Review: Ambassador Transit Lounge Terminal 2 Singapore
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Ambassador Transit Lounge in Singapore Changi Airport, Terminal 2, offers transit passengers a relaxing and comfortable environment. The lounge provides an array of services to cater to various passenger needs. These include a business centre, meeting rooms, showers, a gym, and nap suites. The lounge offers different packages, each including various amenities. This space gives passengers a spacious yet cosy place to unwind and wait comfortably for their next flight. The lounge's location and facilities are part of Changi Airport's commitment to providing an excellent passenger experience. Read the full article to discover why I rated this as a 4-star rating.
Covered in the Article
Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi International Airport, commonly referred to as Changi Airport is one of the world's busiest airports yet consistently boosts itself as the World's Best Airport. Singapore's strategic location makes Changi Airport a highly favourable destination for layovers. Changi Airport is an important hub in Asia serving more than 100 airlines that operate direct flights from Singapore to different destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and North America.
Changi Airport is the world's best airport for a reason. The lush greenery and abundant natural elements, as it houses over 2,000 trees and palms, are its standout features. The airport is also known for its exceptional features, such as the tallest slide in any airport, free sightseeing tours for transit passengers, and a rooftop pool and jacuzzi. Jewel Changi Airport, a retail and entertainment complex within the airport, is home to the world's tallest indoor waterfall, the HSBC Rain Vortex. The first-ever Pokémon Center outside Japan is also located in Changi Airport.
The airport and Singapore's flag carrier Singapore Airlines have won numerous accolades, including World's Best Airport eight times and World Best Airline respectively. Changi Airport is committed to passenger satisfaction and efficient service despite being a bustling hub.
Terminal Layout
Singapore Changi Airport's layout is designed for easy navigation and passenger convenience. It comprises four main terminals - Terminals 1, 2, 3, and 4, each with unique features and facilities. The airport provides detailed directions to facilities, attractions, shops, restaurants, and more within these terminals through an interactive map. Terminal 3, for instance, is known for its diverse range of airlines, food options, cafes, and stores.
The airport ensures efficient connection times between flights and gates across all terminals, ensuring passengers seamlessly transition from one terminal to another. Hence, the well-planned layout of Changi Airport is one of the major reasons why Changi Airport deserves to be chosen as the World's Best Airport several times.
Ambassador Transit Lounge
There are two Priority Pass lounges at Terminal 2 in Changi Airport. The first option, which was closer to my departure gate, was the SATS Premier Lounge, which unfortunately denied me access saying they were already full. Thankfully, the Ambassador Transit Lounge was located not far away from the other lounge.
Location
Ambassador Transit Lounge is positioned at Departure Transit Lounge South, Unit #03-036-123, which is on Level 3 (Mezzanine Level), next to the Sunflower Garden.
Opening Hours
The lounge is open 24 hours every day.
Who Can Access?
The Ambassador Transit Lounge in Terminal 2 of Changi Airport is accessible to all passengers transiting through the airport, irrespective of their airline or class of travel. It also welcomes members from various lounge membership programs such as Priority Pass, LoungeKey, DragonPass, Lounge Pass, and Diners Club. There is also a pay-per-use option for those passengers who do not have any of these memberships, whereas Visa and Mastercards are accepted. This lounge also welcomes customers of their other partners like Dreamfolks, Okay, klook, LoungeBuddy and Traveloka.
The lounge is accessible for Terminal 1, 2, and 3 passengers only. The Ambassador Transit Lounge is situated on the airside within the restricted zone. It is specifically designed for transit passengers travelling to another country via Singapore without going through Singapore's arrival immigration. Transit passengers must refrain from clearing immigration and customs. If you do so, you won't be permitted to re-enter the transit area until your airline counter opens before departure.
Passengers arriving with plans to stay in the city are not permitted to stay in the Ambassador Transit Lounge. Departing passengers should note that most airline counters only open 3 hours before departure, hence access to the transit area before this is not allowed unless your airline provides early check-in.
Arriving passengers can't visit Ambassador Transit Lounge.
