Review: LOT Business Lounge Polonez at Warsaw Airport (WAW)

LOT Business Lounge Warsaw – Location and Access

On a recent connection through Warsaw (WAW) en route to Budapest (BUD), I had the opportunity to visit the LOT Business Lounge Polonez, the main premium lounge operated by LOT Polish Airlines at its hub. The lounge is located in Terminal 1 at Warsaw Chopin Airport, near Gate 26, and is accessed by heading upstairs from the Spirit of Poland store via escalators or elevator.

Reception Desk

Access is granted to LOT Business Class passengers, eligible Star Alliance travellers, and select long-haul passengers, subject to routing. While this is not the largest lounge at WAW, it is the primary LOT-operated business lounge available to many connecting passengers and serves as a first impression of LOT’s ground product.

Lounge Layout and Seating Options

Upon entering the lounge, the reception desk is immediately to the left, and a flight information monitor displaying departures is just past the lounge signage. Increasingly becoming the norm worldwide, there are no boarding announcements made within the lounge.

To the right of the entrance is a compact seating area furnished with LOT’s signature dark blue chairs, paired with a buffet station along the left wall. At the back of this section is a meeting room that can be reserved through the reception desk. This area feels functional and business-oriented, suitable for short stays or quick meals.

Lounge Seating

Turning left and then right from the entrance leads to the main seating area, which is larger and more varied, featuring a mix of dark blue and orange chairs. The washrooms are located just off this section, followed by a second buffet station offering the same food selection as the one near the entrance. Adjacent to this buffet is one of the lounge’s most distinctive features: the complimentary LOT Spa.

Additional seating in lounge

Continuing further into the lounge brings you to additional seating areas and a large interior window overlooking the terminal below. This is followed by the main bar, which prominently features Bushmills Irish whiskey, an unexpected but welcome choice for a Polish airline. Beyond the bar sits the entrance to the LOT Gold Lounge, an area reserved primarily for Star Alliance Gold members. During my visit, I was told that certain long-haul passengers, such as those travelling to Toronto, may also be granted access even without Star Alliance Gold status, though this does not apply universally to all long-haul routes.

Gold Lounge for Star Gold members

More Lounge Seating

Past the bar, the lounge opens up again into more seating and a third food station. This station mirrors the hot food offerings found elsewhere in the lounge but adds a self-serve wine and spirits area and a salad bar. At the very back of the lounge are additional men’s and women’s washrooms, as well as shower facilities.

The lounge is entirely enclosed on the airport’s second floor, meaning all views are inward-facing toward the terminal rather than out to the apron or runways. There is no designated family or children’s area, and no background music was playing during my visit. While the lounge is relatively small, the layout is thoughtfully designed to maximize seating, dining, and amenities within a limited footprint.

Green Wall in lounge

Food and Beverage Options

The food offering at the LOT Business Lounge Polonez was impressively diverse and well above expectations. Hot dishes during my visit included grilled hake with chowder sauce and pearl barley, beef tagine with apricots, Korean-style potato noodles with tofu and mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, roasted potatoes, and minestrone soup. Cold options featured a well-stocked salad bar, sushi, sliced meats, and a cheese board.

LOT Business Lounge Menu

Main Buffet area

Drinks and Snacks

Desserts leaned heavily into local flavours, with a selection of Polish cakes and custard-based sweets that were genuinely enjoyable. For those looking for lighter or grab-and-go options, fresh fruit, muffins, and packaged chips were also available. Beverage options included still and sparkling water, soft drinks, juices, and multiple coffee stations throughout the lounge.

Hot food options

Sushi bar

Dessert options

The bar was a standout. In addition to standard cocktails such as a Cosmopolitan, Mint Julep, and Old Fashioned, the menu featured several creative Bushmills-based drinks. I tried both the Irish Sunset, made with pineapple juice and passion fruit syrup, and the Blue Whiskey Sour with Blue Curaçao. Both were well-balanced and worth ordering. Overall, both the food quality and the cocktail program felt more elevated than what is typically expected from a business class lounge.

Bushmills bar

Beverage options

Spa and Lounge Amenities

One of the most unique features of the LOT Business Lounge is the complimentary LOT Spa. Treatments are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, with no advance reservations. After adding my name to the waiting list shortly after arrival, I was able to secure a thirty-minute session about an hour later, which included a facial and shoulder massage.

Lounge Spa

The spa menu outlines available treatments, but the attendant also takes individual skin type into account, adding a personalized touch to the experience. Complimentary spa treatments are still relatively rare in airline lounges, making this a genuinely valuable amenity. Anyone passing through WAW with sufficient layover time should head directly to the spa upon arrival to maximize their chances of securing a slot.

Additional amenities include showers, multiple washrooms spread throughout the lounge, and a reservable meeting room, all of which contribute to a well-rounded ground experience.

Meeting Room

Takeaway

The LOT Business Lounge Polonez left a very positive impression and significantly improved my overall perception of LOT’s premium offering. The Bushmills-focused bar alone makes this lounge worth a visit for whisky enthusiasts, and the quality of both the food and cocktails exceeded expectations. The spa is a genuine highlight and well worth prioritizing, even if it requires some waiting.

View of terminal from the lounge

While the lack of runway views and limited space meant the lounge was nearing capacity during my visit, making it slightly challenging to find seating at times, the overall experience remained enjoyable. The thoughtful layout, strong food program, excellent bar service, and complimentary spa treatment combined to create a relaxing pre-flight experience.

Given my less impressive in-flight experience on LOT earlier in the journey, this lounge visit went a long way toward restoring confidence in the airline’s premium ground product. With an overall score of 8 out of 10, I would happily plan a longer layover in Warsaw on a future trip, ideally with access to the Gold Lounge and, if luck allows, a second massage.