What’s Happening This Weekend in the CRD?

GREAT CANADIAN BEER FESTIVAL

Join up to 9,000 craft-beer lovers to sample unique brews and meet the brewers behind the taps at the Great Canadian Beer Festival, Friday and Saturday at Royal Athletic Park.

It’s the 25th year for the two-day event, making it the longest-running craft-only beer festival in Canada. The micro-brewery industry has never been more popular in B.C., with close to150 companies. That’s a far cry from when the first festival was held 25 years ago, when there were only 12 to 15 companies in the whole province.

“It’s all about getting small breweries into a great venue in front of an appreciative audience,” said Gerry Hieter, the event organizer.

This year, participants can taste offerings from 66 breweries and two cideries, with more than 250 beers and ciders on tap.

“This year, we had 20 more breweries than we could accommodate,” said Hieter. “We have 14 new breweries this year, as well as five that have been with us every year for the past 25.”

You can belly up to the bar for a chance to sample dozens of variations on ever-popular India pale ales, pilsners, bitters and wheat beer.

New varieties include Dad Jokes Double IPA from Twin Sails, Captain Cooper’s Tart Cranberry Ale from Trading Post Brewing, Wild Brett Wasp Ale (a collaboration between Fieldhouse Brewing and Brassneck Brewery, it’s a must-try sour ale fermented with yeast harvested from a wasp’s gut), Numbskull IIPA: Ahtanum Edition from Lighthouse Brewing, Popinjay (a dry-hopped New World sour from Strange Fellows Brewing), Lucifudge Cherry Choco Porter from Swans, Belly Flop Apricot Grisette from Big Rock Urban and Fruity Mother Pucker Sour Ale from Axe and Barrel.

New this year is the Drake Eatery Cask Tent, with eight breweries serving unique cask beer.

While most of the suds come from B.C., the festival welcomes brewers from as far away as Halifax. New breweries this year include: A-Frame Brewing, Andina Brewing, Backroads Brewing, Hathi Brewing, KPU Brewing, Luppolo Brewing, Mt. Arrowsmith Brewing, Riot Brewing, Sooke Oceanside Brewery, Strathcona Beer Company, Twin Sails Brewing, Two Wolves Brewing, Whitetooth Brewing, and White Sails Brewing.

A variety of local food vendors will offer both West Coast and ethnic flavours, while local musicians and buskers wander the grounds.

“People tell us that what sets us apart from the competition is the event’s lively atmosphere,” said Hieter.

Any profits from the event are donated to CFAX Santas Anonymous.

Tickets are $40 per day and include a B.C. Transit Get Home Safe bus ticket. Beer tokens are $1.50 each (cash only). Each token can be redeemed for a four-ounce tasting.

The event runs from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at Royal Athletic Park, 1014 Caledonia Ave.

For details or tickets, go to gcbf.com.

 

METCHOSIN DAY

Enjoy the last blast of summer at Metchosin Day, a community celebration always held on the first Sunday after Labour Day, on the Metchosin Municipal Grounds.

This is the 50th year for the celebration, which coincides with the regular Sunday Metchosin Farmer’s Market, with more than 100 vendors selling vegetables, meat products, fruits, crafts, artisan creations and more.

Take a hayride for 25 cents or upgrade to a backhoe digger for 50. Watch a sheep-shearing demonstration and see the winners of the baking, photography and produce growing competitions.

Watch youngsters in a gymnastic demonstration, in a pet show and showing off their 4H showmanship.

Car buffs will enjoy the collection of classic cars and motorcycles.

Members of the Victoria Motorcycle Club will set up an obstacle course with natural and manmade challenges to showcase their skills, with a show every two hours starting at 10:30 a.m.

The Metchosin Equestrian Society has several events planned, with local trainers, horses and riders demonstrating their skills between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the riding ring.

The Pioneer Museum is also nearby for those who want to learn more about the history of Metchosin.

There will be all-day entertainment by Metchosinites throughout the day on the main stage, with Morris Dancers performing around the field all day.

Food is available all day, including ice cream and hot, buttered, locally grown corn on the cob. Wash it all down with beer and wine in the beer garden.

Admission to Metchosin Day is free (donations accepted). The event runs 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday on the Metchosin Municipal Grounds, behind the fire hall, 4450 Happy Valley Rd. Free vehicle parking with entry and exit via Rocky Point Road. Free bicycle parking behind the Community House, just past the disabled parking.

For more information, go to metchosinday.ca.

 

STREET PARTY ON VINING

The Vining Street Party on the Plaza is a humble neighbourhood block party that has grown to include a whole community, and now spans six hours with professional musicians and entertainers on the grounds of Victoria High School on Sunday.

This is the 10th year for the event, which this year includes Canada 150 celebrations. Organizers expect more than 2,000 people to show up at the party, which includes a community barbecue.

Family-friendly activities include giant puppets, a cardboard castle, The Great Goffini, face painting, dance and martial arts displays and magnet experiments.

More than 70 local artisans, vendors and exhibitors will display their wares in a marketplace and 400 silent-auction items will be available for bidding.

The street party is an important fundraiser for community projects, raising more than $21,000 last year.

This year, net proceeds from the event will benefit the Learning Curve Society, funding programs for children who experience learning and behavioural challenges.

Admission is free. The event runs from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday on the grounds of Victoria High School, 1260 Grant St.

For more information, go to viningstreetparty.com.

PUZZLE YOUR WAY TO A NEW CORN MAZE

Get lost (and found) at the opening of the corn maze at Pendray Farm — and help raise food and funds for the Sidney Lions Food Bank on Saturday.

Organizers bill their field of corn as the largest family-friendly maze in Victoria, with 10 kilometres of trails on a 14-acre plot of land at the West Saanich Road farm.

This year, the design of the maze is a salute to Canada 150.

There will be activities for all ages, including a treasure hunt, children’s maze and corn sandbox.

On the opening day, the Pendray maze and two other local businesses — Werner Mayburry Wealth Management of Raymond James, and the Spitfire Grill — are banding together to collect food donations for the Sidney Lions Food Bank.

Collection boxes for non-perishable foods will also be located at the Spitfire Grill, 9681 Willingdon Rd., until Sept. 9. The restaurant and Werner Mayburry Wealth Management will be matching online donations up to $500 each for a total of $1,500.

Admission is $12 for adults and $5 for children three to 12 years old. The corn maze will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday at the farm, 9537 West Saanich Rd. For more information, go to vicornmaze.com.

PARKS PROGRAM TAKES A HIKE AT MATHESON

Discover a gem of a lake at Marvelous Matheson, a CRD Parks program that kicks off the fall season at Matheson Lake Regional Park, Metchosin, on Saturday.

The 157-hectare park, established in 1994, is neighbour to Roche Cove Regional Park.

It boasts a picturesque lake, set behind forested hills in Metchosin, with access to hiking, swimming and fishing activities.

On Saturday a CRD Parks naturalist will take adults 18 and older on a guided walk to uncover the cultural and natural history of this park.

There is a loop trail around the lake, with a sandy beach area perfect for a relaxing picnic or a refreshing dip.

The park is adjacent to the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, with some cyclists using the park as the starting point for a cycle day trip.

Those who like to catch their supper will find the lake well-stocked with Rainbow Trout.

Participants for Saturday’s hike are encouraged to bring a snack, some water and wear sturdy footwear.

There is no fee to join the hike but you need to pre-register. The hike runs 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday at Matheson Lake Regional Park.

Try to arrive 10 minutes before the start of the program. Please leave pets at home. For more information, go to crd.bc.ca/parks. Call 250-478-3344 to register and find where to meet.

Beer Flights Now Available at the Club!

Beverage Manager Richard Delwoski is pleased to announce that flights of beer are now available at the Club!

“Ever since my first introduction into the wonderful world of beer flights I’ve been hooked. In my opinion there is no better and easier way to cover a lot of tasting ground then through a beer flight or two”, says Delowski.

