So I have finally arrived in SIN after one of the longest flights that I have ever taken and i'm happy that it is SIN - the best airport in the world. I still have a long way to go as you can see from my schedule below:
SFO-SIN on UA Y - click here. SIN-DOH on QR J - you are here. DOh-CAI on QR J - click here CAI-IST on TK J - click here IST-JFK on TK J - click here JFK-IAD on UA Y - click here IAD-SFO on UA Y - will not report
I reserved a single room at the Aerotel in T1 for USD 38 (EUR 33,68) for a block of 6 hrs starting at 08:00. QR leaves from T3 and UA arrives at T2, so why go to a transit hotel in T1 when there are also two hotels at both of those terminals? The QF lounge. I have read many spectacular reviews about this place and wanted to visit it right after my stay.
Since i had some time before my check in at the hotel, I tried to get into the DNATA lounge in T3 to get a shower. At the entrance the receptionist seemed perplexed that i did not have an invitation but I showed her my QR online boarding pass that I printed. She consults with another member and they redirect me to the transit desk to get a boarding pass and invitation from QR. She mentioned that she needed to scan something I guess the online pass did not suffice and to be fair I did not see a barcode on it.
I decided to just browse around and do some shopping and then go to the hotel. Here are a few snapshots of the airport .
T2 Orchid Garden.
T3.
We now who rules in SIN. They seem as charming on the ground as well as in the air as passengers stop them to ask questions and they reply with a smile.
T1.
i purchased a small Braun alarm clock before heading to the Aerotel. Good thing that decided to test it and it was defective (a good brand and something purchased in SIN - how shocking). After my rest I went back to the electronics shop and was given an exchange without any problems.
Aerotel.
The check in was quick and efficient and soon i was in my cubicle. Single rooms do not have windows but they are cozy and has shared WC's. The meaning of "shared" is not like you are in a gym where you are exposed. You actually get a private WC with shower just like you would in a lounge, only that it is not ensuite.
Reception.
Library with gym and pool upstairs.
Room.
WC's at the end of the hall.
QF Lounge.
After a refreshing shower and a short nap (about 1:30 hr) I headed to the QF Lounge which opens at 14:30. The lounge is almost next to the BA one but I found the QF lounge so good that I did not bother to go there and stayed at the QF for the entire time.
The lounge is comfy, warm and welcoming. It is every spacious with different sections and the staff is quick and accommodating. Aesthetically it is a beautiful lounge except for the "industrial" ceiling which gives it an unfinished look. This is a matter of personal taste but I feel that this works against the harmonious ambiance of the lounge design. It's too stark of a contrast.
Entrance.
As you enter the lounge, you will find the bar right after reception. On the left side is the lounge area and to the right is the dining room.
Bar.
Dining room.
You could either help yourself to the buffet OR order "a la carte" from the restaurant. They have native chef Neil Perry"s "Spice Temple" inspired dishes and cocktails at the restaurant and there menu is limited to two items only. On my visit i had the chicken laksa which was fantastic. The broth was creamy, rich and spicy made even better with a dash of sambal and a sprinkling of fried shallots. The first buffet table as you enter the dining room area contains salads followed by desserts.
Restaurant area.
The buffet for hot items is located past the restaurant.
I had the lamb with roasted aubergine and jasmine rice. The lamb was tender and flavorful but it needed a bit more salt.
Wine selections.
"Industrial" ceiling.
The lounging area had very comfortable chairs and electrical sockets to charge electronics. However, please be aware that just plugging your cord is not enough. You need to flip a switch in order to charge. I learned about this as i noticed that my laptop was not charging.
A few things that i sampled throughout 6 hrs stay here.
A neat feature of QF lounges is the cart with the snack "du jour". This time they had french fries. I asked for ketchup and mayo but they did not have mayo on the cart. :(
Right before leaving i requested a shower. Even when the lounge was busy I was still able to get one immediately. The room was spacious with Aspar brand toiletries.
