Club Aspire at Heathrow Terminal 5
Club Aspire at Heathrow Terminal 5
Club Aspire at Heathrow Terminal 5
4.5
5:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
5:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
5:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
5:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
5:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
5:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
5:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
5:00 AM - 9:00 PM
About
The Aspire Lounge at London Heathrow Airport T5 is open to all travellers, not just those with a business or first class ticket, though we welcome them too. With great views of the runway at Britain's busiest airport and a premium menu ensure your time before your flight can be as enjoyable and as relaxed as you wish it to be. Our Aspire lounge at London Heathrow T5 is designed to ensure that whatever the reason for your journey, there is no better place to start than in our lounge. Comfortable seats, a great range of food and drink, free WiFi and more have all been brought together to make sure that your journey begins in comfort and style.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view










What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Club Aspire at Heathrow Terminal 5 and nearby attractions
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
316 within 3 miles
Attractions
173 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- Hann7119 contributionsA great experience,thank you to the staff for their efforts.The lounge was clean, the food at breakfast time was very good quality and the staff very friendly and helpful. I misplaced my passport during my visit and the staff were very efficient in reuniting me with it. The lounge is worth the fee and the staff deserve great praise during a very busy and difficult travel period.Visited December 2021Traveled as a coupleWritten December 30, 2021
- Zack S1 contributionGreat lounge for a great price.My dad and I got stuck in the airport for nearly 24 hours after British Airways/American screwed us over on our connecting flight. We ended up going to a few restaurants and our last stop was here. Honestly I wish we would’ve found this lounge sooner. The food was okay but the service was fast and Ioana and Dana(probably butchering the names here) were very nice and basically were bringing us our drink orders within 30 seconds of ordering them. Coming to this lounge definitely made our terrible layover a lot better and in an airport with almost exclusively overpriced bars/restaurants, finding somewhere that’s a good deal was very nice.Visited July 2021Traveled soloWritten July 5, 2021
- SloddChicago, Illinois63 contributionsCrowded but great serviceVeronica in the lounge was very friendly and prompt. Awesome service. The check in process was long but check out person was friendly too. The lounge was very crowded though and access is becoming more and more difficult. Would suggest pre booking for 6 pounds in advanceVisited December 2022Traveled with familyWritten December 25, 2022
- Fetlar13Wirral, United Kingdom143 contributionsAwful, lack of comfy seats and not worth the money!We booked this lounge because we had a near 5 hour wait between our overnight flight from Vancouver and our connecting flight to Manchester. We needed a comfy seat to maybe catch forty winks after a horrible flight. Arrived at approx 15:15 and were dismayed to find that the lounge only has about 12 large comfy seats (all taken of course!) and the rest of the seating cramped, hard and uncomfortable. The lounge doesn’t even have toilets, you have to go out past the queue to get in and then make your excuses to get past the same queue to get back into the lounge. My wife had been quite ill during the overnight flight and just wanted to get her head down until she felt better. We were then moaned at because we were told that “You’re not allowed to take up seats by lying down!” I explained to the complaining member of staff that my wide was feeling ill and needed to rest, she wouldn’t listen and insisted that my wife sat up. Absolute joke of a lounge, save your money!Dear Fetlar13, Thank you for taking the time to leave your review. I'm sorry to see the experience you describe. Unfortunately due to capacity, we cannot allow guests to lie down over seating within the lounge. We will pass your feedback to the lounge manager in order to improve our service in the future. Thank you for your feedback and we hope to see you again to demonstrate our usual high level of service next time. Kind Regards, The Aspire TeamWritten February 25, 2020This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited January 2020Traveled as a coupleWritten January 8, 2020
- Surreyfamily1London, United Kingdom103 contributionsEarly closingI've used this lounge maybe 6 times. Why? It's the only one on Priority Pass in T5. If I had the choice I wouldn't bother. Despite the posted closing time of 2230, they stop bringing out fresh food at 2030. Start to vacuum around you at 2100, and effectively try to ensure you go by 2115 by making your stay unwelcoming. This in spite of flights not departing until 2230. Its the same every time, as I get the same flight out each time. As for the quality of the food. Its middling. Limited choice as the lounge is quite small. Not the best standard. The bar is well stocked and service quick. Photo taken at 2106 hrs, still almost got and a half until closure.Dear Surreyfamily1, Thank you for taking the time to leave your review. I'm sorry to see the experience you describe. We will pass your feedback to the lounge manager in order to improve our service in the future. Thank you for your feedback and we hope to see you again to demonstrate our usual high level of service next time. Kind Regards, The Aspire TeamWritten February 25, 2020This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited January 2020Traveled on businessWritten January 6, 2020
