Thanks all. I think it's decided - this is something I'm really going to appreciate.
In particular - 5 hours in DXB, I'm told, is not particularly nice - apparently even 'squatting on the floor' room can be at a premium
For some reason, my other long stopover will be at AMM, Jordan - 5am until lunchtime
Has anyone actually used the 'Royal Jet Lounge' there?
It was the quality of lounges that bothered me - if this scheme is so popular and they admit any old rabble (i.e. me!), I worried that the lounges would just be as over-crowded and noisy as the terminals, but most users here seem resonably happy.
Great point about the cost of a couple of beers and a sandwich nearly being as much as the lounge access btw
and I promise to do my duty and to have at least 4 beers in each to even the balance even more. And of course, this way there's no worry about obtaining (and being stuck with) local currency on stopovers.
The 'Standard Plus' deal seems pretty good value as there's no 'membership fee' as such - the cost of bulk buying 10 passes is the same as paying for individual access would be
after you'd paid the membership. Think that's what I'll go for. In particular, as several people say, the ability to just walk up is good - I really can't be bothered to pre-book. Other comanies such as Lounge Pass offer a pre-book service which is sometimes cheaper (sometimes quite a bit more expensive!), but then limit you to only 3 hour stays (I do wonder if this is actually enforced) and they have nowhere near as many locations.
Just one gripe. Paying in £ sterling is £169 for 10 passes, but US residents get to pay $249 which is currently around £125. So I'm paying 30% more than the americans! Is this a US company or are they based elsewhere? The 'contact us' telephone number quoted is a UK 0208 London number.