Price
For lounge visitors without lounge memberships paying for the lounge admission, the price range depends on the planned length of stay and whether a guest will choose to use the shower facilities. For guests wanting to avail themselves of additional services like nap suites and gymnasiums, the price will be determined accordingly depending on the duration of use of the services and whether or not they will avail themselves of gym attire.
My Visit to Ambassador Transit Lounge
I visited the Ambassador Transit Lounge in December 2023, located in Terminal 2 at Changi Airport, while having a transit flight with a 2-hour layover from a 12-hour flight from Munich Airport. This was a perfect opportunity to relax at the lounge before the final leg of my flight to Manila.
Arrival
Ambassador Transit Lounge can be reached by taking Lift 25 to the entrance on Level 3 (The lift is located near the Orchid Garden, between DFS Wine & Spirits and Bee Cheng Hiang). Alternatively, you can take the escalator opposite the Longchamp shop to the third floor, where a bridge leads you to the lounge entrance.
When I arrived, there was a male receptionist seemingly strictly taking care of the arrival of each lounge client. I quickly noticed how a female client ahead of me was trying to negotiate regarding her right to get admitted, telling the staff she had the right membership card. Like me, the next person in line ahead of me was asked to present three documents: passport, boarding pass and PriorityPass card. It was quite an unusual experience to be this strict before admission, with the demand to present your passport to the staff in addition to a boarding pass and membership card, which should have been enough. I can't recall the same experience in any previous lounge visits.
The receptionist can't be praised for unfriendly customer service. Furthermore, the receptionist attached a sticker to every guest's clothes showing up to what time and date the guest could stay.
Amenities and Facilities
Ambassador Transit Lounge featured complimentary amenities and other services subject to payment, including the use of international calls, fax facilities, gymnasium, bedrooms, business centre, massage, and spa services.
Food and Drinks
The lounge had a salad buffet, and each food item was properly labelled. There were also warm food options like roasted chicken, rice, butter chicken, and spaghetti with tomato sauce. Vegetarian options were also available, such as the chye sim. Some fruits were on offer, like oranges and red and green apples. Bread could be taken next to the fridge where the apples and dairy products were stored. Ice cream was available for dessert. Notably, the lounge had a live cooking station where guests could order their favourite soup.
Beverages included the typical soft drinks from a tap with ice cubes available. In addition, there were two types of juice drinks: apple and orange juice. Also, two coffee machines and a water dispenser were working fine. Alcoholic beverages were not self-service; instead, you had to ask the receptionist if you wanted an alcoholic drink to be served once you completed the formalities on arrival. The guests were offered two welcome drinks, and additional orders were subject to payment. Even though the lounge is open 24 hours a day, they only serve alcohol from 6:00 to 00:00.
Ample Seatings
The lounge featured many seatings with different furniture designs and materials. For example, in the midsection of the lounge, there was a series of high-backed beige seats arranged in a row, each separated by wooden partitions to provide privacy. Above each seating area, white dome-shaped lamps hung from the ceiling, adding to the ambience. Decorative white lattice panels were fixed to the high partition walls, contributing to a modern and elegant aesthetic. Power outlets were available at the base of the partitions, providing convenience for charging electronic devices. The carpet in the lounge had an intricate blue and green pattern, contributing to the overall decorative theme of the setting.
Near the kitchen was a modern seating area for groups of travellers. It featured round dark-tinted glass tables with a metal base around four dark upholstered chairs. The chairs had a sleek, high-back design. The floor was tiled with light-coloured tiles. The ambient lighting makes the lounge warm and inviting, following a contemporary style.
Robot Dish Collector
Still unused in many lounges, a Pudu's robot was helping out to collect guest's dirty dishes. Even though there was one housekeeping staff member during the visit, they worked collaboratively to promptly collect dirty dishes from guests' tables by checking around quite often.
Toilets
The lounge had unisex toilets found inside the same area as the shower rooms. The space was maximized. For example, you could only wash your hands in the common area as there were no sinks inside the small toilets. The toilets were clean, but one thing that caught my attention was the placement of paper towels close to the bins.
