Strata Lounge: Best Place to Chill and Relax at Auckland Airport
I went to the Strata Lounge at the Auckland Airport while waiting for my flight back to my home. I needed a place to spend a few hours.
There was a really pretty decorative area in front of the glass wall. Creepers and climbing plants were draped over the glass wall and there were white pebbles at the bottom.
There were some people waiting to get into the lounge. I waited in line to speak to the staff at the counter.
There were nine clocks on the wall in the lobby. They showed the times in places like Dubai, Shanghai, London and Honolulu. Right at the center was a clock showing the time in Auckland.
Guests could enjoy free Wi-Fi at the lounge. The password was also given.
There was a buffet in the lounge and food was being served. Chairs and tables had been placed around the room so guests could sit down.
I walked towards the Strata coffee bar to find out what food was available.
There were small tables for two around one side of the room. They were perfect for lone travelers or a pair to sit down at.
There was a big island in the center filled with empty plates and food items.
The first thing that I saw was some cold cuts of meat like salami and ham. There were also some olives, cold sandwiches and little wraps. Tongs had been provided so that the guests could serve themselves.
I moved on to the sweets and desserts section. I could see mango puddings in cups, chocolate brownies, tarts with custard inside and something that looked like strawberry cakes.
Cookies and biscuits were kept inside glass jars. Beside that were trays filled with bakery products like scones and muffins.
And there were also different flavors of Danishes, tea cakes and doughnuts dusted with powdered sugar.
Then I found the section with salads. There were lots of greens, corn, pickles and other toppings. I served myself some vegetables.
I found some bread rolls in another section. There were also bowls of coconut and pineapple rice pudding.
There were some flatbreads like roti served with a curry sauce and vegan mayo.
I opened the warming containers at the buffet to look at the food. There was chicken in a buttery and herby sauce.
Thickly cut potato wedges had been seasoned with herbs and lots of salt.
For everyone who wanted vegetables, there was sautéed broccoli, carrots and potatoes. The broccoli had been slightly charred and everything had a nice, smoky flavor.
The lounge had also served some cauliflower in a very creamy and cheesy sauce. It was quite rich. I took a little bit just to try it.
Anyone who wanted some soup to warm up could choose to have broccoli cheddar soup.
There were even some apples and kiwis at the buffet if anyone wanted fresh fruits.
There was a huge bar at one end of the room. I could see bottles of all kinds of alcohol lined up neatly on the shelves. There were shot glasses at the bottom and wine glasses hanging upside down from the top.
There were bottles of rum and wine, as well as beer and vodka. I could also see an ice bucket on one side of the bar counter.
There were half finished bottles of whiskey, gin, white rum and vodka lined up on the counter.
There were also some bottles of Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. I could tell that these had already been opened so that guests could be served a glass.
I liked how neatly they had arranged all the bottles on the shelves.
Snacks like nacho chips and mini pretzels were also available to eat alongside any drinks.
At the bottom, there were cabinets and fridges where the beer was being stored. That way, the beer was kept cold.
Some of the wine and some tonic water were also stored inside the fridges at the bottom of the bar.
For anyone who wanted to drink something non-alcoholic, the options were orange juice, apple juice and apple and blackcurrant juice.
Guests could get a glass of soda like Coca Cola or Sprite.
A coffee station had different sachets of coffee and full cream milk.
There was also hot, cold and sparkling filtered water.
Cans of assorted New Zealand teas were kept in one corner.
A coffee machine could be used to make whatever type of coffee I wanted. I could even get hot chocolate.
There was also a jar of marshmallows.
I decided to get some close up photos of the food.
Everything looked quite fresh and inviting.
The cold foods looked especially good.
There was a large bathroom which was very clean.
I used the washbasin to wash my hands.
There was even a shower cubicle for the use of guests.
Some bath products had been provided.
There were towels inside a basket.
A hairdryer was also kept ready and plugged in.
