The Pier, Cathay Pacific’s newest first class lounge at Hong Kong Ariport, opened this past summer by Gate 63 of Hong Kong International Airport. The Pier has two dining facilities: A restaurant with food catered by Peninsula Hotels and a snack station called The Pantry. In addition, there’s a full service bar, work stations, spa shower facilities, and eight-day suites with views of the runway. The Pier also boasts of having a custom fragrance, though I honestly don’t remember the place smelling noticeably different from any other club lounge.
My siblings and I were flying Cathay Pacific First Class to San Francisco at 12:30 AM. My parents, on the other hand, were flying out to LAX the next morning at 10:15 AM. To make things more convenient for them, I booked them a room at the Regal Airport Hotel.
That way, they wouldn’t have to get up super early for their flight the next morning. We did take my parents’ bags with us and left them with a small carry-on for the clothes they needed the next day. This would allow them to just stroll out of the airport after passing through immigration. Their luggage would be waiting for them at home.
Cathay Pacific First Class Lounges at Hong Kong Airport
After dropping my parents off at the hotel, my siblings and I walked to the Cathay Pacific first class check-in area with our bags. After checking our bags, we proceeded to security before deciding which club lounge to visit. There were several options and we settled on The Bridge, which was closest to our gate.
When we got there, the agent informed us the newest Cathay Pacific lounge, The Pier, was open and located by Gate 63. She told us it was much nicer and had its own spa. I turned to my siblings and they were all for checking out The Pier.
The Pier First Class Lounge at Hong Kong Airport
When you enter The Pier, there’s a bar area immediately to the left. A large seating areas is locate through the doorway straight ahead. The spa and dining facilities are to the right.
The Pantry at The Pier
We took a seat in the large seating area, where only one other couple was sitting. An attendant came by immediately and took our drink orders. We plugged our electronics into the conveniently placed outlets on the arm rest, then walked to the small room with a food spread and various drinks (aka The Pantry).
Don’t get me wrong, it was fine for a business class lounge but pretty underwhelming for a highly touted first class lounge.
We sat down with our snacks and my brother decided to explore the place. A few minutes later he brother returned with good news: “You know they have a full blown restaurant here? It’s down the hall and they have way better food.” Lesson learned: Always explore the entire lounge before settling down.
The Pier Restaurant
I decided to wait a bit longer for my phone to charge while my brother and sister went to the restaurant. A while later my brother sent me a photo of the menu, asking if I wanted to order anything. Fifteen minutes later my food arrived and with my phone reasonably charged, I headed to the restaurant. My sister was gone by then, off to get a foot massage at the spa.
The restaurant at The Pier lounge is stunning. I’ve seen pictures of it during the day, but I think it’s definitely best at night when it looks straight out of an Edward Hopper painting. The place was fairly deserted with just two or three other tables occupied. The wait staff were mostly absent, though they did check on us a few times while we ate.
The Pier Menu
The food at The Pier is catered by The Peninsula Hotel. The menu wasn’t huge, but the quality of the food was excellent and we all enjoyed our meal.
My brother had ordered a burger while I had a bowl of the crabmeat soup followed by the seared salmon – both of which were delicious.
After dinner, we settled back in the living room and I began taking photos of the place. There was a quaint little reading area with a vast newspaper and magazine selection.
The reading nook at Cathay Pacific The Pier First Class Lounge
The Pier Work Stations
Across from the seating room were about six cubicles outfitted with computers. If the cubicles at my first job looked like this, I would have called in sick way less (and I probably would have been sick less, since I doubt The Pier has the same mold infestation problem my work environment did).
A while later my sister joined us and when I asked about her massage, her feedback was, “Good.” I couldn’t get much enthusiasm out of her. At her age, my response to “How was your foot massage in the first class lounge?” would have been much more Sue Heck-ish, but I guess I have no chill as the kids say these days.
We spent a few more hours at the lounge, though my brother and I didn’t visit the spa. If you do visit The Pier and want to experience what the spa has to offer, be sure to sign up for an appointment right as you arrive. My sister didn’t have to wait long, but during busier times you might have to.
Final Thoughts
Cathay Pacific’s The Pier First Class lounge was very impressive, though I don’t think it quite measured up to the Thai Airways First Class Lounge in Bangkok. The restaurant was very nice though. I absolutely wouldn’t hesitate to stop by here on my next trip to Hong Kong. Assuming I’m flying Cathay Pacific first class.
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