Review: United Polaris Lounge SFO | BloxfilmOne
RGV Jetsetter
5 min read
I have not been paid by any entity in any way (financially and/or benefits) to write the following review.
After spending the night at the DoubleTree in Burlingame, I was excited to try the new United Polaris Lounge in San Francisco.
At the time of my visit, it was the newest and (continues to be) the largest premium lounge in the United network that opened on April 30th, 2018. The Polaris Lounge SFO has so much space to offer, it was hard to choose where to start! How much space you ask? A whopping 28,120 square feet, spread across two floors. Access to this lounge is restricted to United’s Polaris First and Business Class passengers, as well as international long-haul Star Alliance First and Business Class passengers.
If you’ve visited the Chicago Polaris Lounge, you may have seen and experienced the signature Polaris lounge seat, which offers an oversized lounge chair with a large desk that allows you to both work on your laptop and eat a full plate of snacks from the eating area.
Needing to charge your tech? No need to worry, as this lounge has 492 outlets and 492 USB ports to ensure you are never far from power.
When going upstairs, if you go to the left upon exiting the escalators, you’ll find the United agents and a spacious seating area that is cordoned off until around noon, which was around the time I visited.
If you go to the right, you’ll find the main seating and bar area. This area can get slightly noisy during peak hours.
Go down to the end of the area, and you will find yourself in the fantastic dining area. My only complaint with the dining area was that it was too small, as several other guests tried to take advantage of the a la carte dining experience, but gave up with the lack of available tables.
Upon entering, I was greeted by a Dining Room attendant and was handed a menu and directed to an open table. Then menu was as follows:
I had swung by at around 11:15AM, but was told the Dining Room was closed until noon for the transition of breakfast to lunch. Struck me odd, but I went back to relax in the signature seat and waited for noon to come around. I was excited to experience the dining experience here at the SFO lounge, so I asked for the popular menu items. I was told the most popular item was the Polaris Burger, but I also wanted to try out the pappardelle pasta. When I asked which one was the better option, I was told to just order both…okay then!
I had ordered a glass of red to pair with my burger and pasta, and I passed the time by working on my laptop and making some phone calls. Soon enough, the wait was over, and the food arrived.
The burger was fantastic, as the meat was nicely cooked and complimented by its garnishes. The pasta was great, although it lacked a bit of flavor for my taste buds. Considering it is one of the lighter items on the menu, it is definitely a fantastic choice for those looking at having a full yet light entrée.
If you’d prefer to just snack, there is an extensive food spread in the buffet area, including salads, sandwiches, sushi, hot food items, and a noodle bar.
After going through the offerings, I went back downstairs to the first floor to check out the shower and “Quiet” suites. They are all located at the end of the corridor.
The Quiet suites are equipped with a Saks Fifth Avenue pillow, bottle of water, a piece of chocolate, and an eye mask. You will also be provided with a heated Saks Fifth Avenue throw to cover up.
Unfortunately, the seat is not comfortable for napping at all. I cannot emphasize how uncomfortable this seat was, as it doesn’t allow you to really lay down, instead propping you up into an upright position with your legs stretched out. Not really what I was looking for after an 11 hour flight, but it was most definitely a “quiet” suite.
You would be provided with all the essentials for the shower suite, including a heated Saks Fifth Avenue towel by the representative at the front desk. I must say that I enjoy the darker tones that are in the suite, as it gives it a modern and sleek look in my personal opinion.
As my time in the new Polaris lounge at SFO came to a close, I took up a quick conversation with one of the lovely representatives of the lounge and then proceeded to the gate for my flight to Taipei, which you can read about here.
I think the United Polaris Lounge SFO is a fantastic lounge for United’s Polaris customers, as well as the international long-haul Star Alliance premium cabin customers! There is more than enough space, even during peak times, and an extensive buffet food spread in addition to the fantastic Dining Area. The Quiet Suites and Shower Suites are great, except for the uncomfortable lounging seat that quite frankly prohibits any sleeping.
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it, and if you didn’t, then please let me know what I can improve on in the future in the comment section! Remember, keep living life one trip at a time.
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