The Prima Vista Lounge is a lounge that pleasantly surprised me.
Flying back from Bologna, we can enter the Prima Vista lounge at Guglielmo Marconi di Bologna Airport (BLQ). Usually, Prima Vista lounges are nothing special and especially at small airports like Bologna, they are not much of a draw. Does Prima Vista do better in Bologna?
Airport lounge Bologna
The short answer is yes. I was pleasantly surprised by the Prima Vista lounge at Guglielmo Marconi in Bologna and I’m happy to explain why.
Prima Vista Lounge Bologna
Before arriving at an airport, I often check which lounges are available to assess which one is best for me. In this case, there is little to choose from, as the Prima Vista lounge is the only lounge there.
I read online that the lounge is available before security, and the downside is that you still have to go through security after your lounge visit. However, that information turns out – thankfully – not to be correct.
As I walk into the Prima Vista lounge with Erik, we notice that the lounge is spacious and nice and quiet. The lounge is divided into two separate sections with various seating areas.
The first part of the lounge has a screened-off area – through glass – that counts as a quiet room and there is a small bar where you can get fresh coffee. As everywhere in Bologna, the coffee is “okay” but nothing special.
Priority Pass lounge Bologna
You can access the De Prima Vista lounge with your Priority Pass. Apart from that, there are more opportunities to visit this lounge.
- Ticket
If you fly with ITA Airways or one of its Skyteam partners, you can enter the lounge with a Businessclass ticket. - Status
If you fly with ITA Airways or one of its Skyteam partners, you can enter the lounge from gold status onwards - Priority Pass
If you have Priority Pass – for example via your credit card – then you can enter the lounge with your Priority Pass membership.
Rapid border crossing Bologna
Much to our delight, we noticed that at the back of the lounge is a fast border passage for lounge visitors. the MBL Fast Track, as the passage is called, is open from 5:00 AM to 6:55 PM.
During those times, you can walk straight from the lounge into border passage. We take advantage of that too and walk from the lounge into the terminal within 3 minutes.
Eating and drinking in the Prima Vista Lounge
The food and drinks in the lounge are nothing special. Now I don’t think that’s a disaster, because during our flight we also land in Rome, where I had a good salad last time.
The offerings in the Prima Vista lounge include coffee and tea, soft drinks and fruit juices, sandwiches with cheese or cold cuts, and sweets such as croissants, doughnuts, muffins, and biscuits.
You will also find a real breakfast pizza and it looks like it was baked yesterday. Fancy a small salad? Then those too can be found in small portions, but they don’t look very tempting.
The avid athlete has also been thought of, as there are high protein milkshakes on the top shelf of the fridge.
Seating and work opportunities
The lounge has a good Wi-Fi connection, although you can also use your mobile hotspot in Europe. There are also a few chairs with a table where you can sit with your laptop, although that doesn’t stop there.
So work can be done, but it is not the best lounge to get work done. Also make sure that if you use the lounge’s Wi-Fi connection, that you secure your connection with a VPN connection.
Other facilities Prima Vista lounge
In terms of other facilities, the lounge also falls somewhat short. The lounge has a seating area with tables to eat at, a central bar and several other seating areas. That’s it.
There is no kids’ area, corner to take a power-nap or anything like that. The big open space is what it is.
Shower and toilet
Showering is not possible in the Prima Vista lounge, but toilets are available and tidy.
Conclusion Prima Vista Lounge
Personally, I have been pleasantly surprised by the Prima Vista lounge. No, the lounge is not high-end and does not compare to lounges like at Schiphol or other airports, but for a Prima Vista lounge at a small airport, it is quite good.
The lounge is quiet, there is enough space to sit and the food and drinks are better than the pre-packaged food you see in Asia in such lounges, besides, the facilities here are also a lot cleaner.