- Buzby58Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom16 contributionsAspire? Probably in the corporate marketing department!We booked Aspire in well in advance at £40 per head which at the time didn't seen unreasonable. However having to queue up for 30 minutes behind non booked customers to 'check in' wasn't great which reflected what was on offer, which was pretty dire. The breakfast buffet was to say the least unimaginative and very limited. In it's defence the staff were charming and we especially liked Joana who was lovely. It's probably worth paying the £40 per head if you don't have to queue - if you do I'd recommend going to another outlet where you don't have to wait and I suspect the cost will be pretty much the same.Hello, Thank you for taking the time to leave a well balanced review. I am really pleased that you felt welcomed by all our staff, particularly Ioana. I am sorry that you were in a queue for so long to enter our lounge, unfortunately due to the location of the lounge, having separate queues would be problematic. As advertised on our website, our lounges only offer simple snacks and light meals but I apologise if you felt the breakfast buffet didn't meet your expectations. If you would like to discuss this further please contact us via enquiries@no1lounges.com stating your booking details and the name of your review. Kind regards, PaulaWritten March 10, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited February 2023Written March 6, 2023
- tirsabelWashington DC, District of Columbia124 contributionsMediocre experience, wouldn’t have paid for accessWe entered at 8:15, exactly 3 hours before our departure using priority pass access for our family. The lounge was packed with nowhere for a group of 4 to sit together, and barely a place for a group of 2 to sit together. If you pre-reserve a space at 6gbp/pp, there are some reserved seats but even those filed up soon after our arrival. The food line was not terrible, with bacon, eggs, sausage, burnt croissants, small yogurt parfait, porridge, pancakes, etc. fruit juices were available and alcohol to purchase. It was quite warm due to the glass ceiling and minimal air circulation. It looked like maybe there is an upstairs area which remained closed during our visit. We ate quickly and left to go sit at an empty gate. Also there were no bathrooms available for use while we were there so we had to leave each time to use the bathroom, highly inconvenient. The staff was fine and pleasantVisited August 2022Traveled with familyWritten August 27, 2022
- Pete&DanIreland5 contributionsWoman at bar - Amazing and sweet! Balbir so kind and kept the place in tip top shape! BUT THE REST DREADFUL 🫤We Bought our lounge pass on Revolut once we made it through security that process easy as pie 🥧 but let me tell you once I walked up to the gate with my partner all (BEEP!) went sour! The woman who was at the gate was so so rude I showed her my tickets and the utter ignorance off her was a true joke she kept saying come back at 12:30 and keep pretty much Bushing us off I was then made scan a QR code at the entrance to put myself and my partner on a waiting list (for reference we arrived at the lounge at approximately 11:00) so me and my partner (annoyed off by the whole ordeal) decided to walk off for the hour and a half and went to Gordon Ramsey plane food just after security (we recommend) while at Gordon’s place I got my notification to come down to the lounge at 11:40 (40 minutes before my time so the woman said) when we got down they where so so so so rude! They were looking at us like headless chickens, me and my partner young in our 20’s wearing like shorts and tracksuit type vibe where honestly looked at like Idiots (not the term I originally used) by the time we got to the Lounge🫤 it was a head sore tryna get in, we where told stand to the side again for 10 minutes and obviously me and my partner both furious at this point, kinda tried to get our point across showing the messages and everything of the notifications but nope not good enough he send me another one called me over by name (loudly yet I was right beside him..) asked to see my notification to see if it matched what I showed him previously.. wow it did! We were let in and barely got any form of apology by the staff who where involved in that or deal, the woman who checked us in at the actual desk was very nice to us very smiley upon entering which was nice to see after the hassle! We managed to find a seat once we entered by absolute chance as the place was packed. There’s a section down the bottom reserved for whoever, yet was empty for almost all of our limited 3 hours in the lounge, the could of accommodated people here until others arrival time. Food was sub par. The woman at the bar though was absolutely excellent such a lovely woman! So friendly and respectful and remembered our drink order I know where in the uk but gave me local Irish bar vibes! The woman cleaning up after us - balbir was also excellent so kind and was very nice to talk to! The end of the experience after dealing with the (Beep) was nice but I can’t give higher stars based off 2 amazing people as I’m judging the experience as a whole and this ain’t worth it! First awful experience with a lounge also first and last time in this one! 🥳Hello, Thank you for taking the time to leave a well balanced review. I am really pleased that you felt welcomed by our a couple of our staff, especially Balbir, I will pass on those kind words about her to our Heathrow lounge team. Some of the issues raised in your review are of concern to us and we would like the opportunity to investigate further as we expect all our guests to feel welcomed from the moment they arrive. If you could please contact us via guestrelations@no1lounges.com stating your visit details and the name of your review, we would be happy to look into this. With regards to your lounge entry, the standard entry is 3 hours before you fly, but you can purchase additional hours if you intend to arrive earlier than that. It sounds like you arrived 4.5 hours before your flight, we can clarify this via email though. We look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, PaulaWritten January 30, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited January 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten January 29, 2023
