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After years in the offing, Singapore Airlines today finally unveiled its new flagship SilverKris First lounge and The Private Room in Terminal 3 at its hub of Changi International Airport (SIN).

The two spaces will officially open to flyers tomorrow, 31 May, at 6:00 p.m. Singapore time, but we got a sneak peek earlier this week with Timothy Chua, Singapore Airlines’ vice president of airport operations and Philipp Lim, Singapore Airlines’ head of premium passenger services. They took us through the updated facilities, which were redesigned by Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), whose other notable projects include the One&Only Portonovi in Montenegro, the Capella Bangkok and St. Regis, The Palm, Dubai.

We visited during the final days of construction, so you’ll see some folks working on various lounge areas and features. We’ll update this post with official photos post-opening to give readers a better idea of what the finished spaces look like.

The SilverKris First lounge and the Private Room, along with a renovated and expanded KrisFlyer Gold Lounge, are all part of a SG$50 million (£86.7million) update and expansion to the airline’s lounge complex in Terminal 3 that was originally announced in 2019 with a projected mid-2021 completion date.

That timeline was slowed by the impact of COVID-19, and passengers have had to contend with temporary facilities switching between the old KrisFlyer Gold lounge and the new SilverKris lounge (yes, the naming is confusing, but we’ll get into that shortly) throughout the pandemic. But now, all four of the airline’s lounges are online and operational, which means flyers should find a lot to like when passing through Terminal 3 these days.

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There are now four refreshed Singapore Airlines lounges open in Changi Terminal 3. The SilverKris lounge, which has been enlarged to 32,215 square feet compared to a pre-pandemic 22,604 square feet can now accommodate over 570 customers. It is reserved for business- and first-class passengers on Singapore Airlines and its Star Alliance partners as well as Singapore Airlines’ PPS Club elite members.

The newly expanded KrisFlyer Gold lounge, which just reopened on May 20, 2022, is nearly double its previous size, at 11,840 square feet, and can now host up to 350 guests. It is accessible to passengers with Star Alliance Gold elite status, including United MileagePlus Premier Golds and Singapore Airlines’ own KrisFlyer Golds, when departing a Star Alliance airline-operated flight in any class of service. Other travellers on codeshare flights might also have access depending on the rules of the operating airline.

We’ll leave those two for another post since there’s plenty to explain about them. Instead, let’s concentrate on the new SilverKris First lounge and the Private Room that have officially debuted today.

The SilverKris First lounge is open to passengers travelling in first class on Singapore Airlines and its Star Alliance partners as well as Singapore’s Solitaire PPS Club elite members. The space can hold up to 134 visitors at a time.

However, passengers flying specifically in Singapore Airlines Suites and first class can also access the Private Room, which has a capacity for just 78 people at a time. That might sound limited, but remember, Singapore’s A380s have just six of the newer suites apiece, or 12 of the old ones, while its 777s have just four to eight first-class seats, so overcrowding isn’t likely to be an issue.

All told, the new complex comprises 65,660 square feet and can accommodate over 1,000 guests at any given time, which is a dramatic increase over the previous capacity.

To get to any of these lounges, passengers must clear immigration in the terminal and then head toward the A gates. From there they can take an escalator that ascends at a leisurely pace past a newly unveiled, 491-square-foot art installation designed by B. Jane Cowie that has 105 pieces of hand-crafted glass shaped into the flowers emblazoned on Singapore Airline’s heritage batik patterns including 10 blooms native to Singapore, like white kopsia, seashore purslane and orange spiral ginger, among others.

Where to begin? First and foremost, the lounge now has its own direct access point, which is shared with the Private Room, rather than with the much larger SilverKris lounge. But that’s just the start.

Visitors are now welcomed into a new entry foyer illuminated by an enormous Sony Crystal 8K LED curved wall displaying Singapore Airline’s traditional batik motif, with the airline’s new Sound of Singapore Airlines’ so-called sonic signature playing, which is a selection of instrumental tracks composed by Rohan de Livera heard both in the lounges and onboard the carrier’s aircraft.