I left the lounge by 20:10 to T3 for my flight. At the transfer desk I requested my boarding passes and the agent there asked for proof of continuation for my trip leaving Egypt. That took me by surprise and i had to request a code from the info desk in order to access the internet and pull the info from my email. I was issued my boarding passes and an invitation to the DNATA lounge which I did not bother to use since I was running a bit tight.
I arrived at the gate and there was a security check which I did not expect but was handled quickly. I ended up discarding a bottle of water that I had brought from my previous flight.
The crew was also at the gate waiting area and there was about a 10 min. delay in boarding.
QR A350 at the gate. This is my second A350 experience after the AY one last year.
Boarding commenced and there was a friendly FA at the door greeting passengers as they entered.
Mood lighting was turned on and there was a pillow and blanket already on the seat.
Seat controls.
Overhead lights.
Compartment for headphone and water on the left side of the seat.
Big individual screen.
The FA introduced herself and welcomed each passenger aboard. Pre-dept. drinks were offered and I had the signature lime mint drink served with a hot towel - too sweet for me.
Safety video.
The door closed and we soon taxied out. Good bye SIN.
Upon reaching cruising altitude the service began with distribution of pajamas and amenity kits. The pajamas were the gray ones that supposedly are being replaced by the ones from "White Company". I was given a L/XL one which fitted me fine. From what I have read the largest size for the new ones is L only. The amenity kit was the new one from BRIC'S. It is a sturdy case that feels a bit bulky. Toiletries are by Castello Monte Vibiano with its olive oil based products.
This was followed by a distribution of the menu.
Meal menu.
Champagnes from the Wine menu.
QR proposes an" a la carte" protocol for meal services giving passengers more flexibility and control of the flight experience. As a result of this, I see more FA's working in the galley and at times it can get pretty busy with FA's coming and going through the cabin.
Most people prefer to have the dinner service right away so that they can maximize sleep time. I start with a Rose Champagne with nuts.
My table is set up.
Crusted hrimp amuse bouche with a thick & sweet soy based sauce.
The smoked salmon with goat cheese crumble, asparagus, orange and dill vinaigrette was very good in presentation and taste. I thought that the portion was generous for being an appetizer.
I wasn't inspired by the main dishes so i chose the most "exotic" one which was the roast sea bass in lemongrass skewer served with pandan rice in a red curry sauce. The dish was colorful and well seasoned, but I thought that there were too many different flavors competing for attention.
The cheese plate was beautiful with an interesting assortment of cheeses and accompaniments. i accompanied it with a glass of Sauternes.
Finally the chocolate indulgence cake with raspberry coulis and whipped cream. How can you go wrong with that?
To conclude the meal service a box of Godiva chocolates and hot towel.
i walked back to the bar area located by the second door to check it out. There was a bowl of fruits and a flower arrangement set up but nobody congregated there.
i like the curtain for the windows.
Before landing I had the steak sandwich which was delicious.
Soon we landed in DOH and disembarked through 2L.
See more
Verdict
Qatar Airways
9.4/10
Cabin9.5
Cabin crew9.0
Entertainment/wifi10.0
Meal/catering9.0
Qantas Business Lounge
9.8/10
Comfort10.0
Meal/catering10.0
Entertainment/wifi9.0
Services10.0
Singapore - SIN
9.9/10
Efficiency10.0
Access10.0
Services9.5
Cleanliness10.0
Doha - DOH
9.8/10
Efficiency10.0
Access9.5
Services9.5
Cleanliness10.0
Conclusion
i'm glad that I stopped in SIN after a long trip and was able to take advantage of the transit hotel facility to rest and recharge. SIN is a fantastic airport that offers a lot of facilities to make travel easier for passengers. and its top reputation is well deserved.
The QF lounge in SIN was an amazing place to relax and grab some delicious food. QF really invested in this lounge to give passengers an optimal experience and it really shows in every aspect from the food to the showers and the service of the staff. I personally liked this QF lounge better than its counterpart in HKG.
