Take off Bar and Lounge - Varanasi Airport - Lounge Review

[BVCBVC is verified member.]

Hello everyone,

I recently travelled to Varanasi and wanted to post the review of the Airport lounge available there. There is only 1 lounge and no other restaurants available there, so you have to plan your lunch, dinner accordingly.

Lounge Name: Take off Bar and Lounge - After Departure security check.

Very very limited fixed menu available for users. Not many credit cards accepted there. The person sitting at the desk is not aware of which credit card works also. As per my experience and understanding found out only Dreamfolks cards, HDFC DCB, Infinia, Tata Neu cards works there. For one user Regalia also didn't work, not sure whether he exhausted limit of Regalia cards are not working.

Coming to ambience, ambience is decent but the space they are in very very less and they offer only set menu for food. Food taste is good but the quantity is very limited. Not expected this kind of experience as Varanasi airport is experiencing high travel load with lots of people travelling. Need to improve on atleast paid offerings as there are no restaurants or other stalls.

 

[aniket7824]

This is the current set menu as of today.

 

[ross999]

Hi,

I just wanted to share my experience today at the Take Off Bar & Lounge at Varanasi Airport.

There were many policy sub points that the person rubbed on my face telling me to come out of the delusional world of Credit Card Lounge access (quoted "yeah might work at other lounges, not here")

1. Only the primary cardholder can enter. Even if you have other eligible credit cards, a guest cannot accompany you. They can't even sit with you, let alone eat. That's the policy.
2. My Axis Magnus, Atlas, and Reserve cards were all rejected.
3. It wasn't a buffet system. You could swipe the card and just order 1 starter or main course. My mother had accompanied me and I wanted her to have the meal while I wait outside. They denied saying policy doesn't allow that
4. To enter, everyone must order a meal. However, the prices weren't listed anywhere; the person seemed to be quoting them at random.

What an absolute shit show! When I asked who I can speak to about this the owner/contractor of the lounger. He said I am the one, no one above me here. If you want you can speak to you Bank's cc department or you can tell the airport authority.

Is there any way to escalate or flag this issue?

 

[Vbhoj74]

After reading the above post I accessed this lounge 2 days back with not much expectations, and wife & me both used our PP (Infinia) for access, the guy asked if we want to enter 2nd person as +1 (guest) which we refused and asked to swipe both our PP cards. We were offered the preset menu picture is in the thread already. Overall not a bad experience.

 

[smuff]

The menu in the picture above looks way better than what it is right now.. it was worst lounge experience ever. I dont think we can even call it a lounge. Here is my experience a week back:
Got access with DCB, menu offered was slice cake, aalu bonda, idly with sambar and 1 tea/coffee.. thats it. No meal offer also during dinner time. If you ask for another tea/coffee you have to sacrifice 1 more card swipe. Food was not at all worth.

They are just looting money from credit card companies and giving almost nothing to customers. Probably worst lounge in the world.

 

[BVCBVC is verified member.]

The menu in the picture above looks way better than what it is right now.. it was worst lounge experience ever. I dont think we can even call it a lounge. Here is my experience a week back:
Got access with DCB, menu offered was slice cake, aalu bonda, idly with sambar and 1 tea/coffee.. thats it. No meal offer also during dinner time. If you ask for another tea/coffee you have to sacrifice 1 more card swipe. Food was not at all worth.

They are just looting money from credit card companies and giving almost nothing to customers. Probably worst lounge in the world.

Whatever you have faced is true, but that's how they operate. Fixed set of menu options and extra swipe for every order.

With Varanasi tourism being booming up they should come up with some good lounge, but they have very tight space. Hope they resolve and come up with better option.

 

[Anupama_Jha]

Bihar, U.P are labour zone. In short, You are getting a lot of whatever you are getting

 

[Swastik]

Hi,

I just wanted to share my experience today at the Take Off Bar & Lounge at Varanasi Airport.

There were many policy sub points that the person rubbed on my face telling me to come out of the delusional world of Credit Card Lounge access (quoted "yeah might work at other lounges, not here")

1. Only the primary cardholder can enter. Even if you have other eligible credit cards, a guest cannot accompany you. They can't even sit with you, let alone eat. That's the policy.
2. My Axis Magnus, Atlas, and Reserve cards were all rejected.
3. It wasn't a buffet system. You could swipe the card and just order 1 starter or main course. My mother had accompanied me and I wanted her to have the meal while I wait outside. They denied saying policy doesn't allow that
4. To enter, everyone must order a meal. However, the prices weren't listed anywhere; the person seemed to be quoting them at random.

What an absolute shit show! When I asked who I can speak to about this the owner/contractor of the lounger. He said I am the one, no one above me here. If you want you can speak to you Bank's cc department or you can tell the airport authority.

Is there any way to escalate or flag this issue?

Put negative reviews on google maps ,on both lounge and the airport page
Mention the bad lounge experience and name of the front desk agent ,

 

[smuff]

Put negative reviews on google maps ,on both lounge and the airport page
Mention the bad lounge experience and name of the front desk agent ,

Google already has poor rating for this lounge. Infact the waiter also told that people are complaining about poor service about the lounge but management ignores it.

 

[Alex292929]

Will dreamfolk webaccess work here?

 

[BVCBVC is verified member.]

Will dreamfolk webaccess work here?

Yes, it works. I accessed it in May 2023.

 

[Alex292929]

Yes, it works. I accessed it in May 2023.

Thanks Brother !

 

[coolguy1]

While the 080 and the AmEx lounges might spoil you with all the luxury, do remember that the smaller tier 2 and tier 3 cities still have a long way to go.

The airports themselves are way smaller in size comparatively and the facilities are limited.

Rude behaviour is obviously not an excuse for lack of facilities but don't keep your expectations too high as these are not managed by Encalm or any top lounge management brands so I believe they aren't even aware of how to run and manage the lounge.

 

[rrsji]

he

Hello everyone,

I recently travelled to Varanasi and wanted to post the review of the Airport lounge available there. There is only 1 lounge and no other restaurants available there, so you have to plan your lunch, dinner accordingly.

Lounge Name: Take off Bar and Lounge - After Departure security check.

Very very limited fixed menu available for users. Not many credit cards accepted there. The person sitting at the desk is not aware of which credit card works also. As per my experience and understanding found out only Dreamfolks cards, HDFC DCB, Infinia, Tata Neu cards works there. For one user Regalia also didn't work, not sure whether he exhausted limit of Regalia cards are not working.

Coming to ambience, ambience is decent but the space they are in very very less and they offer only set menu for food. Food taste is good but the quantity is very limited. Not expected this kind of experience as Varanasi airport is experiencing high travel load with lots of people travelling. Need to improve on atleast paid offerings as there are no restaurants or other stalls.

no use lounge,
I had been there with my scapia card (it worked in September)
also, he just offered only one tea/coffee/colddrink (choose anyone) and a veg sandwich; that's it in one access. It was afternoon, lunchtime.
This menu was also not there at that time but it had the main menu with price tags. IDK how much he had charged from the bank in the name of giving lounge access.

Modiji k hi sahar me itna ghaplebaaj lounge

 

[prvishal]

Hey , I just want to know that is there any chance my priority pass that I received with SC easemytrip card will work here or not ?

 

[Swastik]

Hey , I just want to know that is there any chance my priority pass that I received with SC easemytrip card will work here or not ?

Nope, you'll be charged for any domestic lounge uses