• A Roman Holiday – Introduction
• Review: Emirates EK99 Dubai to Rome, Economy (Boeing 777-300ER)
• Hotel Review: The Westin Excelsior Rome, Italy 

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After a little bit of shopping at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, we headed to the recently opened Plaza Premium Lounge Rome. In April 2018, the Plaza Premium Group network added this lounge to its network of 160+ lounges around the world, making this its sixth lounge in Europe.

Situated on the first floor of the Terminal 3 departures, the lounge is easy to find if you follow the overhead signs pointing to the lounges. However, only passengers departing from the E-gates will be able to access the lounge.

The lounge is open to any passenger on any airlines for a fee. The fee breakdown is 2 hours for €40, 5 hours for €75 and only shower facilities for €18. However, if you are a premium/elite traveller with certain airlines, or have a lounge pass or a MasterCard credit card, then your entry is complimentary. You can also buy access via LoungeBuddy.

While we stood in the line at reception, I was surprised to see that there was no signage with information on access. However, there was a small poster on the desk showing the paid rates. A large family of 6 had approached the counter asking about the prices, but I felt the staff could have provided them better information considering that they did have Mastercard credit cards visible in their hands. This would have provided them with complimentary access, but no mention was made of this. We knew about this hence we managed to access via MasterCard.

The lounge is open 24 hours, has complimentary wi-fi and houses 300 seats and six shower rooms. Sitting and lounging options are varied and quite comfortable. You can choose from privacy cubicles, dining chairs, recharge stations, armchairs etc.

A bar is nestled in the centre, where you can get complimentary alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages and small nibbles. They also have a price list for premium beverages that are not included in the lounge charge. I indulged in my last Spritz before leaving Italy, which was very well made.

The lounge also has a hot food buffet set up for those looking for more filling food. It was simple, but if followed by crostata or cake and espresso, it can fill you up.

Bottomline

The Plaza Premium Lounge is modern, clean and a pleasure to spend time in. Whether you want privacy or not, this lounge has the perfect setting for you. It is one of the better lounges (that is open to all passengers) that I have been to.

Pros

+ Great décor and ambiance
+ Good bartender, nice bar food and drinks
+ Very comfortable seating

Cons

- Limited hot food options
- Staff aren’t very forthcoming about the accessibility of the lounge

Rating