There is a pretty new addition to the lounge panorama in San Francisco: The Precedence Go lounge known as “The Membership” is now open at San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO). Whereas the lounge is crowded and sometimes has a line to get in, I would argue it is nonetheless one of the best Precedence Go lounge within the U.S.
There are a ton of facilities, the workers is pleasant and you will find a wide variety of meals and drinks.
Here is what you’ll be able to anticipate and why you must test it out the following time you fly out of San Francisco.
The Membership location at SFO
The Membership opened in June at SFO’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1. Each occasions I handed by in October, there was a line to get in; nonetheless, it was solely a five-minute wait once I visited earlier than a latest flight to New York.
As you enter the foyer space on the terminal’s essential flooring, you may see a big staircase.
There may be an elevator behind the check-in desks, nevertheless it was not working whereas I used to be visiting (besides by request of these in wheelchairs). As an alternative, the bags space close to the elevator was getting used for storage, so folks did not must lug their baggage up two flights of steps to the primary lounge.
The staircase is a dramatic approach to enter the house, however hopefully the elevator will not be offline for lengthy.
The Membership SFO is unquestionably the nicest Precedence Go lounge I have been to within the U.S. In contrast to a lot of the 20 golf equipment within the home Precedence Go community, this one is stylish and effectively designed. A dramatic lighting function frames the house. (Though, as you’ll be able to see, it will get fairly full.)
I had bother getting pictures that did not make it look packed to the gills, nevertheless it did not really feel as crowded because it appeared.
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Across the nook from the primary eating space, there’s a lengthy, beautiful bar serving top-shelf cocktails, beer and wine.
The Membership SFO entry necessities
Vacationers with Precedence Go can entry The Membership SFO without spending a dime. These with LoungeKey membership additionally get free entry. Precedence Go and LoungeKey are owned by the Collinson Group, The Membership’s guardian firm.
Lots of our high really useful bank cards embody a Precedence Go membership. The Membership SFO sells day passes for $75 every. On my go to, I merely offered my Precedence Go card to enter.
As beforehand talked about, The Membership SFO is frequently crowded. Actually, there have been strains every time I walked by the house. Nonetheless, the lounge does have a partial answer to ready in lengthy strains: a QR code-based waitlist. You will get added to the waitlist when the lounge is at capability and obtain a textual content when it is your flip to return in. You may must scan a QR code on the entrance, which can embody a brief wait, to make use of the system.
All of the facilities, although, might make it value your time.
The Membership SFO facilities
The Membership SFO has a number of the greatest facilities you may discover at any home lounge at SFO. My favourite function was the little seating space on the high of the staircase with a “first-of-its-kind microclimate hearth,” based on the lounge. It makes use of water vapor and fancy lighting to imitate an actual hearth. Plus, the house by no means obtained utterly full.
There’s additionally a pleasant space for snoozing, a function The Membership SFO calls a “relaxation zone.” Sadly, a scarcity of lounge chairs means you will not all the time be capable to get a spot; there are simply 4 chairs in complete, all going through a beautiful lighted wall function. Throughout my keep, there was one temporary second when the room was empty.
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Further seating areas embody numerous workspaces, particular person couch seats with excessive partitions and particular person quiet rooms off to the facet marked “privateness” that some people had become nap rooms.
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There have been dozens of small seating areas, most crammed with passengers killing time earlier than their flights (together with one passenger who turned two chairs right into a makeshift mattress).
Views weren’t one of the best function of the lounge, though you can see some planes by just a few home windows within the distance. There have been views of the terminal walkway under.
The lounge has a wellness heart, however you may must ask for entry. It was locked up throughout my keep. The small room is supplied with two Lululemon Studio Mirrors, yoga mats, yoga blocks, health club towels and water.
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Lastly, the lounge has three small “luminescence” rooms you could reserve for 20-minute intervals. They arrive with adjustable lighting and temperature controls. I used to be in a position to reserve one for a fast meditation and to flee the hustle and bustle of the primary lounge.
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All of the reservations for the lounge could be made by an app that you just entry by way of a QR code.
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Observe that you will must pay $25 to make use of the showers. There are three within the lounge, together with one that’s totally wheelchair-accessible. I requested an attendant to let me snap just a few pictures since I did not want to splurge on a bathe myself. It is good to have the choice, even for those who do must pay for the pleasure.
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I appreciated that every bathe had a rainfall showerhead and a bathe wand. Facilities have been by the German cosmetics model Babor.
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The loos have been clear and tiled with enjoyable phrases like “standing room solely” on the males’s urinals. There was even a diffuser to maintain the loos smelling clear.
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The lounge additionally provides a lactation room for nursing moms.
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Wi-Fi at The Membership SFO was lightning quick — probably one of the best I’ve ever discovered at any lounge. As you’ll be able to see under, obtain speeds got here in at 284 Mbps and add speeds at 248 Mbps. Wow.
There have been additionally plentiful shops all through the lounge.
The Membership SFO eating and bar
The lounge bar was a preferred spot, however I by no means noticed lengthy strains for cocktails throughout my go to.
Again within the massive essential eating room, a walk-up buffet attracted fairly a line because it transitioned to lunch throughout my go to.
The meals unfold was spectacular, with the cooks replenishing the vittles as visitors shortly snatched them up. Objects included California fruits, a carrot-coconut curry with jasmine rice, orange rooster and broccoli cooked in pineapple soy.
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There was additionally a wine buffet station serving Chalk Hill and Foley wines, nevertheless it was closed throughout my go to.
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Lastly, there have been just a few different beverage stations providing a espresso machine, a soda water faucet, teas, fountain soda and some different treats.
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Backside line
The Membership SFO is already proving to be extremely widespread due to its fantastically designed two-floor house, massive number of enjoyable meals and beverage selections, and lots of attention-grabbing facilities. I am a bit of involved concerning the crowding, however that is true of almost each lounge lately — particularly throughout prime time.
If that is the route The Membership model goes in, I am all for it.
I can undoubtedly say it is the nicest Precedence Go lounge I have been to within the U.S.
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