American Express Centurion lounge

VERDICT The menu was a highlight, while the open design and color scheme create a stylish place to relax. The lounge is a great perk for Amex platinum and Centurion members. 

BACKGROUND Unveiled last September, the 8,000-square-foot Centurion lounge was the first to open outside of the US (additional locations include Miami, San Francisco, Seattle, Houston and Dallas). It’s near Gate 61 in Terminal 1. The bright, open reception stands behind sliding glass doors, in front of a “living wall” of foliage. Amex platinum card and Centurion members get free access for themselves and up to two guests. One-day passes for additional guests cost $50. 

WHAT’S IT LIKE To reach the main part of the lounge, guests walk down an open corridor with views over the concourse. On the way is a reading and meeting room containing a long table, TV and computer bar, as well as a private phone room. 

The central part of the lounge features restaurant seating, a staffed bar and a buffet of local and international dishes. The breakfast menu, available until 11:00 AM, features French toast with maple syrup and mixed berry compote, and assorted dim sum. Lunch and dinner options include gnocchi with tomato sauce or pan-fried sole fillet with caper cream sauce. A free bar serves signature cocktails inspired by the surrounding region, and there’s a good wine selection chosen by expert Anthony Giglio of Food & Wine magazine.

There is one unisex shower cubicle with L’Occitane amenities. A more private area is exclusively available for Centurion members and their guests. This includes more seating options and staff to help with any travel or card service requests. The section also features an à la carte menu created by Chef Lau Yiu Fai of the Michelin-starred Yan Toh Heen restaurant at the Intercontinental Hong Kong. Cantonese dishes include spring rolls with kimchi and pork, prawns with black truffle, and baked egg tartlets with bird’s nest.