Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong

Neil Scrivener reviews Cathay Pacific’s The Pier (First), in Hong Kong’s International Airport (HKG), by Gate 63.

Introduction

I recently wrote that I thought that Cathay Pacific’s The Pier (Business) is the best Business Class lounge in the world……. which then got me thinking whether The Pier (First) could be the best First Class lounge in the world?

Potentially it is……but it has stiff competition including The Wing (also in Hong Kong), the Qantas First Lounge in Singapore, and potentially the JAL First Lounge in Tokyo.

Visited

July 2024 at 23:30

Opening Hours

The lounge is open daily from 05:30 to 00:30 (or technically 05:30 to last departure).

Entry Conditions

The lounge is open to those flying First Class with any OneWorld airline, and of course Cathay Pacific.

Access can also be obtained if you are a OneWorld Emerald Member, flying on a OneWorld airline.

How to Get There

Hong Kong’s airport can be a bit of mess to navigate – it’s very long and has lots of gates vey far from each other.

One real shame about this lounge is that it is so far away – but in my view completely well worth the walk there! Once you’re out of security, you’ll need to follow the signs to Gate 63……..it’s a good 15 minutes walk at least!

If you’re limited on time, it may be worth considering visiting The Wing, which is also a First Class lounge – which is located close to Gate 1.

When you get to Gate 63, you’ll see the elevator on the left, or the escalators just behind.

Layout

Once you’re passed the very attentive reception team, you’re in the famous corridor that looks like it could be a museum – and you’d never know it’s 11pm at night!

Making a left at the corridor will take you to the bar area.

Also off the corridor near the bar is the pantry.

Connected to the bar area and the corridor is very high-end looking chill out area, with sofas overlooking the apron of the airport. Even for 2024 it has an old-fashioned shelf of magazines!

Turning right down the corridor will take you all the way to the dining room, which also has another bar.

Along the way down the corridor you’ll also find a fantastic business centre – with booths…..and the booths even have (sort of comically) their own telephones! Each booth is also kitted out with a printer!

In general terms, everything is one step up from The Pier Business, in terms of its quality and decor. The only thing I didn’t find was any sleeping area, which The Pier Business has – but there of course the Cabanas in The Wing!

Food and Drink

Drinks

Most people would probably chose to drink in the bar area to the left. Here there are some good quality beers, wines, whiskies, cocktails and teas.

Alternatively, you could also drink in the bar in the dining room, which offers substantially the same menu.

If you prefer to grab something yourself, in the Pantry there is a variety of self-serve hot drinks and fridges of cold drinks.

Food

Most commonly people will chose to eat in the dining room.

On my visit there were two options available – either the Tasting Menu, or the regular menu. Both menus had a good selection of food – but I completely forgot to take pictures of what I ordered! I guess I’ll have to go back and update this when I do!

Over in the Pantry there is the usual offering of biscuits, crisps, nuts, sandwiches, etc. All very nicely laid out!

Wifi

I found the Wifi in the lounge to be very fast and reliable, which was great.

Showers

If there was one thing that trumped the showers in The Pier Business it had to be the showers.

In true Cathay style, greeting me before I went into the showers was a menu of amenities I could ask for! This was really handy, as it included things like deodorant – and you can only take the useless sized ones through Security. Given that outside it was 30 degrees and 85% humidity on my visit to Hong Kong, deodorant was well appreciated!

The showers themselves were large, with very nice towels, and in a step up to The Pier Business – including a stool to sit on, and more amenities already in the shower room. The shower was of course very nice and hot!

Conclusion

I can’t decide if this is the best OneWorld First Class lounge I have been to or not…..the competition is stuff.

But if I can answer it in this way: The Pier Business is the best Business Class lounge in the lounge I have been to, and everything in the Pier First topped The Pier Business!

Excellent food, excellent range of drinks, excellent layout, a luxury feel, great showers – and at every turn, great and helpful lounge staff.

So, another excellent lounge by Cathay Pacific – and 100% the feeling of a ‘proper’ First Class lounge!