Champagne and chicken rice might be an odd combination, but it’s the perfect pre-flight tease before jetting off in First Class. With four flights a day swinging back to Singapore – each with a First Class or Suites cabin – it’s no surprise that Singapore Airlines’ SilverKris lounge in London comes with a dedicated First Class space.
It’s also open to the airline’s top-tier Solitaire PPS Club members, as well as First Class passengers on a handful of partner airlines such as ANA to Tokyo. If you’re on that curated door list, then here’s what awaits.
Lounge location and details
Star Alliance members fly out of London Heathrow Terminal 2, also known as The Queen’s Terminal. Long-haul flights from Terminal 2 tend to depart from the satellite Terminal 2B, which is a 15-minute walk away from check-in.
Make sure you’ve done everything you wanted in the main terminal (A-gates), as it’s a massive pain to backtrack once you reach the B-gates. Having said that, if you’re flying Singapore Airlines or ANA First Class, then a buggy is on hand to whisk you across the terminal connector in no time.
At the SilverKris lounge, the First Class space is behind the discreet door on the left. Blink and you’d miss it. Simply show your boarding pass at reception to be let in.
Lounge seating and layout
Like the adjacent SilverKris Business Class lounge, the First Class space is also redesigned by renowned firm ONG&ONG. The lounge is essentially a long, thin rectangle separated into a dining zone and a relaxation zone. It’s not an overly large space, nor does it need to be.
The lounge furnishings are undeniably ‘Singapore Airlines’ with a range of armchairs, high-backed chairs and solo working booths in the airline’s bespoke palette. Look in the far corner and you’ll even see some partitioned rooms with a familiar Poltrana Frau-designed seat that features in the Airbus A380 Suites.
If you’re here during a quiet period, nab a dining table by the window for a meal with a view to match.
Lounge food and beverage
Although the eye-catching buffet would be sufficient on its own, I’d strongly suggest sitting down for a proper meal at the restaurant. The lunch/dinner menu is offered from 11:30am until 9:45pm, every day.
Two dishes catch my eye – the pan-seared sea bass with sauce vierge and Hainanese chicken rice with traditional accompaniments. Both hit the mark and while the chicken rice might not be as authentic as those found at Singapore’s hawkers, it’s still a decent prelude if you’re craving a taste of Asia already.
If a full meal doesn’t tickle your fancy, the buffet also offers dim sum, pastries, fresh sandwiches, cold cuts and more.
Laurent-Perrier Champagne is the star of the lounge here, Whilst a non-vintage, it’s delicate and fresh with fruity notes and I’d happily quaff it with anything. For a change of pace, you could also try a glass of Rodier Père et Fils Brut Reserve Champagne as well.
There’s one miss in my lounge visit and that’s with the cocktails. I ask for an espresso martini which the server says is possible, but what I get is a watery, light-brown concoction that doesn’t impress.
The rest of the wine list broadly mirrors that of the Business Class lounge but with a few extra additions such as Château Fargueirol Vieux Chemin Châteauneuf-du-Pape red wine. On the spirits side, there’s a sizeable selection including The Orientalist Vodka and Hine Cognac Rare VSOP.
Lounge amenities
Being a smaller First Class space means there’s not much in the way of amenities that we haven’t already covered in the lounge tour. I perch myself in one of the booths with the Poltrana Frau seat after lunch, and it’s perfect for relaxing and also finishing up some work. There’s no dedicated business centre if that’s what you’re after.
Wi-Fi is speedy and there are plenty of UK-style power outlets across most zones, except the dining area. With such a tight guestlist, there’s no need to fight over power sockets here.
Lounge access guide
Surprise surprise, just two categories of passengers will get in.
- Class of travel: First Class passengers on Singapore Airlines and other Star Alliance carriers.
- Frequent flyer status: Singapore Airlines Solitaire PPS Club members before a Singapore Airlines flight.
Our verdict
The Singapore Airlines SilverKris First Class lounge is broadly similar to its sibling in Sydney – think of it more as a small, standalone space where a select few can tuck into an elevated range of food and beverages, rather than the airline’s fully-fledged First Class lounge at Singapore.
This lounge isn’t too dissimilar to the neighbouring Business Class lounge in terms of ambience and furniture. But I imagine most passengers here just want more privacy and better service, which Singapore Airlines delivers in spades.
Photography by Brandon Loo who travelled in Business Class at Point Hacks’ expense. He received access to the First Class side of the SilverKris lounge as a guest of Singapore Airlines.
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The lounge and service levels in Singapore were extraordinary .
LHR in comparison was like a scene out of Faulty Towers or Little Britain. It seemed little training had been done and at times was embarrassing. There were also language barriers at times. Watery Espresso Martinis ….not surprised. Let the team at SIN down.