Geneva airport, review Marhaba lounge non-Schengen zone
Important premise, there are two Marhaba lounges in this airport. The first one is located in the mezzanine, just after the controls [...]
GVA
Important premise, there are two Marhaba lounges at this airport. The first one is in the mezzanine, right after the security checkpoints (and it is quite sad) the second one is from Gate C, the ones for non-Schengen destinations. There are several lounges here such as the two Swiss lounges (the one for Senator, First/Hon Circle and then the business one). There is an Air France KLM lounge and also an independent Swissport lounge.
In this article:
The area for flights to long-haul destinations is definitely nicer, more modern, and more comfortable than the rest of the airport, which indeed is old, claustrophobic, and uncomfortable.
Location
After passing the border controls, which are fully automated for European citizens, proceed along the building , in the center you will find the elevator that leads to the upper floor and from there you will reach the entrance to the lounge.
There are two lounges in this area: the Marhraba and the Aspire; they are exactly in front of each other.
Access
I came in as a passenger on an Emirates flight to Dubai, but this lounge is open to pretty much anyone or almost anyone.
Both lounges are also open to Priority Pass, LoungeKey, Dragonpass and the like, in this one, however, the morning slot is reserved for travelers with status or business tickets.
I have no idea if this sign is "fixed" or seasonal, but if so, watch out for time bans if you are not traveling in business.
The lounge
It is not an Emirates lounge, although Marhaba is a Dubai family brand. I have no idea why at this airport EK chose not to have a lounge under its own brand, but one under a different sign.
The lounge is beautiful, bright, and although it is a long open space, it is well organized. The terminal structure is a parallelepiped of glass and steel, and the lounge is a glass cube inside.
The glass walls let in lots of natural light, on one side is the view of the terminal, on the other is the corridor that is walked by arriving passengers, and then, of course, the runway.
There are three rooms that are separated by the supporting structure of the terminal. Immediately after the reception desk there is an area with sofas, here there are also lockers to leave one's belongings, but they were non-operational.
Then past the buffet area, there is the area designed for eating with suitable tables and seating.
Finally there is the promiscuous area: there are work tables, very comfortable with power outlets and light from readings.
However, there are also shell sofas, perfect for chatting with a fellow traveler; if only they were turned the other way, they would be perfect.
Finally, there are three chaise lounges that can isolate themselves from the rest of the room with curtains. I took a nap here.
The only flaw is that there are no bathrooms, or rather the bathrooms are outside the lounge, but for the exclusive use of guests however no shower.
Food & Beverage
There is a buffet with a decent selection, I arrived at an overcrowded time, but then departed the flight the lounge completely emptied and slowly everything was put in order.
The offerings are average, let's say nothing exceptional and comparable to what Emirates offers in its lounges. On the other hand, however, the ambiance is much less "Emirates Style" and I must say I like it. The menu is varied and I must say that what I tasted I did not dislike. At the level of wines and champagnes we are also considerably below EK's standard here, but here we are in a lounge that is open to all, so it's only fair.
In conclusion
A nice lounge, accessible to everyone (or almost everyone) too bad only it is located in the least accessible area of the airport. However, considering that there are no controls, I think you can without any problem walk here and then return to the Schengen area to catch your flight.
Pro
- Bright
- Quiet
- Pleasantly furnished
Against
- Weak food offerings, even when there is Emirates flight
- Outdoor bathrooms
- No shower