American Express Centurion Lounge — Attraction in Los Angeles

Bar Experience:

The bar at the Amex Centurion Lounge stands out as an exceptional highlight. The wide selection of premium spirits, expertly crafted cocktails, and knowledgeable bartenders create an unforgettable experience. The ambiance is lively yet sophisticated, making it a perfect spot to unwind before your flight. The bartenders are not only skilled but also personable, ensuring that each drink is tailored to your preferences. Whether you’re looking for a classic cocktail or something more adventurous, the bar’s offerings are sure to impress.

Dining Options:

While the bar excels, the dining options fall short of the same standard. The buffet-style food is average, offering a limited variety of dishes that are often lukewarm and lack flavor. The menu changes periodically, but the overall quality remains inconsistent. There are a few standout items, but they are overshadowed by the generally mediocre selection. For a lounge of this caliber, one would expect a more refined and flavorful dining experience.

Seating and Comfort:

The seating arrangements in the lounge are adequate but not particularly impressive. During peak hours, finding a comfortable spot can be a challenge, and the seating often feels cramped and overcrowded. The lounge could benefit from more spacious and thoughtfully arranged seating areas to enhance the overall comfort of its guests.

Amenities:

The amenities provided are standard for a high-end lounge but do not go above and beyond. The Wi-Fi is reliable, and there are ample charging stations for electronic devices. However, the lack of additional perks such as private workspaces or relaxation areas is noticeable. The lounge offers basic services but does not provide the luxurious extras that would elevate the experience.

Staff Service:

The service provided by the staff is generally friendly but can be inconsistent. During busy times, the staff seems overwhelmed, leading to longer wait times and less attentive service. On quieter days, the service improves significantly, with staff being more responsive and accommodating. Overall, the service is hit or miss, depending largely on the lounge’s occupancy.

Cleanliness:

Cleanliness is another area where the lounge performs adequately but not exceptionally. The common areas and restrooms are generally clean, but during peak hours, they can become untidy. The cleaning staff does their best to maintain order, but the high traffic often makes it a challenging task.

Conclusion:

In summary, the bar at the Amex Centurion Lounge is a standout feature, offering a top-notch experience that sets it apart. However, the other aspects of the lounge, including dining, seating, amenities, service, and cleanliness, are average at best. For a lounge of this reputation, there is significant room for improvement in these areas to match the high standards...

This has to be the worst centurion lounge I have ever been in.

I’ve traveled the world. I love my platinum card. I love my Priority Pass. I love my centurion lounge experiences.

I sign up at least 20 minutes in advance, as I’m entering the airport to be able to gain access to the Centurion lounge, which is in Bradley terminal despite the fact that my flight is coming out of terminal four. ( I should’ve gone to the admirals club.!)

So I walked the several miles from terminal four to Bradley (exaggeration ) the centurion lounge is very hard to find and the signs don’t help much. I walk into a hallway where maybe 20 or 30 people are waiting for access. I hear somebody say it’s a 30 minute wait. So we walk away and we use bathrooms elsewhere and we come back. I check with the staff member who is covering the elevator to see where I sit in line.

When I signed up, it said that I would receive a text of some sort, but that hadn’t come nor an email

Her response is oh you’ve already been called didn’t you get the text. I said no and she said didn’t you get the email? I said no and she said go ahead so we did.

We went upstairs and inside as you might imagine in LAX it was difficult to find a place to sit.

There are small rooms adjoined to by hallways adjoined by another small room. It’s a maze of small rooms.

We pop ourselves down at the first two seat we could find together.

We take our turns to get something to eat because it’s so crowded that we’re worried about leaving our stuff in place.

I have to say the food wasn’t bad. It’s a typical Centurion lounge. However, there was a sign labeled beef and lamb, which turned out actually to be chicken. And small pieces of 2 inch long corn on the cobs. I don’t know how you’re supposed to eat that on your lap. Anyway, we ate.

It was incredibly hot in there and a rather warm day in Los Angeles. I felt like I couldn’t breathe so I started to wander around to see if there was any place that had air-conditioning that we could stay. There was not. I noticed as I passed a thermostat that the thermostat was set or reading 75°, which is pretty warm considering that everybody was packed in like sardines

Long story short, we left

And as I walked by the crowd anxiously waiting to get in. I say under my breath quietly, but loud enough for those I’m passing to hear me “ it might not be worth it.”

Come on American Express. you can do better than that!

With all the money you take in fees from everyone, increasing platinum membership up to $895 a year ….you can do better than that! ...

As Platinum Members, it was such a relief to fall into the Centurion Lounge and relax between our flights. We were greeted like royalty and then directed where to go. Firstly, we oriented ourselves to the lounge. Bathrooms, bar, dining area, quiet spaces, booths for work, massage room and more. We set up in the dining area and helped ourselves to a light meal. Was disappointed with the food on offer. Overcooked broccolini, nicely cooked carrot and average chicken. Wasn't quite what I was expecting. On the other side of the buffet were cheeses, some fruit. At the end of the buffet were breads and cookies. There was also some soup, but I didn't discover this until after I'd eaten. Ho hum really. We sat with our meal and then went to the bar for a drink. I ordered a sangria which was tasty but watered down. Couldn't virtually taste any oompf that comes with a sangria. I switched to a red wine and it was excellent. I was also offered a 15 minute massage which is just what a weary traveller needs. The masseur found all the hot spots and worked them through in 15 minutes. Sigh of relief. I didn't use the lounge beds but I took a photo. I've used these before in other lounges. These were set at just the right angle with a dark roof and virtually no noise. Perfect for when you need to catch up on a few hours of sleep after hauling yourself from one side of the country to the other. On this trip, we found that the benefits of Amex didn't always pay off in many airport lounges. Unless you are flying business class and above, there are now reciprocal relationships with other airlines. And the Priority Pass just feels like it’s no longer acceptable, which is disappointing. With travel only just opening up after Covid, that was always going to be a challenge. The biggest disappointment was that the lounge closed at 4.30pm!!! So many other lounges were open much later, which meant we had to leave and find another lounge to stay in. We chose American Airlines which yes, we had to pay for but was well worth it on a few levels. I'll leave that review for...