The Brussels Airlines Business Lounge in Brussels, dubbed “The Loft,” remains a respectable lounge in the Schengen Area.
I stopped by briefly after my flight from Copenhagen ahead of my connecting flight to New York and enjoyed a heartier breakfast than what had just been served onboard.
The lounge was virtually unchanged from my last visit, with a buffet in the middle and seating all around. The breakfast selection included scrambled eggs, pancetta, baked beans, breakfast potatoes, baked tomatoes, a salad bar, fresh breads and pastries, sliced meats and cheeses, yogurt, and fruit.
Although Rombouts is a very respected coffee brand (a family-owned Belgian company that stretches back four generations), the machines do not do justice to the beans.
I was hoping for a bit of chooclate, but the Neuhaus Corner was unstaffed.
Restrooms and showers are available and the lounge was crowded, but not overly crowded, at 8:30 am.
I did not stay long, moving quickly to the non-Schengen area of BRU for my flight to New York.
My original review, from August 4, 2022, is below.
Officially called THE LOFT by Brussels Airlines and Lexus, this Schengen lounge at Brussels Airport (BRU) is the flagship lounge of Brussels Airlines and offers a number of nice amenities and space to spread out in one of Europe’s most depressing major airports.
Brussels Airlines “The Loft” Lounge Review
I’m not a fan of Brussels Airport…I find the gate areas sterile and uncomfortable and the crowding and hot air tedious. But there’s relief available in The Loft, which is the main lounge for Brussels Airlines.
Location + Access + Hours
Located in Pier A across from gate A42, this lounge is open daily from 5:00am to 8:30pm (unless the last flight departs earlier). Access is reserved for the following passengers:
- Business Class passenger
- HON Circle members
- Star Alliance Gold members
- Miles & More Frequent Travelers (but not other Star Alliance Silver members)
Paid access is also available for €39 during off-peak hours to economy class passengers (maximum stay three hours). Those traveling on Economy Flex or Premium Economy tickets can purchase access at a reduced price of €29.
Take the stairs or escalator up one level from departures to find the lounge entrance.
Design + Seating
Brussels Airlines partnered with Lexus to design this lounge. Inspired by Japan, Brussels Airlines explains:
We have teamed up with Lexus to bring you its finest luxury and design in The Lexus Experience area, inspired by Japan’s finest traditions of omotenashi, the art of hospitality. This ancient Japanese philosophy of treating every visitor as a valued guest in one’s own home is one of the core values of our partner Lexus.
The lounge is L-shaped and as you enter you can go straight in or head right for seating areas of the lounge. At 8:00am, the lounge was packed. By 9:30am, the lounge was mostly empty.
Seating includes couches, chairs, and a room with desks in the rear.
Plugs are widely available and universal, making it unnecessary to break out your adapter if traveling from overseas.
Food + Drink
Food and beverages are available in two different areas of the lounge. Aramark provides the catering and the breakfast spread during my visit included scrambled eggs,
Coffee from Belgian family-owned Rombouts is available, though sadly only from automatic machines. The coffee itself is good, but it would be great to see a better machine and barista to make the coffee.
Later in the day, Belgian chocolates are available in the Neuhaus Corner.
The Spa
The spa are of the lounge includes:
- nap rooms
- massage chairs
- showers
- restrooms
- baby changing are
Showers + Restrooms
The “spa” is presented by Grohe and includes showers and restrooms with deluxe Grohe toilets (with a bidet and other options).
The shower area is upon request – see a lounge attendant for access.
Sleeping Area + Massage Chairs
Also in the spa area are several sleeping rooms (available on a first-come, first-served basis) and a pair of massage chairs. I did not notice any pillows or blankets and the bed was very firm, making this area best for a quick nap rather than extended stay.
HON Circle Area
Behind a roped off area is a special section of the lounge reserved for HON Circle members of the Miles & More program. It’s sponsored by Miele and includes a Miele kitchen (though the food and drinks are otherwise the same). There’s a dedicated seating area as well. It remained empty during my visit.
I stepped over the rope to take these pictures and was quickly shooed away by a member of lounge staff…
The Sponsored Lounge
I’ve never seen a more “sponsored” lounge than this one. It’s an interesting concept that I am surprised we do not see more of. Throuhgout the lounge you’ll see logos for Lexus, Miele, Rombouts, Grohe, Neuhaus, and others. I’d imagine, though I am just speculating, that these brand placements were in exchange for not only the products (like the Grohe showers and toilets), but probably for some recurring royalties as well.
