I recently had the chance to try out Iberia‘s Airbus A350 Business Class cabin on a flight from Madrid to London Heathrow. Whilst I wasn’t at all impressed with the flight itself (review coming soon), their flagship Velazquez Premium lounge on the other hand was top class.
Whislt not as opulent as some lounges this lounge has all the features you might want (restaurant, showers, beds and runway views) though some facilities were closed when I visited. I also made a Youtube review below so please watch that for a more visual review (and like and subscribe!):
Madrid Barajas Airport
Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport is Spain’s busiest airport and Europe’s 2nd largest airport by land area after Paris Charles De Gaulle. Composed of four seperate terminals. Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are all connected. Whilst Terminal 4 and 4S (its satellite terminal) are located a good distance away.
Terminal 4 is mainly used by Iberia and other large airlines such as Qatar, Emirates, LATAM and more. Short haul flights are operated out of the main Terminal 4 buildings whilst long haul flights are operated out of the Terminal 4 Satellite. To get to the Satellite terminal you’ll have to hop on an underground shuttle which takes around 10 minutes. It’s also worth noting that these terminals are massive, each measuring a kilometre long. So be sure to leave plenty of time to move through the airport. As my flight to London was operating out of the satellite terminal I chose the Velazquez lounge. If you’re flying short haul Iberia also have another lounge in the main Terminal 4 building.
Madrid’s Terminal 4 finished construction in 2006 and is simply massive. Composed of a main building and satellite building, each around 1km long. With undulating wooden ceilings and a vibrant colour scheme this is one of the more impressive airports I’ve been to. It’s also one of the more spacious airports I’ve seen.
Seats & Interior
Given the size of this lounge there are plenty of places to sit. Be it individual lounge chairs, private sofas, dining tables and even some beds, you should be able to find somewhere comfy. When I visited it was probably only around half full so we go a chance to try a few seats.
I found the leather lounge chairs to be the comfiest. Each chair also has a light and power sockets next to them so you can charge multiple devices at once.
The lounge layout is extremely long and thin. The entrance is in the centre and each end of the lounge has a buffet and dining area, with more casual seating in between. There is also a more private “business area” as well as a proper a la carte restaurant, which unfortunately was closed when we went. Since the lounge is laid out as a line almost all seats have a great view of the runways too so you can watch planes to your hearts content.
Below is a picture of one of the two dining areas, wit great views of the airport. This is the south end of the lounge and the Sun was a bit overpowering. But you can always just head to the other dining area at the north end of the lounge if it’s an issue.
Food & Drink
Typically the Velazquez lounge has three dining areas. One a la carte restaurant and two buffet areas. The a la carte area was closed so I opted for the hot buffet, which was still pretty good. All of the dining areas are kept clean and have tasteful furniture and decor. The dining areas are also nicely segregated from other seating areas.
The food at the Velazquez Premium lounge was actually a present surprise. Whilst the selection is on the smaller side, what was there was all tasty and fresh. With a mix of Spanish and European food, including a Spanish pork dish and Italian pesto pasta dish. There were also some cold salads and fruit which looked good, but I didn’t try any of those. Sadly the a la carte restaurant was closed when I visited but it would have been interesting to see what kind of food they had there.
There is a self-service bar area (picture left) with a good range of wine, champagne, beer and spirits. Pre-Covid I believe there was a bartender so perhaps they’ll go back to having one some time soon.
Throughout the lounge there are Lavazza coffee machines and a surprisingly large selection of teas. You’ll also find loads of soft drinks of all types around the lounge.
Other Cool Features
Firstly, you can book the showers which are kept clean and well stocked with towels by the staff. The showers are large and modern and come stocked with amenities such as a shaving kit, toothbrush, shower cap and more.
There was also a private rest area with beds and curtains for privacy. Though these were all closed, perhaps still a covid restriction? Either way, if you’re here late at night or early in the morning these could be amazing, if they’re actually made available.
Finally, you get a brilliant view of Madrid’s massive airport. Terminal 4S is mostly used for long haul (non-Schengen) flights so there are a lot of widebody aircraft to watch come and go. And some airlines that I at least haven’t seen in person like Plus Ultra and CEIBA Intercontinental.
Bottom Line
The Velazquez Premium Lounge at Madrid’s Terminal 4S is a great lounge. With all the facilities you could need and good food it’s a good place for a long layover. However, with access only granted to Iberia/Oneworld business passengers or those who hold some sort of status, it is not the easiest to get into.
Of the two lounges I visited in this terminal, it is definitely the best. So the next time you find yourself travelling through Madrid’s Terminal 4 I highly recommend you give this lounge a visit.
More from me…
Please feel free to check out other related posts I’ve written:
- The No1 Lounge at London Gatwick South Terminal – A pretty good lounge when not full
- London Stansted’s Terrible Escape Lounge – The only lounge at Stansted, and not good
- The British Airways Galleries Club South Lounge – British Airways Flagship Business lounge
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- The Platinum Card – You Receive 35,000 Membership Reward points after spending £3,000 in the first 3 months: https://americanexpress.com/en-gb/referral/fREDEGgRA5?CPID=100493012
- British Airways Card: You Receive 8,000 Avios after spending £1,000 in the first 3 months: https://americanexpress.com/en-gb/referral/fREDEG42lN?CPID=100503089