While visiting with a friend last week, she mentioned that she had her second trip to Asia coming up in a month. We commiserated about the lengthy travel times and uncomfortable coach segments. Then she said how sticky and gross she felt after wearing the same clothes for 24-30 hours. “Plus, the humidity just makes everything worse!” she lamented. I agreed, then said, “But the Admirals Club showers sure do make everything feel better!” She sighed. “I didn’t use the shower. It just seemed like so much work! And after that 14-hour flight I just didn’t have the energy to figure it out.”

Okay, I get it. After almost a day of travel, culture shock, lounges that aren’t exactly easy to find, and sheer exhaustion, the idea of adding yet another new thing to your list feels completely overwhelming. In fact, during my first several trips to Manila I avoided them for that very reason. But when I finally took the plunge it was so easy, and so completely worth it. After a six hour flight from Manila to Tokyo, a four hour layover, and a nine hour flight from Tokyo to LAX, more than anything I wanted to clean up.  I had three hours to kill once I got through customs and security, and I was determined that I would be brave, make the effort, and take a darn shower!

Honestly, it really couldn’t have been any easier. I stopped at the front desk (past the gatekeepers) and asked how it worked. The lady was super nice, and all I had to do was give her my boarding pass and she gave me a key to a numbered shower. The room itself was like a nice mid-range hotel bathroom—think Marriott or Hilton. There were fresh towels, a bathmat, a hairdryer, and liquid soap, shampoo, and conditioner in a dispenser in the shower. There were also several hooks, great for holding my clothes and toiletry kit. I walked out of that Admirals Club feeling like a new woman, revived and refreshed for the final four-hour flight home.

So my advice to any new international business traveler—if you have access to one of the Admirals Clubs (or other airline clubs) with shower suites, don’t be afraid to check them out! It’s much easier than you expect, and it can make a world of difference during a long and difficult trip.

(Sorry for my terrible iPhone pictures!)

Readers, have you used a shower suite at a lounge during an international trip? Which lounges have the best?

Be sure to check out my page with products I recommend for travel!

****************************************************************************
Have a travel question or suggestion? Send it to RW @RoadWarriorette.com.

Follow Road Warriorette on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest!

This post may include affiliate links. Thanks for your support!