Within Changi Airport, you can find Marhaba Lounges in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. My husband and I visited the one in Terminal 1 using my Priority Pass membership as that terminal was where our flight to Japan was departing from. To locate the lounge, simply take the escalator to the level above just after passing through immigration.
As we arrived really early in the morning, the lounge was thankfully mostly empty. It was a quiet haven to settle in and get ready for the day. Although a handful of seats had food crumbs and old stains seeped into the fabric, most were clean. I also observed that the cleaning staff was very diligent and prompt in making her rounds to clear the used crockery.
One thing that could’ve been improved was the usability of the USB charging ports. Despite there being plenty of them everywhere, it still felt like a game of chance to see which ones actually worked. Out of the four we had in our corner, only one was properly functioning.
A buffet spread of salads, fruits, bread, pastries, cereal and a variety of hot dishes was available, though the selection wasn’t that inspiring and the quality not quite consistent. I thought the chicken congee, nasi lemak and Japanese beef curry were surprisingly not too bad (the texture of the chicken and beef was pretty tender). The scrambled eggs, on the other hand, was a bit of a shocker as it tasted like a bland and mushy cream paste (they might’ve been better off just serving the hard-boiled eggs). The pastries had an odd, styrofoam-like texture as well.
As for beverages, we could help ourselves to options of alcoholic (wines and spirits) and non-alcoholic drinks (soft drinks, teas, juices and coffees from the coffee machine).
My overall rating of the experience: 3 out of 5 stars. This lounge visit was an average experience – nothing particularly bad nor good about it. It felt comfortable, plus the seats were generally sufficiently hygienic and spaced out, but we did have a difficult time trying to find USB charging ports that actually worked. The food quality was a collection of hits and misses but definitely good enough to fill the tummy if your flight doesn’t come with meals. It’s not a bad option if you have complimentary access via memberships like Priority Pass but I certainly wouldn’t pay to enter.
If this post helped you in some way and you’d like to buy me a coffee, I’d be incredibly grateful (:
Dania Experiences 