Calling it a new way for travelers to experience JetBlue’s “thoughtful hospitality and elevated amenities,” JetBlue president Marty St. George officially launched BlueHouse. JetBlue’s first lounge at Logan, which will open to customers on Aug. 27, is chock-a-block with local references.
Access to the Terminal C lounge will be free for Mosaic 4 members, which is the top tier of JetBlue’s loyalty program. It will also be complimentary for JetBlue Premier cardholders and customers flying Mint, JetBlue’s business-class product. There will be a charge ranging from $59 to $79 for other passengers with JetBlue status, with day passes available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The 12,000-square-foot space, which will accommodate up to 204 travelers, is intended to reflect New England with nods to multiple Massachusetts and Boston-specific elements, the most notable of which is an entire wall that is a replica of Fenway’s Green Monster.
The lounge is filled with details intended to give locals a relaxing slice of home before departure or, for those from other parts of the world, an introduction to some Boston highlights.
“I will say this is probably part of the BlueHouse that I personally love the most; this is the dugout,” said Stephanie Evans Greene, senior vice president of marketing and brand for JetBlue, as she gave a tour of the space. “We have a replica of the Green Monster, including the dents in the back of the wall. The lights actually do work.”
Also in the dugout are donated pieces of historical art and photography from several Boston sports teams. There are shots from the Boston Bruins, New England Patriots, and the Boston Athletic Association. There are also pieces of the parquet floor from the 2008 Celtics World Championship. Appropriately, large-screen TVs are located near the sports memorabilia so fans can watch important games. Next to one TV is a pair of old-school arcade games, in case the mood strikes to grab a joystick and play Ms. Pac-Man.
There are also calmer areas of the BlueHouse. In one section, tables feature lamps that pay homage to the Boston Public Library, with blue lampshades rather than green. Another room is filled with wraparound wallpaper sporting illustrated scenes of Boston Common across the four seasons. Over the self-serve food area, there are illustrations inspired by children’s author Richard Scarry’s 1974 book “Busy Busy Airport,” with planes updated to sport JetBlue logos.
Greene said it was important to offer a mix of both communal and quiet spaces. Near the kitchen is a long table, while one side of the lounge is lined with single-person alcoves and heavy curtains that can be closed when a lounge-goer seeks privacy.
The bar, which Greene describes as “the central gathering space of the lounge,” is Nantucket Blue with copper. Sticking with the local theme, the cocktail menu was created by Jackson Cannon, a mixologist from Equal Measure with deep roots in Boston’s culinary scene. The menu will feature several New England-made spirits and Publick House beer.
“We’ll be offering drinks that are both refreshing and restorative,” Cannon said. “And also kind of a little bit more direct and intense for the way people like to drink sometimes when it gets a little later. And then we also have a menu of classics that we’ll make to our specs at our restaurant.
Coffee will come from George Howell, and sweets will be provided by Madeleine’s Candy Shop in the South End. That includes the sweets available in the lounge’s candy closet.
The hope is that cheeky touches such as a sign over check-in that resembles one of the signs that greet motorists when they drive into a Massachusetts town, and a peephole on the front door that features Paul Revere riding on a JetBlue plane rather than a horse, will earn the lounge accolades similar to its first lounge at JFK.
Last month, JetBlue’s JFK lounge was named the top lounge at the airport by Newsweek’s Reader’s Choice Awards. But in Boston, BlueHouse features stiff competition from the new Delta and Delta One lounges in Terminal E, and the Chase Sapphire Lounge in Terminal B. An American Express Centurion lounge is also scheduled to open in Terminal C.
BlueHouse will remain intact despite a billion-dollar renovation scheduled for Terminal C, and Edward Pouthier, vice president of loyalty for the airline, hinted that the renovation may give JetBlue the opportunity to open a second lounge in the terminal. There may also be a Fort Lauderdale lounge on the horizon, which is a rapidly expanding hub for the airline.
“In some lounges it’s really difficult to find a quiet space, or you have to wait in line to get in,” Pouthier said. “We really want BlueHouse to be a peaceful oasis.”
Christopher Muther can be reached at christopher.muther@globe.com. Follow him @Chris_Muther and Instagram @chris_muther.