The Club’s Flight features 4x 6oz pours, and you can choose any 4 from the Club’s choice of 12 tasty treats on tap, including (listed alphabetically):

BLUE BUCK ALE (Phillips Brewing & Malting – Victoria, BC) – a legendary beast, featuring a robust, malt-forward body underpinned with crisp northwest hops.  Well-balanced and highly drinkable.

COMPANY LAGER (Lighthouse Brewing Co. – Victoria, BC) – lightly hopped, the crisp, clean, classic flavour is accented with honey notes and has an amazing refreshing taste.  Simple yet golden.

CRY ME A RIVER (Driftwood Brewery – Victoria, BC) – Brewed in the tradition of the artisan brewers of Leipzig, this rare style wheat beer is named after the Gose River in Lower Saxony, Germany. This style went extinct twice, but is now enjoying a revival in Germany and around the world. Dry, tart, citrusy and deliciously refreshing, our Gose is perfect for a hot summer’s day.

DARK MATTER (Hoyne Brewing Co. – Victoria, BC) – pours a deep chocolate brown colour with a thick and frothy head.  This beer smells of a chocolate and nut with a solid malt base and a touch of northwest hops to go with it. The taste starts off very smooth and light then a chocolate flavour starts to take over. This chocolate taste melds into a strong coffee finish that leaves the mouth waiting for more.

ELECTRIC UNICORN (Phillips Brewing & Malting – Victoria, BC) – this mono-horned laser beast has sweet banana and fruit flavours, and is balanced against a citrus hop background that finishes dry.

FAT TUG IPA (Driftwood Brewery – Victoria, BC) – brewed with the hop aficionado in mind, Fat Tug is a Northwest-style India Pale Ale, with an intense hop profile featuring notes of grapefruit, mango, melon and passionfruit. Sufficient malt is there to provide support. This beer delivers on the promise to satisfy anyone with a thirst for all things hoppy!

FLAGSHIP IPA (Steamworks Brewery – Vancouver, BC) – at last this steam-powered flagship has sailed into port. This Northeast style IPA is generously hopped with Mosaic, Galaxy & Citra and pours cloudy with an intense juicy, tropical fruit aroma that gives way to a balanced bitterness. Steamworks Flagship IPA is a confident and powerful brew perfect for discerning hop-heads and casual drinkers alike. This Flagship IPA recently picked up Gold for North American IPA as well as Best in Show from the 2016 BC Beer Awards.

HOPPING MAD DRY-HOPPED APPLE CIDER (Central City Brewers & Distillers – Surrey, BC) – a dry-hopped cider blending aroma from Yakima hops with the sweetness and tartness of Cascadia apples. A cold fermented, full flavoured cider with hop aromatics, a sweet balance and a crisp, tart finish.

SMITHWICK’S IRISH ALE (Import, Ireland) – Canada’s leading import ale.  A session ale with a gentle hop bitterness, sweet malty notes and a refreshingly balanced taste.

STELLA ARTOIS LAGER (Import, Belgium) – Pale gold colour; aromas of yellow apples, toast and light floral hops; on the palate it is light-medium bodied and lightly carbonated, with flavours of fresh citrus, biscuit and light hop bitterness.

WARSTEINER PILSNER (Import, Germany) – A refreshing, pale golden pilsner with a clean taste perfectly balanced with hints of barley malt, subtle bottom fermenting yeast tones and mild hoppy bitterness.

A FLIGHT!?  SOME HISTORY – IT’S ALL IN A WORD…

It could have been called a bevy of beer, an army of ales, a leap of lagers, or a raft of brews (which would have been clever seeing as the tray a beer flight is commonly served on is called a paddle), but no, it became known as a beer “flight.” Why? A closer look at the word flight might give us some clues.

Flight, meaning a sampling of a certain food or drink, doesn’t seem to be in use before the late 1970’s. There are two distinct and separate “flight” nouns. The older of the two means “the act of flying through the air.” The newer noun which has a different origin than the first is defined as “the act of running away.” The likeliest source of the word’s use, in the context of “a sample of something,” stems from a definition of the first usage, stated in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as, “a group of similar beings or objects flying through the air together.”

