• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home  >  London Heathrow LHR • Priority Pass • Sofitel  >  How Heathrow Locals Ruined the Sofitel Lounge for Everyone
London Heathrow LHRPriority PassSofitel

How Heathrow Locals Ruined the Sofitel Lounge for Everyone

Matthew Klint Posted onJune 16, 2017 7 Comments

After arriving in London Heathrow this afternoon I thought I would check out Club Millesime at the Sofitel London Heathrow, which joined the Priority Pass network last year. Unfortunately, I was turned away: since 09 June 2017 the lounge is no longer affiliated with Priority Pass.

Who’s to blame? Locals.

Although access rules mandated a same-day boarding pass for admittance, it was rarely checked (and easily forged). Since access included complimentary snacks, alcohol, and spa/gym access, the lounge became a hit for airport employees and locals. After all, having access to a nice gym and spa with continental breakfast in the morning or champers and nibbles in the evening more than offsets the annual fee for Priority Pass.

I was told the lounge was “becoming too crowded” and the increased interest in the lounge led to a “mutual” decision between the hotel and Priority Pass to abandon the relationship. Too bad the hotel did not just start checking boarding passes…

The good news for Heathrow travelers: there are still eight Priority Pass lounges, two of which are landside (before security). While it was disappointing not to check out Club Millesime, I did enjoy a nice cappuccino in Plaza Premium Arrivals Lounge in T2.

Sofitel London Heathrow is no longer open to Priority Pass members (ACCOR)

CONCLUSION

While this was a unique Priority Pass lounge and represents a disappointing loss, just today PP announced a new lounge addition in Portland: a distillery tasting room. Indeed, Priority Pass continues to innovate. Hopefully we will continue to see unorthodox airport “lounges” pop up. Maybe one day we will see Club Millesime return as well…

Gary also wrote on this, though I’ve had this piece drafted all day.

Previous Article Trump Rolls Back Obama’s Cuba Policy: Will Travel Still Be Legal?
Next Article Review: Lao Airlines ATR 72 from Bangkok to Vientiane

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • Review: Mercantile DEN (Priority Pass Restaurant)

    May 27, 2023
  • SweetWater Mountain Taphouse Review

    Review: SweetWater Mountain Taphouse DEN (Priority Pass Restaurant)

    May 27, 2023
  • Turkish Airlines Lounge Nairobi Review

    Review: Turkish Airlines Lounge – Nairobi (NBO)

    May 13, 2023

7 Comments

  1. Raffles Reply
    June 16, 2017 at 7:17 pm

    The staff have been telling people it is ‘terrorist’ related, to beef up security.

    Which is nonsense.

    The PP arrivals lounge in T2 brought in BP checks last year. Ironically I was at the opening party and management told me they wanted non-flyers, eg those waiting for pax.

    So ….. I think PP pulled the plug. They pay the lounge £15 per pop. You pay £250 for an unlimited visit PP. You start losing money pretty quick.

  2. Nick Reply
    June 16, 2017 at 7:55 pm

    same will happen at Sydney Airport…

    • Laurel Reply
      June 17, 2017 at 12:54 am

      Probably not. Sydney Airport is incredibly difficult to get to without paying the absurd ~$12 fee to use the airport train station whereas this hotel wasn’t even on airport property and was easier to get to from the surrounding neighborhood than from the airport.

  3. MeanMeosh Reply
    June 16, 2017 at 7:55 pm

    That stinks, though I’m going to be flying through PDX in a few months, and am REALLY looking forward to visiting the distillery…

  4. Mohamed Reply
    June 17, 2017 at 2:16 am

    What about key lounge members???world elite mastercard HSBC.
    PP still adveryising the lounge

  5. Boobaholic Reply
    December 5, 2017 at 3:09 am

    I could really do with this service today.
    Shame some people have to abuse things & ruin them for the rest of us 🙁

