ryder falls totally in love with the blue-blooded Flyte family during a debauched, illusion-shattering summer. What started just as a two Oxford co-eds degrades into a thorny web of Catholic guilt. Before everything goes sour, things were very sweet. (Amazon $10.94)

 

 

ON BEAUTY BY ZADIE SMITH: HARVARD

With a charming setting like Harvard, On Beauty is a modern opus of family dysfunction, tenure war and class war at its finest. In pulling and pushing the Belsey family, Smith explores hallmark classroom themes—generational change, multiculturalism and how identity and love are subject to the passage of time. (Amazon $10.31)

 

 

 

WONDER BOYS BY MICHAEL CHABON: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

Underneath a haze of pot, Chabon an American dreamer and satire explores how youthful promise and artistic ambitions grow amiss with age. Expect to fall in love with this novel's trio of wonder boys: a student obsessed with Hollywood self-destruction, a professor entrapped by his interminable second book and his randy editor. (Amazon $33)

 

 

THE GROVES OF ACADEME BY MARY MCCARTHY: BARD

At McCarthy's Jocelyn College (a reinterpretation of Bard), The College Groves sees literature lecturer Henry Mulcahy run off the rails upon the termination of his tenure. Only a handful of writers have refashioned the obscure trappings of university faculty quite as faithfully as McCarthy, who skillfully crafts an interdepartmental witch hunt like no other. (Amazon $23.95)

 

 

SMALL BLESSINGS BY MARTHA WOODROOF: SOUTHERN LIBERAL ARTS SCHOOL

Veteran essayist Martha Woodroof in her first novel focusses her attention to a lonesome literature professor charged with the care of his withdrawn mother-in-law. When his friendship with the new-in-town bookstore clerk brought about life-changing news, Woodroof cleverly steers, penetrating narrative about life's changing directions. (Amazon $7.99)

 

THE BROOM OF THE SYSTEM BY DAVID FOSTER WALLACE: AMHERST

If you don’t like novels with Infinite Jest plot, Wallace's seminal doorstopper, takes on The Broom of the System first. Written as an undergraduate thesis at Amherst, where the novel intermittently dallies, Wallace tackles talking cockatiels, disappearing nursing home residents and American society on a rampage. What could be more collegiate? (Amazon $12.19)

 

 

THE SECRET HISTORY BY DONNA TARTT: BENNINGTON

As an undergraduate, if you like your fiction bloody and intoxicating, you'll like Donna's cerebral page-turner about a cultish group of classics students who break with conventional morality under the influence of their smooth-talking professor. While following the students' example by taking up Greek if you like, we advise you steer clear of murder. (Amazon $13.39)

 

 

06 Feb
Club Life, Export, Golf, Lifestyle

White House Putting Green: A Brief History

Play It Where It Lies, Mr. President

The White House Putting Green lies a short walk outside the Oval Office door to the southeast. A putting green was first installed by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954 with help from the United States Golf Association and private donations. Ike had difficulty keeping the squirrels (which Harry Truman had nearly tamed by hand-feeding them) from burying nuts in the green and joked that the Secret Service should shoot them. He resorted to having the groundkeeping staff trap and relocate them. Eisenhower was a very avid golfer and was sometimes criticized for it, but he and his doctor readily defended the habit as good for his health, which had suffered during his presidency.

Most modern presidents after Ike have been avid golfers, including his successor, John Kennedy, who, sensitive to the criticism aimed at Eisenhower for golfing on weekday afternoons, kept his habit a closely-guarded secret and even let Eisenhower's putting green grow out, although it was later renovated. Other avid golfers include Gerald Ford, George HW Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W Bush. Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan were casual golfers.

Bill Clinton had the putting green moved to its current location and—according to Time in 1995—designed by golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. The Clinton green is 1,500 sq. ft. of southshore creeping bentgrass.

 More Images

The putting green in 2006

The putting green in 2006 (Lafayette)

The putting green, circa 2005

The putting green, circa 2003

Bill Clinton on the putting green in 1997 (Associated Press – J Scott Applewhite)

The putting green in 1992 (HABS)

George HW Bush on the putting green, circa 1991

President Ford chipping onto the green in 1975 (Ford Library)

President Eisenhower chipping onto the green around 1957

Source: http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/grounds/putting-green.htm

01 Feb
Club Life, Export, Lifestyle

Top 10: Best NFL Golfers

Here’s a look at the NFL’s top 10 best golfers.

What do NFL football players do in the off-season? Surprisingly, many swap their football cleats for golf shoes. And more than a few who have serious game on the gridiron do a pretty good job of bringing it on the golf course as well.

Tony Romo

When Tiger Woods calls you, “a hell of a golfer”, you know you’re doing something right. Such was Wood’s assessment of Dallas Cowboy quarterback Tony Romo, Wood’s partner in their pairing at the 2012 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. In 2008, Romo shot an impressive 84 in the 2008 U.S. Open Challenge at Torrey Pines. Since then Romo, whose handicap has been as low as 3.3, has consistently made it to the top of the pro-am leaderboards each year. Romo’s ongoing dream of qualifying for the U.S. Open will no doubt be sidelined as he nurses himself back to health on the sidelines these days in Dallas.

Peyton Manning

Proving that there’s more to life in the off-season than weightlifting and wind sprints, Peyton Manning has been getting some pretty good licks in on the links. Making a hole-in-one during a recent round in Denver, the recently retired Broncos quarterback took on the famed course at Augusta National and shot a 77. Going from a handicap of 4.6 in 2009 to what many are saying must be around zero in 2013, Manning is proving himself a formidable contender on the turf and the green.

Ben Roethlisberger

Sporting a handicap index that has dipped as low as 0.4, Ben Roethlisberger, the Pittsburgh Steeler’s two-time Super-Bowl-winning quarterback, has no doubt made more than a few of his fellow players on the golf course call out a few “audibles” of their own.

Aaron Rodgers

With a handicap hovering between 7 and 8, this Green Bay Packers QB has been keeping his “irons” in the fire in the off-season. Ranked as the best quarterback in the NFL, Rodgers was unable to close the deal for a 2017 Super Bowl appearance with his loss against the Falcons. But that hasn’t stopped him from getting out on the golf course. Look for him at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am next week.

Tom Brady

Another “A-List” football regular at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady boasts and incredible four Super Bowl rings (tied on the all time list with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw), a $20 million-dollar mansion, and a supermodel wife. Throw his “8” handicap into the mix and now you’re talking. Recently touted by Donald Trump as having a swing like Ernie Els and the ability to hit the ball a mile, the 39-year-old Brady— who says he plans on playing football until he’s forty—may have already found his next big career.

Drew Brees

What does an MVP award for Super Bowl XLIV and a 3 handicap in golf have in common? They both belong to Drew Brees, one of the greatest passers in NFL history. Celebrating his first hole-in-one back in 2009—a 5-iron shot on a 199 Yard par 3—Brees professes a deep love of golf, a game he says he’ll never stop playing. When asked if the two sports ever overlap, Brees confessed in a Golf Magazine interview, “I try not to think about football when I play golf and I definitely don’t think about golf when I’m playing football.”

Eli Manning

Although he’ll always be known as the little brother, Eli Manning has carved out his own place in football history, bringing home two Super Bowl rings (still to not be outdone by his brother – who also has 2 Super Bowl wins). And with a solid 7 handicap, it looks like Eli will be teaching the Giant’s rookie quarterback Ryan Nassib—who recently confessed his newfound love for golf—a thing or two on the field and on the fairways.

Matt Schaub

Tied with Warren Moon for the second-most passing yards in a single game in NFL history—527 yards in a 43-37 overtime victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2012—Matt Schaub holds every passing record in the history of the Houston Texan’s franchise. Although he may not be breaking any course records in his golf shoes, his 7 handicap puts him on the list of great gridiron golfers.

Danny Woodhead

This now San Diego Los Angeles Charger is an avid golfer with a 7 handicap, Woodhead sightings at Torrey Pines may soon be a regular occurrence.

Carson Palmer

A Heisman Trophy winner and #1 pick in the 2003 NFL draft, Carson Palmer has put up impressive numbers as quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Oakland Raiders. And with a single-digit handicap, some might think that Carson is related to that other Palmer who plays golf. Recently signed as the Arizona Cardinal’s new signal caller, Palmer is no doubt looking forward to some great Arizona golf in the off-season.

