As promised, some impressions of the refreshed Etudia lounge today:


Above: A passer-by wouldn’t notice any difference from the outside unless looking very closely at the signage.


Above: The selection of beverages and snacks is largely unchanged, but the addition of mirrors behind the counter helps lighten the place up.


Above: Looking through the lounge from the toilet end. The dividers are gone, so everything feels much more exposed than it used to - but it is considerably lighter.


Above: The view from the other direction.


Above: A personal gripe: The coffee cups are ever so slightly too small for the amount of coffee dispensed. Suppose I’d better hit the Prosecco instead…

Conclusion:

Pros:
- The lounge is light and airy and has clearly undergone a much-needed deep clean during the refurbishment.
- The furniture all *looks* very nice (we’ll see how it stands up to everyday wear and tear).
- Sockets along the windows are more accessible than they were before thanks to the addition of workstations.

Cons:
- The lack of dividers does make you feel exposed. Conversations carry more easily and the lounge feels a bit more like a big waiting room than it did before.
- The change of furniture and decor makes the lounge feel much less “cozy” than before. Gone are the deep chairs by the windows.
- No noticeable improvements to the food and beverage offer.

Most important though is having a non-Schengen lounge available again to those of us whose bread and butter is BA and only fly LOT on special occasions