Review: Singapore Airlines SilverKris business class lounge, London Heathrow
By Chris C., September 4 2018
Country
United Kingdom
City
London
Airport
London Heathrow
Alliance
Star Alliance
Airline
Singapore Airlines
Cabin-class
Business
Notes
The Good
- Staffed cocktail bar
- Variety of hot food
- Access when flying any Star Alliance airline
The Bad
- Long walk from check-in
X-Factor
- 'Home Away from Home' design caters for all travellers
Introduction
With a modern design and passenger-pleasing amenities including a staffed cocktail bar and private shower suites, the Singapore Airlines SilverKris business class lounge at London Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 welcomes not only travellers booked with Singapore Airlines, but with over 20 other Star Alliance carriers as well, departing from the same terminal.
Among them for passengers continuing their journey to Australia: Air China to Beijing, Air New Zealand to Auckland (via Los Angeles), ANA to Tokyo, Asiana to Seoul, EVA Air and Thai Airways to Bangkok, and more, not forgetting Singapore Airlines to Singapore, of course.
AusBT review: Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 business class, Singapore-London
Here's what Singapore Airlines' lounge has to offer here in London.
Location & Impressions
Situated in Terminal 2's Concourse B where most long-haul flights depart, the SilverKris Lounge is a solid walk from the security screening checkpoint – not a problem if you're taking one of those long flights, but if you're jetting on a shorter hop within Europe departing from the A gates, the return walk may not be worth the hassle: in which case, there are Lufthansa lounges in Concourse A.
However, if you are indeed heading to Concourse B, you'll know you're going the right way if you see signs like this, which helpfully show the SilverKris Lounge being in the same direction:
After navigating T2's maze of pathways and escalators, the entrance appears at what feels like the 'end' of that long walk, so keep your eyes peeled for this small doorway next to duty-free, after which you'll take the lift upstairs:
The same doorway is shared by travellers heading to Air Canada's Maple Leaf Lounge, but turn right as you exit the lift, and you'll find the Singapore Airlines SilverKris space. Opened in 2015, the lounge adopts the carrier's 'Home Away from Home' design, featuring a variety of inviting zones, whether you're planning to work or dine solo...
... kick back and relax on your own, or in a group...
... or enjoy a cocktail before your journey takes off:
Rather than closing in between Singapore Airlines' morning and evening departures from Heathrow, this lounge opens at 5:30am daily and remains so until 10pm, as you don't necessarily need to be flying with Singapore Airlines to gain access, as explained below.
Access
The business class section of the SilverKris Lounge at Heathrow Airport primarily welcomes:
- Business class passengers of Singapore Airlines and other Star Alliance airlines departing from Heathrow T2, currently including Aegean, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EgyptAir, Ethiopian, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, SAS, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines and United, and from late October 2018, Shenzhen Airlines as well when its London flights commence.
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Gold and PPS Club members prior to the same flights
- Other Star Alliance Gold members prior to Star Alliance flights
- Air Canada Maple Leaf Club Worldwide and United Club members prior to Star Alliance flights
- Virgin Australia Velocity Gold and Platinum cardholders when travelling with Singapore Airlines only
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold members prior to Singapore Airlines flights only
Keep in mind that unless you're accessing the lounge using Velocity or Flying Club status, you can generally choose which lounge you visit at Heathrow Terminal 2, so even if the airline you're travelling with operates its own lounge here, or it's 'suggested' that you use a particular lounge at check-in, if you're on the list above, Singapore Airlines' lounge is available to you as well.
Read: A business traveller's guide to London Heathrow Terminal 2
While Star Alliance first class passengers (including Singapore Airlines' Suites Class guests) also have access to the SilverKris business class lounge – as do Solitaire PPS Club members booked to fly with Singapore Airlines – a separate SilverKris first class lounge awaits next door for these travellers.
Dining
For your pre-flight meal, you'll find various chairs and tables throughout the space...
... although many other seats provide tables, too – including those working 'slash' dining pods, below – and in other parts of the lounge, you'll at least find a cocktail table to rest your drink and snack.
It's impossible to miss the buffet here, given you walk past it when entering the lounge – and on the hot food front, a recent evening visit saw choices of butter chicken, Asian pork noodles (yum) and pork meatballs in red pepper sauce...
