El Dorado Lounge Bogotá: A Relaxing Airport Lounge in El Dorado International Airport, Colombia
- Mark Vogel
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Airport Lounge in Bogotá, Colombia ✈
There are airport lounges that look like a gate waiting area with a few chairs behind glass walls. Then there are lounges that feel like lounges should feel: places you enter and drop into comfort, where time slows a little. The El Dorado Lounge at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia falls squarely into the latter category. It doesn’t simply mimic the aesthetics of a waiting area; it extends across such a breadth of space and variety of rooms that it feels like a small indoor retreat.
The lounge is located in Terminal 1, in the international departures area, just after security in front of Gate A8. It is open 24 hours. From the moment you enter, the design gives the sense of length and depth rather than a confined box. You move through zones without realizing you’ve passed through a corridor: first the more public shared zone with food, drinks, seating, and then deeper into quieter nooks, private lounges, meeting rooms, bar areas, and even children’s play space.
“The El Dorado Lounge in Bogotá delivers on the promise of a lounge that “feels like a lounge.” Its scale, diversity of rooms, thoughtful segmentation, natural light, and amenities make it more than a resting room masquerading as a departure lounge.”
In the first common zone just past the entrance you’ll find coffee, drinks, and lighter food. That area acts as the “gathering hall” of the lounge, where people arrive, stretch their legs, grab a cup, maybe a small snack, and orient themselves. Kosher food is not available in this lounge, but travelers can still enjoy a coffee or occasionally find a snack to tide them over. From there, the space fans out. On one side there are group seating areas, clusters of comfortable chairs and sofas arranged so people can socialize or relax together.
Across the length you’ll spot private nooks and more secluded lounges with more privacy for working, reading, or napping. At one end the lounge houses Bar Dorado, a dedicated cocktail and beverage area with bar stools and small tables. Somewhere along the way is a sit-down restaurant–style section, a buffet of more substantial hot meals, but access to that premium food area often requires an additional ticket or charge. Even though much of the lounge is accessible under general entry, some of the more elevated food or bar services are pay-per-use.
Walking deeper into the lounge, you’ll pass by the spa and side hallways that lead to restrooms, shower suites, and changing rooms. The shower suites exist, but they are not freely included in standard access — you often have to reserve them and pay extra. Deeper still, past the spa and showers, the hallway continues into daylight-lit zones: a window wall with lounge chairs behind small privacy partitions, allowing you to nap or recline with some separation from foot traffic.
In one corner you will find a children’s play area, away from the main seating rooms. It is far more elaborate than what you normally see in an airport lounge. Designed to look like a miniature forest, the play zone has a central tree structure that anchors the space, with play elements branching off around it. The bright colors, playful design, and immersive setting make it feel less like an afterthought and more like an intentional space for children to imagine and explore. Parents can let their kids climb, crawl, and burn energy while they relax nearby, and the playful environment creates a sense of fun that contrasts with the otherwise calm lounge. A business or meeting room is also part of the layout, allowing small groups to convene, perhaps for work or informal discussion. All of these zones are linked in a lateral extension, making the lounge feel like it goes on and on rather than being one compact box.
Because of that design, the lounge gives the sense of traversing a calm, low-traffic building rather than being hemmed into a single chamber. It feels less like an airport annex and more like a restful domain. The variety of rooms lets travelers adapt the space to their needs: read, work, socialize, eat, drink, nap, let children play, or hold a meeting.
Eligibility to this lounge is available through Priority Pass membership. It is also included as a benefit for some premium credit cards under certain arrangements. Non-members may buy access directly, often capping the stay at three hours (though some sources suggest a six-hour maximum stay in this lounge under its policy). Children under 12 are generally admitted free.
In terms of cost, a walk-in day pass is sometimes cited at around US $39, giving you three hours of access. But many of the more premium features (hot food buffet, showers, spa treatments, bar services) require payment beyond the base entry. Because that layered structure means the lounge’s basic amenities are quite generous, while the premium ones are optional.
The lounge’s size is frequently praised. Some describe it as one of the largest airport lounges they have visited, citing ample seating and many outlets for devices. Others note the long walking distances between different areas. Because some services are located far from the entrance, guests sometimes end up retracing their steps or shifting across zones to find restrooms or buffet lines.
On the subject of showers: yes, the lounge does include shower suites, but they are not included by default. You must reserve them and often pay an extra fee. Because of staff uncertainty or changing pricing, the cost can vary or be unclear at check-in. The design and plumbing of those showers are not top-tier; they are serviceable but modest. Some travelers skip them altogether and use the lounge predominantly for its seating comfort, food and drink zones, quiet nooks, meeting rooms, and children’s area.
Beyond that, the lounge includes conference or meeting rooms, with seating and infrastructure for small group work. The restaurant or premium buffet zone often has more elaborate hot meal trays, though accessing it requires paying. The bar has what some describe as a limited selection, though it offers at least basic alcoholic and nonalcoholic drink options. Lighting schemes, decorative touches, ceiling details, window walls, and partitions all contribute to the feel of expansiveness. Natural light enters through windows, especially near the bar area, which helps prevent a cavernous feeling. The seating is varied: beyond standard upholstery, there are lounge chairs with privacy screens, booths, sofas, and low-height partitions to segment zones without complete isolation. For power users, there are abundant charging outlets throughout the lounge, including in seating zones.
From a usability perspective, the layout works well when you know where things are, but at first it can disorient you. The walk from the entrance through the lighter food and drink area to the far quieter zones is long enough that you might lose sense of orientation. For those who prefer immediate access to showers or premium food, the walk can feel more tedious. But once settled into a nook or private lounge, the sense of calm and separation from the hustle of the terminal becomes immersive.
If your flight allows, it is wise to arrive early enough to explore the full depth of the lounge: enjoy the casual zone, then take a break in a quiet corner, dine in the restaurant zone if you choose to pay, or rest in a private chair by the windows. Bring a device, cable, book, or work — you’ll find spots to plug in and unwind. Families with children can take advantage of the dedicated play area, letting the kids roam while the rest of the lounge remains tranquil. Groups or business travelers will appreciate the meeting room. And if you want a shower, it's there — but treat it as a paid upgrade rather than a guaranteed free amenity.
The El Dorado Lounge in Bogotá delivers on the promise of a lounge that “feels like a lounge.” Its scale, diversity of rooms, thoughtful segmentation, natural light, and amenities make it more than a resting room masquerading as a departure lounge. It gives you space that extends outward and inward, letting you choose your comfort zone. However, the tradeoff is that not everything is included, and some of the nicest touches require extra payment. Nonetheless, compared with terminal gate areas or lounges that feel overly confined, this one lives up to the idea of a lounge as a comfortable oasis in travel transit.
