A good club can be a home from home, a destination for weary travellers at the end of their journey; but what if your club furniture is used not as a relaxing endpoint for that journey, but as a stepping stone along the way?
This is the case with VIP and frequent flyer departure lounges, which are often furnished and decorated in a style akin to a members-only club.
A recent survey conducted online by frequent flyer specialists ExpertFlyer and travel blog View from the Wing found that business travellers value this club atmosphere more than any other perk offered to them in recognition of their regular journeys.
From just under 1,500 responses, 54.5% said they value the availability of a club lounge - far eclipsing any other airport facility in terms of popularity among frequent flyers.
The availability of free wireless internet access ranked second, but with just 18.7% of the vote, while the only other double-digit share related in part to the availability of comfortable furniture too, as 15.6% of respondents expressed a preference for better departure gates with mains power sockets and ample seating.
Even among the less popular options, the quality of furnishings proved to be a factor, with over 6% saying they appreciate the availability of upmarket bars and restaurants - compared with less than 1% who want things like relaxation rooms and designated child areas.
Among the 4.4% who expressed an 'other' response, lounge facilities still ranked highly, with some saying they choose to sit in the restaurant simply because the club lounge does not serve good enough food, or because they want healthier or faster food.
The results show quite comprehensively that the comfort of frequent flyer lounge club furniture is high on the agenda - and in fact is often undermined by the quality of the other services provided, from the food to the availability of a priority check-in desk.
For business travellers who need to make regular journeys for work, club furniture is an essential first step towards creating a suitable lounge environment, and setting the scene to deliver those other expected services to the desired standard in order to win repeat custom time after time.