- Christoph11 contributionsAspire Gaming the SystemWith a multi-hour layover in Heathrow Terminal 5 we wanted to use the Aspire lounge with our Priority Pass memberships in early January 2023. Trying to enter around 3.5h prior to our next flight we were told that the lounge only admits guests up to 3h before their next flight, so we'd have to wait. They also suggested to register with their digital queue so we'd be notified when we could enter the lounge. In general we are not crazy about the 3h time limit when you have a layover through no fault of your own that exceeds that time, but okay, capacity is limited and travel volume is up. We registered in the digital queue, had something to eat at Fortnum & Mason (highly recommend!) and came back 50 min later, asking to be let into the lounge. We were told that the lounge was now full and there were other people in line, including other groups of 3. The same moment another group of 3 people is allowed to enter the lounge and I ask them how long they have been waiting and they respond "20 min". I ask the Aspire person how they can get into the lounge when we have clearly been waiting longer and the Aspire person answers that their flight is leaving within an hour and therefore they get priority. What this comes down to is that Aspire is gaming the system by maximizing the total number of entries into the lounge by making people wait for as long as possible and only admitting them shortly before their flights. This minimizes average time spent in the lounge by each guest and maximizes the number of "headcount" compensations Aspire gets from Priority Pass and other customers. All at the expense of guests that properly got in line and wanted to access the lounge for a long layover and at the expense of Priority Pass and other payors that need to reimburse Aspire for higher number of guests than under a first-come-first serve system. The worst is, that Aspire is not transparent about this. I needed to press them to admit that this was there system and that it's not really a queue as much as a pool of waiters that Aspire lets based on this system of "least amount of expected time spent in the lounge". After exactly 90 min of waiting, we received our electronic invite to now enter, which we declined to not give Aspire the satisfaction of earning a headcount reimbursement on us. Would never visit this lounge again and in fact will probably avoid Heathrow for layovers all together going forward. Bottom line is that the Priority Pass experience is being continuously devalued by capacity limitations.Hello, Thank you for bringing your experience to our attention. We apologise that this happened, it is not within our company guidelines. I would like to reassure you that this issue has been flagged at management level to be addressed with all staff. Kind regards, PaulaWritten April 27, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited January 2023Written January 5, 2023
- tivasaPrague, Czech Republic98 contributionsNot really worth what I paidI had a super long layover and they wouldn’t allow me (or anyone) to go in with longer than 3 hours until your flight. Ok, cool, I get it… I finally was able to get in, and I was expecting at least some comfy chairs. Nope. So then I tried to move to a couch that looked comfortable, but the lady said I couldn’t sit there since I was just 1 person. That just seems stupid, and like they were just wanting more people inside. Inside is very small and while there are quite a few options for food, both hot and cold, the setup is not great for people trying to get in or out. For £40, not being able to sit where I want that is at least a little comfortable after attempting to sleep on the hard / arm rest-full chairs in the main terminal… it’s not worth it. However, if I was drinking wine or beer, maybe it would have been, since those are complimentary. Lol. I’m just exhausted from traveling and a 10 hour layover makes not being comfortable annoying. 🤷🏻♀️Visited August 2022Traveled soloWritten August 21, 2022
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
4,472 reviews
Excellent
2,910
Very good
779
Average
268
Poor
191
Terrible
324
Fetlar13
Wirral, UK143 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We booked this lounge because we had a near 5 hour wait between our overnight flight from Vancouver and our connecting flight to Manchester. We needed a comfy seat to maybe catch forty winks after a horrible flight. Arrived at approx 15:15 and were dismayed to find that the lounge only has about 12 large comfy seats (all taken of course!) and the rest of the seating cramped, hard and uncomfortable. The lounge doesn’t even have toilets, you have to go out past the queue to get in and then make your excuses to get past the same queue to get back into the lounge. My wife had been quite ill during the overnight flight and just wanted to get her head down until she felt better. We were then moaned at because we were told that “You’re not allowed to take up seats by lying down!” I explained to the complaining member of staff that my wide was feeling ill and needed to rest, she wouldn’t listen and insisted that my wife sat up. Absolute joke of a lounge, save your money!
