Review: United Polaris Business Lounge
If you're a frequent flyer, you may have heard of United's new Polaris Lounge. These lounges are supposed to be an upgraded experience compared to the older United Clubs, and have been under construction for a while. Right now, there are only four United Polaris Lounges: Chicago O'Hare, Houston Intercontinental, New York/Newark and San Francisco. Today, I flew out of SFO so I got to give the San Francisco location a try.
The Dining Room at the SFO United Polaris Lounge
The idea of Polaris is slightly (super) pretentious. These days, even a first class or business class ticket can't get you into the lounge. You have to be flying Polaris Business Class. I was on my way to Singapore and decided it was worth the upgrade for the long-haul flight. Total cost: $2303.
Of course, the cost of my ticket includes a business class seat on the flight and a trip to Singapore, but I decided to spend a good four hours in the lounge because I wanted to get my money's worth and I also didn't want to sit at home waiting for my flight.
You can find the Polaris lounge in Terminal G -- SFO's international terminal. I have TSA Pre-Check and I never check a bag so I walked right through security and made the first right after passing through the metal detectors. Hidden away in the right hand corner is the fancy schmancy lounge. I walked in and saw United Club members get turned away. I hoped my business class ticket was good enough to get me in.
It was.
Drinks on drinks for those that need a drink
I arrived on the first floor of the lounge and saw many signs and arrows pointing me to various luxury amenities. It is pretty overwhelming and part of me wonders what kind of people frequent this lounge. The Quiet Suites and Shower Suites were on the first floor. The Dining Room was on the second floor. I took the escalator up to the second floor and headed straight for the Dining Room in hopes that I could hang out, do some work, and have access to unlimited food.
The dining room was very small and yet, I was able to get a table. Each table has an outlet so it's fine to hang out and eat for hours. I'll write a separate blog that goes in depth about how good or not good the food was (spoiler alert: it wasn't amazing) but for now, I'll just say that the service was good and everything was complimentary. Was it worth $2300? Probably not.
Pasta salad bar is the main offering at the buffet
In addition to the Dining Room, there is the buffet that you may be familiar with if you've been in a United lounge before. The food didn't look particularly appetizing, so I opted for a coconut pudding and skipped everything else. Plus, I had a three course meal in the Dining Room so I was pretty stuffed. There was an Asian section of the buffet that had sad noodle soups and then a pasta salad section. There was also a warm food section but nothing that really tickled my fancy. Of course, the dessert bar is the best part so, as I mentioned, I did grab a pudding.
Don't forget to grab dessert
The lounge itself is huge. There are many seats and nooks and outlets, so do not fret, there will always be a place for you. Oh, and that's just the second floor. The first floor was practically empty with rows and rows of even more seats. I'll get to the first floor in a second but not before I highlight the bar. I was probably most excited to try out the bar and it is as glamorous as it looked in the highlight real on the United website. The bartenders were nice, but it seemed like they were expecting tips. I say this because I saw numerous singles all over the bar, even after everyone was long gone. Seeing all of those tips made me feel like tipping, so I did. Other blogs will note that tipping is not expected. I beg to differ.
Enjoy a cocktail before your flight
I had ordered many a red wine during dinner (they were great, btw) so I decided to go for a Pisco Punch at the bar. It's apparently a "Local Special" which was exciting because when I think Pisco, I think Peru! Bring on that Local San Francisco Pisco! The drink was made quickly and I took a sip... it was... strong. Very strong. I think some people like that but I was not trying to get tipsy before a 17 hour flight so I took three more sips, tipped, and headed downstairs.
Quiet Suites are a great place to rest up
On the first floor, I finally decided to try the Quiet Suites. I noticed there were also Shower Suites and Restrooms so, I figured I would try out the Restrooms since the floor was like a ghost town. Of course, they were nice and single stalls, because sharing is for non-Polaris members! Ten out of ten would use the Restrooms on the first floor again!
The famous Saks Fifth Ave bedding
Back to the main event: The Quiet Suites.
Basically, you walk into a separate room on the first floor and there is a desk full of people who want to help you relax. They'll ask if you're looking for a Shower Suite or a Quiet Suite. You can request either or both. If you request a shower, they'll provide you with a towel. If you request a Quiet Suite, they'll provide you with a warm blanket. They'll then escort you to your almost-private room where you can nap and enjoy the sound-maker while charging your phones and other electronic devices. Just be sure not to miss your flight.
Everything you need to fall asleep and miss your flight
And with that, four hours flew by. I hopped on my flight and headed across the Pacific.
Overall, the Polaris Lounge was fine and definitely a treat. However, it's not worth thousands of dollars and it seemed like the glitz and glam of it all distracted from mediocre food and ambiance.
Yes, it's great to be able to work in a quiet place away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the airport, but you don't need the Polaris Lounge to do that. I'll probably be back, but only on long-haul trips and only if I can pay for the upgrade with frequent flyer miles.
