Review: KLM Amsterdam Non-Schengen Crown Lounge (2024)

KLM Non-Schengen Crown Lounge 52

Entry to the lounge is as follows:

• Free entry as a KLM or other SkyTeampartner first or business class passenger.
• Free entry if you are a Flying Blue Gold or Platinum member, or SkyTeam Elite Plus passenger. You may bring one guest with you.
• Paid entry is available for 65 EUR for KLM or SkyTeam economy-class passengers. A 10% or 25% discount is applied for Explorer or Silver Flying Blue members respectively.
• Flying Blue Platinum or Gold members may bring in additional paid guests with a 25% discount.

A review of this lounge must begin by its distinguishing feature: The famous KLM Delft Blue houses. These collectible items are made in The Netherlands, feature a bottle of dutch gin inside, are given out to business-class passengers on intercontinental flights, and are present in the thousandsin this lounge. As an avgeek I personally love them and am building up a small collection at home with each flight I take with the airline.

You enter the lounge via escalator and have your first viewing of them as you head up to check in.

The lounge is enormous but the designers broke the space into separate areas which makes it feel like a series of lounges on multiple stories all grouped together.

After you enter, if you head to the right there is the main restaurant area called “City”, and a relaxation zone called “Sea” with comfortable chairs, showers, a quiet zone, and even sleeping rooms.

To the left is “Polder” with an overflow food and drink area which opens as needed, and “Dutch Mountain” which is a combination staircase to the upper level and mixture of seating and Dutch artwork.

Upstairs is “Sky”, which features more seating, an outdoor terrace, and the main Blue bar. There is a Blue restaurant there as well which was designed to be high-end dining for an additional cost, but it hasn’t opened since the start of the pandemic.

The main food area is in the “City” section on the main level. Since I arrived in the morning, a breakfast buffet was available. There were multiple sections featuring:

• Hot food such as eggs, sausages, beans, potatoes, etc.
• A bread and pastry station including croissants and chocolatines
• Sliced meats and cheese
• Hot soups
• Fresh fruit

In the “Sea” section of the lounge there is a large bank of shower rooms. You can reserve a time in one by using the self-serve kiosk, or seeing a KLM lounge attendant. When your room is ready, you will receive a QR code on your phone telling you which room to go to. You scan the QR code at the entry and the door opens for you.

The shower rooms are pretty small and basic, but the water pressue is good. They do not have a toilet so take care of that before you enter. Inside you’ll find Rituals-branded shampoo & shower gel, a large towel, and some personal amenities including dental kit, shaving kit, comb, and shower cap.

Sleep cabins can also be reserved for the cost of:

• 3 hours: EUR 49.50 or 12,400 Miles
• 5 hours: EUR 75.- or 18,800 Miles

This is a terrible value in miles, so definitively go for the cash rate if you have a long layover and want to get some sleep. They include a 33-inch TV, sink, and queen-size bed. They are only open when the lounge is, so you can’t spend the night in one.