Prima Vista Lounge – Bologna Marconi Airport: Yet Another Disappointment from an Inadequate Hub

Last visit: September 2025

My rating: 4/10

Airport: Guglielmo Marconi Bologna (BLQ)

Location: Landside, first floor

Access: Priority Pass

Bologna Airport is a hub I use frequently, and one that never fails to disappoint me. On a different scale, the same judgment I gave to Cairo Airport applies here: considering the volume of passengers it serves and its logistical importance, the amount of discomfort and the low quality of service are disheartening. Investments to bring the infrastructure up to par with its competitors have not been lacking, but so far they don’t seem to be producing the desired results. From the people mover connecting the airport to the railway station—perpetually out of service—to the lack of parking, from the shortage of seating areas to the poor quality of food (in a city that claims to be Italy’s food capital, no less), Bologna Airport never misses the chance to provide yet another disappointment.

The latest addition to this long list of frustrations is the new Prima Vista Lounge.

The Bologna airport’s only lounge had been closed for months for a renovation that raised expectations of an improved service. After roughly six months of closure, it finally reopened under the “Prima Vista Lounge” banner, and I happened to pass through just a few days after its much-awaited reopening.

I should start by noting that some of the very first visitors—Priority Pass holders eager to try the lounge right after reopening—were reportedly turned away because the partnership agreement had not yet been reactivated. One wonders, after six months of closure, what exactly prevented management from planning ahead and finalizing such a basic arrangement in time.

Another inconvenience (not entirely the lounge’s fault, but rather the airport’s poor spatial planning) is its landside location. For me, this is already a drawback: it forces you to leave the lounge earlier than you’d like in order not to risk getting stuck at security. And once you’ve cleared the checks, you’re thrown straight into Bologna Airport’s usual chaos, where finding an empty seat is a stroke of luck and the idea of working or reading in peace is pure fantasy. That said, the new lounge does feature a dedicated fast track (you need to walk through the lounge and keep left towards the far end). At least during my visit it was completely empty, and I managed to pass security in less than a minute—by far the best part of the experience.

The first impression upon entering, however, is dismal: you are greeted by an unpleasant, pervasive odor. Since I visited just a few days after reopening, one might assume it came from new furniture—plastic coatings, adhesives, fresh wood. But my clear impression was something far less excusable: a lingering sewage smell. Most likely, it was a combination of the two—the synthetic fumes of brand-new furnishings mingling with the effluvia of a poorly designed plumbing system. Either way, it was a jarring and persistent note that ruined the experience from the outset.

The layout of the space is poorly conceived. Seating is arranged without logic, with narrow corners and cramped passages—more reminiscent of a provincial train station waiting room than of a premium lounge. The first room alternates between armchairs completely devoid of side tables (where exactly are you supposed to place a book, a drink, or a plate?) and high stools clearly meant for quick snacks. The result is awkward: anyone sitting in an armchair to relax ends up just a few inches away from someone hurriedly eating a sandwich while standing at the counter. A significant portion of the space is then devoted to large tables for 6–8 people, which might make sense in a conference room but feel entirely out of place in an airport lounge. Things do improve in the adjoining room, however, which I strongly recommend heading to while ignoring the first hall that greets you at the entrance.

The second room, decidedly more welcoming than the first

The food & beverage offering is even worse. At first glance, I was pleased to see a staffed bar, thinking I could finally enjoy a properly made cappuccino instead of the usual industrial concoction dispensed by an automatic machine—as is too often the case, even in better lounges. Sadly, the cappuccino I was served was undrinkable: a miserable mix of cheap milk and watered-down coffee that wouldn’t hold its own against a vending machine.

As for the food, the selection is meagre and of decidedly low quality—a handful of packaged products and unappealing snacks, presented without care or variety. The croissants, in particular, were industrial products with a texture disturbingly close to compressed cardboard.

Overall, the Prima Vista Lounge in Bologna fails to meet even the minimum standards one would expect from a paid service. Significant improvements in space management, a radical upgrade in food offerings (and perhaps a thorough revision of the plumbing system?) will be required before this lounge can aspire to the basic level of quality expected from a so-called premium facility.