After being closed for over 2 years, the Plaza Premium Lounge at YVR (Vancouver International Airport) in the USA departures area finally re-opened after undergoing an extensive renovation. In this post, we share a review and information about the lounge based on our visit a few months ago.
Seating/Space: 3.5/5
If you read our previous review of this lounge, you may recall us giving the seating/space a 2/5 because the lounge was very small and had limited seating and it was very difficult to find seating without feeling a though you were seated with other people. Thankfully, the renovation of the lounge also included adding more square footage and seating options. There are definitely more seats available for people in general, as well as various options such as high top bar seating, seating at the bar, restaurant style tables and lounge style seating. Even with the extra space, the space in this lounge still feels a little tight and it can be hard to walk around to get food and drinks when it’s busy. It’s an improvement but still not optimal based on the volume of people who use this lounge. The design though it really nice and much brighter than the old school brown basement bar style it was previously: it’s sleek, modern and bright, like a restaurant.
Amenities: 4/5
As part of the renovation, they got rid of the bathroom stall setup and went with individual stalls. There are 2-3 stalls, including one with a shower. The washroom stalls were nice, spacious, clean, and had nice toiletries. The shower room was nice too but there wasn’t a lot of information about how to use it. It might be better to leave the lounge to use the bathroom though as the wait times can be significant due to the number of bathrooms.
Food Options/Quality: 3.5/5
They more or less kept the same food as in the old version of the lounge but added a few things and obviously, the space for the food has drastically improved.
There are usually 1-2 soups, meats, cheeses, bite-sized sandwiches, salads, veggies, and a hot entree item like chicken, meatballs, pasta, or fried rice. They also have dessert bars, jars filled with cookies, pretzels, and marshmallows.
We have never visited the lounge for breakfast and cannot comment about the offerings.
Bar Offerings: 4/5
The lounge is now full-service for all drinks: you order at the bar. They have some Steamworks beers on tap (sometimes), cans of Steamworks and other domestic beers, a few white and red BC wines, and hard alcohol. They also have non-alcoholic fountain drinks.
Lounge Information:
Located across from Gate E88, and overlooking the arrivals hall below, this lounge serves guests departing to the United States. With upgraded inviting seating, fixtures and lounge – space for around 132 guests, the lounge is well appointed and functional. A food and beverage counter serves a range of hot food items throughout the day, as well as a selection of hot and cold beverages, for those who would like to enjoy a drink or two at the lounge, we serve alcoholic beverages to start your vacation from the airport.
The lounge is open from 05:00 to 20:00 currently and it is expected to remain open later during the summer months.
For more information or to book in advance, click here to go to the official lounge website.
Summary:
Overall, the new Plaza Premium Lounge near E gates – USA Departures is a much needed improvement from the previous lounge. The renovation has made the lounge more comfortable, modern, and functional for the volume of people who use it. The lounge though has already experienced overcrowding and waiting lists are already being used during peak times.
Have you visited the new Plza Premium Lounge at YVR? If yes, what did you think? Was the lounge crowded? Did you enjoy the food and drinks?
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