Review: the refurbished Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

This is our review of the Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2.

This is part of our series of reviews of airport lounges across the UK.  You see all of the reviews here.

The SilverKris lounges at Heathrow opened in 2014, when Terminal 2 was inaugurated. Over the past decade the lounges have served passengers well but by the end of covid it was clear that they needed an overhaul. In February Singapore Airlines announced it was closing them for a full refurbishment.

Five months later and the lounges have reopened. I was part of a media group given a tour on Tuesday to see the changes. You can see my review of the SilverKris Business Class lounge next door here.

The Singapore Airlines SilverKris First Class lounge is the only true First Class lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2: the rest are business class lounges. The only similar facility is the former United Airlines First Class lounge, which now operates as a ‘Global Services’ lounge for top-tier MileagePlus members.

How to access the Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2

You do not need to be flying Singapore Airlines to access the SilverKris First Class lounge. The only requirement is that you hold a First Class (or Suites) ticket on a Star Alliance carrier.

As far as I know, the only Star Alliance airlines flying First Class to Heathrow are:

• Singapore Airlines
• Air India
• ANA
• Air China
• Thai Airways

Singapore Airlines Solitaire PPS Club members can also use the lounge before a Singapore Airlines flight, but access is restricted for all other KrisFlyer or Star Alliance members.

Where are the Singapore Airlines Heathrow lounges?

The location of the lounges has not changed during the refurbishment. Simply follow signs to Lounge ‘B2’, near gate B36.

The Singapore Airlines SilverKris First Class lounge is co-located with the Business Class lounge.

It is open from 5:30am until 10pm daily.

Inside the SilverKris First Class Heathrow lounge

Whilst both the First and Business Class Singapore Airlines lounges have had a full makeover, the layout has remained the same.

That means the First Class lounge is still on your left as you check in, whilst the business class lounge is to your right.

The First Class lounge is not small: it has seats for 50 passengers, more than enough to accommodate a couple of A380 departures given there are just six Suites on board.

The lounge is split into two sections. First up is the dining area, with restaurant-style seating including along the window:

Three tables flank the window, so you can enjoy your dinner whilst watching planes pass by:

Cleverly, these tables feature USB charging:

You can choose between a small buffet or table service, or both.

The heart of this space is a decorative table showcasing some of the whisk(e)ys available:

The adjacent space has more comfortable seating. High-backed armchairs run along the window.

Although you can’t see it above, the airline’s signature batik motif has been stitched into the top:

In the centre of this space are six of the same work pods you’ll find in the Business Lounge, with mains, USB-A and USB-C charging:

Whilst, at the rear, you’ll find two more private nooks:

…. as well as a lounge area:

The remaining armchairs are in a row between sidetables:

There are lots of flowers and plants throughout the space, including the table arrangements below. Unfortunately, just as in the Business Class lounge, these are all fake. This strikes me as down-market for Singapore Airlines, especially when you consider this is a First Class lounge: it wouldn’t break the bank to have fresh arrangements here.

Food and drink in the Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge at Heathrow

Breakfast is served from opening until 11:30am whilst lunch and dinner is on offer from 11:30am until 9:45pm.

The buffet was not in operation during our visit, but we did get to try some of the a la carte specialities on offer. These include:

• Singaporean laksa
• Hainanese chicken rice
• Pad Thai
• Beef rendang
• Nasi Lemak

These were all good, but my absolute highlight was something called fried carrot cake which does not contain carrots and isn’t a cake. It is made with turnips and egg and was so delicious that I highly recommend you try it.

A wide selection of alcohol is available to pour:

Laurent-Perrier and Laytons champagne are both available, as are two other sparkling wines.

Showers in the Heathrow SilverKris First Class Lounge

Two showers are available in the First Class lounge, including an accessible one, and are stocked with Gilchrist & Soames toiletries:

and

Conclusion

The refurbishment of the Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge has overhauled all the fixtures and furniture, with a much fresher and modern design replacing the dated sea of beige. It looks stylish.

That said, the design is not dissimilar from the Business Class lounge next door. Whilst the personalised a la carte service and more exclusive entry requirements will mean this is quieter, I do wonder if a bit more differentiation between First and Business Class could be achieved?

That’s nitpicking, of course: the Singapore Airlines SilverKris First Class Lounge retains its title as the best lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2. First Class passengers will find it very comfortable and far more private.

You can find out more about the lounge – and check the latest opening hours – on this page of the Singapore Airlines website.

Travelling from Heathrow Terminal 2? Here are your lounge options ….

At Heathrow’s Terminal 2 you currently have eight lounges to choose from.

Our overview of the best airline lounges at Heathrow Terminal 2 is here, or you can read individual reviews of all the lounges here:

• Aer Lingus Lounge review
• Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge review (Star Alliance)
• Lufthansa Business Lounge review (Star Alliance)
• Plaza Premium Lounge review
• Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge review (Star Alliance)
• Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge review (Star Alliance)
• United Club lounge review (Star Alliance)
• United Global Services Lounge review (Star Alliance)

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How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (September 2024)

Here are the four options to get FREE airport lounge access via a UK credit card.

The Platinum Card from American Express comes with two free Priority Pass cards, one for you and one for a supplementary cardholder. Each card admits two so a family of four gets in free. You get access to all 1,500 lounges in the Priority Pass network – search it here.

You also get access to Eurostar, Lufthansa and Delta Air Lines lounges.  Our American Express Platinum review is here. You can apply here.

If you have a small business, consider American Express Business Platinum instead.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 22nd October 2024, the bonus on American Express Business Platinum is increased to up to 80,000 Membership Rewards points, worth 80,000 Avios. You will receive 8 points per £1 spent for the first three months, on up to £10,000 of spending. Click here to read our full card review. Click here to apply.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for the first year. It comes with a Priority Pass card loaded with four free visits to any Priority Pass lounge – see the list here.

Additional lounge visits are charged at £24.  You get four more free visits for every year you keep the card.  

There is no annual fee for Amex Gold in Year 1 and you get a 20,000 points sign-up bonus.  Full details are in our American Express Preferred Rewards Gold review here.

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard gets you get a free Priority Pass card, allowing you access to the Priority Pass network.  Guests are charged at £24 although it may be cheaper to pay £60 for a supplementary credit card for your partner.

The card has a fee of £290 and there are strict financial requirements to become a HSBC Premier customer.  Full details are in my HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard review.

PS. You can find all of HfP’s UK airport lounge reviews – and we’ve been to most of them – indexed here.