It’s interesting to note that a connection could also be made, especially in the case of beer, to another definition of the same flight noun, that of, “a series, resembling a flight of stairs.” A beer flight is usually drank from lightest to darkest (we will explore this more in a moment). As you work your way “up” the color spectrum in a beer flight it isn’t hard to imagine each sample as a step, and the whole as a flight of stairs.

Drinks and Danger Marked Early Victorian Bars

In 1851 (28 years before the founding of The Union Club of British Columbia), Victoria’s first saloon opened its doors, ushering in a heady era that saw hundreds of saloons and hotel bars dispensing alcohol to the city’s thirsty patrons 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In his new book, “Aqua Vitae”, Glen A. Mofford delves deep into the fascinating history of these establishments and transports the reader to the intoxicating — and often treacherous — atmosphere of our capital during the days of swinging doors, smoky bars and five-cent beers.

SHIP INN SALOON, 1851-62

James Stuart Yates was born in Linlithgow, Scotland, on Jan. 21, 1819. He signed on with the Hudson’s Bay Company as a ship’s carpenter in 1848; that same year, Yates married Mary Powell of Montgomeryshire. Two weeks later, they began their journey to Fort Victoria on the ship Harpooner.

Yates grew to dislike the strict discipline and heavy-handedness of the Hudson’s Bay Company, and after 18 months he escaped to the goldfields of California. Upon his return, Yates was charged with breach of contract and sentenced to six months in the northeast bastion of Fort Victoria, which was used as a makeshift jail. Yates served 30 days of his sentence, and upon his release was discharged from the Hudson’s Bay Company. He was granted independent status on Jan. 29, 1851. This suited the stubborn Yates, and he wasted little time in pursuing his business goals.

On June 9, 1851, Yates paid 50 pounds for each of two undeveloped waterfront lots, 201 and 202, on Wharf Street, northwest of the fort. There he built his home and the first privately owned saloon in Victoria, the Ship Inn. Unfortunately, there are no known surviving photographs or illustrations of his saloon, but the location was most likely 1252 Wharf St. at the southwest corner with what eventually was named Yates Street.

The Ship Inn Saloon did a tremendous business, with the only competition coming from the Hudson’s Bay Company store. For a few months, Yates enjoyed a monopoly on the retail liquor business before two other saloons opened. His main customers were seafarers, such as sealers, sailors and fishers, who came in to enjoy a five-cent mug of beer or a 121Ú2-cent shot of liquor.

From 1851 until the summer of 1853, the saloon business was unregulated and a licence was not required to sell spirits or beer. Two more saloons opened before Sir James Douglas, the chief factor of the colony, introduced a revenue bill that called for a licensing system for the wholesale and retail sale of alcohol. The annual fee for a retail licence was set at £120, while wholesale licences cost £100. The bill passed into law in July 1853 and resulted in the closure of the two saloons competing with the Ship Inn. Yates enjoyed a monopoly once more.

Profits from his liquor business allowed Yates to buy up town lots on Langley, Wharf and Yates streets, the last ultimately bearing his name. By 1860, James Yates was one of the wealthiest men in Victoria. That same year, Yates closed his saloon and reopened it a few doors to the south, at 1218 Wharf St., a newly completed stone and brick building that still exists.

The lower level was a warehouse for merchandise, primarily cases of liquor that were brought in directly off ships moored in Victoria Harbour. The bar in the Ship Inn was on street level. The new Ship Inn would last about a year before Yates closed it and returned to his native Scotland to see to his son’s education. The saloon was converted into an auction house by the new owners.

At least four Ship Inn Saloons operated in Greater Victoria between 1851 and 1869. James Yates owned the first two, followed by a Ship Inn Saloon in Esquimalt and another Ship Inn on Wharf Street just across from where Yates’s second saloon had been located. They all did extremely well, attracting a loyal customer base that allowed these establishments to prosper for years.

PONY SALOON, 1863-70

Of all the unsolved murder mysteries that occurred during these times, the most captivating and certainly the most disturbing occurred at the Pony Saloon some time between 1862 and 1870. The Pony Saloon, previously known as the Highland Mary Saloon (1862) was located at 1324 Government St. near Johnson Street, with Charles Hounslow as proprietor.

