Cathay Pacific re-opened its ‘The Pier’ lounge some months ago to rave reviews. Located towards the end of the terminal at HKG, you need to take a the train and then walk about ten minutes from the exit from immigration. Located on the left as you go through the terminal, I missed it the first time I went there as I used the moving walkway.

To access the lounge you take an escalator down, and there is a lift available.

Access is restricted to First Class passengers and oneworld Emerald members. As you arrive at the bottom staff greet you, check you access credentials and then grant admission.

Immediately after the entrance there is a service desk on the right, but you are then right in to the central walkway of the lounge.

Turning left takes you to the bar and library. Turn right and you have access to the showers, day rooms, spa, restaurant and restrooms.

The whole decor smacks of class. Deep pile carpets, marble and lots of stone are used in the decor. Clever lighting gives each area a very different feel. There are 6 Mac computers available for use, but no printer as I found the minute I needed to print a document.

The old lounge used to have day rooms which would enable you to arrange a wake-up call with the staff, order drinks and generally nap if you had a long layover. Most of these features a gone. You can ask for a day room at the entrance to the spa and the staff escort you to your area.

There is an area where you can lie down, but the partition to the corridor is just a curtain now. My room was located near the door and the noise of people coming and going would have kept me awake. The room was HOT, and to a degree that was unpleasant. The views are great of the taxi-ways and gates.

There are a lot of these room all with great views. You can lower a blind to reduce the light.

As you exit the area, you walk past the showers and go down the ramp to the lounge. Opposite is the spa area. I enquired about a treatment and the wait time was 2 hours, I managed to get booked around 5pm.

There are three treatment areas and I picked the foot and leg massage which was great. It did however remind me that I have a couple of broken toes – especially when they are pulled as part of the massage. Ouch!

There are three massage stations but mine was the only one being used at the time so it was private.

Going in search of food next and there were two options. The sit down, menu driven option at one end and the serve yourself buffet at the other. Gone are the large self-service buffets. The restaurant is large and was sparsely populated when I was there. The service was efficient – with wine and water being offered.

The burger was about all I fancied at the time, and it was hot and fresh. There was a wide range of offerings and great range of desserts, although I resisted the temptation that they offered.

Back in the main bar area, which seemed to be occupied by hard drinking Australians waiting for their flights ‘down under’, it was ahas comfortable seating with electrical sockets in every table. This really is great in comparison to the Concorde Room at Heathrow where you have to hunt for power.

Although there were waiters they cleared rather than served and if you wanted anything you went to the bar. The self-service food was just outside, and laid out in very modern way for an airline lounge.

The fridge contained small jars of meats, cheeses and fish. Well designed but without hot items, I did like the concept.

I don’t often mention loos in my reviews, but the high quality design values continue even there.

The colour schemes are well thought out and the area large. Plenty of basins and cloth towels are provided too.

My stay was relaxing, but as BA leaves from the gates around number 15, I knew I had a 20 minute walk back for my flight as you cannot use the train in the direction of the main terminal.

All round, now probably my second favourite lounge in the world, after the Qantas lounge at LAX.