Etihad has been making headlines of late, in no small part thanks to a video that put their most famous product on display. The Residence is a three-room affair at 30,000 feet, and for those who can stomach the cost – we’re talking over 23 lakh, or some $25,000 (about 23,58,380) – it is what you might consider the top seat in the house.
The sky apartment that feels personal
Then there was Pat Pat, the travel creator who made the rounds on 26th May with his story of a flight from Abu Dhabi to Singapore. He had this to say about The Residence: it is ‘one step above first class’. If you watch his tour, he makes it plain that you are in a mini apartment, not a seat, and the rest of the plane is left behind.
He talks of a layout with separate spaces for a seclusion you won’t find on an ordinary commercial run. In the end, it is a suite built for the kind of journey where you don’t just want to be put down at B, but to make the trip to A in your own time.
From kerb to cabin: escorts, lounge and choices
All the fussing over you begins before you even get on. Pat says he was met by an escort at the terminal to see to his bags and show him to the First Class check-in. You’re through security in no time, none of the normal airport hassle.
Once in the First Class lounge at Abu Dhabi International, The Residence gets you into a room of your own with a server and a shower on hand. There are free spa treatments too, if you have 15 to 30 minutes to spare. And when it comes to boarding, you have the option to go first or last, as you see fit.
Even after you touch down, the treatment doesn’t stop. You’ll have help with your luggage and a car to the hotel. It is all put in place to take the edge off and put a bit of formality back into the process.
Behind the door: bedroom, shower, living area
When Pat gives you the once-over, the bedroom is first. It has the air of a good boutique place, with a double bed made up in soft linens, a TV to yourself, and a little table by the side, all set against blue walls and low light.
And for the ensuite, well, you can have a five-minute hot shower in your own bathroom. Not something you come across every day in the business of flying.
You have a place to put your feet up in total privacy before you even get on the ground. The living room is made for two, with some very comfortable tan-brown couches. There’s a big TV and a couple of tables you can put away when you’re done, and a short hall that runs from the lounge to the bedroom and bath. It’s a setup for some quiet time, but also for being in each other’s company.
This is what Pat made a note of on his walk-through:
– One door, and you’ve got three rooms to yourself
– A double bed and its own TV in the bedroom
– A shower where you can run hot water for five minutes
– Room for two in the living area, with tables
– A large TV for when you want to be entertained
Dining on a par with the best hotels
So what does a meal at 35,000 feet come to? Pat says there’s a caviar service and the rest of a proper gourmet spread. They go out of their way to make it feel like a fine-dining affair, not just first-class in-flight food. And it doesn’t end at the gate. You can have a private dinner in the lounge with a server before you fly. It’s all put together to seem made for you, not off a formula.
The price of admission
Then there is the cost. We are talking about a ticket for The Residence running in excess of $25,000 (some 23,58,380 or thereabouts). Depending on where you’re going, you can be looking at over 23 lakh.
Pat was kind enough to let us in on how he did it. You can still book The Residence head-on, but it will set you back. He went with an Etihad First Class apartment using points and then put down some cash to make the switch. You have to do it through Etihad to get the upgrade.
When you get right down to it, you aren’t paying for a bit more legroom or a better steak. You are for the freedom to go from your lounge to your bed to the bathroom without so much as stepping out of your suite.
Does it stand out? Pat has no doubt. “One step above first class,” he put it. A 3-room suite up in the air. If you want to shut the door and for a while not think you’re on a plane, this is the closest you’ll come.
Some of the footage has been making the rounds lately, putting The Residence back in the spotlight. It’s a reminder that there is still such a thing as extreme luxury in the sky. For a splurge you won’t soon forget, the tab is worth it.
