An airport lounge needs to be cheerful — travellers are usually in a state of vague anxiety, no matter how many frequent flyer miles they have clocked. What makes a place cheerful, welcoming, destressing is hard to define, but some do manage to get there ahead of others. The two Plaza Premium lounges at the domestic and international terminals of the Kempegowda International Airport are in the ‘ahead’ category.
The domestic lounge, which has more visitors during the day, is flooded with sunlight through a large glass pane fitted into the ceiling. And natural light is energising, just what a daytime traveller needs. A long counter with barstools runs parallel to a glass wall that lets one see the tarmac outside, with the aircraft in various stages of preparedness. In contrast, the international lounge, occupied mostly at night before the red-eye flights, is a softly lit, relaxing space with various quiet corners. Both the lounges have a variety of seating areas and options — for instance, besides the usual rows of large single-seater chairs for catching a nap, there are barstools arranged around tall tables with plug-in points (at the domestic lounge), and a bar area with low seating (at the international lounge). The international lounge even has a plush majlis-type room for eight, complete with huge cushions for reclining and a massive chandelier; this could have been a suite drawing room at a boutique hotel. Lounge visitors can access this room by pre-booking — perfect for group travellers in need of an extra dose of privacy. The two lounges offer beautifully done up spa rooms and a range of therapies.
The food is one of the top selling points of the two Plaza Premium lounges — good meals are a given in most top-notch lounges these days, but this is borderline gourmet fare. Separate cooking stations rustle up different kinds of cuisine 24/7; the pastry counter at the domestic lounge has some great mini-pastries. The only thing that’s missing is a cocktail menu. While the bartenders do a fine job of mixing basic drinks, you won’t get your hands on a Cosmopolitan or some such. Just as well — or the travellers might forget about their flights, wouldn’t they?
The lounge charge for two hours is Rs 1,000 plus taxes for domestic (spa and alcohol extra) and Rs 1,500 plus taxes for international (spa extra, alcohol included); 080-66784822, www.plaza-network.com.