Visitors might also notice a signature aroma concocted by Singapore-based perfumery, Scent by SIX, dubbed Batik Flora by Singapore Airlines which includes notes from six of the flowers in the airline’s batik motif. Talk about total sensory brand awareness!

Veering to the left, the Private Room is off to the lefthand side while the First lounge lies straight ahead.

Upon entering the First lounge, there are a few communal seating areas including a high-topped table for co-working or having a drink and a six-person meeting room.

Just past that is a visually arresting rounded bar with a sort of whorled column serving as the backdrop. It is adorned with 119 illuminated Lalique crystal sculptures of aquatic ginger blossoms (another flower in the airline’s batik pattern) arranged as if they’ve been scattered by the wind. Lalique has partnered with the airline to provide its first-class amenities, including pyjamas, bedding and amenity kits, since 2017.

Though this bar is staffed and meant to be a place where frequent flyers are recognized and their favourite drinks offered automatically according to Chua, visitors can also help themselves to wines from nearby enomatic machines or beers from self-serve taps.

Inspired by the idea of flight and flight paths, curving overhead metallic panelling directs the flow of passenger traffic further into the lounge where they can camp out at various seating areas including custom-designed, slate-grey modular seat pairs designed by HBA with ergonomic tables that function as dining or work surfaces and incorporate USB ports and power points.

Those needing to get down to business can stake out one of the single-person cabines with privacy wings as well as low benches, work surfaces, reading lights and various power outlets.

Past a marble-topped table with a display of orchids and a constellation-style overhead chandelier is a more formally delineated dining area. The palette here is slightly warmer with pink carpeting and leather-upholstered chairs in pale shades of green, pink and burgundy calling to mind Singapore’s famous botanical gardens. The space is filled with two-and four-tops as well as tables arranged with banquettes.

However, the standout fixtures are four booths along the wall with subtle green leather furnishings and recessed walls with floral batik patterns and overhead panelling that calls to mind the engines that propel Singapore’s jets. These feel like semi-private enclaves that wouldn’t look out of place in a sophisticated supper club.

Speaking of dining, there is both a buffet that will serve signatures like laksa with king prawns as well as live cooking stations serving specialities like roti prata, lasagna and chicken satay. Chua noted that servers will be behind the buffet to replace items and help guests rather than interrupting the flow of foot traffic by replacing items from the front. On mornings, guests can request made-to-order waffles and pancakes from a nearby station, where they can also serve themselves coffee drinks, and tea, or grab soft drinks and water from refrigerated cabinets.

Continuing through the space, there is a small, glassed-in children’s area, then toward the rear, there is another self-serve bar area with beer taps and enomatic machines.

The First lounge now has four day rooms that guests can use for up to two hours. Two have Poltrona Frau recliners, while the other two have both recliners and Tempur Zero G beds with the brand’s adjustable Firm Supreme mattress. Guests will also have use of yoga mats and blocks as well as programming and essential oils provided by COMO Shambala.

The bathing and restroom facilities include men’s and women’s rooms, a parental room for changing diapers and breastfeeding, and an accessible suite with both a toilet and a shower.

There are five other shower rooms with white marble tiling, ensuite Grohe Sensia Arena smart toilets with futuristic control panels and glassed-in showers that have both rainfall and wall-mounted hand-held showerheads. The bath products are non-branded and passengers can request amenities like dental kits and brushes from the shower attendant.

One downside to the new lounge is that, unlike in the SilverKris and KrisFlyer Gold lounges, there are no huge walls of windows overlooking the tarmacs and runways, but that might just add to the privacy and exclusivity guests experience when visiting.

Overall, the space represents a gorgeous upgrade over the previous facility, which felt like only a semi-private lounge-within-a-lounge rather than a destination in its own right, as the new one does. But that’s only part of the story here.

