Marhaba (or ‘hello’ in Arabic) is a chain of airport lounges operated by the Dubai-based airport ground services provider, dnata. The Marhaba Lounge is one of two contract lounges in Terminal 3 (the other being the SATS Premier Lounge), a terminal otherwise populated mostly by Singapore Airlines lounges. I have previously reviewed Changi Airport’s other Marhaba Lounge in Terminal 1, which was quite a dire space. Considering the relative newness of this lounge, having only opened in May 2019, I was certainly curious to see how much of an improvement this one would be.

Lounge Access Requirements

Although Marhaba is a third-party operator like Plaza Premium, there is no easy way to buy access to their Singapore lounges online. During my visit, I was not aware of any contracts the lounge has with lounge access programmes like DragonPass, Priority Pass, or LoungeKey. Regardless, I understand that Business Class passengers and select frequent flyers of several airlines are entitled to use this lounge; this includes Garuda Indonesia, China Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, Air Calin, and Myanmar National Airlines.

Location

The Marhaba Lounge at Changi Airport Terminal 3 is located on Level 3, just above the main shopping area in the transit hall. After clearing immigration, walk straight ahead towards the Louis Vuitton store. You’ll find an escalator on the right – take this up one level to reach Level 3. The lounge entrance is situated directly at the top of the escalator.

Marhaba Lounge

At the entrance, I was greeted by the lounge agent at the reception. After providing my lounge invitation and boarding pass, my boarding pass was stamped with the WiFi password and I was promptly invited to enter and enjoy the lounge. On this occasion, I was admitted on account of flying Garuda Indonesia Business Class to Jakarta.

Seating Area

From the entrance, the lounge opens into a compact yet airy seating area, framed by the terminal’s massive windows and patterned privacy screens. The space is furnished with rows of grey and red armchairs, all identical in their boxy and upright design, arranged in neat lines that look more functional than inviting. Given their stiffness, the poorly-padded armchairs feels more rigid than comfortable for extended lounging.

With the open ceiling and abundance of natural light, the room doesn’t feel cramped, though the layout lacks variety and gives off the sense of a basic waiting room more than a lounge. Each seat is equipped with a shared marble-topped console that houses a universal power outlet and a USB-A port, a practical inclusion that definitely makes upfor the otherwise utilitarian atmosphere.

In addition to the armchairs, there are also high-top seating running along the massive windows viewing the apron. Each of these orange bar seats have access to a dedicated power outlet on the table top, making them a good option as a workdesk-cum-dining table.

Toilet and Showers

Located right behind the reception counters is a corridor leading to the toilet and shower area. Confusingly, the lounge has decided to allocate its limited real estate to three individual unisex toilet rooms, each with an ensuite sink. With limited toilet rooms, the showers are also used as toilets when not in use. Given the situation, there can be a significant wait when the showers are occupied. However, I’ll note that there is a separate ‘urinal room’ available in addition.

On the other hand, the three shower suites at the Marhaba Lounge are clean and spacious, with a layout that feels practical and straightforward. Each one comes with an ensuite toilet fitted with a handheld bidet – standard across much of Southeast Asia – as well as a sink and a small counter area.

The shower stall is fitted with both a rain shower and a handheld head. While the space is a little drab in terms of colour and design, it’s a perfectly decent facility for a contract lounge.

Dining

Bridging the lounge’s two seating zones, you’ll find the dining area, with an L-shaped buffet spread complete with hot and cold food and drinks. Stretching along the windows through the first half of the area, you’ll find the same high-top seating, with power outlet-equipped bar counters viewing the apron.

Following that, you’ll find a row of dining tables stretching all the way to the back of the lounge. Each seating four people, the dining tables impressively feature power outlets built into their sides. Combined with the excellent views out the windows, I’d easily consider this to be the best seats in the lounge.

Food and Beverage

For a third-party lounge, Marhaba provides a relatively complete drink selection. Both a selection of tea and coffee station are available for self-service, the latter brewed from a Franke-branded machine. In terms of alcohol, available are Absolut Vodka, Bacardi Rum, Beefeater London Gin, Chivas Regal 12 Years, and Tiger Beer.

Furthermore, four choices of wine from Somerton, including, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, cabarnet sauvignon, and shiraz, are readily offered in a wine cooler. Finally, there is also a selection of soft drinks, including apple juice, chrysanthemum tea, soda water, tonic water, ginger ale, Coca-Cola, and Sprite, as well as drinking water.

The food is much less impressive, featuring a small selection of hot and cold dishes and dry snacks, encompassing Asian and Western palates. While these were an improvement to the awful dishes on offer at the Marhaba Lounge Terminal 1 during my visit a couple of years ago, the food still tasted second-rate and uninspiring. Apart from the salad and fruit bar, the food frankly didn’t look especially fresh or appetising. Besides, I’d say the provision of instant noodles in any lounge easily reflects its lack of commitment to quality. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Lounge Area

The final part of the lounge is divided up using decorative metal panels, with clusters of red and grey armchairs arranged in a less dense manner. Despite the neat-looking seating, the chairs are just as stiff and under-padded as the first section – fine for a short rest, though not something you’d want to sit in for hours. On the upside, each seat is placed next to a small pillar with built-in power outlets and USB-A ports, which I found quite practical.

Towards the back, there’s a quieter TV area with a handful of reclined grey chairs that were noticeably more comfortable than the others. Just beyond that, two long high-top tables line the wall, fitted with orange bar chairs and more than enough power points for those looking to get work done or charge up.

The lighting from the windows helps keep the space from feeling too boxed in, but the overall design leans more on the side of cheap and visually awkward than simply plain, and doesn’t feel especially comfortable or inviting.

Overall

Although the Marhaba Lounge in Terminal 3 is a vast improvement to the Terminal 1 lounge, it still lags behind the many excellent lounges at Singapore Changi Airport. With its mostly uncomfortable seating, disappointing food, and the long waits for the toilets, there isn’t much to be said about the Marhaba Lounge – unsurprisingly perhaps, considering that this is a contract lounge, after all. While it serves perfectly fine as a basic airport lounge facility, I’d probably skip the visit and enjoy the comforts of the world’s best airport instead.

Read more from this trip here!