Marco Polo Club

Marco Polo Club – Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)

As the only lounge at Venice’s Marco Polo airport, the Marco Polo Club serves virtually every airline under the sun. The Marco Polo Club also welcomes members of the popular program Priority Pass, which unlocks the doors of over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide.

The Marco Polo Club is located above gate 15, in the food court area on the upper level of the terminal, a relatively short walk from most departure gates.

Marco Polo Club VCE design

Situated on the top floor of the terminal, the spacious Marco Polo Club at VCE occupies a prime location with abundant daylight, cathedral ceilings, and expansive tarmac views.

The space is partitioned into different zones, each sporting their own distinct décor and ambiance.

Marco Polo Club – Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)

The lobby opens unto an expansive seating and dining zone featuring plush seats and dining booths, all outfitted with power ports. Traditional rugs, elegant hardwood floors, and coffee tables give the space a homely vibe. The layout is surprisingly spacious, and space efficiency doesn’t appear to be a concern—an pleasant surprise for a lounge that sees constant traffic. Seating options include individual chairs, private egg chairs facing the windows, and inviting sofas.

Should work call, there are a handful of recessed booths outfitted with a built-in desk, a seat, a lamp, international power outlets, and network ports. Despite their location in a high-traffic area, the work spaces offer a good compromise between comfort, convenience, and privacy.

Marco Polo Club – Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)

An adjacent oval-shaped alcove hosts a quiet carpeted library space. The eclectic décor combines a Venetian-inspired wallpaper, a dramatic designer light fixture, and dark red furniture. The mood is cozy and relaxed, with a variety of seats for both groups and solo travelers.

Walk further inside the lounge and the design takes a dramatic turn. The club morphs into an indoor garden, complete with tropical plants, patio furniture, and cushions. The layout offers plenty of privacy for solo travelers and groups alike. Seemingly naturally, the indoor garden opens unto an outdoor deck overlooking the airport grounds. It’s a welcome amenity for brief a stroll and bit of fresh air—or jet fuel fumes—though the tall glass partitions and the overall lack of furniture take away some of the appeal of the space.

Marco Polo Club – Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)

Adjacent to the indoor garden, and opposite the library, is an oval-shaped quiet area sporting intimate booths and private seating.

Guests tend to congregate in the main seating and dining area near the lobby, so the indoor garden and quiet rooms typically remain less busy, even at peak times.

Turn away from the windows, and you’ll hit an elegant spa-inspired hallway leading to the bathrooms, complete with posh leather seats and a fig tree. The design is certainly remarkable, but it comes at the expense of space: with just a few stalls for either gender, and no urinals on the gentlemen’s side, lines are bound to form occasionally.

Overall, the Marco Polo Club at Venice VCE airport sports a remarkable design which combines traditional lounge seating, modern conveniences such as power outlets at virtually every seat, a variety of semi-private and secluded zones, local Venetian touches, and a rather unique indoor and outdoor garden. Space-efficiency does not appear to have been a major factor influencing the design of the lounge, which is surprising considering that it routinely operates at capacity. Finding a seat at peak times might be challenging, but pretty much every seat is a good seat.

Marco Polo Club VCE amenities

Marco Polo Club – Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)

The Marco Polo Club at Venice’s Marco Polo Aiport serves the needs of both short-haul and long-haul travelers with a wide range of amenities.

The buffet features an assortment of cold cuts, sweet and savory pastries, halal food, yoghurt, fresh fruit, and delicious bite-sized sweets. Calling the spread a lunch or dinner buffet would be an overstatement, but there is something for everyone and the quality of the items is notable—which makes the use of paper plates and disposable plastic trays unfortunate.

The drink selection includes bottled water, soda and juices, beer, and wine (note that alcoholic beverages are not for self-service.) In true Italian form, there is also a coffee bar, serving Lavazza coffee, equipped with a traditional espresso machine. A barista will craft the drink of your choice.

Marco Polo Club – Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)

Near the bathroom and patio area is a hallway outfitted with tabletop seating and tablets, as well a media room with 10 interactive screens featuring Apple TV and a variety of media channels. The concept is somewhat anachronistic, given that most passengers are likely to carry their own devices—but the dim space doubles as a makeshift slumber room.

The Marco Polo Club also boasts a shower room. Other amenities include Wi-Fi and a selection of newspapers and magazines.

Marco Polo Club VCE bottom line

Marco Polo Club – Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)

Considering that Venice is primarily a leisure market, the Marco Polo Club at Venice’s Marco Polo airport is an excellent lounge overall. The club features a variety of seating areas with different ambiances, an open-air patio, convenient charging points, an enjoyable food and beverage selection, and a few luxuries such as barista-pulled coffee, and showers.

However, as the only lounge at Venice Marco Polo Airport, the Marco Polo Club is often busy. Finding a seat should not be a challenge, and there are plenty of private nooks to hide away from the crowds, but it’s not uncommon to see a line at the door and at the buffet.