Review of Alicante airport's only lounge: the Costa Blanca does its dirty work

I admit that I had not never even looked at where Alicante was on the map of Spain, then for family reasons we had to fly around here, with Ryanair of course, and I was really amazed at the size of the stopover, considering that we are between Barcelona, Valencia and Murcia I didn't think I would find such a large and busy airport.

Location

The lounge is located downstairs from the departures and stores floor. It is basically on the mezzanine between departures and arrivals.

Escalator access is located in the center of the terminal, near gate C45.

Access

As the only VIP lounge in the entire airport, it is open to virtually all passengers. Those with business or status as well as Priority Pass holders have free access.

The lounge

Airports in Spain are all publicly operated, and so are almost all of the lounges in the airports. Also This VIP room is operated by AENA, but of all the ones I have visited at other Spanish airports, it is perhaps the least beautiful.

It is not beautiful but it is great, although I imagine that at the peak of the summer season it is easy to find it packed. In fact it is a long corridor with glass walls and zero (or almost zero) view. There is also very little natural light, but it is better than nothing.

Past the reception desk there are an endless row of variously made chairs, more or less all with an outlet.

On the opposite side from the entrance is the buffet area with a number of more comfortable seats for eating something.

There is also a small corner designed for children to relax as well, but it is not isolated from the rest of the lounge (for better or worse).

Clean bathrooms with the option to use the showers and ask the staff for all the toiletries to get ready for the flight without stress.

Food & Beverage

The buffet is arranged along the wall at the back of the lounge.

The food offerings are skimpy, shall we say sparse.

On the contrary very generous drinking, the Costa Blanca being a favorite destination of the British and northerners I have no trouble understanding the rationale: little food much alcohol.

In conclusion

We should have such lounges in "secondary" airports in Italy, unfortunately, deregulation has hit us and led to a general flattening of services and supply.