Maple Leaf Lounge International Departures YVR

The last time I posted on a lounge at YVR, it was the Plaza Premium for US Departures.  Not mincing words, I would say it was sub-par.  But that was expected as the domestic and US-departure lounges are generally average at best.  This time around, I was heading to the Maple Leaf Lounge in the International Departures terminal at YVR.  Being in ANA business class, we were able to access the Maple Leaf Lounge since they are in the same Star Alliance as Air Canada.  It was conveniently located just past security and the entrance was inviting and open.

There was no wait and we were able to enter right away.  The space was fairly large with lots of views of the tarmac from the floor-to-ceiling windows.  There were a decent number of lounge seating near the windows as well as bar seating.  We ended up sitting away from the window as all of those spots were already occupied.  I must say there was a lack of space between the bar seats (at the right and left sides of the bar) and the divider.  Tight squeeze especially if someone has their luggage beside them.

The food selection was acceptable with some Spring Rolls, Onion Rings and Sauteed Veggies.  Right beside it, we found a small salad bar.  I though the spring rolls were fine being crispy with a good amount of veggies inside.  Onion rings were the typical frozen battered variety.  The sauteed veggies were actually quite good being firm and not overcooked.  Salad options were pretty typical, but everything looked fresh and replenished frequently.

The other section of the food selections featured a "made-to-order" BBQ Pork Bao and Roasted Cauliflower.  Naturally, this was a far cry from the actual made-to-order dishes at lounges in Asia, but hey, they do have that in the new Plaza Premium First Lounge (which I have yet to try).  I thought the bao was decent where the pork was tender and nicely marbled.  Didn't try the cauliflower though.  Adjacent to that, we found 3 chaffing trays with Korean Potatoes, Lemon Butter Sole and Rice.  The sole was not bad being soft and mildly seasoned.  Potatoes were crispy and sweet while the rice was fairly fluffy.

In addition to the actual bar, there was a selection of beers-on-tap that one could just pour for themselves.  Next to it was a soda pop machine with Coca-Cola products.  Adjacent to that was a Lavazza coffee machine.  Naturally, we found a selection of teas as well next to it.  Attached to the first buffet island, there was also congee and a Wild Mushroom Bisque.  I went for the bisque and although it was a bit salty, the mushroom flavour was there.

Inevitably, I must talk about the washrooms...  They were spotless and seemed to be attended to on a regular basis.  The lounge was about 75% full and the washrooms still looked like the pictures above.  No trash and pools of water anywhere.  As for the toilets, they were also clean and a great place to do your business before the flight.  Showers were available too and like most lounges, you need to check with the front desk for a waitlist.

To end this blog post and also ending our visit to the Maple Leaf Lounge, we had some dessert in the form of a variety of cookies.  These were pretty good with a crunchy exterior and a somewhat soft chewy interior.  They were rather sweet though.  On the topic of sweet, they had some classic Nanaimo Bars on the bottom tray too.  Representing something local!  Overall, the Maple Leaf Lounge was decent, but not particularly memorable.  It did the job and wasn't chaotic.  

The Good:
- Food area replenished quickly
- All the spaces I observed were clean and kept clean
- Generally enough seating

The Bad:
- Just a typical lounge

Plaza Premium Lounge (US Departures)

So back in December, we made the trek out to the Bay Area to visit relatives.  We ended up visiting the Plaza Premium Lounge in the US Departures terminal at YVR.  Being the holiday season, I could understand the increase in passengers at the airport and thus, more people visiting the lounge.  That was the case for us as we struggled to find seats in the relatively tightly-packed room.  We did end up getting a table near the end though, but even with that, there was not a lot of space for our carry-on luggage.

There was a selection of included alcoholic beverages but if you wanted something fancier, it was as surcharge.  Near the bar, we found some breads during breakfast and it changed to soups when it was lunch service.  They were not able to keep them filled though as one of them remained empty until we had left.  There was a hot and cold drinks station near the washrooms and they struggled to keep cups stocked for the soft-drinks.  I was not able to get a proper cup for soft drinks during the entire time there.  I had to resort to using coffee cups instead.

Next to the drinks, we found a refrigerated section that had some juices, iced tea, cold water and an array of salads, yogurt and mini-cakes. On top, there was an assortment of bundt cakes as well.  This section was fairly well-stocked and the salads were not bad.  I thought the quinoa was the best of the bunch.  The best way to describe the cakes was that they were serviceable.  Once again, we had no cups for the duration of our stay for the juices and water.

When we arrived, it was still breakfast service with a modest selection of items including French Toast, Pork Sausages, Vegetable Fitatta and Hashbrowns.  They were trying to refill the food as fast as they could but there were times when some chaffing trays were empty.  Nothing particularly good or bad about the food other than resembling a complimentary breakfast at a Marriott Residence Inn.

While we were eating, they did a changeover to lunch where the selection included Turkey, Veggies, Stuffing, Rainbow Tortellini and Yams.  This was a bit better than breakfast where the turkey was moist and yams were pretty tasty.  Veggies were predictably overdone and soggy while the stuffing was a bit on the denser side.  Tortellini was surprisingly not overdone, but a little lacking in flavour.

So after posting all the food, I'm going to post a picture of the washroom.  pretty basic, but mostly clean, except for the toilet itself.  It needed to be cleaned but really, there was not enough staff to handle that let alone provide some cups for the soft drinks and juices.  Overall, the Plaza Premium Lounge was anything but premium.  Rather, it was no better than a complimentary setup at a lower-branded Marriott.  That in itself is not worth the $55.80.  I had free passes from my credit card and even with that, I don't think it is worth wasting a pass on.

The Good:

- It is in a convenient location right after customs pre-clearance

The Bad:

- Food is meh

- Staff were trying their best, but things weren't being refilled fast enough

- No cups to be found for soft drinks or juice

- It is far too small for the amount of people using it