Shower Facilities
The use of shower facilities was complimentary as a lounge customer. There were two unisex shower rooms and an accessible toilet, which was under maintenance during my visit. It would be best if you inquired the reception about using the shower facilities so they can provide you with towels. Shower gel shampoo and hairdryer are provided.
Televisions
Two televisions in the lounge featured live news updates, but I haven't noticed any flight information screens.
Newspapers and Magazines
Lounge guests could read the complimentary international and local newspapers and magazines.
Free Wi-Fi
The lounge had free Wi-Fi, which I tested for a stable connection.
Fitness Center
The lounge had a fitness gym that guests could access for an additional fee. If you plan to go for a workout, you must wear appropriate gym attire. The gym is open from 7 am to 10 pm, and access is subject to availability.
Business Center
The lounge also offered Xerox and Fax services for an extra fee. There were seats and a shared table suitable as working space while electric outlets were just nearby.
Other Services
The lounge also had nap suites for additional payment, like the shower and gym facilities. Due to time constraints, I didn't have time to avail myself of these services.
Rating
The lounge deserves a 4-star rating due to the extensiveness of the amenities and facilities it offers. The flexibility of options concerning the duration and whether to avail extra services is up to the passenger's needs, which is a great feature of the lounge being a transit lounge. Also, the great interior design of the lounge makes it cosy and comfortable. If there's something to improve, it would be the quality of customer service for the staff.
Common Questions
- Where is the Ambassador Transit Lounge at Changi Airport?
- The lounge is at the Departure Transit Lounge South, Unit #03-036-123, which is on Level 3, next to the Sunflower Garden .
- Who can access Ambassador Transit Lounge?
- Passengers with Priority Pass, LoungeKey, DragonPass, Lounge Pass, and Diners Club membership can access this lounge. Also, a pay-per-use option for those passengers who do not have any of these memberships.
- How can I reach the lounge?
- Follow the signs leading to the Sunflower Garden and Ambassador Transit Hotel – Terminal 2 (near Transfer F), then take the escalator opposite Longchamp, which will lead you to the Ambassador Transit Lounge on Level 3.
- Does Ambassador Transit Lounge serve warm food?
- Yes, it does. You can also order meals from the lounge's live cooking station.
- Are there toilets in the lounge?
- Yes, two toilets are meant for both genders, plus an accessible shower room/toilet.
- Are there showers in the lounge?
- Yes, there are three shower rooms together. You need to approach the reception if you need to use it.
- Is there Wi-Fi in the lounge?
- Yes, the lounge has free Wi-Fi with stable connectivity.
- Does the lounge serve complimentary alcoholic drinks?
- Yes, the first two drinks, but after that, they are subject to payment.
- How long can I stay in the lounge?
- You can spend a maximum of up to 3 hours in the lounge if you are using a Priority Pass. Pay-per-use options depend on your chosen duration of stay and the extra services you would avail of.
- Where can I book a longer visit?
- Can you book a visit to the website of Lounge Pass.
- Is the lounge spacious?
- Yes, it is, it has many seatings.
Bottom Line
Ambassador Transit Lounge in Terminal 2 Changi Airport offers extensive services with a great location in the World's Best Airport. However, my first impression of the lounge personnel didn't leave me quite a good memory. I wish the staff could have been friendlier. During the visit, there wasn't a long queue, and the lounge was over half empty.
The lounge offers ample seating with a cool interior, and every aspect of the lounge compensates for each other. The availability of different food options, ranging from different warm meals to the existence of a live cooking station, somehow compensates for the receptionist's poor customer service. The possibility of using nap suits and the gymnasium is also a great feature of the lounge, which is not widely available in other lounges. Lastly, the overall aesthetic of the lounge is modern, with every concept thoughtfully laid out, creating a relaxing atmosphere for transit passengers.
Do I recommend this lounge to others? Yes, it will be a great place to replenish, especially if you have many hours of layover at Changi Airport.
Have you visited any of the lounges at Changi Airport? How would you rate your visits? Feel free to comment below and share your experiences.
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