Singapore Airlines SilverKris First Class Lounge at Sydney Airport [Review]

After finally managing to lock down a coveted Singapore Airlines Suites redemption flight, I arrived at Sydney International Airport with plenty of time to enjoy as much of Singapore Airlines’ first-class lounge experience as I could.

As far as I knew, I’d be spending time in a classic Singapore SilverKris Lounge in Sydney similar to its London equivalent that I’ve visited before.

However, I did some research prior to my flight and found out that the lounge had a separate exclusive area for first class passengers which made me even more excited about my first-ever Singapore Airlines flight.

Here’s how I found the experience.

What Are Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Lounges?

Like most major international airlines, Singapore Airlines offers its premium passengers exclusive, luxurious spaces around the world to relax in before their flights.

The name of its lounges, SilverKris Lounges, is a play on the airline’s frequent flyer program, KrisFlyer.

There’s a flagship SilverKris Lounge in Singapore (SIN) and several smaller lounges in operation dotted around the globe. These are mainly in Asian cities with frequent Singapore Airlines service, such Bangkok (BKK), Hong Kong (HKG), Manila (MNL), Seoul (ICN), and Taipei (TPE).

You’ll also find SilverKris Lounges in Brisbane (BNE), London (LHR), Melbourne (MEL), Perth (PER), and Sydney (SYD).

Location

Sydney’s SilverKris Lounge is located on level 3 in the same area as the other airline lounges in the international terminal. Situated right at the far end of the terminal near gates 50 to 63, you can expect a fairly long walk to the lounge after clearing security.

Arrival at the Lounge

The excellent Singapore Airlines hospitality that I had expected started as soon as I walked into the SilverKris Lounge.

I was welcomed in by Bobby who, after scanning my boarding pass, escorted me through the incognito sliding door (to the right of the reception desk in the photo above) into the first class lounge.

She walked me through the entire lounge explaining bits and pieces about the space and the menu as we went along.

Access to the Lounge

The lounge is open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Access is reserved exclusively for passengers departing on Singapore Airlines flights with a Suites or first class ticket as well as those with PPS Club status — the most exclusive tier of the KrisFlyer frequent flyer program.

Hot Tip: Flying Singapore Airlines Suites on its Airbus A380 superjumbos is one of the best experiences you can have in the sky. While it’s not easy, it is possible to book using points. 

Layout and Design

The first space you walk into is more akin to the lobby of a boutique hotel than your average airport lounge. In here, you’ll find some armchair-style seating, a display of the wines on offer, and some reading material.

Through the artsy partition wall, the next space is the buffet and dining area.

You can order from the à la carte menu wherever you are seated in the lounge, but this is where you’ll find the formal dining area for a more authentic restaurant experience. This is also the closest area to the buffet.

The tables were arranged immaculately in a way that mirrored an upscale restaurant.

The next zone was a spot for those who want a bit more privacy. The part-enclosed booths equipped with side desks and power outlets would be a great place to sit and get some work done.

My favorite area of the lounge was — you guessed it — next to the windows for maximum plane-spotting.

Lounge time for me usually consists of writing. Not this time. It was a Saturday after all. I spent my time grazing on the amazing food (which we’ll get to later) and soaking up the experience before boarding what I anticipated to be the best flight of my life.

Despite the lounge’s small size, it never seemed crowded. During the 3 hours I was there, I only had to share the room with 13 other people.

Amenities

As you’d expect from any first class lounge, the SilverKris First Class Lounge in Sydney comes with all the bells and whistles, including bathrooms and shower rooms stocked with luxury amenities.

Restrooms and Showers

The lounge was comprised of 1 small and 1 large accessible shower room.

The accessible shower room was huge and offered more than enough space to shower in comfort for those who might need it.

Lalique facial mist and body lotion were available in each of the shower rooms and restrooms.

An assortment of extra high-quality amenities such as razors, an encased toothbrush and toothpaste, and combs were there for the taking in both the restrooms and shower rooms.

I’d later find out that these are the exact same amenities that passengers would find in the bathrooms of the Singapore Suites cabin.

