Plaza Premium at EDI

[Ade]

Good morning,

I’m flying from Edinburgh airport on the 20th August. I’m thinking about going to the Plaza Premium lounge between 0830-1130. Does anyone know how busy this lounge usually is? Is it advisable to book?

Thanks!

[Froggee]

Recent experience has been “terribly sorry” which never used to be the case.

When you say “book”, are you paying cash because you can’t reserve Plaza Premium using a priority pass. If paying cash anyway then little harm booking.

We are off in a few days and have booked the Aspire at gate 16 using the Amex Plat credits as I suspect the chance of getting in at around 8:30am is only moderate and we have credits to burn anyway. It is fine and offers a semi decent breakfast.

[freckles]

Apologies for hijacking this a little, but wondering on opinions between Premium Plaza, Aspire Gate 16 and Aspire Gate 4. Would be cash booking, around lunch time.
Wasn’t overly impressed with food options in PP before, and only used Gate 4 when BA lounge was closed and we were temporarily moved.

[Froggee]

Food in plaza premium seems to have gone downhill to me. And I wasn’t ever overly impressed by the food offering although they did have sausage rolls once which means Kermit forever wants to go there. But it is the nicest of the lounges in terms of ambience.

Aspire gate 4 is my least favourite. It smells fusty to me and I find the lack of toilets modestly annoying. The food is hit and miss but occasionally they do have something properly tasty.

Aspire gate 16 is a step up from Aspire gate 4 to me. It doesn’t smell, it has toilets and at least appears to have a wider food offering as there is more space for the offering.

So for lunch I would choose Aspire gate 16 whereas it would be Plaza Premium just to sit and have a coffee.

But if I were paying cash, particularly en famille I would probably be going All Bar One or Prêt!

[freckles]

Thanks @Froggee, that was my intuition too. It’s just me going before a TUI flight so hoping to be able to grab some lunch. Will investigate.

[JohnBart]

I went yesterday at 10:30am and it was full and had to join a queue.

However they said if I had sent an email it would have counted as pre-book, which is a shame as Priority Pass comes up with no option to pre book

However, got in to Aspire lounge and enjoyed it, crossed over to lunch at 12 which was good.
Very convenient for Virgin flight at gate 14

[Peggerz]

Hi @Ade my preferences are;
1 Aspire gate 16
2 Plaza Premium
3 Aspire gate 4

Gate 16 food offerings (particularly breakfast) are better tho PP is more open in design and a relaxed atmosphere overall. Gate 4 is ……. to be avoided, in my book.

[dundj]

Linking in to @Peggerz preference chart, the quietness version would be as follows.

1. Aspire Gate 4
2. Aspire Gate 12-16
3. Plaza Premium

Plaza (no longer so) Premium has lowered the quality ever since they accepted Priority Pass again, as well as once more people started booking this lounge over the two Aspire lounges.

@Ade long haul airlines are now using the lounge with departures around your timings, pre-booking may be essential too. I can never remember which airlines are definitely using Plaza Premium now but sure that Delta is one of them.

[Supergers49]

I would vote for Aspire Gate 16 as having the best food. If the PP isn’t too busy, I prefer that because the space is brighter, seating is more comfortable and drink choices are usually pretty decent (especially the variety of Edinburgh Gins).

[lee brown]

Hi
Found this year-old thread helpful (which has mixed opinions but seems to favour Aspire 16) but thought I would seek more recent opinion if anyone can help ?
Looking for opinion or advice on the independent lounges at Edinburgh airport please.
I have priority pass (through Amex Plat) which lists Aspire (Gate 16), Escape and Plaza Premium.
I half assumed that the Aspire would be best choice as it is the only one offering pre-booking.
(But wondered if it is the only pre-bookable option because it is most prone to being at capacity?)
I already pre booked Aspire 16 for peace of mind but assume we can go to any (or all) of them if we wish?
Wife and I Flying Loganair to Southampton later this month (arriving at the airport about 4pm on Sunday afternoon 28th so guessing won’t be busy anyway?)
PS – Not a big drinker but Priority pass website doesn’t list alcohol in the Facilities for Aspire 16 but does for the other two, assume that’s just an omission?
Thanks

[Supergers49]

lee brown wrote:

but thought I would seek more recent opinion if anyone can help ?

All three have alcohol available, and I would say that the alcohol options at the Plaza Premium (G16) and Aspire (G16) lounges are slightly better than those available at Escape (G4). In terms of afternoon food, I would say they are all much-of-a-muchness. Not bad but not out of this world either. For breakfast I would rank them, (1) Escape, (2) Aspire, and (3) Plaza Premium.

If I knew my flight was going from Gates 1-10, I’d go to the Escape. For Gates 11+ I would go to one of the two lounges at G16. We prefer the Plaza Premium solely because it is brighter and more comfortable.

All three are decent. None of them are outstanding. YMMV.

[lee brown]

Thanks Supergers49, will decide based on departure gate on the day (and pick Aspire if we have to for the guaranteed entry)