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We flew yesterday from Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Manchester Airport (MAN) (review here) on our way to Corfu International Airport “Ioannis Kapodistrias” (CFU). The flight to Manchester was operated by Singapore Airlines and because of its membership in Star Alliance, we were able to use the Polaris® Lounge that United Airlines operates here. This lounge is 12,528 square feet, which makes it half the size of the location at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) (review here).
Access
International Business Class passengers traveling on United have access to the lounge before departing, when connecting, and upon arrival. If traveling Business or First Class on a Star Alliance carrier (like Lufthansa, SWISS, ANA, etc.), the lounge is only available pre-departure. I have been fortunate to check out all six of these lounges across United’s hubs many times. The one in Newark is one of my favorites and this one in Houston makes me think of being here with my mom and mother-in-law before we flew to Australia in 2019.
Anthony’s Take: When flying United or a Star Alliance carrier internationally in a premium cabin, make sure that you leave some time to visit this lounge. The sit-down restaurant offers a small, but tasty menu and the buffet gives an opportunity to supplement these offerings or grab something even quicker. I find the lounge a great place to relax, get some work done, and get ready for the journey ahead. I like that this lounge has showers and enough seating for the flights that it serves. It was not too busy during our visit and we enjoyed it, overall. My only complaint is that a family was letting their school-aged children run around screaming. This should not be allowed.
The lounge is easy to find in the E Terminal. We were departing from Terminal D and it was a short walk to our gate. The United Club℠ is next door.
After you enter the lobby, there is a desk to check credentials (pictured above) and a small seating area.
You need to take the elevator up one floor to reach the lounge.
Bar
The bar is located in the middle of the lounge. Unlike most other US lounges (like the United Club℠ or Delta Sky Club®) premium wines and spirits are complimentary. The bar offers a selection of bespoke cocktails and is usually pouring a drinkable champagne.
A coffee machine is available for guest use along with tea and condiments.
Soft drinks, iced tea, and water are also available.
Food
The buffet is to the left of bar. We visited on a Saturday afternoon and found the area largely empty. Lunch/dinner foods were being served with several hot dishes, salads, sandwiches, soup, and desserts.
Strawberry Shortcake and cheese
Cheese and meats
Sandwiches
Salad ingredients
More salads
Green salads
Roasted Summer Vegetable Farro
Herb Roasted Summer Squash
Bourbon Mustard Barbecue Chicken
Herb Steamed Rice
Garlic Shrimp with Peppers, Onions, and Tomatoes
Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup
Fresh fruit
Cookies and snacks were found here (closer to the bar)
The sit-down restaurant is near the buffet and bar.
We did not have to wait for a table.
To start, we ordered a ginger ale and an espresso martini.
The menu all sounds pretty good and the dishes were decent, overall. Each Polaris® lounge has a different menu with some dishes having a local feel and others random. The only consistent choice is the Polaris® Signature Burger. It changed a bit from when the lounges first opened and Chef Art Smith helped to design the menu, but it’s a consistently good choice.
We each started with the Brown Butter Garlic Seared Scallops. They were well prepared and delicious.
I ordered the Roasted Pork Tenderloin. It was a bit overcooked.
My husband had the Oven-Roasted Cod, which was also overcooked.
Amenities
In the far left corner, you’ll find the shower suites. These individual rooms provide a private toilet, sink, and shower. They are also first come, first serve. The attendants clean them and turn them over quickly. I have never waited too long when I have wanted one.
Therabody Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Wash were mounted to the shower wall.
The suites are spacious.
A blowdryer and toiletries are provided.
Therabody Hand Wash and Hand + Body Lotion were on the counter next to the sink.
The Polaris® Lounges also provide nice, private bathrooms. The fixtures and finishes are similar to the shower suites.
The same Therabody Hand Wash and Hand + Body Lotion were found here.
These bathrooms are also quite spacious.
The seating throughout the lounge is comfortable and varied. Some of the setups are there for work and others just for relaxation.
I like these individual workstations.
More seating
Chairs near the bar with great views.
The view
Comfy armchairs
I like the art throughout the lounge and that United made a good investment in quality furnishings here.
More stylish seating
A Departures board is near the elevator.
A desk is staffed with agents to help with reservations.
Overal Impression:
United’s Polaris® lounges offer one of the best premium experience of any US airline. The food, drinks, and amenities make time before a flight pass quickly while getting me ready for my flight.
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
