We’ve flown to London several times, but we’ve never used an Arrivals lounge. That’s because we’ve either booked a hotel for the night before and headed straight there for a quick nap, or we didn’t have access because we feel that business class from the East Coast to London isn’t worth the extra cost. There was also the trip we stayed in a suite at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel and the staff made a makeshift bed on a couch under the stairs while we waited for our room.
On my recent London trip I traveled in Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic from Orlando to London Heathrow. My ticket provided access to the Virgin Atlantic Revivals lounge. After my flight, I stopped by the lounge for a shower and breakfast before hopping on an Elizabeth Line train to London.
Who Can Enter The Virgin Atlantic Revivals Lounge?
Several groups have access to the Revivals Lounge:
- Passengers traveling in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class
- Flying Club Gold members when arriving at London Heathrow on a Virgin Atlantic or Delta Air Lines operated flight.
- Passengers traveling in Delta One.
- Delta SkyMiles Diamond & Platinum Medallion members when arriving at London Heathrow on a Virgin Atlantic or Delta Air Lines operated flight from the US.
- Virgin Australia Velocity Club Platinum holders when arriving at London Heathrow on a Virgin Atlantic operated flight
- Virgin Australia Velocity The Club card holders when arriving at London Heathrow on a Virgin Atlantic operated flight
When is the Revivals Lounge open?
Open daily from 5:00 am to 12:30 pm
Where is the Revivals Lounge?
The lounge is less than five minutes walk from customs, just off the Arrivals Hall in Terminal 3. Once you’ve left customs, follow the signs to the lounges. This will lead to a set of elevators that you will have to take to the lounge level.
Once you exit the elevator, the lounge is immediately to the right. You have to walk down a hallway through the doors to the check-in desk.
A friendly agent asked for my ID and boarding pass to enter the lounge. She explained there was a luggage storage area behind the desk and asked if I would like to use a shower room. I said that I did and was directed to one of the 20 shower rooms.
Shower Rooms
The Revivals Lounge shower rooms were much as I expected. There was a shower with amenities from both REN and Aveda. The water was hot and had good pressure. It was a nice way to wake up after the overnight flight from Orlando.
The sink was just that. It worked well to shave and brush my teeth, which is what I ask for from a sink.
There was also a speaker in the bathroom, allowing you to listen to several radio stations. After my shower, I headed back to the lounge area for breakfast.
Lounge Breakfast
I skipped breakfast on the plane, knowing that I planned to visit the lounge at the airport. You can either enter your order on your device by scanning the QR code on your table, or the lounge staff will take your order. The breakfast selections were:
- Revivals English Breakfast (Eggs, sausage, bacon, tomato, mushroom, baked beans & toast)
- Vegetarian Breakfast
- Eggs Royale, Benedict, or Florentine
- Avocado and Poached Egg
- Grilled Streaky Bacon breakfast roll
- Cumberland sausage breakfast roll
- Selection of pastries & muffins
- Oatmeal Pancakes
- Coconut Yoghurt pot
I placed my order for a latte and Eggs Royale.
Undoubtedly, both were better than what I would have received on the plane.
I spent about 90 minutes working on the website while drinking my second latte. While the lounge wasn’t very busy when I arrived at 8 a.m., it was busier when I left around 10 a.m. Most of the seating is tables that line the walls of the room, with a few couches in the middle. I don’t like taking pictures of lounges with other guests, but you can find other sites if you want to know what the seating looks like.
Final Thought
I haven’t had the chance to visit other airline arrival lounges, so I can’t make any comparisons to the Virgin Atlantic Revivals lounge. However, I was impressed with my first visit. The showers were clean, had quality amenities, and had everything I needed for an airport shower. The food was of good quality, and the staff were pleasant and helpful.
If I had the chance, I’d gladly visit the Revivals Lounge again after a Virgin Atlantic flight. It’s definitely better than sleeping on a chair in a London hotel lobby waiting for your room to be ready.
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2 comments
Does the lounge have champagne?
I didn’t see any alcoholic drinks on the menu during my visit. However, I’ve read that they may be able to provide it if you ask the staff but I can not confirm that.