... along with steamed rice; chipotle chicken drumsticks; a blue cheese, broccoli and almond bake; and new potatoes with dill:
On the lighter side, a selection of salads, meats, cheeses, fruits and bread...
... joined by various sandwiches and wraps. There's also cake and mousse for dessert...
... but if you're only a tiny bit peckish, you'll find a few nibbles tucked behind the juice line-up:
Also in the buffet area: a drink fridge, tea-making facilities and an espresso machine for an on-demand latte...
... duplicated in part nearby, to help ease the crowds during busy morning periods...
... but when taking an evening flight, the highlight of this lounge has to be the tended bar, as it's something you won't find in the airline's SilverKris Business Class Lounge at its Changi Airport hub – only the Singapore SilverKris First Class Lounge next door, and in a few other selected locations like Bangkok.
As you'd expect, there's Tiger beer on tap for an early taste of Singapore...
... but with a cocktail menu to explore, that proved to be the preferred choice:
With plenty of time to spare before my late evening flight, there was no passing up an iconic Singapore Sling...
... and the bartender's twist on a traditional Espresso Martini – a 'Stabiliser' introducing Baileys into the mix, beyond the expected Kahlua, Vodka and espresso coffee, which was delicious:
The only thing missing on the food and beverage front is a dish of the day or something cooked to order, as is becoming increasingly common in international business class lounges – particularly at Heathrow, where rival Qantas offers exactly this with table service, and others competitors like Qatar Airways and Virgin Atlantic provide full restaurant dining in their respective lounges for business class flyers.
Work
When there's work to do, you could either set up camp in one of those solo pods, or plonk your laptop at one of the many working benches:
Personally speaking, I prefer the benches along the corridor closest to the entrance, which don't feel as boxed-in as those above (where your view is of a wall), and which double as solo dining tables as the need arises:
Here, you'll find both AC and USB power access underneath the covers, with the USB outlets providing up to 2.1A of juice – the same as my AC iPhone charger provides – although for higher-powered devices such as the Microsoft Surface (which charges best at 2.5A), you'll get the best results by using the UK-style AC socket:
If you're travelling in a group and need to hold a team meeting before the flight, look to the far left corner of the lounge where there's a small area suited for this...
... with password-free WiFi available throughout the lounge too, as you'd expect. Our tests measured download speeds of 8.5-16 Mbps and uploads of 2-3Mbps, ample for most tasks including HD video streaming.
The only boarding calls I observed here were for Singapore Airlines' flights – not those of other Star Alliance members, for passengers stopping by – so other than the usual distractions of a busy lounge, the environment here for working was better than in other lounges where ongoing announcements reign supreme.
Relax
Kicking back? Look to the centre of the space where most of the comfy lounge chairs are located...
... or, if travelling with children, there's a kid-friendly nook nearby to keep the little ones entertained:
For the adults, a selection of reading material...
... and particularly appreciated before those late night departures, shower facilities, too:
Overall, while the trek from check-in to this part of the terminal is long, it's quickly forgotten once you're here, particularly when your flight is departing from one of the nearby B gates.
The lounge was certainly bustling mid-evening – when Singapore Airlines has two flights departing within as many hours – yet it wasn't uncomfortably busy, or difficult to get a seat.
Although there's room for minor improvement on the dining front with something made to order, and for business travellers with international-style AC outlets (and perhaps, higher-powered USB sockets too), there's otherwise a lot to like about this lounge, and from an Australian perspective, is perhaps one of the nicer international lounges that Velocity Gold members can access.
For Star Alliance Gold cardholders, it's one of five departure lounges available at Heathrow T2 – the others being the Air Canada Maple Leaf Club, the Lufthansa Business Lounge, the Lufthansa Senator Lounge and the United Club – and although visiting the SilverKris Lounge may not be practical when flying from the A gates, for passengers taking long-haul flights, it's certainly a nice way to begin the journey.
Chris Chamberlin travelled to London as a guest of Star Alliance.
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
08 Nov 2014
Total posts 19
shame the main photo and at least 3 others are from the F lounge rather than the J lounge...
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2441
Hi Andrew, thanks for flagging: looks like these were tagged in our systems incorrectly and so were appearing in the wrong review - all fixed.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
14 Feb 2019
Total posts 1
Hi Chris, i understand I can access this lounge using my velocity gold card before a Singapore airlines flight even though I am crediting my miles to my star alliance silver membership. Is that correct?
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