Airport lounges provide a safe haven away from the chaos of a busy terminal and duty-free shopping.
When executed well, a moment of calm accompanied by a glass of bubbly and a plate of nourishing hot food can be the perfect start to a holiday.
Not all lounges, however, are created equal.
Which? asked 1,461 travellers who have been to a lounge in the past two years for their thoughts on the experience.
Customer service, food and drink, peace and quiet, seating comfort, cleanliness and decor, facilities and toilets were all considered.
The consumer champion looked at independent airport lounges as well as business class airport lounge brands.
Read on to discover the best and worst in the country.
Business class airport lounge brands
Which? found that Emirates particularly impressed its customers with its lounge offering – placing it number one overall, with a score of 85 per cent.
Guests are promised gourmet dining, a quiet space to spend time before their journey and free wifi.
The airline's new Health Hub offers a selection of fresh fruit, juices and smoothies as well as different salads and snacks.
Emirates managed to bag four out of five stars across all of the categories.
Virgin Atlantic followed in second place and was praised for its 'stylish, peaceful space' by customers
In second place, Virgin Atlantic followed with an impressive customer score of 84 per cent.
As with Emirates, the airline bagged four out of five stars across all of the categories.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses are offered exclusively to their Upper Class passengers – the carrier's version of business class – and Flying Club Gold members.
They are described as: 'Stylish, peaceful spaces designed to allow you to relax before your flight, away from the bustle of the main airport.'
Qatar Airways, in third place, promises customers 'a space like no other' when visiting its lounge
Securing third place, Qatar Airways achieved a remarkable customer score of 82 per cent.
The airline bagged four out of five ratings for every category except the toilets, which didn't receive enough responses to rate.
Customers are promised 'a space like no other' with Middle Eastern touches in the decor and water features.
Qatar describes its offering in London as 'more of a boutique hotel or private club than a lounge'.
Lufthansa came out as the worst-rated airport lounge brand
German airline Lufthansa ranked the worst out of all, with an overall customer score of 62 per cent. However, there were not enough responses to give a star rating for each category.
British Airways ranked second from the bottom, scoring 63 per cent.
It bagged star ratings of three out of five across the board and customers complained to Which? about overcrowding and not being able to find seats next to one another.
Food was described as average and one person said it was 'uninviting and not hot'. Meanwhile, freebies like magazines and newspapers were also reportedly lacking.
A spokesman for British Airways told the Daily Mail: 'As part of our multi-billion-pound transformation programme, we've invested significantly in our lounge proposition, including unveiling our new lounge design concept last year.
'In the UK, we've recently refreshed our lounges in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with Heathrow next in line for investment.'
The Daily Mail approached Lufthansa for comment.
Independent airport lounges in the UK (pay-per-use)
Clubrooms came top of all of the independent lounges ranked by Which?
Clubrooms was declared the top independent airport lounge with a customer score of 64 per cent.
It bagged three out of five stars for most categories. Guests described how there was 'plenty' of food and 'welcoming' staff.
Clubrooms offer travellers a seasonal menu with a range of hot dishes, sweet treats and snacks.
Under 12s are not allowed, which helps contribute to a relaxed atmosphere for guests.
Prices start from £44 per person, depending on the location.
1903 and Escape
Escape Lounges bagged a 56 per cent customer score
1903 lounges ranked second, with a score of 56 per cent.
Seating comfort, cleanliness and decor, facilities and toilets were all rated three out of five stars.
The remaining categories received two out of five stars, except for value for money when discounted or free, which didn't have enough responses to score.
1903 has since closed, however, and has been replaced by The Executive by Escape Lounges in Manchester Airport's Terminal 2.
Escape ranked third with the same customer score as 1903, at 56 per cent.
Its customer service, peace and quiet, seating comfort, cleanliness and decor, facilities, toilets and value for money all secured three out of five stars.
The worst... Club Aspire
Club Aspire ranked as the worst independent airport lounge
Club Aspire proved to be the worst independent lounge and had the lowest customer score in the research at 45 per cent.
Guests complained about 'embarrassingly cheap food' and 'aged sandwiches' as well as ten-minute waits for the buffet to be restocked.
Others said they felt the lounge was 'hot, crowded with screaming, out-of-control children'.
A spokesman for No1 Lounges, which operates Club Aspire lounges, told the Daily Mail: 'We take all customer feedback seriously and recognise there is more we can do to elevate the experience at Club Aspire.
'We are already acting on this, with a major redevelopment of the lounge space due to be completed in 2027, reflecting our continued commitment to enhancing the lounge experience for guests at Heathrow Terminal 5.
'We know how important the lounge experience is to our guests, which is why we capture feedback every day, giving us a much broader view of the experience we consistently deliver.
'In 2026 to date, Club Aspire has achieved a CSAT score of 4.8 out of 5 and an NPS of 90.8.'