Lounge Act

The delightful deception begins as soon as you park yourself in one of the seating areas, when you're almost immediately greeted by a member of the waitstaff, who not only tells you how to connect to the complimentary Wi-Fi and points out the power outlets (American, even) next to almost every chair but also gives you the full menu of food options, which are also available (free of charge) in the Clubhouse's full-service restaurant, the Brasserie, and the Cocktail Bar. If you're on the run or just in the mood for something a bit more casual, check out the deli, where you can pick up a made-to-order sandwich or salad.

There's much more to this lounge than furniture and food, though. If you've got a few hours to spare, as I did, check out the Clubhouse spa, which includes a dry sauna, steam room, whirlpool, and showers and where you can get any assortment of treatments, including massage, manicure, pedicure, or wet shave. Next to the spa is a Bumble & bumble hair salon (be sure to make an appointment ahead of time, as I'm told it fills up quickly). And if you're fortunate enough to be in London on one of the few and far between sunny days, head up to the sun deck (that's right, I said sun deck) to catch a few rays or to enjoy an out-of-this-world perspective on all the traffic at one of the world's busiest airports.