Throughout my latest whirlwind Aeroplan journey, I had a 1hr40min layover at Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO). This was after I landed from Vienna in Austrian’s A320 enterprise class, and previous to departing to Bahrain in Gulf Air’s A321LR enterprise class.
Throughout my layover, I had the possibility to take a look at the Plaza Premium Lounge Rome, which I had heard nice issues about. That is certainly a reasonably superior contract and bank card lounge, with a wide selection of a la carte eating, nice espresso, and good design. The one draw back to this lounge is that there’s a value for all alcohol besides beer, which appears notably low-cost to me, particularly given how low-cost wine could be in Italy.
Let’s get into the evaluate…
Plaza Premium Lounge Rome location
My Austrian Airways flight arrived at Terminal 1, whereas my Gulf Air flight was departing from Terminal 3 (which is completely used for non-Schengen flights). I didn’t discover the signage on the airport to be superb. Based mostly on my analysis, I ended up simply exiting Terminal 1 and making the quick stroll to Terminal 3. I’m undecided if there was a neater means to do this, however the entire course of was fairly environment friendly.
Happily as soon as in Terminal 3, all the departures course of was fairly fast, and I made it via safety fairly rapidly. As soon as via the maze of obligation free retailers, there was signage towards the lounges. Each the British Airways Lounge and Plaza Premium Lounge are positioned within the central a part of the terminal, one stage up from the principle concourse. That is close to gates E1-E4.
On the high of the escalator I needed to make a 180 diploma flip. Then on the finish of this space there was the British Airways Lounge to the left and the Plaza Premium Lounge to the appropriate.
Plaza Premium Lounge Rome hours
The Plaza Premium Lounge Rome is at present open each day from 5:30AM till 9:30PM, masking most departures from the terminal.
Plaza Premium Lounge Rome entry necessities
Plaza Premium Lounges not belong to Precedence Cross, as the 2 corporations reduce ties in 2021. That’s unhealthy information when it comes to the quantity of people that have entry to those lounges, however excellent news when it comes to lounge crowding, for many who do have entry.
Plaza Premium has a partnership with American Specific and Capital One, providing premium cardmembers entry to those lounges. For instance, these with The Platinum Card® from American Specific (evaluate) and Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card (evaluate) can use these lounges, no matter which airline they’re touring with. There’s no must get some third celebration card, however quite presenting your card is sufficient to achieve entry.
On high of that, Plaza Premium sells lounge entry instantly. Pricing varies, however you possibly can usually count on that it begins round 40 EUR for a two hour go to.
Plaza Premium Lounge Rome seating & format
The Plaza Premium Lounge Rome is roughly 1,100 sq. meters (~12,000 sq. toes), with the capability for 300 friends. Plaza Premium is extremely in keeping with its lounge design, right down to utilizing the identical particular sorts of furnishings items in its lounges across the globe. Personally I discover Plaza Premium to have above common contract and bank card lounges, so I’ve at all times fairly favored these.
I’ve to say, the Rome Airport location is especially good, given the very excessive ceilings and home windows all through the lounge. The principle a part of the lounge is a round eating space, with the bar being the point of interest of this.
This space has loads of cafe-style seating, starting from cubicles, to particular person seats, to communal tables.
Deeper into the lounge are extra communal tables, with ample retailers.
Then there are a couple of of the seating sorts you’ll persistently discover at Plaza Premium areas, starting from these semi-private seats organized in rows, to the honeycomb-shaped seats, which additionally supply fairly a little bit of privateness.
Then the very again of the lounge has seats organized in rows dealing with each other, with nice views exterior.
There are a couple of different seating choices, together with chairs with ottomans by the home windows, in addition to some extra conventional seats alongside the central walkways of the lounge.
So far as the lounge’s views go, one path faces the apron, with good views of the gates. In the meantime the opposite path faces the outside of the terminal, which is little question a much less thrilling view.
Plaza Premium Lounge Rome meals & drinks
The Plaza Premium Lounge has a really spectacular number of meals & drinks, with one main catch. The bar space within the middle of the lounge is without doubt one of the principal locations you will get one thing to eat or drink.
There’s a choose of chilly choices right here, together with chilly cuts, salads in jars, desserts, fruit, yogurt, and extra. That is behind a defend, so the bartenders can plate this for you.
The bar additionally has self-serve juice obtainable.
The bartenders could make any espresso-based drink, so I had a latte, which was divine. That is a few of the finest lounge espresso I’ve ever had, and was consistent with the drinks I loved at the Fiji Airways Lounge Nadi.
Now, right here’s the disappointing a part of the lounge. Whereas there’s complimentary self-serve beer obtainable, all different alcoholic drinks should be bought. This even contains primary wine and spirits.
Whereas I’m not an enormous drinker in lounges (I’ll take the superb espresso as an alternative!), I discover this to be bizarrely low-cost. Different Plaza Premium Lounge areas supply free alcohol. It’s one factor to cost for premium cocktails and wine, however only for a primary home wine? I imply, you will get an honest sufficient bottle of wine at a grocery store in Italy for 3 EUR, so it’s not like this can be a big expense.
Anyway, you’ll find the drink value checklist beneath…
Along with the bar space, there’s an additional number of meals & drinks on the buffet alongside the outer fringe of the lounge. This features a beer machine, a soda fountain, and a espresso machine (although I’d extremely suggest having the bartenders make you a superb espresso as an alternative).
Somewhat than having a standard buffet, this part of the lounge has a show of the meals you possibly can order. There are QR codes throughout the lounge you possibly can order from, and you’ll find the menu right here. It’s fairly a powerful choice, and throughout the day contains every thing from pizza, to gnocchi, to rigatoni, to beef stew, to hen breast, to flan.
Actually, what an distinctive choice. I want I might have tried one thing, however I solely had 20 minutes within the lounge, and I may also solely eat a lot on these journeys, so I’ve gotta avoid wasting room.
Plaza Premium Lounge Rome bogs & showers
The Plaza Premium Lounge has bogs inside the doorway and to the left. The mens rest room has a couple of stalls and urinals, and is fairly effectively maintained.
The lounge additionally has bathe suites, although they had been occupied throughout my temporary go to.
Backside line
The Plaza Premium Lounge Rome has nice decor, a lot of pure mild, distinctive espresso, and a powerful number of a la carte eating. I’d give this lounge 5 stars for a contract and bank card lounge, aside from the odd incontrovertible fact that you must pay for all alcohol besides beer.
For me that’s not a difficulty in any respect, however I do know many individuals go to lounges searching for a drink, by which case this isn’t the place for you. I can’t actually wrap my head round that coverage, on condition that alcohol is fairly low-cost in Italy, to not point out Plaza Premium affords alcohol for free of charge at a overwhelming majority of its lounges.
I do persistently take pleasure in my Plaza Premium experiences, and discover them to be a lot better than competing lounge suppliers.
What do you make of the Plaza Premium Lounge Rome?