  6. Pingback: The Sofitel Heathrow Lounge Leaves Priority Pass - One Mile at a Time

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for June

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 60,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • Spirit Airlines Feisty Senior Citizen
    Feisty Senior Citizen Puts Drunk Spirit Airlines Passenger In Her Place June 2, 2023
  • British Airways Fine
    Justified: British Airways Slapped With $1.1 Million Fine From US Government June 2, 2023
  • United Airlines Worldwide Devaluation
    United Airlines MileagePlus Devaluation Spreads Worldwide June 2, 2023
  • American Airlines Flagship First A321
    The Dismal State Of American Airlines Flagship First Class June 1, 2023

Categories

Popular Posts

  • American Airlines Pins Cockpit Door
    American Airlines First Class Passenger So Angry Over Meal Choices He Pins Flight Attendant To Cockpit Door May 11, 2023
  • Cursing Fight United Airlines
    “Don’t You Ever Tell Me To Speak English!” (Fight Breaks Out On My United Airlines Flight) May 17, 2023
  • Missed VDB United Airlines
    My Foolish $1,000 Airport Lounge Visit May 16, 2023
  • Spirit Airlines Flight Leaves Early
    Spirit Airlines Passengers Enraged After Flight Leaves Early May 8, 2023

Archives

June 2023
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
« May    

As seen on:

live_and_lets_fly

A fabulous flight onboard @qatarairways on the A35 A fabulous flight onboard @qatarairways on the A350-1000 in Qsuite Business Class from DFW-DOH. Qatar offers the best all-around business class product in the world with a spacious suite, plenty of privacy, excellent service, and superb cuisine.
The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles is the most beautiful of all Polaris Lounges. Stay tuned for a detailed look and many more photos on the blog tomorrow. Well done @united.
@malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire i @malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire its A380 fleet. While not surprising, it is sad to see the growing list of carriers retiring this superjumbo jet. On Malaysia Airlines, I flew the #A380 once from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to London (LHR) and had the entire first class cabin to myself (full review on the blog). It was a beautiful flight that I will always remember.
Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited tha Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited that a new carrier, Avelo, has launched, especially from an airport just 12 minutes from my home!
I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxair I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxairport. Hopefully this summer it will return.

.
.
.
.
#Lufthansa #FirstClass #747 #747-8 #StarAlliance #Miles #Points
I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. This is not only a lovely, all-inclusive resort, but one of the best properties to use your @hyatt World of Hyatt points.
.
.
.
.
#Hyatt #BigSur #California #WorldofHyatt #CA-1 #Points #Hotels
In terms of a spacious first class product, the @E In terms of a spacious first class product, the @Emirates suite on a 777-300ER is hard to beat. My preference is Suite 2K.

.
.
.
.
#Emirates #777 #firstclass
Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from I Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from Instagram ahead of the birth of my first child. Goodness, how time flies. While I’ve enjoyed catching up on others over the years, now it is time for me to return to Instagram. In this first post, I highlight two joys in my life, my two children, whom I trust will grow up to be prolific travelers that circumnavigate the globe as ambassadors of love and respect.

.
.
.
.
.

#travel #airplanes #airlines #miles #points #familytravel #human #integrity #honor
United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improv United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improvement over UA's current business class seat. Check out my blog at liveandletsfly.com for 70+ photos of how @united is transforming its entire business class experience starting this December!
The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben! The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben!
Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen - Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen -- oh, and I love 40°F summer weather!
One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure of flying with in all my years of flying. Thank you @flysas SK940 on 11 Aug 2016
Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I a Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I assign a window seat months in advance, don't move me to a center seat "for my convenience" with no way to get my original seat back... 😞
Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be rac Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be racing the #Delta flight to JFK at the gate next to us, which also departs at 12:45p. With @onemileatatime
Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregenc Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregencycasablanca #cassablanca #hyatt
Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the i Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the inside of the @grandhyatt_shanghai ... It is 40°C outside! 😓
Load More... Follow on Instagram
facebook twitter instagram rss

Privacy Policy

© Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.