In the larger shower room, the amenities were nicely presented in a basket that included Raw by Romy shower products.

Wi-Fi

The lounge definitely had Wi-Fi, but since I had an Australian SIM card I didn’t need to connect. While I didn’t test the Wi-Fi speed, I had no issues at all with accessing the internet and checking my email.

The View

Along with the Emirates and Air New Zealand lounges, the SilverKris Lounge faces southeast towards the runway used mainly by wide-bodied, international-bound aircraft such as this Xiamen Air Dreamliner.

I could also see part of the star of the show: the 9V-SKQ-registered Airbus A380 that would be flying me North to Singapore.

Food and Beverage

I was expecting to enjoy nothing short of a feast in the air during my Singapore Suites experience, but I was not expecting to be so wowed by the food on the ground.

Buffet

I find myself using the phrase “less is more” so often these days and it applies when describing the modest yet plentiful buffet.

Jet-black casserole dishes filled with deliciousness — each with its own matching heat lamp — were neatly arranged atop a marble countertop.

There were 5 main hot dishes to choose from, including this BBQ chicken, which was where I started my meal.

Not pictured: the delicious dim sum that I ate too quickly before I had a chance to take a photo.

No lounge in Australia would be complete without a pie.

Other cold buffet items included seasonal fruit, salad options, and a small selection of sweet treats.

There were other snacks available, such as potato chips, but with so many other tasty choices, I skipped the chips.

À La Carte

Having already been wowed by the quality of the buffet, I couldn’t wait to check out the à la carte menu.

Lunch and dinner menu items included:

• Chicken satay
• Duck pancakes with hoisin and cucumber
• Maggi goreng with prawn and egg
• Pan-seared barramundi with quince aioli
• Singapore laksa with prawns
• Soup of the day with a warm bread roll
• Vegetable stack with hummus, olives, and dukkah (vegan option)

And for dessert, I could have chosen from a boysenberry and raspberry sorbet with coulis or ice cream and sorbet.

The barramundi, also known as Asian sea bass, was calling out to me, and it was every bit as good as I expected it to be.

Myself and the other guests in the lounge were also offered a rice paper roll, known in other parts of the world as spring rolls, which was the special of the day.

Drinks

Drinks can be ordered from the beverage list on the à la carte menu or you can help yourself from the buffet area.

The bubbly offered was G.H. Mumm Champagne which retails at around $30 a bottle.

Top-shelf liquors included Grey Goose, Hennessy, and Roku — one of my favorite gins. I’ll let you be the judge of whether Tanqueray Ten is top shelf or not.

There was also a DIY Kriss Cosmo-making station.

Coffee aficionados would be happy to see an entire coffee menu available to order from with favorites such as flat white, mocha, latte, chai latte, and macchiato.

A varied selection of T2 teas was also available.

Service

Customer service in a lounge is usually limited to a brief interaction with a reception desk agent and maybe a split-second exchange with a server who brings an order to your table.

That was not the case here. Given that there were so few passengers in the lounge at any one time, it wouldn’t be right to compare the service I received here to what I usually experience in significantly larger, overcrowded airline lounges.

I do, however, want to highlight the service I received here as exceptional. That was especially down to Bobby who is a real credit to Singapore Airlines and the customer service industry in general.

She made me feel so welcome from the get-go and even helped me get some all-important video content while I was the only passenger in the lounge.

Not to forget Puja, whose beaming smile and passion for photography were greatly appreciated during my stay in the lounge.

Final Thoughts

Even if you’re the kind of person to arrive at the airport with only enough time to get to the gate, I implore you to factor in some extra time to check out the Singapore Airlines SilverKris First Class Lounge at Sydney Airport (SYD) if you’re eligible.

It was by far and away the most exclusive lounge experience I’ve had in all my years of traveling. More so than the BA Concorde Lounge which many rave about as being their favorite. At least half of my time in the lounge was spent without any other guests, which contributed to the intimate atmosphere and excellent service.

As for the food, well, let’s say that compared to what I ate on the ground, the dining I experienced on board left a lot to be desired.