Located in the non-Schengen part of Barcelona El Prat Airport Terminal 1 (D/E Gates), Sala VIP Joan Miro is the default lounge for almost all eligible passengers departing from this area. This is usually bad news since airport operated lounges are often poorly run and designed, however this one left me pleasantly surprised.

I was flying on British Airways from Barcelona to London Heathrow on this Sunday evening flight in late January and was able to get access on an Economy Euro Traveller ticket thanks to by oneworld Emerald (Finnair Platinum) status. Priority Pass and Lounge Key are also accepted. Paid access seems possible but the page on the AENA (airport operator) website has a dead link so I cannot advise on price - you can read more on how to get lounge access here. British Airways Business Class Club Europe passengers are directed to this lounge and likely many other airlines.

Contrasting to the Schengen area, it was clear that travel to non-Schengen destinations from Barcelona was struggling - the airport was empty.

The entrance to the lounge can be found after the walkthrough duty free shop (as is so common with European airports). You will need to take the lift to get to the lounge.

Initial impressions from the lounge are positive - modern, clean and bright. The reception is staffed and you will be asked for your boarding pass and any lounge access pass if required.

This lounge is huge - one of the largest contract/airport-operated lounges I have visited. For frequent British Airways travellers, the size is comparable to the North and South Lounges at Heathrow - except with a tiny fraction of the passengers during my visit.

A huge selection of seating can be found around the lounge with almost all seats facing towards the windows which overlook the airport concourses - primarily looking over and above the Schengen Zone.

Relaxed lounger chairs can be found here too. I suspect that these could get taken quickly for people making connections at the airport looking for a little rest between flights.

In a design that could be improved, these loungers are directly close to the office desk area and meeting rooms which may not be the most relaxing experience due to overhearing people on calls.

The design of the lounge is in two with the left half primarily being used by guests of the lounge in my visit. Despite this, the other half was still open and was not sealed off like at many other locations. The only real sign of reduced service was at the unstocked secondary bar and closed toilets - although others were available.

The lack of people in this lounge, as well as it’s scale, was eery during our visit.

In the empty half of the lounge, a salon spa offering paid treatments can be found Monday to Sunday 08:30 to 21:00 - despite being closed when I visited at 6pm on a Sunday evening. I can’t imagine it is ever terribly busy.

A full bar service was on offer during our visit - which was a surprise and is likely to delight many passengers - as well as tea and coffee.

Soft drinks are served in classic glass bottles - somehow it just tastes better!

Unfortunately, food was very limited during our stay at the lounge. Only mini pizzas, sandwiches, cakes and biscuits were available to eat from a self-serve area. The food that was available, particularly the dessert items, tasted quite good however.

Finally, toilets followed the theme of the rest of the lounge - being high quality, bright and clean. Showers are also to be found but I didn’t look since it requires a key too access which would’ve required me to unnecessarily use a shower room that subsequently needs cleaning.

From the positive comments in this, you can tell this lounge was a pleasant surprise. I wouldn’t recommend arriving early for it, besides you can only check in for British Airways flights three hours before - particularly with document checks at the time. Once service gets back to full strength with wider food selection, this lounge would be a great spot to rest at. In the meantime, it’s still worth a visit to be somewhere peaceful and with a comfortable selection of seating that will satisfy most travellers.