18 Jan
Export, Lifestyle, Travel

The World’s Most Luxurious Airport Lounges

Ready for a first class experience before takeoff? Check out the unique amenities offered to the pre-boarding privileged in the most luxurious airport lounges in the world

For those who have not traveled business-class seat, and long to be in a first-class air experience, it is usually a moment of surprise to see the benefits passengers offered to the pre-boarding privileged. Amenities ranging from hair styling, fine dining, reading in private cabanas, personal assistants, spa treatments and filled champagne flutes are available for first class travelers in business class lounges.

When your dream of traveling in a preferred class comes tomorrow, we have compiled a list of the most luxurious airport lounges in the world!

AIR FRANCE LA PREMIERE LOUNGE
Where: Charles de Gaulle Airport

There is the best quality treatment provided for passengers reaching terminal 2E flying in Air France La Premiere Lounge. From the particular arrival lounge, Guests go to the pre-security waiting area that comes after the beautiful Le Premiere Lounge. This lounge consists of few luxurious and richly expensive seating area, business center, a Biologique Recherche spa complimentary treatments, a rest area for sleeping, stylish and luxurious bar and an excellent restaurant organize by none other than master chef Alain Ducasse. It has been observed that the preferred dish ordered by frequent visitors is ”Conquillettes”. At the time of boarding guests in the lounge move quickly to their particular gates by car.

AL MOURJAN BUSINESS LOUNGE
Where: Hamad International Airport

Qatar Airways is one of the outstanding lounges across the board, and it has an excellent reputation for giving quality services, and it’s one of the exceptional location is the AL Mourjan Business Lounge. Its large size and magnificent decor make it among the finest lounge in the world. Al Mourjan Business Lounge has an extensive area of two floors, and it is more than 100,000 square foot. The characteristics of this feature include:
• Conference rooms
• Showers
• Diversification in restaurants
• Rooms for short sleep
• Rooms for Family
• Exclusive game rooms
This lounge also has a well-stocked bar, in fact, it is the only one airport lounge which provides Krug Champagne for free.

AMERICAN EXPRESS CENTURION LOUNGE
Where: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

American Express has opened a series of Centurion Lounges domestically in airports (six to be exact), with more to come. The American Express Centurion Lounge located in DFW is one of the best lounges you'll be able to find. The Centurion Lounges come with unique perks; according to their locations, the San Francisco Lounge has a dedicated area for tasting Napa Valley wines. DFW has special Spa treatments with Exhale products, a luxurious shower suite, and locally inspired food specially cooked in accordance with the James Beard Award-Winning Chef Dean Fearing. All Centurion Lounges provide ample space and opportunities for productivity, family time and relaxation along with the featured cocktail programs overseen by Master Mixologist Jim Meehan.

BRITISH AIRWAYS CONCORD ROOM
Where: Heathrow Airport

In spite of the fact that there are few galleries for the first-class passengers in British Airways, only the Heathrow and JFK have ”The Concord room”, luxurious lounge-within-a-lounge with a distinctively Anglo vibe. The Concord Room is certified for providing stylish, expensive and luxurious furniture, elegant chandeliers and impressive artworks. It offers dining services includes covering a large choice of champagne and wine before a flight. Heathrow became successful gradually as compared to JFK because it offers private cabanas, where guests have access to using a day bed and private bathrooms before leaving the airport.

CATHAY PACIFIC FIRST CLASS LOUNGE
Where: Hong Kong International Airport

If you are looking for an elite comfortable experience then Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), is one of the best options. With its famously beloved Noodle Bar in the Business Lounge, and the newly renovated The Pier- the first lounge designed by famous designer Ilse Crawford, who produced the lounge with a subdued residential vide. The lounge is known for its luxurious shower suites, private work rooms, eight private suites that can be reserved for relaxation, and three suites where guests can receive free neck and foot massages. And it’s not just relaxation in the suites, the lounge has a drinking and dining bar with a featured a la carte menu and custom cocktails, and in our experience, there are no unappetizing buffets found in these bars.

EITHAD AIRWAYS PREMIUM LOUNGE
Where: Abu Dhabi International Airport

Eithad Airways Premium Lounge consists of two terminals including 1 and 3. Some amenities appear in terminal 1 and some are in terminal 3. The characteristics of this lounge are:
• Relaxation area
• Business Centre
• Shower rooms
• An employee who guides and assists these guests
• Provides International Buffet
• a la carte dining
This lounge also offers entertainment for all ages of kids. Kids can enjoy and pass time in their family rooms, while for adults there are individual TV Pods. They also offer special Six Senses Spa which includes a variety of massages and facials. In Terminal 3, there are special services of Salon for men and women, where men can get a haircut and a shave, and women can book their appointments for shaping their eyebrow, nail treatments or a blowout.

