Evaluate: AEGEAN Airways Enterprise Lounge, Athens, Greece

Situated within the airport’s Non-Schengen space, that is the flagship lounge of AEGEAN’s rising ambitions — not only a resting spot, however a press release. When you’ve meandered your approach via the outlets, following the enterprise lounge indicators, it opens at 5:00 am and runs till 1:00 am.

It’s a lounge that cuts via the chaos — not with extra or opulence, however with composure. Learn on for our full expertise.

First impressions

The lounge is reached by following the indicators to the third flooring of the Non-Schengen Space (Space A) in the primary terminal constructing. Regardless that we arrived on the opening time of 5:00 am, we weren’t the primary to enter as a handful of individuals have been already there.

Gaining entry as AEGEAN enterprise class travellers, although, is swift and environment friendly, and we’re greeted by hushed lighting and well-zoned areas that unfold one after the opposite — it’s not open-plan chaos, however a circulation of experiences, from espresso corners to assembly rooms to serene seating clusters.

Designed throughout greater than 1,200 sq. metres, this stunning lounge attracts from Greece’s pure supplies and architectural heritage — polished terrazzo, heat wooden, marble, glass — however interpreted via a distinctly fashionable lens. Suppose Cycladic curves meet tech startup cool.

And at 5:00 am, solely a dozen or so folks shared the house, making it really feel much less like an airport lounge and extra like a fantastically appointed non-public membership we’d by accident stumbled into.

Consolation and seating

The seating is quietly masterful in its versatility. In the event you hint the lounge from left to proper, you start with a collection of reclining loungers, good for energy naps or post-red-eye horizontal considering.

Subsequent comes an extended communal desk with stools and a drinks station, good for small gatherings or sociable solo travellers.

Glass partitions conceal meeting-room styled areas, good for an hour’s writing or a Zoom name. One room is devoted to the Onassis Basis, the doorway intriguingly etched with the phrases“The Artwork of Ready.”

Past this enclave, the seating opens up. Spherical tables are flanked by upright chairs, and past them: crescent-shaped sofas (every comfortably seating 4), plush leather-based armchairs that invite you to sink deep, and work-appropriate upright seats by a windowsill overlooking the tarmac.

(At dawn, the blinds are steadily lifted, with the potential for plane-watching clearly constructed into the structure.)

The general capability is beneficiant — with seating for over 200 — however even at peak, the structure would stop the house from ever feeling crowded. Massive potted vegetation break up the sightlines, and the air feels nonetheless, not sterile.

Food and drinks

AEGEAN places the emphasis is on refreshments that cater for a wide range of tastes and instances of day, together with some glorious Greek delicacies that you simply wouldn’t anticipate from a lounge. A small island – its form probably mirroring the curves present in AEGEAN’s brand – is adorned with pastries and truffles, with tea and occasional services past.

In the meantime, the central meals island anchors the breakfast providing. On it: Greek yoghurts, chopped fruits, cereals, and truffles organized with a type of informal magnificence.

Past that, it’s the savoury choice that really shines. Bougatsa cream pie, a vegan chickpea and herb pastry, graviera cheese pie, omelette rolls, bacon, and a cherry tomato–feta omelette sit alongside heartier choices like rooster soup and vegetable soup. Close by, platters of meats, cheeses, sandwiches, and mini burgers await the grazers. A large alternative of breads, marmalade and honey spherical off the unfold.

Drinks stations are properly distributed: water, juices, teas and occasional machines are present in distinct areas, minimising queues.

And tucked on the far finish, an understated but elegant alcohol show provides a rotating number of wines (together with Greek labels) and spirits — Metaxa amongst them — certain to fulfill travellers of all time zones.

Further services

Past meals and furnishings, AEGEAN has thought rigorously about operate. Charging factors are plentiful — constructed into tables and seating areas alike — and the WiFi quick. A devoted information stand provides not solely AEGEAN’s Blue in-flight journal but in addition Athens Voice, Costa Navarino Shops, and a curated number of Greek newspapers.

The restrooms are discreetly positioned and spotless throughout our go to, full with Korres toiletries, an Athenian model deeply rooted in its Greek heritage.

Departure boards are well-placed all through so you’ll be able to hold abreast of your flight’s developments, together with some inspiration for a wide range of locations frequented by the airline.

The ultimate verdict

AEGEAN’s flagship Enterprise Class lounge at Athens isn’t about opulence or Instagram moments. It doesn’t scream to your consideration. As a substitute, it quietly earns your respect — via element, via design, and thru a peaceful confidence in what it provides.

It’s unmistakably Greek, however globally competent. Trendy, however timeless. Spacious, however not soulless. In the event you crave a genuinely well-executed house to recharge, refocus, or simply be earlier than a flight, that is most definitely a lounge that delivers.

Disclosure: Our journey was sponsored by AEGEAN Airways.