Hotel Club Lounges are a wonderful place to relax, catch up on work, socialize, grab a bite to eat, and sip some wine – just like with airport lounges, hotel club lounges are available to premium guests staying at select hotels. It is important to note that while most airports have lounges, there are only select hotels that have club lounges and it gets even more confusing as sometimes a hotel that should have a club lounge, doesn’t. The access policies for hotel club lounges vary from chain to chain and from hotel to hotel, however, even if you do not have hotel elite status there may be ways you can access a hotel club lounge.
What Does A Hotel Club Lounge Feature?
Hotel Club Lounges usually feature complimentary breakfast, all-day snacks and drinks, and an evening happy hour. The quality of the food and drinks (and service) will vary depending on where you are in the world – for example, don’t expect much at a hotel lounge in North America, while in Asia you can expect that in most hotel lounges the evening happy hour will be a full dinner.
In addition to food and drinks, club lounges offer a private and quiet space to work and relax. There usually are some workstations with computers, a printer, copy/fax services, etc. In most cases, there is also a dedicated staff member looking after club guests – and they can assist you with anything regarding your hotel stay.
Not all hotels have club lounges – most do not. Be sure to check the hotel’s website directly for more details and remember that just because one Hyatt Regency has a club lounge does not mean another Hyatt Regency will as well.
Hotel Chain Elites Have Access to Club Lounges
Most mid to top tier hotel chain elite members have complimentary access to hotel club lounges for themselves and one guest (and/or family with children under 18). These include elite members like Hyatt Globalists, Marriott Platinums and above, etc. Hyatt only allows their top-tier members to access club lounges, while Marriott allows Platinum members and above.
In most cases you can only bring in a guest with you, though some hotels are more flexible than others (for example, they may allow access to the lounge for all registered members staying in the same room as the elite member).
Obviously you must be staying a night at a hotel to access a hotel club lounge – you can’t just walk in – same as with airport lounges, you must be flying.
Premium Rooms & Suites Have Access to Club Lounges
If you aren’t an elite member, you can usually book a premium room or a suite, and those automatically come with lounge access. In some cases a premium room with club access isn’t that much more expensive and could definitely be worth it – especially if the offerings at the club lounge are of high quality.
Redeem Club Lounge Access Vouchers
Some hotel loyalty programs offer members Club Lounge Access vouchers which can be redeemed on select hotel stays – these vouchers are usually offered after you complete a milestone (like stay X number of nights so far this year). Access vouchers could also be offered as part of a promotion or in a variety of other cases.
Every hotel chain will determine if one voucher is valid only for one night or for the entire stay or for a specific number of nights.
Buy Club Lounge Access
You may be eligible to purchase club lounge access directly from the hotel at any time during your stay. Simply ask the front desk agents for more details and if this is possible. Remember that you may need to purchase a separate pass for each guest that wants to access the club (or purchased access could be valid for everyone registered in the same room – policies vary).
Is It Worth Paying for Access?
If you don’t already have access for free, is it worth paying for access? It depends on a number of things:
- how important is the hotel stay to you?
- what is the quality of the amenities and offerings in the lounge?
- will you be able to take advantage of all of the perks with club access?
- how much will guest access cost?
- is access available for a reasonable cost?
Also, based on my experience, if you are in Asia or the Middle East, yes – it is worth it. If you are in North or South America, probably not. If you are in Europe, it depends on the hotel chain and the amenities of the lounge. You can simply ask the front desk what amenities are available in the lounge and perhaps ask for a tour, and you should be able to make a decision. The more important your stay is and the more you can get out of club access, the more it will be worth it.