On a recent business trip to Scotland via Amsterdam, I had the opportunity to visit the KLM Non-Schengen Crown Lounge. Here is my review of what I feel to be one of the best business class lounges in Europe. It was opened in late 2019 and serves as KLM’s flagship lounge.
The Crown Lounge is located airside between the E and F piers of the Main Terminal. You will be able to reach this area if you are flying to a non-schengen country. Follow the signs for “Lounge 52”. The entrance is an escalator which you take to the top and scan your boarding pass to check-in. The lounge is open daily from 04:45 AM to 10:00 PM.
KLM have a video introduction of it that you can watch:
Entry to the lounge is as follows:
A review of this lounge must begin by its distinguishing feature: The famous KLM Delft Blue houses. These collectible items are made in The Netherlands, feature a bottle of dutch gin inside, are given out to business-class passengers on intercontinental flights, and are present in the thousands in this lounge. As an avgeek I personally love them and am building up a small collection at home with each flight I take with the airline.
You enter the lounge via escalator and have your first viewing of them as you head up to check in.
The lounge is enormous but the designers broke the space into separate areas which makes it feel like a series of lounges on multiple stories all grouped together.
After you enter, if you head to the right there is the main restaurant area called “City”, and a relaxation zone called “Sea” with comfortable chairs, showers, a quiet zone, and even sleeping rooms.
To the left is “Polder” with an overflow food and drink area which opens as needed, and “Dutch Mountain” which is a combination staircase to the upper level and mixture of seating and Dutch artwork.
Upstairs is “Sky”, which features more seating, an outdoor terrace, and the main Blue bar. There is a Blue restaurant there as well which was designed to be high-end dining for an additional cost, but it hasn’t opened since the start of the pandemic.
The interior design is excellent and helps to make for a pleasing stay even if the lounge is crowded. This sure was the case when I arrived on an overnight flight from Montreal. That morning the lounge was absolutely packed. But even so, the wait for food was never more than two minutes and I was able to get seating and a shower with no waiting at all. There is every conceivable type of seating one could ask for: Bar-style tables with stools, regular tables in various sizes, booths, padded benches, and even privacy chairs by the windows.
There is a KLM area where staff can assist you with travel needs, and a showcase to KLM’s 100-year history with, you guessed it, more Delft Blue houses!
Heading upstairs, “The Mountain” is a fabulous staircase which acts as a stylish seating area complete with lit-up steps, greenery, Dutch artwork, and floor-to-ceiling windows. On the upper level you will find more seating including a work area and booths for single travellers built into the wall to offer privacy.
Upstairs there is the very chic Blue Bar.
The bar features a wide selection of both complimentary and paid premium cocktails, wine, and champagne. There is also a self-serve area with fruit-infused water and bar snacks.
Outside the glass doors is a small terrace where you can catch some much-appreciated sunshine.
The main food area is in the “City” section on the main level. Since I arrived in the morning, a breakfast buffet was available. There were multiple sections featuring:
On the upper level, the fine dining restaurant Blue has unfortunately been closed since the start of the pandemic.
For drinks, the main level features a Heineken-sponsored bar, self-serve water and cold drinks, and coffee is available via self-service or barista station. The upper level of course features the Blue bar which is the best place to sit when looking for alcoholic drinks.
In the “Sea” section of the lounge there is a large bank of shower rooms. You can reserve a time in one by using the self-serve kiosk, or seeing a KLM lounge attendant. When your room is ready, you will receive a QR code on your phone telling you which room to go to. You scan the QR code at the entry and the door opens for you.
The shower rooms are pretty small and basic, but the water pressue is good. They do not have a toilet so take care of that before you enter. Inside you’ll find Rituals-branded shampoo & shower gel, a large towel, and some personal amenities including dental kit, shaving kit, comb, and shower cap.
Sleep cabins can also be reserved for the cost of:
This is a terrible value in miles, so definitively go for the cash rate if you have a long layover and want to get some sleep. They include a 33-inch TV, sink, and queen-size bed. They are only open when the lounge is, so you can’t spend the night in one.
Many European hub airport lounges are packed at peak times, and this one is no exception. But despite this, the KLM Crown Lounge is definitively one of my favourite business-class lounges in Europe. The use of space, variety of seating, the enormous amount of natural light, and amenities including outdoor terrace, showers, and Blue bar, make this a great stop during a transit through Amsterdam.
Savings are here:
