Arriving at Barcelona El Prat airport (BCN) following my Mucha Masia hostel stay, I was anxious to get to a lounge to shower and grab a bite to eat.  Priority Pass to the rescue again.  Priority Pass membership provides access to more than 1100 airport lounges worldwide.  There are five Priority Pass lounges at BCN.  Four are in Terminal 1.  Sala VIP Miro was most convenient Priority Pass lounge for my next flight.

Location, Hours and Access

After security and passport control head towards Gate D and take the stairs near  McDonalds down to the next level.  Follow the signs for the VIP lounge.  This lounge, like almost all airport lounges, is now closed.  Normal hours are 06:00 – 23:00 daily.

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Only passengers on flights to non-Schengen destinations can use this lounge.  Priority Pass members and one guest are admitted without charge for up to three hours.  Children under five are admitted free.  Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent.  The lounge accepts walk ups for 35€ if space is available.

Taking a shower was my first order of business.  There was no charge even though the Priority Pass app states there is one.  I arrived not long after the lounge opened and the agent at reception asked me to wait while an attendant prepared the shower room.  The wait was nearly 20 minutes.

Shower Room

The showers, the whole lounge really, look new.  Showers have dual rain shower and handheld attachments.  Hairdryers are provided in each room.  The attendant supplied shampoo and conditioner and towels.

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These rooms lack a toilet.  All shower rooms should have toilets IMO.  The only other deficiency was not having any place to sit while dressing.  Maybe stools or a bench will be added later.

Food and Beverages

With the shower out of the way, the next task was breakfast.  Sala VIP Miro has a large dining area with a buffet, bar and dining tables.

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The menu leaves much to be desired however.  There were no hot dishes only light snacks, fruit, pastries, yogurt and cold cereals.  It was tempting to head to McDonalds.

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By far the best part of the buffet was the selection of alcoholic beverages.  Between the bar and the buffet there are nine wines, four sparkling wines, and eight choices of spirits.

Seating

Enjoying the seating in this spacious lounge was by far the best part of the experience.  There are several seating areas and types of seats to choose from.  Outlets for charging devices are available at just about every seat.

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Seating area and Aqua Spa

I took up residence in a mini cubicle with a reclining chair and ottoman.

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The lounge does not have outside views.  It overlooks the Terminal 1 concourse.

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Other Features

A rare but potentially attractive feature of this lounge is Aqua Spa, which sells a range of spa services and products.  WiFi was free despite the app claiming there is a charge.  There is a conference room, quiet room, a children’s area, and a business center with internet terminals, copiers and printers.  Newspapers and magazines in several languages, flight monitors, and TVs are also on hand.

Overall Impression

My impression of this lounge is mixed.  Seating, decor and ambiance is outstanding as is the selection of alcoholic beverages.  Showers are very nice.  It should be a simple matter to add stools or a bench.  Having a spa in the lounge is a treat for those prepared to pay for the services.  On the other hand, being unable to put together a decent meal from the buffet lowers the overall high rating for this lounge.  Nevertheless, Sala VIP Miro satisfied the basic requirement of an airport lounge to provide a tranquil place to relax and destress while waiting to board the next flight.