Written January 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Fetlar13,
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review.
I'm sorry to see the experience you describe. Unfortunately due to capacity, we cannot allow guests to lie down over seating within the lounge. We will pass your feedback to the lounge manager in order to improve our service in the future.
Thank you for your feedback and we hope to see you again to demonstrate our usual high level of service next time.
Kind Regards,
The Aspire Team
Written February 25, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Surreyfamily1
London, UK103 contributions
Jan 2020 • Business
I've used this lounge maybe 6 times. Why? It's the only one on Priority Pass in T5. If I had the choice I wouldn't bother. Despite the posted closing time of 2230, they stop bringing out fresh food at 2030. Start to vacuum around you at 2100, and effectively try to ensure you go by 2115 by making your stay unwelcoming. This in spite of flights not departing until 2230. Its the same every time, as I get the same flight out each time. As for the quality of the food. Its middling. Limited choice as the lounge is quite small. Not the best standard. The bar is well stocked and service quick. Photo taken at 2106 hrs, still almost got and a half until closure.
Written January 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Surreyfamily1,
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review.
I'm sorry to see the experience you describe. We will pass your feedback to the lounge manager in order to improve our service in the future.
Thank you for your feedback and we hope to see you again to demonstrate our usual high level of service next time.
Kind Regards,
The Aspire Team
Written February 25, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Buzby58
Buckinghamshire, UK16 contributions
Feb 2023
We booked Aspire in well in advance at £40 per head which at the time didn't seen unreasonable. However having to queue up for 30 minutes behind non booked customers to 'check in' wasn't great which reflected what was on offer, which was pretty dire. The breakfast buffet was to say the least unimaginative and very limited.
In it's defence the staff were charming and we especially liked Joana who was lovely.
It's probably worth paying the £40 per head if you don't have to queue - if you do I'd recommend going to another outlet where you don't have to wait and I suspect the cost will be pretty much the same.
In it's defence the staff were charming and we especially liked Joana who was lovely.
It's probably worth paying the £40 per head if you don't have to queue - if you do I'd recommend going to another outlet where you don't have to wait and I suspect the cost will be pretty much the same.
Written March 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a well balanced review.
I am really pleased that you felt welcomed by all our staff, particularly Ioana.
I am sorry that you were in a queue for so long to enter our lounge, unfortunately due to the location of the lounge, having separate queues would be problematic.
As advertised on our website, our lounges only offer simple snacks and light meals but I apologise if you felt the breakfast buffet didn't meet your expectations. If you would like to discuss this further please contact us via enquiries@no1lounges.com stating your booking details and the name of your review.
