Look inside Virgin Atlantic’s revamped Heathrow lounge with a cinema and light pods

Virgin Atlantic’s lounge at Heathrow airport has had a complete makeover, with the airline putting wellness at the forefront of its pre-flight experience.

The new Clubhouse has ungergone the first phase of a major refurbishment, with massages, facials and light therapy on offer in the new-look space.

Located in Terminal 3, the lounge is open to Upper Class passengers on Virgin Atlantic or Delta airlines.

Having first opened back in 2006, the Clubhouse boasts a rather impressive reputation among the airport’s 43 lounges — praised for its high-quality service and lavish amenities.

But, there’s always room for improvement, and with the wellness industry now worth over £1 billion in Europe, Virgin Atlantic has seen an opening.

Alongside improvements to the designated work areas, existing cinema space and the main Gallery, two new pop-up wellness experiences have arrived in the Clubhouse.

The first, a complimentary session in one of three Somadomes, essentially involves lying in a big pod, escaping the hustle and bustle of the airport.

Armed with a set of headphones, you’ll experience ‘binaural beat meditation’, which involves listening to two different sound frequencies, an auditory illusion which reportedly helps to induce relaxation.

You’ll then be guided through a meditation of your choosing while having a restorative blast of LED colour and light therapy.

The 20-minute experience is apparently designed to ‘promote stress-relief, vitality, and alignment’ — and it doesn’t come cheap on the outside world. Somadomes typically retail at an eye-watering $14,500 (or just over £10,000).

The pods have become increasing popular among West London socialites, cropping up in boutique wellness tech studios such as Re Place in Notting Hill, but you can catch them at the Clubhouse until May 31.

Virgin Atlantic has also partnered with Secret Spa, introducing ‘express massages, glow-boosting facials, manicures and express treatments’ for customers until April 30.

However, if pampering isn’t your thing, you might be more intrigued by the ‘Royal Box’.

Described by the airline as ‘the best seats in the house’, this is an invitation-only space that ‘offers a private retreat away from the wider lounge, complete with uninterrupted runway views’.

Draped in red velvet, the theatrical room resembles something you might see on stage at Moulin Rouge! rather than Hounslow.

The centre piece is the ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’, described by the brand as a bespoke table ‘built for discovery, surprise and delight.’

It might sound like something more suited to a Killing Kittens retreat, but don’t get too excited, it’s filled with sweets treats and Champagne.

Commenting on the redesign, Juha Jaervinen, chief customer officer at Virgin Atlantic, has stated that this ‘is just the beginning’.

The executive went on to note that the airline has ‘more exciting plans to come’, including a new roof terrace. However, details as to when the next phase will commence have not been announced.

I tried Heathrow’s £3,177 VIP terminal — how the other half fly

Last Summer, Metro‘s Executive Editor Richard Hartley-Parkinson was invited to test out the Windsor Suite at Heathrow airport — a lounge so elite that up until 2008, only diplomats and royals could use the service.

Thankfully for us, Richard gave us a sneak peak into exactly what travelling like a VIP looks like: ‘The first excitement came when our chauffeur pulled up at an entrance far from the normal drop-off zone and said ‘I’ve got four VIPs’ over the intercom.

‘Immigration, bag-drop, check-in and security were going to be done as discreetly as possible; all we had to worry about was what we wanted from Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton’s a la carte menu’.

Richard revealed that sitting in the Mayfair Lounge, one of the largest private rooms on offer, was incredibly comfortable. With the standout feature being a button that summoned staff in seconds.

He also added: ‘We weren’t in the market, but if you’re interested in high-end shopping, a private shopper will appear in a flash to guide you through the best Hermes and Louis Vuitton have to offer.

Luxurious as it was, Richard did ultimately note that ‘the most exciting bit’ of the experience was when their chauffer delivered them to their drop off spot in just seven minutes — a journey that ‘regular passengers’ are encouraged to allow 90 minutes for.

He concluded: ‘I doubt we’ll be travelling like this again soon, and taking our children to the airport will be a painful experience in the future, but overall I think if I could afford to do it again, I would’.