Pioneer Victoria was a rough place in the 1860s, and this was especially true along Johnson and Government streets, where most of the new saloons could be found. It proved to be especially rough at night. The saloons were full most evenings, especially when the sailors were in town on leave.

A good time was had by all — well, almost all — but it wasn’t long before the criminal element saw an opportunity to make some fast money. An unsuspecting sailor or gold miner, usually quite inebriated, provided an easy mark.

When alone in an alley, staggering to the next saloon, the innocent victim would be approached from behind and struck on the head with a heavy object, just hard enough to knock him out. He would wake with a sore head and find that his pockets had been picked and all his cash and usually his watch and other valuables stolen.

But one victim did not wake up the next day. His attackers accidentally applied too much force when cracking him over the head, and to their dismay, the victim died from the assault. The body was disposed of in a most unusual and undignified manner, and the incident was kept quiet for years.

The Pony Saloon saw a change in proprietors in 1865 when Hounslow sold to an American, Phillip Smith. Smith and his “red-headed woman friend” loved to entertain; she would sing and dance and Smith would host high-stakes poker games that would last well into the following day. The Pony Saloon fit in perfectly with the rowdy reputation of that area of town.

Smith ran the Pony Saloon for the next five years, selling to George Mason in December 1870. Mason changed the name of the saloon to the Omineca Saloon.

Meanwhile, Smith and his family moved to San Francisco in December 1870 aboard the Pelican. Smith was in very poor health, and once there he became violently insane. Was his condition brought on by tremendous guilt?

By the mid-1880s, most of the wooden buildings in town were being torn down and replaced with brick buildings. A bylaw was passed that banned building with wood over a certain height, so brick was the best alternative. The Omineca, the old Pony Saloon, was one of the establishments being renovated from wood to brick.

During the demolition, a worker was using a crowbar to pry up the floorboards in the back of the old saloon when he “let it fall with an exclamation of horror. His fellow workmen crowded about the spot as he raised a plank exposing to view a human skull with the upper jaw minus three teeth, and the lower jaw missing. The remainder of the planking was quickly torn up and more human remains were found.”

Work immediately came to a halt once the gruesome discovery was made. Doctor Trimble examined the remains and concluded that they were those of a “white man,” and he speculated that the jaw of this person had been split by violence. The victim was most likely murdered for his money.

This revelation didn’t come as a shock to some of the city’s older residents, who recalled that the saloon had a reputation for “horrible bacchanalian orgies in which dissolute men and women joined.” Many poor miners were robbed of their hard-earned cash and tumbled into the street penniless. But who had committed this ghastly murder? Was it Phil Smith? If he wasn’t the murderer, had he had a hand in hiding the body in the back room of his saloon?

Or was it one of the Pony Saloon’s regular patrons who had needed some quick money to remain at the gambling table? It was later revealed that a regular gambler at the saloon had left suddenly in 1863 accompanied by the red-haired lady, and the pair had never been seen again. Could they have had something to do with the murder?

An inquest into the death of the victim resulted in more questions than answers, and the case remains unsolved to this day, another cold-case mystery that took place on the rough edge of town.

Excerpted from: Aqua Vitae: A History of the Saloons and Hotel Bars of Victoria, 1851-1917, TouchWood Editions ©2016 Glen A. Mofford

Fashion Show Fundraiser

Sunday, April 23, 2017     Time: 2:00pm to 4:00pm

Supporting
 

Featuring fashions presented by:

Bernstein & Gold

d.g. bremner & co.

Hughes Clothing

Outlooks Menswear

* Light Refreshments * Chit Bar * Door Prizes *

$35 per person
($10 charitable receipt available upon request)

Reservations:
Tel: 250-384-1151 (ext. 0)

The World’s Most Luxurious Airport Lounges

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.

ETIHAD AIRWAYS PREMIUM LOUNGE
Where: Abu Dhabi International Airport

Etihad 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 CLUBHOUSE
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.