Pinoy on a work trip - Enjoyable experience at United's Polaris Lounge at SFO

I have been to the United's Polaris Lounge at SFO International several times because of business trips and I always have an enjoyable experience every time time I go.

Let me take you on a virtual tour of this award winning lounge.

The times I flew for a work trip and if the airline I was flying was United or a member of the Star Alliance group, I made it a point to go to the airport early not only so that I didn't miss the flight but also to have  enough time to check out the United Polaris lounge at San Francisco International airport (SFO). It is located in Terminal G and it is on the right side as soon as you pass the security checkpoints.

The lounge is huge and split into two floors. The first floor includes seating areas and the shower suites. The second floor has the buffet area, the bar, a separate dining room and more seating areas. The first floor has this area that I'll call The Study because it reminds me of a library complete with shelves, chairs with desks and the silence there is deafening.

The Study is where I stayed right after enjoying the meals upstairs. This area is quieter and usually has less crowd compared to the other seating areas and perfect for catching up on work or reading a book while waiting for boarding time.

The Study also has an area for refreshments, fruits and snacks so there is no need to go upstairs to pick up something to drink or munch on.

The main floor is upstairs and this is where the buffet is located.  This section also includes more seating areas. I love that there are lots of natural lighting. And when the blinds are pulled down in the afternoon, natural lighting still comes through the blinds which is great.

I took this picture of their buffet during an afternoon flight. They were offering light lunch such as salads, soups, pastas, California rolls, meat dishes, etc.

There was also a time I was there early in the day because my flight was leaving in the morning so the buffet was serving breakfast such as croissants, eggs, sausages, fresh fruits, etc.

The hot beverage section has a good selection of coffee and tea.

There are more seating areas near the buffet and here's what it looks like.

On the other side of the same floor upstairs, there is an area called The Studio. It has more seating areas with tables and chairs more suitable for group meetings.

Or just watching the planes taxi in and out of the gates with a view of SFO's control tower.

The Studio also has snacks and refreshments available.

Also near the buffet is the bar. How could I forget the bar?

Downstairs near the area I call The Study is The Shower Suites. I had lots of time in one of my trips to check out the Shower Suites even though I didn't need a shower.

I've been to other business class lounges before and I like the layout and the size of the shower rooms in Polaris. It gives you more privacy and with ample size for my carry-on and for moving around. They have towels from Saks Fifth Avenue and they have one Ghirardelli chocolate on the counter as an added sweet touch. 
Great attention to detail!

Also on the same floor, they have areas designed for lounging and resting complete with a bottled water, eye masks and slippers. Just don't forget to set an alarm in case you take a nap so you don't miss your flight.

Another thing I love about the Polaris lounge is their Dining Room. It is a separate area from the buffet area where you can sit down and order meals and drinks like you do at restaurants. I also like to eat at the Dining Room because the serving is just perfect - not too big, not too small.

Even though there are always lines at the Dining Room, it always goes fast. A couple of times I was there in the mornings, I only needed to wait for less than 5 minutes. The afternoons seemed to be less crowded. I noticed the natural lighting right away.

One time, I ordered this refreshing drink called Just in Thyme which is a Balvenie Doublewood double malt cocktail with lemon, blueberry and thyme syrup.

I also sampled this delicious rosemary shrimp dish.

This double chocolate Skillet cookie is the best cookie ever.

Another time during a morning flight, I sampled their tasty dimsum.

During an afternoon flight, I tried their delicious apricot tarte tatin with  peaches with vanilla ice cream.

Another time, I sampled their tasty crab cake and soup of the day.

Also their mango pudding with hot tea.

 

 

I always enjoy going to the Polaris lounge at SFO. For me, it is five stars quality with friendly service, very well designed lounge, clean facilities and delicious food and refreshing drinks.

~rl