Review: SilverKris Lounge at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (MNL)

When the SilverKris Lounge opened in Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 back in 2015, it, along with the Cathay Pacific Business Class Lounge next door, marked a radical departure in the way airport lounges were presented in the Philippines. The Manila lounge of Singapore Airlines is awfully spacious, stylish and also served decent meals in contrast to the tired look of most airport lounges in the country.

During a business class flight to Singapore on one of the regional Boeing 777-200s, I managed to have a closer look at the relatively new lounge. Singapore Airlines has been renovating its lounges around the world and the one in Manila was actually one of the earliest to sport the new look. The 117-seat lounge was designed by Singaporean design firm, Ong&Ong. The furnishings are plush and there are a couple of seating options available including partially enclosed booths, lounge chairs and seats in a communal table. All chairs come with power outlets to allow for easy charging of devices.

My favorite part of the lounge is the communal dining table which features an art installation in the middle. This complements the main art piece hanging by the wall which was created by Filipino sculptor Impy Pilapil. It was made to embody the experience of flying.

The food at this lounge is supposed to be a mix of both Singaporean and Filipino cuisine. However, on both times I’ve been to this lounge, I only managed to see the Singaporean food. During my latest visit, I tried some juicy Hainanese Chicken Rice. I also helped myself to a side of nachos to go along with it.

Apart from that, there’s also plenty of finger food to go around in case you’d prefer to have something lighter.

You can find a variety of wine and spirits here to mix your own cocktails. It’s nothing to fancy and the range is similar to the SilverKris Lounge in Changi Airport.

In terms of service, I found the staff members to be quite helpful. Due to an overestimation of the queue at MNL’s immigration, I had a long waiting time at MNL. Since there are at least 4 flights to Singapore daily, I requested whether I could bump myself up to an earlier flight and they managed to find one for me. The associate was even proactive enough to give me the same kind of seat as with my original flight even though I did not request for it.

Verdict

Not groundbreaking in any particular sense but the SilverKris Lounge in Manila is definitely a nice place to relax before a flight.

Who can access the Silverkris Lounge in Manila?

Passengers traveling on Singapore Airlines First Class or Business Class as well as KrisFlyer Gold or PPS Club members who are traveling on a Singapore Airlines flight can use the lounge. In addition, Star Alliance Gold members or those flying on a Star Alliance flight in Business or First Class can use the Silverkris Lounge in Manila.