Iberia’s hub in Madrid Barajas offers two lounges that cater to its business class and elite status passengers, with the smaller of the two, Velázquez in Terminal 4S, serving non-Schengen departure flights to outside the European Union.
On a recent trip from Madrid to London, your author spent a pleasant hour or so in the Velázquez lounge, which gave me ample time to reflect on how Spain’s national airline can revamp some of its lesser used amenities.
Arriving at the lounge, I faced a rather long queue that snaked out of the entrance and into the duty-free area. Worried about finding a seat, I sped to the edge of the lounge once admitted to the space.
The queue also obstructed the only path from passport control to the gates. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
Fortunately, the lounge itself is impressively large, inhabiting a long, oblong shaped area that hugs the outside of the terminal. There was plenty of room, even at peak time, and plenty of seating options, including semi-private sofa pods and dining tables.
I found a comfortable seat overlooking the runway. The floor to ceiling windows are excellent, but the view was obscured by large metal shades that shielded the lounge from the sun, a necessary addition in Spanish summers.
The lounge has a lot of space and feels airy despite the shades. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
The lounge is bookended by two buffets, serving hot and cold foods. At one end is a wine bar, whilst and the other houses restaurant-styled seating for sit-down meals. One can also find a kids play area, a business meeting room, and an entertainment centre (with sports games showing on a large TV).
I first went to the restaurant, but it was completely deserted. It’s possible that table service is only offered at certain times, but there was zero information available, so I just moved on to the nearby buffet.
I could have eaten here with a meal from the buffet, but the dark lighting made it feel desolate and foreboding. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
I helped myself to a meal of salmon and roasted potatoes, which was hearty and delicious. Self-serve wine was also available at the buffet. And soft drinks were on offer at nearby stations.
The quality of the buffet was excellent, especially the roasted potatoes. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
After my filling meal, I wanted to get cleaned up. Like many other lounges, I had to ask for a code at the reception desk in order to use a shower. This took a bit of time as I was forced to queue with people arriving at the lounge. Iberia may wish to consider having a dedicated shower reception, such as those offered by British Airways and Cathay Pacific at their London Heathrow lounges.
Nevertheless, code in hand, I made my way to the shower facility, only for the code not to work. After an attendant let me in, I was greeted by a clean and beige shower stall that reminded me of a mid-range spa hotel.
The shower was fastidiously clean and had good pressure. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
The shower itself was fine, and the towels were soft. But the plastic wrap around the towels was disappointing, especially as Iberia has dispensed with eco-unfriendly packaging on its aircraft. Shaving was a challenge, as the sink only provided 20-second bursts of tepid water and the disposable razor fell apart in my hand.
The quality of the toiletries was mixed, but the moisturiser was soft and gently fragranced. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
Sufficiently refreshed, I then completed my migration to the other end of the lounge to avail of the wine bar. This space, with wood partitions and leather seats, felt very premium and distinct from the rest of the lounge. Self-serve snacks and a drinks trolley were available.
After waiting several minutes for a member of staff to appear, I tried to serve myself some cava only for a cleaning attendant to come rushing over from their rubbish cart to take over. This experience was not helped by the cava itself, which had gone flat in the bottle.
I think, if the bar had been manned, this would have been my favourite space in the lounge. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
Whilst the bar experience was likely not up to Iberia’s standards, overall the Velázquez lounge is a quality product that has room for improvement.
Iberia director of customer experience Melanie Berry tells RGN that the airline is considering adding a premium area for elite passengers in a similar vein to sister airline British Airways. That’s a good idea, and something that could fill the recessed alcove currently occupied by the empty restaurant. This lounge also has acres of space, ready to be filled.
A business meeting space in the lounge, with some desks, was marooned in the open plan lounge area and is certainly not somewhere suitable for a confidential discussion. Perhaps this could be replaced with day beds or cabanas to further support relaxation for long-haul passengers using the lounge.
The lounge has a variety of seating options including these striking black armchairs. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
In any case, Iberia’s current offering is comprehensive and well-made, with premium finishes ensuring a relaxing experience even at busy times. So, any changes for the future will only help fill a space that, physically, has a lot of room to accommodate improvements.
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Featured image credited to Fintan Horan-Stear
