I can't find any recent posts abput the non-airline specific lounges at Manchester and wondered if anybody had recent experience of using the lounges at Manchester Airport Terminal 1? It would appear that there are 2 of them - Aspire and Escape and price wise they're much of a muchness with only a couple of quid difference per head. When I'm travelling on my own I don't usually bother but this is for when I'm going to Cuba in October with my nieces. I've booked us into a Premier Inn for the night before but our flight is at 9.55am and whilst I know their breakfasts are excellent quality and good value, I know that I'd prefer us to get up and go straight to the airport and have breakfast there. When we went in March last year everywhere was very busy and the queues were lengthy for both security and any of the food outlets - I was so glad that we had at least used the twilight check-in. I want to cut down the stress this time because both myself and one of my nieces have medical conditions that are exacerbated by stress which the other one knows about and so she gets stressed out at the thought of us getting stressed!

So I thought that this year, I'd treat us by booking us into one of the lounges and us having a leisurely breakfast there even if it is only a cold buffet and/or bacon rolls and so we'd have somewhere comfortable to base ourselves with the hand luggage whilst we take it in turns to make forays out to the duty free etc. However, the reviews also seem to be much of muchness and it would be lovely if anybody here can help me make up my mind as to which one to go for. It's less about value for money but which one is going to be the least stressful to use. I'm assuming for example that there won't be many children in either of them as it is before the English half-term school hols start but am I being naive about that?