Kind regards,
Paula
Written March 10, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
tirsabel
Washington DC, DC124 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
We entered at 8:15, exactly 3 hours before our departure using priority pass access for our family. The lounge was packed with nowhere for a group of 4 to sit together, and barely a place for a group of 2 to sit together. If you pre-reserve a space at 6gbp/pp, there are some reserved seats but even those filed up soon after our arrival. The food line was not terrible, with bacon, eggs, sausage, burnt croissants, small yogurt parfait, porridge, pancakes, etc. fruit juices were available and alcohol to purchase. It was quite warm due to the glass ceiling and minimal air circulation. It looked like maybe there is an upstairs area which remained closed during our visit. We ate quickly and left to go sit at an empty gate. Also there were no bathrooms available for use while we were there so we had to leave each time to use the bathroom, highly inconvenient. The staff was fine and pleasant
Written August 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pete&Dan
Ireland5 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
We Bought our lounge pass on Revolut once we made it through security that process easy as pie 🥧 but let me tell you once I walked up to the gate with my partner all (BEEP!) went sour! The woman who was at the gate was so so rude I showed her my tickets and the utter ignorance off her was a true joke she kept saying come back at 12:30 and keep pretty much Bushing us off I was then made scan a QR code at the entrance to put myself and my partner on a waiting list (for reference we arrived at the lounge at approximately 11:00) so me and my partner (annoyed off by the whole ordeal) decided to walk off for the hour and a half and went to Gordon Ramsey plane food just after security (we recommend) while at Gordon’s place I got my notification to come down to the lounge at 11:40 (40 minutes before my time so the woman said) when we got down they where so so so so rude! They were looking at us like headless chickens, me and my partner young in our 20’s wearing like shorts and tracksuit type vibe where honestly looked at like Idiots (not the term I originally used) by the time we got to the Lounge🫤 it was a head sore tryna get in, we where told stand to the side again for 10 minutes and obviously me and my partner both furious at this point, kinda tried to get our point across showing the messages and everything of the notifications but nope not good enough he send me another one called me over by name (loudly yet I was right beside him..) asked to see my notification to see if it matched what I showed him previously.. wow it did! We were let in and barely got any form of apology by the staff who where involved in that or deal, the woman who checked us in at the actual desk was very nice to us very smiley upon entering which was nice to see after the hassle! We managed to find a seat once we entered by absolute chance as the place was packed. There’s a section down the bottom reserved for whoever, yet was empty for almost all of our limited 3 hours in the lounge, the could of accommodated people here until others arrival time. Food was sub par.
The woman at the bar though was absolutely excellent such a lovely woman! So friendly and respectful and remembered our drink order I know where in the uk but gave me local Irish bar vibes!
The woman cleaning up after us - balbir was also excellent so kind and was very nice to talk to! The end of the experience after dealing with the (Beep) was nice but I can’t give higher stars based off 2 amazing people as I’m judging the experience as a whole and this ain’t worth it! First awful experience with a lounge also first and last time in this one! 🥳
The woman at the bar though was absolutely excellent such a lovely woman! So friendly and respectful and remembered our drink order I know where in the uk but gave me local Irish bar vibes!
The woman cleaning up after us - balbir was also excellent so kind and was very nice to talk to! The end of the experience after dealing with the (Beep) was nice but I can’t give higher stars based off 2 amazing people as I’m judging the experience as a whole and this ain’t worth it! First awful experience with a lounge also first and last time in this one! 🥳
Written January 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a well balanced review.
I am really pleased that you felt welcomed by our a couple of our staff, especially Balbir, I will pass on those kind words about her to our Heathrow lounge team.
Some of the issues raised in your review are of concern to us and we would like the opportunity to investigate further as we expect all our guests to feel welcomed from the moment they arrive. If you could please contact us via guestrelations@no1lounges.com stating your visit details and the name of your review, we would be happy to look into this.
With regards to your lounge entry, the standard entry is 3 hours before you fly, but you can purchase additional hours if you intend to arrive earlier than that. It sounds like you arrived 4.5 hours before your flight, we can clarify this via email though.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Paula
Written January 30, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Christoph
11 contributions
Jan 2023
With a multi-hour layover in Heathrow Terminal 5 we wanted to use the Aspire lounge with our Priority Pass memberships in early January 2023.
Trying to enter around 3.5h prior to our next flight we were told that the lounge only admits guests up to 3h before their next flight, so we'd have to wait. They also suggested to register with their digital queue so we'd be notified when we could enter the lounge. In general we are not crazy about the 3h time limit when you have a layover through no fault of your own that exceeds that time, but okay, capacity is limited and travel volume is up. We registered in the digital queue, had something to eat at Fortnum & Mason (highly recommend!) and came back 50 min later, asking to be let into the lounge. We were told that the lounge was now full and there were other people in line, including other groups of 3. The same moment another group of 3 people is allowed to enter the lounge and I ask them how long they have been waiting and they respond "20 min". I ask the Aspire person how they can get into the lounge when we have clearly been waiting longer and the Aspire person answers that their flight is leaving within an hour and therefore they get priority.
What this comes down to is that Aspire is gaming the system by maximizing the total number of entries into the lounge by making people wait for as long as possible and only admitting them shortly before their flights. This minimizes average time spent in the lounge by each guest and maximizes the number of "headcount" compensations Aspire gets from Priority Pass and other customers. All at the expense of guests that properly got in line and wanted to access the lounge for a long layover and at the expense of Priority Pass and other payors that need to reimburse Aspire for higher number of guests than under a first-come-first serve system.