This was my first time flying QR and I was impressed by its onboard product. The cabin and seats on the A350 are very comfortable and the all aisle access is a major advantage. The amenity kit and pajama are appreciated especially the pajama for a flight of this length. The crew was professional, very attentivel and paid attention to passenger's requests in a quick manner.
Catering was very nice in taste and presentation. Care was taken in the visual aspects of food and that is reassuring in a premium cabin. The wine list contained a wide assortment of choices that seem to please everyone.
I would love to fly on QR again in the future.
9 LIKESLIKE TO THANK THE AUTHORTHANKS ! FLIGHT-REPORT LIKED
"Aesthetically it is a beautiful lounge except for the "industrial" ceiling which gives it an unfinished look." -This is very interesting. I do wonder why they decided to leave it exposed.
"...which was the roast sea bass in lemongrass skewer served with pandan rice in a red curry sauce." -The name got me questioning what on earth they were thinking. It just sounds like an experiment to incorporate sea bass into a dish that would otherwise be categorised as Asian. The other meals look fantastic though!
Sounds like you had great fun on QR. Which FFP did you redeem miles from/credit miles to?
" I do wonder why they decided to leave it exposed. " - To make an statement? A lack of harmony in design would definitely catch people's eyes. I guess it is the same as architectural deconstructivism.
"It just sounds like an experiment to incorporate sea bass into a dish that would otherwise be categorised as Asian" - Sometimes keeping things simple is better.
"Which FFP did you redeem miles from/credit miles to?" - I redeemed the miles from AA. I'm glad that I did it and I feel lucky that i just missed the Qatar situation by just a few days. Whew!
Thank you very much for your comments Razza. See you around.
Hi Jetsetpanda. Thanks for the report. A lot of bests in this report. Singapore airport, Qatar business class, A350. If not the best close to it. Another great Qantas lounge as well. You also found a GREAT use for AA miles, probably the ultimate AA sweet spot. Good job!
First time with QR and loved the experience. I'm so glad that I did this and when you take into account the current crisis with Qatar, I feel that I just dodged a bullet. Originally this itinerary was booked with EY but I persisted in changing it to QR because I thought that it would give me the most value for my miles/money.
Personally I liked both the QR F and J lounges @ DOH. I think they are architecturally stunning and the availability of freshly prepared food from a menu, particularly in the J lounge is commendable. Speaking of lounges, QF does them very well too.
"Good to know you checked the clock while still being in the airport." - To think that I almost didn't but something was bothering me about this purchase that forced me to do it. Kind of weird - like a premonition.
"Thanks very much for the detail throughout the report." - Lots of food here, in the lounges and aboard. Good thing I don't have a big appetite. :P
"I am glad you did this routing before the current diplomatic crisis. It is a weird feeling to know your DOH-CAI flight does not exist at the moment." - That was good luck and timing. To think that I was originally booked on EY and tried several times to change it to QR. It was meant to be.
Thank you for reading and dropping your comments. See you soon.
"They seem as charming on the ground as well as in the air as passengers stop them to ask questions and they reply with a smile." -Such an iconic look. I can't imagine a better ambassador for a brand.
"The lounge is almost next to the BA one but I found the QF lounge so good that I did not bother to go there and stayed at the QF for the entire time." -It is a very well done space. It's so interesting as the company essentially dumped SIN for DXB but they still have this fantastic, and probably costly, space to maintain. SIN will continue to be an important destination however the size of this lounge makes you think there were bigger plans for Qantas at SIN.
The QR J experience is quite complete. I used to mock Akbar Al Baker when he said QR doesn't need F because their J is so good. Now I have to admit that there is some truth to this. The dine on demand, pajamas, amenity kit, food and beverage quality are all very impressive. The cabin on the A350 is beautiful too.
"I would love to fly on QR again in the future." - I agree and even though there are some powerful forces in play to make this more difficult I still hope to enjoy their service again.
Thank you again for the time and effort to document this trip for us.
