You'll find Europe's best airport lounge in... Tallinn

72,000 people have voted and Estonia's come out on top
Anywhere/Pixabay
14 December 2017

The results are in following the annual Lounge of the Year Awards (yes, they’re a thing) and the winning airports aren't entirely predictably. No LAX or LHR in sight.

People have cast their votes on levels of comfort, facilities, spaciousness, ambience but some winners come as a surprise.

With lounges getting increasingly elaborate it's not an easy competition to win. Some lounges now exist with sleep pods, cinemas, swimming pools and even a whiskey distillery but the ones on this list are much more parred back.

In the study conducted by Priority Pass, which operates the world’s largest lounge access programme, Tallinn Airport Business Lounge in Estonia was crowned Best Lounge, closely followed by La Valette Club in Malta International Airport.

Tallinn’s airport promises to be “the world’s cosiest airport” so naturally the Business Lounge is all about making travellers feel that they’re “in the comfort of their own living room” - no easy feat in an airport. They do give it a good shot though with massage chairs and sleeping pods; a library where travellers can select an in-flight read; a fireplace, and an outdoor terrace.

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Club Kingston at Jamaica’s Kingston Norman Manley International Airport won first place in the global category.

Why? Well, not because it could rival LAX for facilities but because it’s open to all travellers regardless of class or airline. You can freshen-up after a long-haul with a shower, do a little work in the conference space and sip on signature cocktails, aptly named ‘Club Kingston Classic’, ‘Priority Passion’ and ‘VIP Splash’, all to the soundtrack of reggae.

The awards are now in its thirteenth year and are based on 72,000 ratings by Priority Pass members. Here's the complete list of winners:

Global:

Overall Winner: Club Kingston at Kingston Norman Manley International

Europe:

Overall Winner: Tallinn Airport Business Lounge at Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport

Highly Commended: La Valette Club at Malta International

Africa & Middle East:

Overall Winner: Ahlan Business Class Lounge at Dubai International

Highly Commended: Dilmun Lounge at Bahrain International

Asia Pacific:

Overall Winner: SATS Premier Lounge, T2 at Singapore Changi International

Highly Commended: Strata Lounge at Auckland International

North America:

Overall Winner: Salon VIP Lounge at Québec Jean Lesage International

Highly Commended: The Club MCO at Orlando FL International

Latin America & The Caribbean:

Highly Commended: Aeroportos VIP Club at Brasilia J. Kubitschek International

Best Business Facilities:

Overall Winner: The Club MCO at Orlando FL International

Highly Commended: Ahlan Business Class Lounge at Dubai International​

Best Quality of Refreshments:

Overall Winner: Turkish Airlines Lounge Washington at Washington D.C. Dulles International

Highly Commended: VIP Lounge (East) at Guadalajara Miguel Hidalgo International

Best Attitude and Service from Lounge Staff:

Winner: The Club BWI at Baltimore/Washington MD International

Highly Commended: Plaza Premium Lounge at Siem Reap Angkor International

Maybe it is worth checking out the lounges in more obscure airports after all.