For years, Singapore Airlines’ Private Room was one of the most exclusive airline lounges in the world, but it felt more like a hushed fine-dining restaurant with a subdued palette of brown and gold accents rather than a space celebrating the joy of travel.

Back before the renovations, you would have to stop by the front desk at the SilverKris lounge and then be escorted through the entire facility, past the SilverKris First lounge and into the Private Room, which felt like quite the trek.

Now that it has its own entrance right off the entry foyer, it feels more like stepping right out of the bustling concourse and into your own private club.

Greeting guests are two large paintings from the former Private Room along with a small, marble-topped table with an orchid arrangement and an overhead light installation with 107 more carved crystal aquatic ginger flowers created by Lalique.

HBA employed a blue-green colour scheme here to evoke Singapore’s forests and seascapes as well as provide a tranquil tone to the space (construction workers notwithstanding during our visit).

There are various seating options ranging from two-and four-person sets of chairs, sofas and tables to a handful of single-traveller spaces running down one side of the space.

Each is partitioned off from one another by sets of lighted wooden shelves with copper-toned metallic accents that also hold various power points, creating a sophisticated midcentury modern-style setting.

On the other side of the room are larger pods with seating for two to three people for smaller groups travelling together.

Running through the middle of the space, meanwhile, is a more communal area populated by high-backed armchairs reminiscent of Arne Jacobsen’s iconic swan chairs as well as various sofas and low tables.

Hanging overhead is a striking glass-and-light sculpture by Singapore-based LASVIT, whose blue glass fixtures resemble colourful sea glass or surrealist raindrops in suspended animation.

Just past this area is the lounge’s dining room, with a smattering of two-top tables and banquettes recessed into Art Deco-style, lighted chrome recesses. The restaurant will serve a la carte menus. And while Chua wouldn’t tell us exactly what’s in store for diners, suggested some of the classics including lobster laksa and Wagyu satay might make experiences.

The far side of the room holds a barista-manned coffee counter as well as a station for making tea plus a huge wall of wine refrigerators holding the airline’s current top offerings, which flyers should also find onboard in first class, including Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and Chateau Leoville Poyferre from Bordeaux.

Back toward the Private Room’s entrance, there are restrooms, shower facilities and day rooms. In addition to men’s and women’s rooms and a parental room for nursing and diaper changing, there is an accessible restroom with a shower and ensuite toilet.

The Private Room has three shower suites with grey marble tiling and black granite countertops with beautifully contrasting veins of silver and gold. These suites also have fancy Grohe Sensia Arena toilets and enormous glassed-in showers with Grohe overhead and handheld showerheads and are stocked with COMO Shambhala’s Invigorate line of bath products. The third suite is the largest, so try to snag that one if you get the chance.

Finally, the Private Room has four day rooms of its own, available on a first-come, first-serve basis for two-hour blocs. Two of them have adjustable Poltrona Frau chairs for relaxation while the other two have the chairs plus Tempur Firm Supreme mattresses that can be adjusted into an S-curve Zero G position. Guests can also request two pillow options, the firm Tempur Symphony Pillow and the softer Tempur Cloud Pillow, or use their time to meditate, stretch or perform some yoga with mats and blocks from COMO Shambhala.

The renovation and expansion of Singapore Airlines’ new SilverKris First lounge and Private Room along with the expanded and improved  KrisFlyer Gold and SilverKris Lounge has been underway for years, and the time, financial investment and thoughtful design process are all in evidence in both new and familiar features throughout the four spaces.

The SilverKris First lounge and Private Room, in particular, feel like major evolutions in Singapore Airlines’ lounge network with much more sophisticated finishes, more accessibility features and a heightened feeling of exclusivity and privacy than before. Though we only got to take a look during the final stages of construction, we’ll add in more official photos from the airline as they become available to give readers a better sense of the finished spaces … and we’ll be looking into award tickets on the airline so we can experience these new lounges for ourselves once they’re fully operational.

Featured photo by Eric Rosen/The Points Guy.

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