Pictures: Dubai’s Emirates completes $11m business lounge refurbishment

Dubai carrier Emirates has completed an $11m refurbishment of its business class lounge at Dubai International Airport’s Concourse B.

The refurbishment project took two years to complete and includes three new areas for travellers – a barista experience in partnership with Costa Coffee, a health hub with Voss water and a Moët & Chandon champagne lounge.

These come in addition to seven other locations within the lounge offering gourmet cuisine and complimentary bar service for Emirates first class, business class and gold and silver frequent flyer members.

The barista experience will offer complimentary freshly brewed Costa beverages prepared by the company’s baristas, including iced coffees, lattes, cappuccinos and mochas, as well as pastries.

Elsewhere the health hub, claimed to be the first within an airline lounge, offers fruit and water infusions, a menu of gourmet sandwiches, wraps and salads and a selection of juices and smoothies.

Moët & Chandon’s champagne lounge will offer four beverages in one place – Moët Impérial, Moët Rosé Impérial, Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage and Moët Nectar Impérial.

Chefs will also offer a unique selection of canapés to go with each drinks including smoked salmon wrapped in nori with wasabi mayonnaise for the Grand Vintage to passion fruit and jasime tea macaroons for the Nectar Impérial.

Moët & Chandon champagne lounge canapés include:
• Veal bacon gougere
• Pea and mint soup
• Cold lentils soup
• Goat cheese and Emmental gougere
• Smoked salmon wrapped in Nori, wasabi mayonnaise
• Lime and avocado soup
• Pear & blue cheese crostini, caramelized walnut
• Sliced smoked duck on sushi rice & hoisin sauce
• Asparagus & leeks tartelette
• Cauliflower Pannacotta and teriyaki sauce
• Beef bresaola honey roast fig & pumpernickel bread
• Chicken with spice tomato and mango

Guests will be served from a chic bar with a golden wave design featuring 2,400 gold leaves applied by hand.

The refurbishments bring the total lounge area to nearly 10,000 square feet and allow it to accommodate 40 per cent more customers, or more than 1,500.

The lounge’s children’s play area has also been doubled in size and new treatments will now be offered from the Timeless Spa. Showers and quiet areas are also offered.

Emirates said the new concepts are the first of several planned for its lounges in Dubai.

A cocktail bar and sports bar are set to be added as its lounge within the coming year.

The airline currently has six lounges at Dubai International and 39 globally.