"Such an iconic look. I can't imagine a better ambassador for a brand." - A marketing masterpiece!
"It is a very well done space. It's so interesting as the company essentially dumped SIN for DXB but they still have this fantastic, and probably costly, space to maintain. " - I think the code share with EK will somehow justify having this lounge. ;)
"The dine on demand, pajamas, amenity kit, food and beverage quality are all very impressive. The cabin on the A350 is beautiful too." - This could easily compare to F on other airlines.
" I still hope to enjoy their service again." - From your lips to God's ears. :P
Thanks Christian for your comments and visit. Always appreciated.
Hi Adan, I was back at this excellent report as I'm looking at an expensive QR flight next year. (777 Q Suites and A380FC) One thing that caught my eye on another matter is the Aerotel Hotel in SIN. I have an overnight in SIN this winter, arriving at 1AM departing a 9AM and was going to book a room. My plan was to book the double with a shower but from your report this isn't necessary. I figured is was a "gym" type set up, but if it's like taking a shower in a lounge then seems foolish to pay extra for the double room. Would you do the single again? Thanks for your advice!
Personally i would not hesitate to do the single room at the Aerotel in T1. Now some people in Tripadvisor have commented that the single rooms can be noisy with the slamming of doors with people coming in and going out, but I did not experience this at all. The shower situation at this particular hotel is just like using the shower of a lounge. I can't vouch for the arrangement at the other hotels outside of T1 though.
Thanks Adan for this report with nice pictures! Glad you fly QR shortly before the recent diplomatic crisis.
“We now who rules in SIN.” => Sarong kebaya^^ Still a masterpiece of uniform after 40 years!
The QF Lounge looks modern and chic. Its atmosphere is very different to HKG’s which is quiet and few people, while the HKG is always packed with people based on my observation.
The J cabin looks very good. The seats seem more functional and durable than CX’s A350 (their J seats need to be reconfigured recently due to poor quality). Besides the food also looks better than CX, both visually and quality. No slippers for amenity kit?
"Still a masterpiece of uniform after 40 years!" - It will never go out of fashion.
"Its atmosphere is very different to HKG’s which is quiet and few people, while the HKG is always packed with people based on my observation" - I agree. The one in SIN seems to have more "character".
"Besides the food also looks better than CX, both visually and quality. No slippers for amenity kit?" - I don't think it is hard to surpass CX's catering. Unfortunately no slippers. :(
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12 Comments
"Aesthetically it is a beautiful lounge except for the "industrial" ceiling which gives it an unfinished look."
-This is very interesting. I do wonder why they decided to leave it exposed.
"...which was the roast sea bass in lemongrass skewer served with pandan rice in a red curry sauce."
-The name got me questioning what on earth they were thinking. It just sounds like an experiment to incorporate sea bass into a dish that would otherwise be categorised as Asian. The other meals look fantastic though!
Sounds like you had great fun on QR. Which FFP did you redeem miles from/credit miles to?
Thanks again for the FR. Cheers!
" I do wonder why they decided to leave it exposed. "
- To make an statement? A lack of harmony in design would definitely catch people's eyes. I guess it is the same as architectural deconstructivism.
"It just sounds like an experiment to incorporate sea bass into a dish that would otherwise be categorised as Asian"
- Sometimes keeping things simple is better.
"Which FFP did you redeem miles from/credit miles to?"
- I redeemed the miles from AA. I'm glad that I did it and I feel lucky that i just missed the Qatar situation by just a few days. Whew!
Thank you very much for your comments Razza. See you around.
First time with QR and loved the experience. I'm so glad that I did this and when you take into account the current crisis with Qatar, I feel that I just dodged a bullet. Originally this itinerary was booked with EY but I persisted in changing it to QR because I thought that it would give me the most value for my miles/money.
Personally I liked both the QR F and J lounges @ DOH. I think they are architecturally stunning and the availability of freshly prepared food from a menu, particularly in the J lounge is commendable. Speaking of lounges, QF does them very well too.