The worst is, that Aspire is not transparent about this. I needed to press them to admit that this was there system and that it's not really a queue as much as a pool of waiters that Aspire lets based on this system of "least amount of expected time spent in the lounge".
After exactly 90 min of waiting, we received our electronic invite to now enter, which we declined to not give Aspire the satisfaction of earning a headcount reimbursement on us.
Would never visit this lounge again and in fact will probably avoid Heathrow for layovers all together going forward.
Bottom line is that the Priority Pass experience is being continuously devalued by capacity limitations.
Trying to enter around 3.5h prior to our next flight we were told that the lounge only admits guests up to 3h before their next flight, so we'd have to wait. They also suggested to register with their digital queue so we'd be notified when we could enter the lounge. In general we are not crazy about the 3h time limit when you have a layover through no fault of your own that exceeds that time, but okay, capacity is limited and travel volume is up. We registered in the digital queue, had something to eat at Fortnum & Mason (highly recommend!) and came back 50 min later, asking to be let into the lounge. We were told that the lounge was now full and there were other people in line, including other groups of 3. The same moment another group of 3 people is allowed to enter the lounge and I ask them how long they have been waiting and they respond "20 min". I ask the Aspire person how they can get into the lounge when we have clearly been waiting longer and the Aspire person answers that their flight is leaving within an hour and therefore they get priority.
What this comes down to is that Aspire is gaming the system by maximizing the total number of entries into the lounge by making people wait for as long as possible and only admitting them shortly before their flights. This minimizes average time spent in the lounge by each guest and maximizes the number of "headcount" compensations Aspire gets from Priority Pass and other customers. All at the expense of guests that properly got in line and wanted to access the lounge for a long layover and at the expense of Priority Pass and other payors that need to reimburse Aspire for higher number of guests than under a first-come-first serve system.
The worst is, that Aspire is not transparent about this. I needed to press them to admit that this was there system and that it's not really a queue as much as a pool of waiters that Aspire lets based on this system of "least amount of expected time spent in the lounge".
After exactly 90 min of waiting, we received our electronic invite to now enter, which we declined to not give Aspire the satisfaction of earning a headcount reimbursement on us.
Would never visit this lounge again and in fact will probably avoid Heathrow for layovers all together going forward.
Bottom line is that the Priority Pass experience is being continuously devalued by capacity limitations.
Written January 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
Thank you for bringing your experience to our attention.
We apologise that this happened, it is not within our company guidelines. I would like to reassure you that this issue has been flagged at management level to be addressed with all staff.
Kind regards,
Paula
Written April 27, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
tivasa
Prague, Czech Republic98 contributions
Aug 2022 • Solo
I had a super long layover and they wouldn’t allow me (or anyone) to go in with longer than 3 hours until your flight. Ok, cool, I get it…
I finally was able to get in, and I was expecting at least some comfy chairs. Nope. So then I tried to move to a couch that looked comfortable, but the lady said I couldn’t sit there since I was just 1 person. That just seems stupid, and like they were just wanting more people inside.
Inside is very small and while there are quite a few options for food, both hot and cold, the setup is not great for people trying to get in or out.
For £40, not being able to sit where I want that is at least a little comfortable after attempting to sleep on the hard / arm rest-full chairs in the main terminal… it’s not worth it.
However, if I was drinking wine or beer, maybe it would have been, since those are complimentary.
Lol. I’m just exhausted from traveling and a 10 hour layover makes not being comfortable annoying. 🤷🏻♀️
I finally was able to get in, and I was expecting at least some comfy chairs. Nope. So then I tried to move to a couch that looked comfortable, but the lady said I couldn’t sit there since I was just 1 person. That just seems stupid, and like they were just wanting more people inside.
Inside is very small and while there are quite a few options for food, both hot and cold, the setup is not great for people trying to get in or out.
For £40, not being able to sit where I want that is at least a little comfortable after attempting to sleep on the hard / arm rest-full chairs in the main terminal… it’s not worth it.
However, if I was drinking wine or beer, maybe it would have been, since those are complimentary.
Lol. I’m just exhausted from traveling and a 10 hour layover makes not being comfortable annoying. 🤷🏻♀️
Written August 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Flavius V
8 contributions
Apr 2022 • Couples
This has to be the worst experience I have ever had in any airport lounge I have used.
I booked two places for me and my partner for the 24th March 2022 at a cost of £33 each..£66.
On arrival we were hit by the overpowering smell of curry, once inside we found out why.
