I’m ashamed that this series has often been a series of my nightmare experiences while traveling.  It’s not all bad – in fact, it can be pretty incredible.  Sadly, that word does our travel experience with Asiana Airlines a grave injustice.  It was, hands down, the BEST travel experience we ever had.  As I could write a novel about the entire journey, I’m sharing the excellent experience we had in their lounge.  My only regret – not getting to the airport sooner so I could have enjoyed it more.  And not having taken any pictures to SHOW you this lounge.  These words will just have to do.
I had never been more ready to go home.
While our Asian trip had been incredible, it wasn’t short of its challenging moments. Â Most of them associated with air travel.
“I just want to get in the lounge, get a drink, and chill,” I thought as we made our way to the Asiana Airlines first class counter.
“Checking in – Hitha Palepu and Sri Narasimhan,” I said, handing our passports to the attendant.
“Welcome, Ms. Palepu and Mr. Narasimhan,” she replied, with a smile.
As her fingers flew across the keyboard, another attendant gestured for our bags to be placed on the belt. A third smiled politely to us and handed a booklet.
A booklet containing 11 crisp $1 bills.
“What’s this for?” I asked, shocked. Given how badly Air Asia had ripped us off during our Asian jaunt, it was a shock to be receiving money.
“Compliments from Asiana Airlines,” she said, smiling.
Extremely nice staff. Money. I was liking this airline already. ”
Here you are, Ms. Palepu and Mr. Narasimhan. Please make your way through customs. She will show you the way,” the desk agent said, gesturing to her colleague and handing us our boarding passes and passports.
With our escort, we sped through security and immigration in under 3 minutes. She guided us upstairs to the expansive first class lounge. “I will return to take you to your flight,” she said, with a smile and a bow.
Say what now?
Before we entered the lounge, all I wanted to do was to sit and do nothing.
Now, I had every intention of exploring every inch of the immaculately appointed lounge.
Food first. A feast was spread on top of the gleaming black countertop, containing any food you could possibly want. Â Fresh sushi was brought out in 15 minute intervals. Â A sterling silver bowl held ice and bottles of premium wine and champagne. Â A simple glass freezer sat at the end of the countertop, housing every variety of Magnum ice-creams you could imagine.
I’m never leaving.
I piled a gold-rimmed plate with salmon sushi, delicate slivers of carrots and bell peppers, and herbed goat cheese. Â Pouring myself a mimosa and grabbing a bottle of water with my empty fingers, I made my way back to my seat.
And devoured my snack as gracefully as possible.
Satiated, I stood up and searched for the restroom. Â Even in first class, an airplane bathroom is an airplane bathroom. Â Calling this room a bathroom is a gross injustice. Â Granite sinks with sparkling steel fixtures dominated the center of the room. Â Each toilet was housed in a room as large as my walk-in closet. Â The toilet itself was a technological marvel – a heated seat, different “washing” options, and even different temperatures for the drier.
I know I have made it in life when I have that toilet in my bathroom.  My own bathroom.
Continuing my exploration, I passed a series of private bathrooms. Â Recessed in subtle lighting that belongs in an NYC restaurant, each bathroom contained a large shower, cleaned to perfection, a technological marvel of a toilet, a luggage rack and hooks for clothing, and even an iron and ironing board. Â A pile of fluffy towels sat on a stool next to the shower. Â Flicking the switches, the room was awash with bright light – ideal for reapplying ones makeup. Â Inside each bathroom was a new set of BVLGARI toiletries. Too bad I didn’t need a shower. Â Or that my clean undergarments were in the bag next to my chair.
Leaving the bathroom, I found myself in a small nook that housed a behemoth of a massage chair. Â Different massage options, temperatures, and speeds dominated the remote sitting on the right armrest. Â Tempted, I nearly sat down before I looked at my watch.
Crap! Â Nearly time to board.
I made my way back to our seat, snatching one Magnum caramel bar as I passed the buffet.
“Where were you?” my husband asks, looking up from his newspaper.
“Oh, you know, exploring.”
“The lounge? Â What’s there to see?”
You have no idea.
Full disclosure – Asiana Airlines, in no way, sponsored this post. Â We booked our own first class tickets through hoarding our miles for over a year and splurging on first class tickets throughout our Asia trip. Â I’m just a major fan of the airline.