Thanks for commenting.
Great pictures from SIN, I definitely miss the place and the airport.
Good to know you checked the clock while still being in the airport.
“The door closed and we soon taxied out. Good bye SIN.“
- Spectacular night shot.
It is difficult not to get tempted by the food in this FR. Thanks very much for the detail throughout the report.
I am glad you did this routing before the current diplomatic crisis. It is a weird feeling to know your DOH-CAI flight does not exist at the moment.
Have a good one, see you!
"Good to know you checked the clock while still being in the airport."
- To think that I almost didn't but something was bothering me about this purchase that forced me to do it. Kind of weird - like a premonition.
"Thanks very much for the detail throughout the report."
- Lots of food here, in the lounges and aboard. Good thing I don't have a big appetite. :P
"I am glad you did this routing before the current diplomatic crisis. It is a weird feeling to know your DOH-CAI flight does not exist at the moment."
- That was good luck and timing. To think that I was originally booked on EY and tried several times to change it to QR. It was meant to be.
Thank you for reading and dropping your comments. See you soon.
"They seem as charming on the ground as well as in the air as passengers stop them to ask questions and they reply with a smile."
-Such an iconic look. I can't imagine a better ambassador for a brand.
"The lounge is almost next to the BA one but I found the QF lounge so good that I did not bother to go there and stayed at the QF for the entire time."
-It is a very well done space. It's so interesting as the company essentially dumped SIN for DXB but they still have this fantastic, and probably costly, space to maintain. SIN will continue to be an important destination however the size of this lounge makes you think there were bigger plans for Qantas at SIN.
The QR J experience is quite complete. I used to mock Akbar Al Baker when he said QR doesn't need F because their J is so good. Now I have to admit that there is some truth to this. The dine on demand, pajamas, amenity kit, food and beverage quality are all very impressive. The cabin on the A350 is beautiful too.
"I would love to fly on QR again in the future."
- I agree and even though there are some powerful forces in play to make this more difficult I still hope to enjoy their service again.
Thank you again for the time and effort to document this trip for us.
"Such an iconic look. I can't imagine a better ambassador for a brand."
- A marketing masterpiece!
"It is a very well done space. It's so interesting as the company essentially dumped SIN for DXB but they still have this fantastic, and probably costly, space to maintain. "
- I think the code share with EK will somehow justify having this lounge. ;)
"The dine on demand, pajamas, amenity kit, food and beverage quality are all very impressive. The cabin on the A350 is beautiful too."
- This could easily compare to F on other airlines.
" I still hope to enjoy their service again."
- From your lips to God's ears. :P
Thanks Christian for your comments and visit. Always appreciated.
Personally i would not hesitate to do the single room at the Aerotel in T1. Now some people in Tripadvisor have commented that the single rooms can be noisy with the slamming of doors with people coming in and going out, but I did not experience this at all. The shower situation at this particular hotel is just like using the shower of a lounge. I can't vouch for the arrangement at the other hotels outside of T1 though.
“We now who rules in SIN.” => Sarong kebaya^^ Still a masterpiece of uniform after 40 years!
The QF Lounge looks modern and chic. Its atmosphere is very different to HKG’s which is quiet and few people, while the HKG is always packed with people based on my observation.
The J cabin looks very good. The seats seem more functional and durable than CX’s A350 (their J seats need to be reconfigured recently due to poor quality). Besides the food also looks better than CX, both visually and quality. No slippers for amenity kit?
Look forward to next report!
"Still a masterpiece of uniform after 40 years!"
- It will never go out of fashion.
"Its atmosphere is very different to HKG’s which is quiet and few people, while the HKG is always packed with people based on my observation"
- I agree. The one in SIN seems to have more "character".
"Besides the food also looks better than CX, both visually and quality. No slippers for amenity kit?"
- I don't think it is hard to surpass CX's catering. Unfortunately no slippers. :(
Thanks Ashley for dropping by.
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