Inside Chase's luxe $3,000 lounge-within-a-lounge at LaGuardia
Though Chase's newest airport lounge is a show-stopper in and of itself, the issuer kept one exciting surprise under wraps until the grand opening.
That's the introduction of the Reserve Suites, a new lounge-within-a-lounge concept debuting at New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA).
Inside the Sapphire Lounge by The Club, you'll find three of these over-the-top suites, each decked out with gorgeous design, luxe bathrooms and much more.
While I've already touched on the Reserve Suites in my comprehensive lounge review, here are all the details you need to know if you're looking to splurge for what's arguably the best airport lounge experience you'll find in New York.
Booking the Reserve Suites
Let's get the bad news out of the way first. Chase's Reserve Suites aren't included with entry to the lounge, and they cost a pretty penny.
The two larger suites run $3,000 each for three hours, and the smaller suite costs $2,200 for three hours. Note that these prices cover the primary cardmember and all of their guests.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) cardholders can book a suite in the "Benefits & Travel" section of the Chase mobile app.
Note that reservations must be made at least three days before your flight.
3 private suites
Chase offers three Reserve Suites at its LaGuardia lounge. They're all behind a small reception desk on the upper level of the space.
To offer the utmost privacy for travelers splurging for these suites, you'll be escorted directly from the lounge entrance to your suite via a private elevator.
The suites are numbered one through three, and the first two are quite similar. They each accommodate eight guests with a sofa, some chairs and a four-top dining table.
Of course, the suite doors close, providing complete privacy from anyone else in the lounge.
Chase didn't share the square footage of each suite, but they're certainly large enough for a family or group of friends traveling together.
In addition to the varied seating options, these two suites boast a luxurious design that almost feels like you've entered a cross between a Park Avenue boardroom and a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
You can even control the lighting options to suit your mood. (It's just too bad there isn't any natural light in the Chase lounge.)
The third suite features a slightly different layout; it's smaller and can accommodate only up to four travelers. The design is otherwise similar to the other two suites.
All three suites feature TVs with hundreds of stations, on-demand movies and even PlayStation consoles.
And if you're really looking to splurge, the wall between the first two suites can be removed to create a double suite that fits 16 guests.
Bathrooms from a 5-star hotel
While the suites themselves are stunning, some might say that the bathrooms are the real highlight.
From the marble-clad walls and the gold-trimmed finishes to the plush bathrobes and towels, these are hands-down the nicest bathrooms in LaGuardia.
They're stocked with Oribe bath products, Dyson hair dryers and every essential that you might've forgotten or checked in your bags.
Each bathroom features a rainfall shower, a toilet and a single vanity.
Having visited many of the country's best airport lounges, I can confidently say that these Reserve Suites offer the nicest bathrooms you'll find in an airport lounge.
Unlimited food and drinks
No matter how hungry or thirsty you are, you'll leave the Reserve Suites feeling satisfied.
Chase curated a special a la carte menu for travelers relaxing in these suites, and the options aren't "just" slightly better than what you'd find in the lounge.
To start, you'll enjoy a welcome Osetra caviar service with all the fixings. During my tour, I saw the caviar setup, and it left me wondering if this is the only lounge in the country with multiple sets of mother-of-pearl spoons.
Other specially curated all-day dining options include a seafood tower (designed by the chefs at New York City's Jeffrey's Grocery), lobster rolls, grain salads, wild rice risotto and mezze platters.
In addition to the special menu, you can also order anything from the regular lounge menu, and it'll be delivered directly to your suite.
There's also a special wine list curated by Parcelle for guests in the Reserve Suites. I'm not an oenophile, but a quick peek at the list prices for these wines shows that they hover around $100 a bottle.
Of course, the bar will also whip up your favorite cocktail or refreshment — all you need to do is ask.
Aside from the prepared food and drinks, each suite is stocked with a minifridge and a snack shelf with a large assortment of popular nosh.
Feel free to take as much as you wish — everything is included with your stay in the suite.
Personalized service
Throughout the duration of your stay, you'll be taken care of by a dedicated Reserve Suites host.
They'll be available to accommodate every request, and they'll monitor your flight status for you. You can place your food and drink orders with the host, or via a QR code in the suite itself.
There's a "call host" button in each suite, so you won't be disturbed by the attendant when you're trying to relax.
The host will also offer you a parting gift when it's time to board your flight. You'll have a pick between a Drowsy Sleep eye mask and a Larq water bottle.
Bottom line
Chase's Reserve Suites elevate the airport experience with a new lounge-within-a-lounge concept.
Starting at $2,200 for three hours, they're pricey and likely won't make sense for most travelers.
That said, this is New York, and if there's one market (aside from Los Angeles) where this concept might work, it would be the Big Apple. (It'll be interesting to see if Chase expands this concept to other upcoming lounges.)
In a way, the Reserve Suites remind me of the Private Suites experience in Los Angeles, only that they're in the terminal instead of an off-site location.
But at LaGuardia, this is as good as it gets. All in all, I'd consider the Reserve Suites to be the Emirates first class of airport lounge experiences.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.