EMIRATES FIRST CLASS LOUNGE
Where: Dubai International Airport

Emirates flight experience has a reputation for being one of the best, and Emirates’ First Class Lounge in Dubai has the distinction of being the largest first-class lounge in the world, with an entire length of the airline’s terminal dedicated to flights departing on A380s. So you can imagine the many amenities i.e shops, restaurants, comfortable seating, restroom, showers, cigar bar and recharging options. The lounge even has a wine cellar with a staff of sommeliers to help customers find a perfect bottle, and the best part is you can board your flight directly from the lounge after getting your wine rather than exiting and going to the gate.

EVA AIR INFINITY LOUNGE
Where: Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

Step into the future, but stepping in at The Infinity- one of EVA Air’s premium lounges at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. This is not just any typical lounge, with its twinkling lights, curved walls, comfortable areas to relax with delicious Chinese and Western food buffets, EVA Air’s Infinity’s Lounge in Taiwan Taoyuan is your dream airport lounge if you have a thing for first class flight luxuries.

Special Amenities: Themed shower rooms, a nursery, and a business center. And if you get bored you have easy access to three other lounges; The Garden, The Star and the Club, all three located in the same terminal.

Finnair Premium Lounge
Where: Helsinki Airport

Finnair makes a huge effort to offer exceptional services to its passengers so that they can have a great experience. At the Finnair lounge, there are Scandinavian design displayed, where Marimekko, Alvar Aalto, Eero Aarnio and Eero Saarinen are one of the most respectable names presented. On the two floors, Lounge offers a huge variety of seating areas including different furniture and curtain dividers are available for creating a sense of privacy. Several drinking and dining options are also offered day and night and luxurious designs, famous and well reputed Finnish Sauna is one of the private shower suites.

JAL FIRST CLASS LOUNGE
Where: Haneda International Airport

Haneda International Airport has had a beautiful redesigned JAL first-class lounge since 2014 featured with contemporary Japanese aesthetic with a vast and spacious outlook. The lounge is a perfect place to spend few hours while eating the well-stocked buffet and delicious hot dishes and taking advantage of the comfortable armchairs and sofas of the lounge. This rarely crowded lounge has several amenities for its guests i.e. shoe polishing, playing foosball, champagne, and neck and back massages that can be followed by a shower.

Lufthansa First Class Terminal
Where: Frankfurt Airport

Lufthansa’s First Class Terminal is not just a lounge but a large beautiful building, a world for premium passengers. From Valet staff to personal assistants are being provided for the ease of the passenger. The valet staff is available to park personal vehicles and return rentals, while personal assistant welcome customers at the terminal entrance and accompanies them through security and passport control. A very relaxing environment has been created to ease the passengers and feel their best; relaxation chairs, two private chairs with day beds, four shower rooms and a cigar lounge with a very pleasant environment which allows guests to enjoy their time.

Michelin-starred chefs’ cuisine and a bar with 150 whiskeys make visitors cheerful and then personal drivers escort them to their gate.

Oman Air First Class Lounge
Where: Muscat International Airport

Personal chefs at Oman Air’s First Class Lounge are available to cater the guests whether they want a snack or three-course meal. A very friendly and generous staff is available after dining to entertain guests and take care of them if they seek to focus on business or sleep in a relaxation room. They have stocked up bars and satellite TV for any entertainment and passing the time. Also, complimentary services like 15-minutes massage are provided to make them feel relaxed and good, relaxing shower rooms stocked up with bathrobes and Amouage perfumes. Personal drivers are available to drop guests at their plane in a limo at their departure time.

QANTAS FIRST LOUNGE
Where: Sydney Airport

Qantas’s airport First Lounge with maniacal admirers in Sydney secures extortionate marks for providing all of their offers. It has an elegant and attractive design which makes the lounge look broad and spacious and yet private. The restaurant menus are decided and designed by the prestigious chef Neil Perry, and it has charming spa with treatment rooms that are equipped with living walls of greenery. Other features which accentuates the lounge very elegantly are full-time barista, showers, library, sleek furniture and more. The lounge also offers outstanding tarmac and runway views, which is very difficult to find in any other premium lounge, and if you do not have enough time to take in the view and relax, there is a work area and dining lounge with a buffet for guests with less time.

