Throughout my lengthy journey to Abu Dhabi, I had the possibility to take a look at a few of Singapore Airways’ lounges at its Changi Airport hub. Previously couple of years, Singapore Airways has fully redesigned its lounges in Terminal 3.
On this installment I needed to evaluate the Singapore Airways First Class Lounge. Regardless of its title, this isn’t really the service’s “actual” top notch lounge. I’ve reviewed Singapore Airways’ The Non-public Room, which is the lounge really meant for Singapore Airways’ most premium passengers. For what it’s price, I’ve additionally reviewed the Singapore Airways Enterprise Class Lounge.
So, how is the Singapore Airways First Class Lounge? Properly, it’s arduous to say, as a result of what are we actually evaluating it to? This lounge is primarily meant for choose elite members and top notch passengers on companion airways, so it’s a lounge that’s arduous to benchmark.
The lounge does have a formidable buffet, nap rooms, and good loos and bathe suites, however in any other case don’t get too enthusiastic about this lounge.
Singapore Airways First Class Lounge Singapore location
Singapore Airways’ most spectacular lounges at Changi Airport are in Terminal 3, with The Non-public Room, the First Class Lounge, and the Enterprise Class Lounge, sharing one entrance. Singapore Airways’ lounges are situated within the middle of the terminal, closest to the E gates. Whenever you’re within the central buying space, you’ll see an escalator main up a stage to the lounges.
The best approach to establish the placement of the lounges is by the artwork glass set up, that includes Singapore Airways’ batik motif. This contains 105 handcrafted artwork glass items, and measures 12 meters vast and three.8 meters tall, so it’s arduous to overlook.
You’ll then end up within the lounge’s central reception space. The doorway to the Enterprise Class Lounge is to the proper, whereas the doorway to the First Class Lounge is to the left.
Singapore Airways First Class Lounge Singapore hours
The Singapore Airways First Class Lounge is open 24/7, so it by no means closes. This is identical coverage you’ll discover within the Singapore Airways Enterprise Class Lounge, whereas The Non-public Room closes for 3 hours every day, from 2:30AM till 5:30AM.
You may anticipate the First Class Lounge to be busiest within the early mornings and late at evening, whereas it’s a bit quieter noon and after the midnight financial institution of flights.
Singapore Airways First Class Lounge Singapore entry necessities
The Singapore Airways First Class Lounge is a Star Alliance top notch lounge, so it may be accessed by the next passengers:
- Anybody touring in Star Alliance top notch (like on Lufthansa or SWISS) can entry this lounge and convey a visitor
- Singapore Airways PPS Membership members can entry the lounge and convey a visitor
Singapore Airways Suites Class and top notch passengers can in fact additionally use this lounge, although The Non-public Room is a lot better, and can also be open to these passengers. The 2 causes chances are you’ll wish to use this lounge in case you’re in Suites Class or top notch is since you’re there between 2:30AM and 5:30AM (when The Non-public Room is closed), or since you wish to take a visitor (which isn’t allowed in The Non-public Room).
Singapore Airways First Class Lounge Singapore format & seating
The Singapore Airways First Class Lounge is 1,100 sq. meters (almost 12,000 sq. ft), with seating for 130 company. The very first thing that you simply’ll in all probability discover about this lounge is that it has no pure mild or home windows. Whereas the Enterprise Class Lounge seems to be out over the apron and The Non-public Room seems to be out over the terminal, the First Class Lounge seems to be at… nothing.
Simply inside the doorway to the lounge is the attention-grabbing curved bar, which has some lovely finishes. There are some high-top seats on the bar, a communal desk subsequent to the bar, and chairs organized in rows throughout from the bar.
Whenever you go deeper into the lounge, you’ll discover the principle eating space, which options eating tables and cubicles, seating wherever from two to 4 folks every.
Subsequent to the eating space is the buffet, which has an open kitchen idea, in addition to the self-serve drink stations.
Alongside the wall on this space are a few of these semi-private seats that I at all times instantly affiliate with Singapore Airways, because the airline has this sort of seating in its lounges throughout the globe.
Then within the very again of the lounge is the final predominant space, which has extra of a conventional lounge format, with rows of seats going through each other.
Behind the lounge there’s a soundproof sales space for telephone calls.
There’s additionally a room for youths, with a tv enjoying programming for younger company.
