What I Liked

• Free wi-fi
  
• Free soft drinks
  
• High Quality décor
  
• Only lounge option in the terminal
  

What Could Be Improved

• Limited food options
  
• Alcohol incurred an extra charge
  

Ahmedabad, India 101

Ahmedabad is the capital of Gujarat, India and has a population of about 9 million people. Like many cities in India, it is undergoing massive infrastructure development – including the building of a high-speed rail link to Mumbai.

Gujarat is a very religious state, and the sale of alcohol is highly restricted. Mahatma Gandhi and prime minister Narendra Modi both hail from Gujarat.

The Entry Requirements

You can pay for entry. The price is $30 for two hours.

I got entry to the lounge through my Priority Pass Membership. Priority Pass is a paid membership program. It provides access to over 1,500 airport lounges worldwide.

I have a tie up with Priority Pass. My readers get a 30% discount on membership. Sign up on this webpage.

Standard Plus membership is $263. You get 10 free lounge visits per year. So each visit costs $26.30. In most lounges, you get unlimited food, unlimited alcohol and your own personal space. $26.30 is great value.

I’ve accessed some amazing lounges with my Priority Pass. The Virgin Clubhouse in JFK, New York has restaurant quality food, unlimited champagne and is beautifully designed. The Business Lounge in Mumbai is a stunning space. With terrific food and lots of natural light.

The Lounge

The lounge is a small rectangular room with a dining area at one end. As if often the case at Plaza Premium Lounges, they put some effort into decorating the space.

• Cushioned chairs with side tables
• Higher dinner tables with charging points at the centres
• Grey flooring tiles looked pretty cool

The decoration of the lounge is very similar to other (higher quality) Plaza Premium lounges worldwide. Check out my review of the Plaza Premium Lounge in London, Heathrow, T4, for a much better example of a lounge!

In term of the facilities, there is basically nothing. You got a room with some seating and some refreshments at one end. There is no natural light, although you do get a view of the check in desks at the airport entrance.

The Food

I was there at 6am, and there was a very sad breakfast spread.

• Soup
  
• Bread
• Cereal
• Pastries
• Did I say there was soup?!

India is a country with a rich and diverse culinary history. I find it ridiculous that this lounge cannot provide a decent hot breakfast. As I explained above, they can make money without offering hot food – but I still find it disappointing.

The Drinks

I could not see any bar, but the priority pass website says that alcohol comes at an extra cost. This is standard in India, but I don't like it. Imported alcohol is expensive in India, but they should offer local alcohol as complimentary.

The images above display the coffee machine and the tea selection. I had a coffee, but it was not good.

Conclusion

The only justification for using this lounge, is if you have a Priority Pass card. This is a prime example of a global company cashing in. Little effort has been made, to make the lounge pleasant.

The Lounges in Mumbai Airport are definitely better! The Business Lounge is available to all business class passengers. Review here. The lounge was excellent. It’s a beautifully bright space with excellent food.

The Loyalty Lounge in Mumbai Airport is available to Priority Pass cardholders. That lounge is interesting! The buffet was fresh and lovely. However, the beer was watered down. Also, the lounge was decorated like a prison canteen!

Staying with Mumbai, I reviewed the Taj Mahal Tower. It’s an iconic hotel, opposite the gateway of India. There are lots of restaurants on site, with tasty food. The lobby is also nice and luxurious.