Royal First Lounge
Where: Suvarnabhumi Airport

Royal First Lounge is considered one of the best lounge of Thai Airways at the Bangkok Airport. Personal escorts are available to assist First Class Passengers to and from the lounge, and buggy rides are also available for rides through the airport so that passengers can easily move from one place to another to avoid any hassle. In the lounge, there are sleeping rooms, shower suites, VIP rooms, Private corners for groups and families and 22-seat dining room. They give great services to their guests including 60-minutes full body massage and 30-minutes neck and shoulder massage. These massages are available at the Royal Orchid Spa. This spa has steam rooms and shower suites. Both the lounge and spa on the same Concours so that passengers can easily visit both locations, but many passengers decide to spend most of their time at the Spa.

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge
Where: Singapore Changi Airport

Three SilverKris Lounges at Changi have been operated by the Singapore Airlines. A very high-class Private room available to first class passengers or suites on the carrier. The Private room is itself a unique feature of the lounge which is exceptional at providing excellent services and dining. There’s a profusion of luxe armchairs for guests to relax into, two private rooms for rest, and a very active team of attendants who look after the guests. The main spotlight of the lounge is the high-end five-course meal dining choice which makes guests jubilant. Also, a well-stocked buffet with a range of dishes is also provided.

Star Alliance International Lounge
Where: Los Angeles International Airport

Star Alliance International Lounge is highly competitive with One World Lounge and Qantas’s International First Lounge but it maintains its uniqueness in one way: A grandiloquent rooftop area with a breathtaking view of the Hollywood Hills and the L.A. skyline. The other most appealing feature of the lounge is an indoor bar with a substantial adjacent balcony that makes the look of an airport terminal alluring. Another distinctive feature is that the lounge is LEED Gold certified, which is most apparent in the lounge’s dependence on natural light rather than artificial light. The design of the lounge is made by L.A. based designers Charles and Ray Eames. Although the lounge has exclusively allocated sections for business and first-class travelers but this is where the former outweighs the latter.

SWISS First Lounge
Where: Zurich Airport

SWISS manages an astonishing nine lounges at Zurich airport, in which First Lounge in Terminal E is the most luxurious one. Customized culinary formation in a high standard dining restaurant and classic dishes from the states at the American Diner fully enjoyed by the guests. In this lounge, there are suites for work and conferences, but the exceptional quality features are two hotel rooms with real beds, private bathrooms and a panoramic view of the Alps. There are more than 1,000 bottles stored in the lounge's container from which Oenophiles can choose more than that and lovers of whiskey can go to the Senator lounge in Terminal E where they can select more than 120 whiskeys around the world. In pleasant weather, it's a better option to enjoy the Alpine vistas rather than sitting on the expensive seat on the covered terrace.

TURKISH AIRLINES CIP LOUNGE
Where: Istanbul Ataturk Airport

If you worry about your kids relaxing while traveling, then the CIP Lounge is a great option for you with its children’s playroom and private rooms where you can take care of your infants and relax. However, it is not limited only to family travelers. It has a variety of options available for other guests, i.e. TV, movies, video games, a music room equipped with a big screen, a billiards room, library, golf simulator, slot-car racing track and much more. So whether you are looking to relax while traveling with family, or want to relax with a great book, get a massage, play games or just take a shower, CIP provides you with all the options. And if you are going there, then do not forget to check out the olive garden with real olive trees and an olive bar.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC CLUBHO– USE
Where: John F. Kennedy International Airport

I know some of you might be partial to the Heathrow location of Clubhouse, but personally, we are favoring the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at JFK, considering how U.S. lounges tend to be cramped. This lounge provides a similar experience to Virgin Air's in-flight experience, with its fun and funky décor, fun games (in the entertainment zone with its signature red-ball sofa), semi-formal dining in the brasserie area and complimentary cocktails before evening flights. The Clubhouse in JFK is the only location, apart from London, with a Clubhouse Spa, complete with Bumble & Bumble hair products and Dr. Hauschka skincare line, with special spa treatments ranging from hair styling to facials and massages.

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