Do not do what I did and leave yourself just one hour to experience Cathay Pacific’s Business Class Lounge, ‘The Pier, Business’. In hindsight, I should have checked in three days earlier to make the most of what is widely regarded as one of the best airport lounges in the world. Head to Hong Kong International Airport’s Gate 65 in Terminal 1 and take the escalators down to the chic subterranean zone, which includes a series of relaxing rooms kitted out with comfy leather chairs, lush greenery and mood lighting. You can stow away your luggage in a locker so you’re free to do yoga or take a nap in one of two wellness rooms. There are even 14 shower suites, equipped with fluffy towels and premium toiletries, so you can fly feeling fresh. Admittedly, I wouldn’t have done any of these things, but I would have spent more time eating at one of the dining spaces, which included a made-to-order noodle and dim sum bar (the egg tarts were exceptional), a tea house for a pre-flight calming brew and a Mediterranean-style deli counter, slinging pizza and snacks.

All Cathay Pacific long-haul flights are fitted out with the Studio Isle Crawford-designed Cirrus seat, which reclines into a fully-flat bed, offering 1.9 metres of sleeping space to stretch out. To make the experience even more comfortable, you get a mattress topper to apply to the base of the bed, a pillow for your back and a 400-thread count cotton duvet by Bamford to snuggle up with. The best part is you can also manoeuvre the bed in three places, adjusting the footrest, seat and back to assume a variety of positions. The size, shape and overall experience is like sleeping on a firm but comfortable sofa. I easily get a few hours of sleep and then spend the rest of the time with the seat up and the footrest elevated, like I’m sitting up in bed. While it’s not quite a private suite, the side armrest can be raised to offer some privacy, with enough personal space to feel comfortable and relaxed. With a configuration of 1-2-1, every seat has access to the aisle, so there’s no need to have any contact with other passengers. 

By now you will have found the goodies in the side cabinet, which include a vegan leather Bamford toiletries bag stocked with an eye mask, ear plugs, toothbrush, lip balm, face mist and hand and body lotion, as well as a mirror so you can primp in privacy. I didn’t use this on my flight as it was a 9 hour flight during the daytime and I was perfectly comfortable without these extras, but I happily stashed it away for a future flight.  

Press a button on the front of the seat to pop out the 19-inch HD entertainment screen, which hovers comfortably at eye level. You can start watching from the second you sit down, and right until you exit the plane. In the side cabinet, you’ll find a touchscreen controller that lets you skip between movies, TV series, games and more, as well as noise-cancelling headphones. Meanwhile, you can charge your own devices in the AC and USB power outlets. Wi-Fi is not included in the fare, but it is available if you want to pay extra.  

After seating, a host brings around a hot towel to help wipe away any last traces of the airport. Every business class guest is personally greeted by a host, who comes over to introduce themselves to make you feel welcome. The staff are friendly, I make a few requests – a mimosa with my breakfast (which is not on the menu), plus a top-up – and it’s no trouble at all.

Menus for both breakfast and lunch are circulated at the start of the flight, with the first meal of the day served shortly after take-off. If you went hard on the har gow in the lounge, you can opt for a Wellness or Lighter breakfast which includes fruit and pastries. There’s also a Western option (scrambled eggs, bacon and mushroom) or Chinese (congee). I opt for the chicken congee, topped with mushrooms and shallots, which comes with egg noodles and fresh fruit. It’s quite tasty and really easy on the stomach. I enquire if I can get a mimosa (because, business class) and its added to my order without issue. Lunch comes in four courses, with both Chinese and Western options from which you can mix and match. Cathay Pacific is currently doing a collaboration with Michelin-starred Hong Kong diner Duddell’s, which included a red braised pork belly with baby pak choy and Shanghainese rice (super delicious), with chrysanthemum and longan jelly for dessert. Afterwards, I order the cheese platter with a glass of French wine. Between meals, there are warm nuts to nibble on, while later on, a box of fancy pralines is shared around. 

The fully-flat beds promise a good night’s sleep, but with so many other attractions it will be hard to find the time. With two multi-course meals on board and a couple of movies in between, the time will simply fly by. If you can only afford to upgrade one way of your trip, definitely make it the flight that starts in Hong Kong so you can take advantage of the ultra premium ‘The Pier’ Business Lounge.