The only food available on the "buffet" was a sort of chickpea curry, a bowl of pasta and a meagre selection of salad. We didn't bother with any of it.
We thought we'd try the bar next.
I asked for one pint of draught beer and a gin and tonic, no beer, no gin the bar tender said.
OK, two cokes, no coke she said. I asked what she did have, she shrugged her shoulders and pointed to six bottles on a shelf behind her so we didn't get a drink either.
The lounge boasts it "offers" unlimited food and drink but for £66 all we got was a seat.
I complained to the manager but my complaint was met with indifference..no offer of a refund.
We won't be booking this place again.
I booked two places for me and my partner for the 24th March 2022 at a cost of £33 each..£66.
On arrival we were hit by the overpowering smell of curry, once inside we found out why.
The only food available on the "buffet" was a sort of chickpea curry, a bowl of pasta and a meagre selection of salad. We didn't bother with any of it.
We thought we'd try the bar next.
I asked for one pint of draught beer and a gin and tonic, no beer, no gin the bar tender said.
OK, two cokes, no coke she said. I asked what she did have, she shrugged her shoulders and pointed to six bottles on a shelf behind her so we didn't get a drink either.
The lounge boasts it "offers" unlimited food and drink but for £66 all we got was a seat.
I complained to the manager but my complaint was met with indifference..no offer of a refund.
We won't be booking this place again.
Written April 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gail K
Sheffield, UK26 contributions
Sep 2021 • Couples
Just simply not worth the money and certainly not the experience I’d expect from a private lounge.
We always book a lounge before travelling to start our journey off right.
This lounge was a huge disappointment. The chairs were grubby, the place was really small so we had to walk up and down a few times to find a seat ( I can do that for free in the airport) and no private loos - you had to use the airport facilities. Please keep in mind we paid £50 for two to search for seats, eat a bacon butty and go out to public toilets. Absolutely rip off and would not recommend.
Huge fan of lounges but won’t be back to this particular one.
One positive the staff we’re working hard to keep up.
We always book a lounge before travelling to start our journey off right.
This lounge was a huge disappointment. The chairs were grubby, the place was really small so we had to walk up and down a few times to find a seat ( I can do that for free in the airport) and no private loos - you had to use the airport facilities. Please keep in mind we paid £50 for two to search for seats, eat a bacon butty and go out to public toilets. Absolutely rip off and would not recommend.
Huge fan of lounges but won’t be back to this particular one.
One positive the staff we’re working hard to keep up.
Written September 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dking2001
Mumbles, UK65 contributions
Dec 2021
My family and I used this lounge just before Christmas and were extremely disappointed with the whole experience. The lounge itself is tucked away, almost apologetically, in the corner of the terminal meaning that it fails to achieve the relaxed and spacious feel of many other lounges.
All tables in the lounge seemed very small, certainly too small for a family of 4 to eat breakfast at comfortably. There were also very few spare tables meaning that in the end we had to clear one with dirty plates on to be able to sit down.
My daughters vegetarian breakfast never arrived and this was despite the fact that I reminded the staff after 30 mins or so of waiting. This meant all we had for my daughters entrance fee was a couple of pieces of fruit and a cup of tea.
The fact that this is the only Priority Pass Lounge in what should be the flagship terminal at Heathrow is really poor. I have raised my concerns direct with Priority Pass and still to receive the promised call from their customer service department.
We will not be returning
All tables in the lounge seemed very small, certainly too small for a family of 4 to eat breakfast at comfortably. There were also very few spare tables meaning that in the end we had to clear one with dirty plates on to be able to sit down.
My daughters vegetarian breakfast never arrived and this was despite the fact that I reminded the staff after 30 mins or so of waiting. This meant all we had for my daughters entrance fee was a couple of pieces of fruit and a cup of tea.
The fact that this is the only Priority Pass Lounge in what should be the flagship terminal at Heathrow is really poor. I have raised my concerns direct with Priority Pass and still to receive the promised call from their customer service department.
We will not be returning
Written January 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I would like to know if a cat on a pet carrier will be accepted at the lounge. Thanks
j00lsie66
Billericay, UK22 contributions
Didn’t see anyone with animals so can’t answer this. I would say it’s quite busy amd noisy in there so may not be the best place for an animal, you should check with Aspire though
Margaret H
Mill Valley, CA75 contributions
I am debating between the Club Aspire lounge or the Plaza Premium lounge in Terminal 5. What my family and I will be in need of most, is a nice shower and a place to sit and relax before our next flight. We will have a 5 hour layover. Anyone have any experience with this in this lounge or the Plaza Lounge? Does one reserve for a shower or simply wait in line for one. Any assistance would be helpful. We will be there towards the end of July. Some say the Plaza Lounge only has 1 shower and some say there isn't one so I am leaning towards the Aspire lounge. Welcome thoughts/comments etc. Thank you.
