Review – Etihad Arrivals Lounge Abu Dhabi

by Zac George
a room with couches and a tv

After arriving on my flight from Melbourne, I quickly passed security thanks to the new E-gates which played up the first time but worked the second time I tried. Anyway, I walked through baggage claim and made it to customs, if you are not declaring things, you walk straight ahead, and you will find the arrivals lounge to the left in Terminal 3.

All Residence, First, Business passengers, as well as Gold and Platinum members, can access the lounge after a flight.

a large glass doors with gold lettering

Etihad Arrivals Lounge

There will be an agent at the desk when you first work in who can help organize your chauffeur or assist with any lounge questions. As I didn’t know what I would be doing during my all day transit in Abu Dhabi, I decided to go to a mall to kill a few hours; the agents organized a car to drive me there whenever I needed.

a reception desk in a hotel

Etihad Arrivals Lounge Entrance

The arrivals lounge isn’t that big at all, but It doesn’t need to be. When I first visited there were probably three people max in the lounge, after my shower I was the only one in there.

a hallway with wood panels and a white tile floor

Etihad Arrivals Lounge Hallway

Even though the lounge is small, it’s still spacious and comfortable.

a room with a wall of shelves and chairs

Etihad Arrivals Lounge Seating

The lounge has a buffet with fresh food available. The staff would top it up every time something would get taken.

a buffet with different food items on it

Buffet

 

a table with different types of fruit and cheese

Buffet

 

a table with food on it

Buffet

They also have a coffee machine which was used a lot, understandably because of the 6 am arrival.

a machine with cups on top of it

Coffee Machine

There are fridges below the counter which offer water and soft drinks.

a refrigerator with bottles of soda and water

Beverages

 

a refrigerator with bottles of water and cans

Beverages

As you can see, the lounge was empty.

a room with couches and a tv

Etihad Arrivals Lounge Seating

 

a tv on a wall

Etihad Arrivals Lounge Seating

 

a person sitting in a room with chairs and tables

Etihad Arrivals Lounge Seating

There is one computer for passengers to use.

a desk with a computer and chair in a room

Business Area

 

a room with couches and a tv

Arrivals Lounge Seating

The lounge also has showers which are fantastic after a long flight.

a man standing at a desk in a hallway

Shower and Style and Shave Area

They also have a Style and Shave area, which has been newly renovated to reflect their new first lounge.

a room with a chair and a mirror

Style And Shave

 

a hallway with several doors

Showers Area

The size of the shower is great, I’m hardly a tall person, but if you are, you’ll be pleased to know that the head is quite high.

a shower with soap dispensers and a light above it

Shower

 

a group of bottles of liquid

Shower Amenities

The rooms are cleaned after every use; the cleaners do a great job as they were spotless.

a toilet in a bathroom

Toilet

 

a sink and faucet in a bathroom

Basin

 

a hair dryer on a wall

Hair Dryer

The unique thing about the rooms is that you can put your clothes in the closet space and the staff with press them for free and they are done within minutes, perfect if you need neat clothes for a meeting.

a group of black packages on a metal tray

Scaramouche + Fandango Amenities

The closet area also includes a few amenities, shown above and below:

a group of spray cans

Deodorants

 

a bottle of water on a shelf

Water

Bottom Line

Having a shower and haircut on arrival is pretty fantastic. The internet is pretty good, (40mb per second) and the staff are friendly. If you have no rush to get to somewhere, it’s a great place to sit and relax and grab something to eat or just a coffee.

You may also like