Singapore Airways First Class Lounge Singapore meals & drinks
Whereas The Non-public Room has a wholly a la carte eating choice, the Singapore Airways First Class Lounge primarily has a buffet, with a “chef station” idea, the place you possibly can order sure dishes immediately from a chef. Whereas not as spectacular as The Non-public Room, the meals high quality remains to be wonderful.
The principle buffet contained every little thing from dim sum, to a wide range of soup, to a number of Asian and Western dishes, starting from vegetable biryani, to steamed greens.
There’s additionally a chef station, with eight dishes you possibly can order freshly made. Throughout my go to, choices included the signature laksa, fried hokkien prawn mee on opeh leaf, Indian flatbread with fish or hen curry, Iberia pork burger, hen satay, fried carrot cake, wagyu sliders, spaghetti aglio olio, muah chee, and truffle mushroom pizza.
Subsequent to the principle buffet is an space with all types of drinks and different mild snacks. This space has a number of self-serve wine, liquor, beer, soda, water, espresso, tea, juice, and extra.
There’s additionally a small space with some recent fruit cups, finger sandwiches, and small candy treats. A few of these issues nearly seem like they’re packaged as a seize & go idea so to take it with you, although I’m unsure that’s really the intent.
Right here’s one thing that confuses the heck out of me, and appears so unnecessarily inflexible. Whereas the lounge has a good looking bar, it has very restricted hours:
- You may have a barista espresso, however solely from 6AM till 10AM
- You may have cocktails made by a bartender, however solely from 5:30PM till 1AM
I really discover this so puzzling for a global airport. So in order for you an honest espresso at 10:30AM, too dangerous? And in order for you a cocktail made by a bartender at 4PM whereas touring from Sydney to London through Singapore, powerful luck? I simply don’t get it, since these lounges are extremely nicely staffed. This simply appears so bizarrely prescriptive to me. Anyway, I’ll get off my soapbox now…
Singapore Airways First Class Lounge Singapore loos & showers
The Singapore Airways First Class Lounge has loos and showers within the very again of the lounge.
Very similar to in The Non-public Room, the loos are elegant and spotless, and the boys’s room has sinks, urinals, and stalls, together with all types of toiletry merchandise. There are additionally particular sinks and bogs for kids.
The lounge additionally has six bathe suites, accessible on a first-come, first-served foundation.
Every bathe suite includes a sink, a rest room, and a walk-in bathe, and the air flow within the rooms is fairly good.
The one factor that appeared very off-brand for Singapore Airways was that the bathe suites didn’t have branded toiletries. For an airline with such consideration to element, that sort of shocked me.
Singapore Airways First Class Lounge Singapore nap rooms
The Singapore Airways First Class Lounge has 4 nap rooms, very similar to The Non-public Room.
Every of the nap rooms includes a very comfy twin mattress, and likewise has a desk. Not like in The Non-public Room, although, the rooms don’t all have reclining chairs, so there’s a most of 1 individual per room.
The nap rooms can be found for a interval of two hours. Nevertheless, if there’s nobody ready to make use of one of many rooms, then you possibly can prolong your time within the nap room.
Word that the nap rooms have precisely the identical quirks because the nap rooms in The Non-public Room:
- The door of every nap room has a window, so there’s no privateness within the bed room and anybody can look in
- The lights in every nap room simply activate randomly at sure intervals, and this appears to be an ongoing problem
- The nap rooms don’t change into totally darkish, however somewhat there’s a vivid panel of lighting alongside the ceiling and wall
That is nonetheless a pleasant amenity, however don’t anticipate that you simply’ll be capable of get interrupted sleep for an extended time frame.
Backside line
The Singapore Airways First Class Lounge will be complicated, because it’s not really the service’s high lounge (which is The Non-public Room). As a substitute, the lounge is for Singapore Airways’ high tier elite flyers, in addition to top notch passengers on Star Alliance airways.
With that in thoughts, the lounge is kind of what you’d anticipate — it’s extra premium than the Enterprise Class Lounge, however not as premium as The Non-public Room. On the plus aspect, the lounge has a strong number of meals, good bathe suites, and nap rooms. Nevertheless, the lounge lacks pure mild, and apart from the nap room, doesn’t actually have any standout options that make all of it that particular.
Even when you’ve got entry to the First Class Lounge, chances are you’ll take pleasure in wandering over to the Enterprise Class Lounge in case you’re visiting through the day and need some pure mild.
What’s your tackle the Singapore Airways First Class Lounge?
