While Singapore has a number of airport departure lounges, a Singapore Airport Arrival Lounge is no less my favourite. The Haven by Jet Quay is situated at Changi terminal 3 arrivals, in the arrivals public area. It’s easy to locate. Just follow the “Pay-per-use” Lounge signage after you exit customs and arrive in the public area.

This lounge has become my go-to lounge in Singapore, whether I arrive on the morning flight and want to catch a quick bite before heading out to work, or arrive in Singapore in the evening and catch a quick supper before heading to my hotel. I recently visited the lounge in September 2018 when I headed to Singapore for a week-long trip.

I like airport lounges that offer a select menu and prepare hot meals on order rather than pile up the counters with a sub-standard buffet. pic.twitter.com/bzoA11N6h7

— Shipra Baranwal (@ShipraAtALounge) September 16, 2018

The lounge is usually busy in the morning hours, and there are often about 5-6 people waiting in the queue to access the lounge. However, during the evening hours, it is relatively empty.  The Haven by JetQuay is a pay-per-use lounge that also accepts Priority Pass and Dragon Pass that comes along with my ICICI bank credit card.

However, just because it is in the public area does not mean anyone can swipe a meal near the airport. You need to present a boarding pass of an arriving flight and proof of being able to access the lounge. One time, Ajay and myself were not allowed access because we were not able to present our boarding passes which somehow got deep in the hand baggage.

I used the Priority Pass that I get via my Citi Prestige card. It gives me access to the lounge for up to 3 hours, a hot meal from the menu and shower facility which comes in handy when I want to freshen up and get into work straight from the airport.

The last time I used this lounge was at about 10 AM in the morning, after getting off a Jet Airways morning arrival into Singapore. The agent at the reception admitted me after swiping my Priority Pass. She handed me the wi-fi login details and showed me the menu and asked what I’d like to order. I wasn’t hungry, so I said I’d order in a while, and she told me that the lounge would get busy noon onwards. Wait times for hot food would then be about 25-30 minutes.

Ajay and I were travelling together, and Ajay wanted to shower first, so he took a locker key from the reception and headed straight in.

The lounge was relatively empty when we checked in at around 10 am. This is a small, cosy lounge with a seating capacity of about 50 people. At the far end of the seating section was a dining area where refreshments and desserts were laid out.

The refrigerator next door was stacked with a variety of sodas and water and alcoholic beverages were on offer to buy.

The self-serve coffee machine was placed next to the bar. Alongside there were jars of cookies that one could pair with coffee.

The seating section had a small play area, and there were workstations along with printing facility. There was also a small play area around the corner in the main seating area.

Once Ajay was done with his shower, we ordered food off the menu. I went local and requested for the shrimp wonton with noodles while Ajay played it safe and ordered baked rice with chicken and mushroom for himself.

Now, as an Indian, I am used to eating spicy, but the wanton and noodle bowl was painfully fiery. It opened my nasal, tear and every other gland in the body that reacts to chillies. After eating two bites, it hurt to eat another spoonful, so I just gave up on it and started digging into Ajay’s plate of food. The baked rice with chicken and mushrooms loaded with parmesan tasted quite lovely.

On another visit, I  tried the Prawn wonton soup with a side of steamed Jasmine rice.  It was as good as any local hawker stall in Singapore would serve. The food in this lounge is impressive.

The lounge also has sleeping rooms which passengers can pay for to catch a nap, though on our way out I did spot someone enjoying a siesta on the sofa. Guests who pay for nap rooms also get a complimentary hot meal along.

Like I’ve mentioned earlier, one can access this lounge via Priority Pass and Dragon Pass. This Changi Terminal 3 arrivals lounge also accepts other credit cards, issued in Singapore though. Apart from this those who would like to pay and use the lounge a minimum 2 hours package here costs SGD 32/ INR 1700 per adult. It can be bought at a discount using LoungeBuddy.

Bottomline

The Haven by JetQuay is a comfortable lounge with a lot of facilities in-house. A stop at this Changi terminal 3 arrival lounge makes sense if you have to get straight to work, and need a place to freshen up and catch a bite. This lounge also makes sense to rest and recuperate if you arrive after a long flight early morning in Singapore and you are unable to early check-in at your hotel. I usually prefer lounges that offer a menu to order from rather than lay out a sub-standard buffet.  The food is good, of course, if you order the right dish!

Have you visited The Haven by JetQuay? What has been your experience?

The Pros

+ Good a-la-carte hot menu
+ Well-maintained shower facilities

The Cons

- Limited space, could get crowded during peak arrival times

Rating