Earth Lounge Cochin – A Very Pleasant Surprise
When leaving Kerala earlier this year following the successful Kerala Blog Express, I had the pleasure to stop in the Earth Lounge Cochin. Even though Cochin has the most tourism in the area, its airport is still very small and slightly antiquated, so I wasn’t expecting much.
Location & Entry
The Earth Lounge Cochin is located on the 2nd floor of the airport’s International Terminal. I gained access to the lounge as a business class passenger of Qatar Airlines, however people with a Priority Pass membership also have access to the lounge.
While I would highly recommend visiting the lounge if you have access, I also want to note that there is a large outdoor garden (photo in the gallery) located near the lounge which is open to the public. If you do not have lounge access, it seems like a much nicer place to hang out than in the crowded terminal. (Weather permitting of course!)
Overall Impressions
It is clear from the name and the decor that a more naturalistic approach was taken when designing this lounge. Earth tones are used quite extensively and it feels very serene. Additionally, the seating is incredibly comfortable and the staff is efficient and friendly.
I was able to try a few different places to sit before settling in by the window overlooking the tarmac. As I looked out at the airplane I would be flying on, one of the staff members came up to ask why I was taking pictures. My first thought was to be defensive after my issue in Beijing to stop taking pictures, but I politely answered that I was a blogger. She then smiled and told me how thrilled they were to have me! It was a nice welcome.
Food & Drink
I was in the Earth Lounge Cochin during breakfast time, meaning they had a limited buffet out. In addition to the standards of cereal, pastries & fresh fruit, the buffet had pre-made omelettes which didn’t look too bad. Of course being India, they also had a decent selection of local foods, none of which I tried.
As far as beverages go, the Earth lounge has a couple of refrigerators with soda, juice & water, a coffee machine and a fully stocked bar. Since it was early in the morning, no one was boozing it up, however the bar looks like it would be staffed in the afternoon. The booze was out on dispaly, however it didn’t seem like it was a serve yourself situation.
Seating & Internet
While my time in the lounge was brief, I did make sure to check out a variety of seating and it was all very clean and incredibly comfortable. Given my previous experiences in India and in smaller airports in other countries, I honestly couldn’t believe how nice everything was.
The internet was good by Indian standards (I struggled to find a fast connection anywhere in Kerala), but probably average anywhere else. It certainly was enough to surf the web and check email, however I wouldn’t want to transfer large files over it.
Conclusion
The Earth Lounge in Cochin is perhaps the most surprising lounge I have visited this entire year. Everything from the service to the seating was well above expectations and while I only ate a small muffin, it too was delicious. I left the lounge wishing that I had come a little earlier.
Also, as I mentioned before, the garden located adjacent to the lounge is far less crowded than the terminal and may be a nice place to get away from the masses. It does get hot though and depending on the weather you may be stuck inside with everyone else if you can’t gain access to the lounge. Either way, Cochin is a great city and the state of Kerala in which it sits is amazing as well!
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