During our three-week trip to Qatar and Africa last summer, my family and I flew Qatar Airways to Doha for three days before continuing to Lusaka, Zambia. We had the option of having a short layover in Doha before continuing to Lusaka, Zambia, or stopping for a few days in Doha. We chose the latter since that is a city we had never visited, but had heard great things about. Having a stopover also allowed the kids to rest and recover from the 13-hour non-stop flight. Dubai gets most of the attention in the Gulf region, but Doha proved to be a fantastic city for the kids to experience. We booked our stay at the Intercontinental Doha & Spa. My wife and I each had our annual anniversary free night certificate via the IHG credit card, so we redeemed it on this property. For the third night, we used IHG points that I had accumulated via the sign-up bonus. The property was terrific, and the beachfront location was a hit with the boys.
On a recent trip from Chicago, my wife and I decided to visit the United Club after the Polaris Lounge shut its doors at 9pm. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 10:45pm, so we still had over an hour to spare. Fortunately, the United Club at Terminal 1 near gate B18 was open until 10pm. United has four United Club lounges at O’Hare and the Polaris Lounge. I visited the United Club Lounge in Terminal 2 several months ago, and you can read about that here. Just remember that this lounge, like every other United Club Lounge, is not a Priority Pass lounge.
Entrance
You will have access to the lounge if you have an international premium cabin ticket on United or its Star Alliance partners or a transcontinental premium cabin ticket. If you have a day pass offered with the Chase United MileagePlus Explorer card, you can also enter the lounge. Each person must have their own pass. You can also purchase a day pass for $59, but I strongly recommend not doing that. At peak times, United does reserve the right to turn away day-pass users. Since United does have four of these lounges, you wouldn’t expect crowding to be an issue at O’Hare. Given how crowded the main seating area was at 9 p.m., capacity issues may arise during peak hours. Just remember that this lounge, like every other United Club Lounge, is not a Priority Pass lounge.
Located near Gate B18 in Terminal 1
Upon entering, the receptionist scanned our boarding pass and welcomed us into the lounge.
We were not in any mood to eat since we both had the full dining experience at the Polaris Lounge. Nonetheless, I checked out the offerings for the sake of the review.
Food
Even though I had no intention of eating, the buffet and food options at this lounge were very underwhelming, both in terms of quality and quantity.
The options available were more like snacking options rather than a buffet. The salad did not look appetizing, and I probably would not have eaten it if I had been hungry.
The cheese looked more appetizing, but again, I was full from having dinner just an hour earlier, so I didn’t bother helping myself.The brownie might have been the most appetizing snack that was offered at the loungeThe espresso machine offered various drinks, including lattes, mochas, and cappuccinos.
I had the latte from the espresso machine, which was surprisingly good. I confess that my main purpose in caffeinating was to induce hunger for the business class dinner on the Lufthansa flight. The fact that the latte tasted good just happened to be a bonus.
Seating
The bar area of the lounge had plenty of seats available. It may not be the case during peak hours.
The lounge has an “L” shape, and the main seating area was quite crowded at 9 p.m. The seats were very comfortable, and plug outlets were available on the side of the center table. I can only imagine how crowded this lounge would get during peak hours.
Bar
Wi-Fi speeds were pretty good, which is important for business travelers needing internet connectivity. Overall, this lounge was unimpressive, and I’d say it was a notch lower than most Priority Pass lounges I have visited. This lounge does not offer showers, does not have a ton of space, and offers subpar buffet options. I’d rate this lounge a 2.7/5. If you’re departing from a gate near B18 and do not want to walk to another United Club Lounge, I guess this is your only option. The United Club Lounge in Terminal 2 is far more spacious and has a much better ambiance. If you have the time, you should walk over to Terminal 2 and enjoy that one instead.
Miles for places 