Find out how Aspire Lounges can help you to get your next trip off to the most relaxing start possible.
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Airports – love them or loathe them?
Personally, I love them and for me, a holiday begins the moment I clear through security. I always look forward to spending some time browsing through duty-free and getting something to eat while I wait for my flight.
But I have to be honest, I don’t love the struggle to find seats. And the non-stop noise can get a bit overwhelming after a while.
Aspire Lounges recently invited me to use their lounge at Liverpool Airport before a recent trip with my family.
We’d never used an airport lounge before, so I was keen to see what difference it would make to our airport experience.
Who are Aspire Lounges?
Aspire Lounges have been providing airport lounges across the world for over 25 years.
The lounges have contemporary design and fantastic facilities, making them perfect for quiet time, relaxation or catching up on a bit of work.
And unlike some providers, Aspire Lounges are not restricted to people flying with specific airlines or those travelling in club class or business class.
Aspire Lounges are committed to providing the best possible service to their customers. So you’ll be sure of a great start to your journey every time.
Which Airports have Aspire Lounges?
Aspire Lounges can be found at airports across the world, including Europe, North America, Asia and Africa.
In the UK, you’ll find Aspire Lounges at the following airports:
- Belfast City Airport
- Birmingham Airport
- Bristol Airport
- Edinburgh Airport
- Humberside Airport
- Inverness Airport
- Liverpool Airport
- London Gatwick Airport
- London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 and Terminal 5
- London Luton Airport
- Manchester T1 and T2
- Newcastle
How much does access to Aspire Lounges cost?
Prices start from £20.99 for three hours access. You can also pay for upgrades like extra time or a celebratory bottle of champagne.
Included in the price is the array of complimentary food and drink, free WiFi, a selection of newspapers to browse through and plenty of comfortable seating.
Some Aspire Lounges also offer some additional features:
- Birmingham Airport, Manchester T1 and Newcastle have private work rooms. These are perfect for making a phone call or catch up on some work.
- Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester T1 and Newcastle also have family booths, which seat up to 8 people around a large table. Each family booth has its own Smart TV so you can watch what you want and take advantage of the on-demand services.
- The Luton Aspire Lounge has RestPods which allow you to fully recline and relax in relative privacy.
Relaxation at Aspire Lounge Liverpool
My visit to Aspire Lounge Liverpool took place when I was travelling to Malaga with my family for a long weekend. I’d already booked fast track security to make sure that our trip got off to a smooth start. That’s one of my top tips for a relaxing getaway.
So after we’d cleared security, we headed over to the Aspire Lounge. Booking your access online before you travel ensures that you’ll be able to use the lounge at the time you want.
The friendly reception staff checked our reservation and we were quickly taken through the facilities at the Liverpool lounge.
Then we were shown over to our table and settled down to relax. The Aspire Lounge was a peaceful and calm environment, such a delightful contrast to the airport terminal outside.
There’s no stuffy dress code, so you can wear most regular travel clothing. They ask that you don’t wear items such as baseball caps, sportswear, football shirts or items of clothing with offensive slogans.
There are no tannoys within the lounge, to help maintain the relaxed atmosphere. So you do need to keep an eye on the departure board to see when your gate is announced.
The Liverpool Airport lounge is decorated in relaxing shades of grey with accents of pale pink and purple throughout.
There’s a variety of seating including high benches with bar stools, booths, and low tables with comfy sofas and soft armchairs.
I was really pleased that we’d been allocated one of the low tables. It was much more relaxing than hunting to find somewhere to sit on the hard plastic seats outside the lounge like we usually do!
Once the boys had logged onto the free WiFi, I headed off to check out the refreshments available.
Food and Drink in an Aspire Lounge
There’s plenty of choice when you visit an Aspire Lounge, and most of the options are included in your booking fee.
The day starts with a range of pastries, cereals, fruit and yoghurt as well as hot breakfast options.
At lunchtime, you’ll find a selection of hot and cold food, ideal for a light meal before you fly. The range includes freshly made hot soup with fresh bread rolls, as well as more substantial options.
On the day we visited, the menu included Red Pepper & Roasted Tomato soup, a creamy mushroom pasta dish, and smokey Pulled BBQ Beef with rice.
You can help yourself to any of the food, and return as often as you like. The dishes are replenished whenever they start to run low.
You can also help yourself to the salad bar, which included a selection of salads, cold meats and cheeses.
And we were all delighted by the sweet treats on offer, which included a range of pastries and delicious cakes.
And there’s just as much choice when it comes to drinks at an Aspire Lounge. You can help yourself to self-serve soft drinks, fruit juices, mineral water and a range of teas and coffee options.
Or if you fancy a glass of wine, spirits or a cold beer, the bar staff can help you out with that.
And if you want to toast your trip with a glass of fizz, you can choose from champagne or prosecco for an additional fee.
Aspire Lounge Liverpool: My Review
We spent three relaxing hours in the Aspire Lounge at Liverpool Airport, and it definitely made a difference to the beginning of our trip.
We usually go for lunch in one of the restaurants before we fly, and our bill easily can easily come to £60-80. So although we didn’t have as much choice as usual, the total cost would be roughly similar to how much we would have spent on food and drink.
Plus my sons loved the free WiFi and being able to help themselves to snacks and drinks.
But the leisurely atmosphere in the Aspire Lounge was what I really appreciated. Instead of spending time trying to find four seats together in the terminal, we were able to sit back and relax in a peaceful environment.
I’d certainly consider booking an Aspire Lounge again for our next family holiday. And I think it would be very reassuring when I’m travelling on my own.
In my opinion, having such a relaxed start to my trip would definitely make it worth every penny.