LHD5555
10 contributions
When I was last at the Term 5 Aspire Lounge in January, it didn’t even have toilets. You had the leave the lounge to use the general restrooms/toilet. Not sure about the other lounge.
Del
Leicestershire, UK39 contributions
I’m thinking of booking for an early flight, is there a full breakfast included or is it only available at an extra cost ?
simplesimon1972
Belfast, UK2 contributions
I was there Monday 27th March at 0730 and breakfast was available from a serve yourself buffet type area. Breakfast was OK and was totally edible I am led to believe its available from 0530 tho check with them just to make sure before travelling 😉
Can anyone tell me if the number of drinks are limited please?
som
Lund, Sweden43 contributions
As far as I recall drinks are requested at the bar. I was not limited on white wine though I only asked for a refil once! Ive never been in a lounge where one has been limited on drinks! Their prosecco must be special.
As advised by another traveller, if you have an idea of when you will get to the lounge after security, then one can book your slot. The lounge is small ( u shaped corridor) and has a limited capacity. On a Tuesday midday out of holiday season ( May), it was full and I had to download their app and wait albeit less than 10 min. My flight also left a bit earlier than scheduled according to my application! Good luck and enjoy.
lwflorida192
Nuneaton, UK35 contributions
Hi there
How long roughly does it take from lounge to gates ? 🤔
Lady B-T
1 contribution
That would depend on which gate as they are scattered around. The travel times to the gate is stated next to the gate number/letter or you can ask at reception where they could help.
Heather G
4 contributions
Do you get free alcohol in this lounge such as ‘house spirits’ beers, wine etc? Thanks :)
b0bnw8
London, UK292 contributions
"Little annoyed I couldn’t get into No1 lounge"
I am not surprised you were "little annoyed" as there actually is no No1 lounge at LHR T5, so you have either missed the terminal, Prosseco lady, or your review was, how shall we put it, less than authentic.
Noah D
53 contributions
Why cannot the food selection be better ?
Why is the WiFi unusable- very poor signal?
And I had to queue to get in to experience this level of service?
Dreadful. One of the worst airport lounges I have been in. Little better than the public lounges.
AspireLoungesHQ
Runcorn, UK6 contributions
Dear Noah,
Our food and beverage manager looks at our food offering through out the year and often makes changes and improvements to the menu for our guests.
We perform a signal and performance test on the WIFI every monday, if you find the signal is poor please let staff know who will reset the WIFI.
Recently viewed
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listingClub Aspire at Heathrow Terminal 5 (Hounslow) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Club Aspire at Heathrow Terminal 5
- Club Aspire at Heathrow Terminal 5 is open:
- Sun - Sat 5:00 AM - 9:00 PM
- We recommend booking Club Aspire at Heathrow Terminal 5 tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 1 Club Aspire at Heathrow Terminal 5 tours on Tripadvisor
- Hotels near Club Aspire at Heathrow Terminal 5:
- (0.20 mi) Sofitel London Heathrow
- (0.76 mi) Premier Inn Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 Hotel
- (1.49 mi) Hilton Garden Inn London Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3
- (1.33 mi) Staybridge Suites London - Heathrow Bath Road, an IHG Hotel
- (1.34 mi) Holiday Inn London - Heathrow Bath Road
- Restaurants near Club Aspire at Heathrow Terminal 5:
- (0.03 mi) Pret a Manger
- (0.04 mi) The George
- (0.09 mi) Pilots Bar & Kitchen Terminal 5
- (0.05 mi) Wagamama Heathrow Terminal 5
- (0.05 mi) Carluccio's
Club Aspire at Heathrow Terminal 5 Information
| Excellent Reviews | 2,908 |
|---|---|
| Very Good Reviews | 779 |
| Club Aspire at Heathrow Terminal 5 Photos | 824 |













































































