Stuck in the security queue, I’ve often wished I was a millionaire and somehow able to breeze past the hoi polloi.
Usually, even when upgrading to a lounge, there’s still the security queue, plus that never-ending feeling of the walk to the gate.
But, whisper it, Manchester Airport may have the answer with its Aether Lounge.
Popular with footballers, WAGs and executives, Aether is a sleek private terminal with no queues, no walking, a comfortable lounge with food and drink, and a limousine to drive you airside to the departure gate.
And the best part is the full experience only costs £250 per person – far less than The Windsor by Heathrow, where guests can expect to fork out £3,812 for up to three people.
Far from the stressful crowds, I felt I was on Cloud Nine when I visit, with someone else doing all the hard work, to say the very least.
Arriving at reception, I hand my luggage to friendly staff, who tag, weigh and screen it, before it’s checked in and taken to my flight.
Then shown through a set of double doors, I’m free to indulge – with a mouthwatering menu created by Manchester chef Adam Reid, and a range of drinks.
Popular with footballers, WAGs and executives, Aether Lounge is a sleek private terminal with no queues, no walking, and a comfortable lounge with food and drink
I opt for a glass of wine, and sipping that, with a view of an Emirates A380 – the biggest plane in the skies – trundling down the taxiway only 50 yards away, is something else.
Chef Adam, two-time winner of TV’s Great British Menu and holder of 4 AA rosettes, has put together a menu of what he calls ‘hearty, homely food’ – comprising seven courses, so plenty enough for me to while away the time.
I try the lunch menu.
After nibbles of split peas and crackers, one of the more spectacular items arrives early on: malt loaf with whipped beef butter, which has a deliciously savoury flavour, and can be spread thickly without any guilt.
‘It’s 40 per cent air’, Adam advises.
There’s ham and hot smoked salmon and pickles, and then, for my main event, I choose the crumpet topped with shrimp and tomato butter and salad.
Fruit crumble, followed by cheese and crackers, with a coffee, completes the experience.
Adam adds: ‘We wanted to create something that isn’t quite a restaurant experience but isn’t just a “bit of food” – we want people to go away feeling they’ve been well fed.’
I opt for a glass of wine, and sipping that, with a view of an Emirates A380 – the biggest plane in the skies – trundling down the taxiway only 50 yards away, is something else
After nibbles, one of the more spectacular items arrives early on: malt loaf with whipped beef butter, which has a deliciously savoury flavour, and can be spread thickly without any guilt
Mission complete!
The full experience (at £250 per person) is, naturally, somewhat pricier than even a fancy lounge in the main terminal, so the focus is on the ‘treat’ market.
With that in mind, staff are willing to go the extra mile. Additional services include one designed especially if you’re planning on popping the question to your other half while on holiday.
Aether has a tie-up with Manchester-based Hancock’s jewellers, who can ensure a chosen engagement ring is delivered to the lounge and a password then used when taking the item through security to ensure discretion.
To help visitors feel at home, hosts can also fetch items on request, such as newspapers (although digital versions are available to read on a complimentary basis).
If you simply require the terminal to avoid the queues or walk but do not wish to use the lounge, the fee is £110 – ideal for those who may not fancy the physical challenge an airport presents.
‘Affordable luxury’ is also the theme at another new kid on the block at Manchester Airport – Tribe, a bright, modern hotel in between Terminals One and Two, close to the rail station.
The brand, which has 18 branches around the world, focuses on ‘intelligent, functional, design-driven hotels that give our guests everything they need and nothing they don’t.’
The full Aether experience only costs £250 per person – far less than The Windsor by Heathrow , where guests can expect to fork out £3,812 for up to three people
Far from the stressful crowds, I felt I was on Cloud Nine when I visit, with someone else doing all the hard work, to say the very least
The ground floor is airy with a high ceiling – and part of the lounge is beneath a central atrium looking up all eight storeys.
But the décor and lighting make the bar and restaurant feel homely. The kitchen servery is open to the tables, so diners can see the chefs at work.
The menu’s focus is Italian, with visiting chefs in charge giving authentic dishes and hearty portions.
While considering what to order, I spotted pizza and pasta dishes which would not have looked out of place in downtown Naples.
Opting for a supposedly lighter option, we chose stuzzichini starters of focaccia, mozzarellini fritti cheese balls and black truffle mayo dip, plus zucchini fritti which were so generous we were barely left with room for our (more English) mains of grilled seabass and roast chicken.
‘Mamma’ would definitely have approved of the desserts – with portions of freshly-made tiramisu scooped from giant bowls.
The hotel’s facilities are geared towards the young and trendy, with a well-equipped gym.
Bedrooms have a good-sized entrance area, presumably designed for suitcases.
At Aether, a limousine is on hand to drive you airside to the departure gate
The full experience (at £250 per person) is, naturally, somewhat pricier than even a fancy lounge in the main terminal, so the focus is on the ‘treat’ market
Perhaps in a nod to Manchester’s history, my room had an industrial-type theme, with an open metal structure for hanging clothes and housing the Nespresso machine.
There was also a reasonable-sized desk for anyone needing to whip their laptop out for a spot of last-minute work before their flight.
One minor point was that I felt floorspace around the main part of the room was slightly at a premium.
But the pricing is very competitive with rooms available at short-notice for less than £100 if you’re signed up as a member of Accor Hotels’ loyalty scheme.
All-in-all, a good addition to the city’s competitive airport hotel scene.
