BACKGROUND Opened in January 2004, the Sky Lounge is envisioned to give premium passengers of Royal Brunei Airlines an “oasis of comfort” before ?their journey.
WHERE IT IS? Past immigration and customs, Sky Lounge occupies the whole mezzanine floor above the boarding area.
WHAT’S IT LIKE? You immediately feel very welcome upon entering the Sky Lounge. Perhaps, it is the soft glow from the incandescent lights that cast a warm glow on the interiors done predominantly in earth tones with splashes of orange and lime green. The sofas are wide and comfortable.
One side of the lounge features floor-to-ceiling glass wall so that passengers can see the activity in their designated boarding gate on the floor below. The Sky Lounge is located in the middle of the boarding area, so premium passengers waiting for their flights get a bird’s eye view of all the boarding gates.
The lounge is open daily between 5am and 12am. It can seat up to 120 people simultaneously.
FOOD AND DRINKS The buffet table in the centre is the lounge’s main point of attraction. Passengers naturally make a beeline for it the moment they step in to check out the spread before selecting their seat.
At 9.15am on a Thursday morning, breakfast was still being served and there was an extensive choice whether your taste runs to Western- or Asian-style menu.
I saw the fruits and cereals first but decided on beef sausage and mushroom omelette, which I washed down with hot coffee. A second trip to the buffet table and I gave in to the temptation of sampling the beef rendang and nasi lemak. For non-coffee drinkers, Sky Lounge was serving a variety of fruit juices, energy drinks, mineral water and soft drinks. Alcohol, of course, was not in the drinks menu.
FACILITIES The entire room has Wi-Fi access (complimentary) so passengers can simply sit anywhere and start checking their emails. For those who don’t have a laptop, there is a work area fitted with five internet-enabled computers.
There is a wall-mounted magazine rack in the far corner of the room for those who want to read newspapers and business and lifestyle magazines. Alternately, they can watch cable news in one of the flatscreen plasma televisions.
For those who want to relieve tired muscles, they can use one of three massage chairs. If there is ample time, they can bathe in one of the shower rooms or they can simply freshen up in the well-equipped washroom, which has a complete set of toiletries.
Devout Muslims can spend some time in the prayer room.
VERDICT The lounge feels like a hotel lobby. The interiors are inviting; the service and amenities are first rate.
CONTACT www.bruneiair.com
Gigi Onag