I don’t necessarily want to see brand logos plastering lounges in the USA, but that may be something to look for in the future and may be a way for airlines to offer better amenities without having to spend for it.
CONCLUSION
I quite like this lounge and find it a fitting flagship for Brussels Airlines. More than just a welcome relief from the terminal, it offers superb amenities, plenty of space to spread out, and great food and drink.
This is part of my Solemn Trip to Poland trip report.
SkyClub brought to you by Waffle House and Chick Fil A coming soon…wait that doesn’t sound too bad?
It actually doesn’t!
Has anyone actually seen the Neuhaus stand open in the past while? I’ve probably gone to this lounge 5-6 times at varying times of day in 2022 and I’ve yet to see that counter staffed.
Neuhauss was open during our last visit the 28th of July, the chocolate master made pralines up until 17:00 when the set was closed. However he did a batch of pralines before he closed for us to enjoy during the evening.
On a side note, I was not able able to spot any Red Bulls outside the HON kitchen. The quest for Jägerbombs in a lounge continues…
Aren’t US airlines already using sponsorship on their products? I remembered Coca-Cola ads on napkins on some of my recent and not so recent flights on US airlines!
In the end, if that helps offering a better product at lower cost for the airlines, I’m all in… Air Canada’s Signature Suite, while subtle, is strongly pushing its partnerships with Molten Brown for toiletries and Moet for champagne and Diaego for other beverage offerings. Some of the Maple Leaf Lounges used to have business centers “powered by HP” back in the day. If that helps adding amenities or improve them and I have nothing to pay extra for, sponsor away…
Lexus is such a funny partner to me. Does anybody even view it as much of a luxury brand anymore? I get that the Toyota corporation is based in Japan, but I associate Lexus with soccer moms driving around Suburban Atlanta, not any sort of Japanese hospitality.
It is a shame that the non-schengen lounges are not better at BRU, though, as I am usually flying out of it to the US, not connecting within the EU.
Completely agree, connected through there to the US Monday, Star Alliance don’t have a lounge. It shows the Diamond Lounge on the website but they refused me entry as a gold card holder. Did I miss something?
No, you didn’t miss anything, the Diamond Lounge is more of a contract lounge; only SN elites are allowed in, AFAIK. There used to be a non-Schengen SN lounge called “The Suite”, which was not as good as the Loft, but it’s been closed since sometime during the pandemic and it seems as though it won’t open again.
When I was at BRU in mid-July the non-Schengen lounge had all signage removed and a large chunk of deserted furniture that looked like it was going to be thrown away. The contract lounge design was okay, drinks selection fine but food extremely poor. You would expect a bit more for a hub airport
SN needs an international lounge beyond the Sunrise lounge for Africa flights.
Interesting re. coffee. Last time I was there mid-June there was actually a separate stand where you could get a proper barista-made coffee. Maybe it was only temporary?
That’s good to hear. Remember, my trip was several months back, so this is potentially very good news.
Use this lounge regularly and it is very nice, spacious, good amenities, one of the better lounges. But, the quality & selection of food depends when your are there, go during quiet periods & it is poor.
Can you confirm if there is now coffee available made by a barista?
Belgian jewels: colonial coffee and colonial chocolate. Shame on you, Klint. There is nothing proud about those Belgian pride foods, unless you speak out of ignorance.
Why not? Do elaborate. Are you from the Belgian Congo or another former colony?
United Club membership access?
Sadly have never seen a barista (not before pandemic or lately and have used several times over past weeks at different times). Interesting to see HON section btw 🙂 Can imagine the ladies at reception were not too pleased 😀
So true what you say about BRU! ‘Depressing’ is spot on. In line with the normal weather there!
Last flight 2 of Aug there was a barista again, it is by the stand of Rombouts and you’ve got one praline from Neuhaus in a small box next to it. It’s like a pop up and it seems more as a marketing stand of view than as a hospitality view, but it was really nice! I like the lounge it’s for me definitely one of the best in Europe. But if you fly outside Schengen it seems a bit contrast. Its like all there focus went to this specific lounge. My opinion.
Is the barista using the automatic machine or a better machine?
Visiting the lounge this morning (from ~8am until after 1:30pm) there was no barista and the Neuhaus stand remained empty.
However in the nap rooms there were plastic wrapped blankets and upon request I was provided a pillow as well, providing me with a decent 3 hour nap. The surface is indeed quite hard though.
The Neuhaus stand is not operated in the weekend.
I was there last week. The shower was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had at an airport. About a dozen nozzles shooting water in all directions, it was like that of a luxury hotel. After a long flight its the most satisfying thing you could ask for.