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The vibrant new-look Lounge 3 has a Dutch-themed market square at its heart |
NETHERLANDS. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol today inaugurated its new-look Lounge 3 following a multi-million Euro redevelopment.
The airside lounge, which handles around 5.3 million travellers per year, many of them on flights to or from Asia Pacific and North America, houses 8,400sq m of commercial space.
The zone now features 26 retail stores and seven food & beverage outlets, and a Dutch-themed “˜market square’ as the eye-catching centrepiece. The “˜market square’ houses three concepts that add a taste of the Netherlands, around cheese, tulips and bread.
House of Tulips is a flower shop whose design incorporates a typical Amsterdam town-house façade and a greenhouse. Every morning a hydraulic system lifts up the house, to create the atmosphere of a flower market underneath.
Adjacent lies Say Cheese, a shop that mirrors the look of a typical Dutch cheese shop, offering cheeses cut to size. The 6m high, 13m long bread rack at HMSHost-operated Bread is one of the highlights of the zone, and is visible to approaching passengers from a distance.
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Alongside the Tulip House, the Say Cheese and Bread concepts add a Sense of Dutch Place |
Among the big retail highlights are Schiphol Airport Retail’s Finest Spirits & Cigars, an upscale spirits, wines and cigars outlet, and Fine Chocolates, also operated by the Schiphol Group subsidiary. Others include new-look fascias Fashion & Travel (Gerzon), Watches & Jewellery (Gassan Schiphol) and Fine Food (World of Delights).
Lounge 3 also features a number of branded boutiques, including Hermès, Burberry, Victoria’s Secret alongside units for Swarovski and Montblanc.
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Victoria’s Secret makes its European airport debut at Schiphol Lounge 3 |
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Burberry is one of a number of leading luxury brands that take their place here with stand-alone boutiques |
Schiphol Group Managing Director Business Area Consumers Otto Ambagtsheer said: “We completely changed all of the existing retail and F&B, so no part of the commercial environment went untouched. We created a totally new look for the space, working closely with our business partners [of which there are 12 operating in the area].”
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Fine Chocolates, operated by Schiphol Airport Retail, adds an upscale dimension to confectionery |
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Swarovski, a mainstay of the travel retail offer, features the brand’s latest store design |
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Gerzon has repackaged its fashion concessions under the ‘Fashion & Travel’ fascia |
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Hermès aims to capture the attention of high-spending Asian travellers at the airport |
In food & beverage, HMSHost has opened five units in the area and restyled the reception area of the Hotel Mercure.
“HMSHost looks for ways to make the traveller’s day better through innovative dining options with genuine hospitality that are right on trend. With this level of diversity in the food & beverage offerings in Lounge 3, we have achieved the airport’s goal and our mission,” said Dawn Wilding, Vice President of HMSHost Europe and Middle East.
As noted, Bread is one of the highlights of the lounge, while East bar & bites is a full-service bar with an Asian feel, featuring sake cocktails and Asian finger food plus delicacies such as Japanese Yakitori, Sushi and Wasabi crackers.
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HMSHost’s East Bar & Bites adds an Asian twist to the food & beverage offer |
JuicyDetails provides a large assortment of freshly prepared juices, smoothies and ‘grab and go’ snacks. HMSHost also operates its fifth Starbucks Coffee shop at Schiphol, plus a new-look McDonald’s, with its ‘Good Food Fast’ design.
SSP has also opened two outlets on ther mezzanine level, an Italian pizza and pasta unit, plus a Dutch bar and restaurant.
Note: Schiphol’s Lounge 3 will be the subject of an in-depth feature in The Moodie Report’s Cannes Print Edition.
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Juicy Details and Starbucks add variety to the HMSHost F&B offer |
