What I liked

• High quality and varied buffet
• Wide variety of alcohol
• Large area for kids and families
• The lounge was well designed. Beautifully atmospheric
• Great view of the check-in hall
  
  

What could be Improved

• No natural light
  

Getting in

I got access as I was flying in Business Class with British Airways. If I didn’t have access, I would have gone to the AMEX Centurion Lounge. Ideally, I would have reviewed the Centurion Lounge and the Oneworld LAX Lounge. As I was travelling with my family, I decided against that.

You also get access if you’re flying in Business Class with any Oneworld Airline. Also if you’re a Oneworld elite.

The Oneworld LAX lounge is located in the Tom Bradley International Terminal. This is the nicest terminal in LAX. It’s significantly nicer than the domestic terminals. I flew with American from LAX to Big Island Hawaii from Terminal 4. There was no lounge for me to enter with a Priority Pass. There was only one coffee shop. I had to wait 45 minutes to get served!

The Lounge

The lounge is a large space with an atrium in the centre. It has the following facilities

• Bar area
  
• Large buffet
  
• 'Secret' area for families
  
• Showers
  
• No natural light
  
• Great views of the check in hall
  

The lounge doesn't have any natural light, but it does have a great view of the check in hall. You can see all the way to the entrance of the airport.

The lounge is beautifully atmospheric. There’s no natural light, and they keep the ceiling lights dimmed. I think this lighting is perfect for an airport lounge. It captures my mood perfectly. I’m normally tired when I’m in an airport lounge. However, I’m excited for the trip I’m about to take. I appreciate a calming vibe, where I can relax and have something to drink.

The lounge has some beautiful decorative pieces. There’s a stunning round table with a gold feature in the centre. The bar area is also very nice. Each area has unique pieces of furniture. Because of this, the lounge is naturally split up into zones.

There are lots of restaurant style tables and chairs. The bar area has black leather seating. It feels very different to the restaurant area. There were also day beds in the lounge. You can see the photos in the slideshow.

When I arrived, I was greeted by a friendly German lady. She saw my young family and offered to escort us to the kids area. She took us through a closed curtain to a 'secret zone'. A large space that could hold 40 people. We were by ourselves for 2 hours. There was a TV, and separate tea and coffee facilities.

This is why I love family travel. People are often willing to help. Travelling with kids is stressful. To have extra space to move around is always welcome.

The Kids Play Area

This had to be the coolest part of the lounge! The kids play area is a segregated area for families. There was a TV and a range of seating. There was also tea and coffee available.

This is different to most lounges. The kids’ areas are usual tiny, with some crappy games and small chairs. It’s why the kids areas in most lounges are empty. This Oneworld LAX Lounge does it is much better. We don't need any games. We just need some space to move around. For a short period, I didn’t worry about my kids bothering other guests.

I was impressed with the proactive nature of the check in agent. When she saw I was travelling with my family, she offered to escort us to the kids zone. The cleaners told us to keep the curtains closed, so that the area didn't get flooded with people. The lounge was pretty busy.

The Food

I was pleased with the food selection. There was a large buffet on one side of the lounge. I’m often critical of food in Business Class Lounges. This Lounge was a welcome surprise!

There was a good selection of soups, salads and hot dishes. The following was available:

• Salads
  
• Fruit
  
• Popcorn
  
• Pretzels
  
• Soup
  
• Pasta
  
• Cous cous
  
• Ratatouille
  
• Pancakes
  

All of the food was fresh. It was regularly replenished from the kitchen. I had salad and soup (a classic combination!). I also had some popcorn. I wasn’t hungry as I had a decent breakfast at the hotel. I was also aware that I’d get a proper lunch on the BA flight.

I was happy to eat some healthy food. Not an easy thing to do in an airport lounge!

I took lots of photos in the above slideshow.

The Drinks

There was a large rectangular bar. It was manned and there was leather seating in the surrounding area. Like the rest of the lounge, the area had a classy design.

There was self-pour wine, beer and spirits available. The drinks selection was similar to the selection at European and Asian lounges. Better than most lounges in the US.

Tea and coffee was available from machines throughout the lounge. I tried some English breakfast tea. It was ok.

I also tried a small glass of Sauvignon Blanc. The bar was so nice, it felt rude not to! It was pretty tasteless! I didn't try anything else, as I didn't want to get hammered before my flight.

Conclusion

The Oneworld LAX Lounge is an excellent business class lounge. The fact that it's in LAX is even better. Historically, LAX lounges haven't been good. There was a wide array of food and drink options. I also thought the lounge decoration was beautiful. I recommend to arrive early, to enjoy this lounge.

The Marriott Los Angeles Hotel is very close to LAX airport. I stayed at the hotel and reviewed it in this article. They have a free shuttle to the airport, a swimming pool and excellent runway views. On the downside, the internet was bad and the check-in was a mess.

The Hyatt Regency Los Angeles is another hotel that I’ve reviewed. It’s the closest hotel to LAX airport. You can walk to the airport or take the free shuttle. There’s a 24 hour Starbucks on site. I also got to stay in a lovely suite.

American Express have a Centurion Lounge in JFK, New York. I reviewed that lounge. The food was high quality, there were complimentary cocktails and lovely natural light. Take me back!