It was only a matter of time before Virgin Atlantic opened its very own Clubhouse at Los Angeles International Airport. After all, it’s the only airline that can claim its founder, Sir Richard Branson, has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
I flew through LAX recently and was one of the Clubhouse’s early visitors, and can reveal it is more like popping into an upmarket hotel bar than a dreary airport lounge. Sleek and contemporary in shades of deep purple and the airline’s signature red, it has velvet chairs and leather sofas, Melt lights from Tom Dixon and a full-length glass wall along one side to make passing travellers envious. It’s certainly a step up from the beige, dreary conference-suite style lounges that are all too common.
The lounge is the sixth in the airline’s portfolio and adds a touch of Tinseltown glamour to LAX for those travelling in Upper Class or be a Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold Tier member. Delta One passengers and SkyTeam Elite Plus members on international flights are also welcome, and all can bring a guest.
Inside the new Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in Los Angeles: help cure jet lag, and do some celeb spotting
Following January’s wildfires in the city, the airline has also decided to extend access to those who helped the most. “We like to support the community that we serve so we actually decided that active-duty LA fire fighters who are travelling on a Virgin Atlantic flight are welcome in the clubhouse in the coming months just to say thank you for their heroic efforts,” says Corneel Koster, the airline’s Chief Customer & Operating Officer.
Fittingly, the lounge is inspired by the city itself. “We thought, we’ve got to have a Clubhouse in LA and if we do it, let’s do it in a way that pays homage to the City of Angels, that has a lot of local touches,” explains Koster. So, there are paintings by local artists and day-to-night transitional lighting inspired by an LA sunset to help align circadian rhythms. Deliciously-scented body products are from local brand Flamingo Estate, while a Hollywood-style screening room comes with the obligatory red carpet and wireless Bluetooth headsets so you can listen in to the big screen.
There’s even a Royal Box, an exclusive alcove for passing VIPs covered in acoustic felt to prevent eavesdropping on any A-listers. It comes with a secret menu including chocolate-dipped strawberries and a Drama Queen cocktail made of gin, Prosecco and berry liqueurs topped with a smoke bubble – okay, not so secret – and bar staff told me they’d whip one up for anyone who asked nicely.
Elsewhere, there are three acoustically sealed privacy pods for work or phone calls, decorated with music memorabilia from Branson’s own collection. Hidden away right at the back is the compact Zen Den, which has a glamorous space to freshen up, weights, a yoga mat and a FORME Studio smart mirror which features an introduction from Branson himself plus short guided meditations and workouts from celebrity trainers to follow.
It’s not the only nod to LA’s obsession with wellness. At the swish cocktail bar in the centre of the lounge, the drinks menu features all the usual options, plus several non-alcoholic cocktails and canned drinks from TRIP infused with lion’s mane and magnesium to promote sleep and wellness.
A small buffet is filled with Californian-style dishes such as citrus kale salad and bowls of seasonal berries and trail mix, though a full menu is available to order straight to your seat anywhere in the lounge. This includes Clubhouse classics like venison burgers, fish and chips and chicken tikka masala as well as LA favourites like tuna poke bowl, California fig salad, California rolls and mahi mahi tacos. Just don’t miss the warm pistachio, dark chocolate and sea salt cookie afterwards, which is almost worth missing your flight for.
Virgin Atlantic flies direct between London Heathrow and Los Angeles with return Upper Class fares from £2,648 per person. Book online. For more information on Los Angeles, visit discoverlosangeles.com.