Encalm Privé Lounge New Delhi

Encalm Privé Lounge New Delhi is a brand new premium offering in Delhi Airport. The lounge situation in DIAL has been rather chaotic to say the least. While Air India have a couple of lounges named Maharajas both in domestic and international departures, the standard across the board was in a sorry state.

I have used the Plaza Premium Lounge, which, to my surprise, redefined my perception of crowded spaces. BA’s Galleries Club seem serene in comparison !

Notably, many airlines in Delhi lack dedicated lounges, relying on Plaza Premium or other contract lounges available through services like Priority Pass. The new partnership between Virgin Atlantic and Encalm Privé, marks a shift from the Plaza Premium experience for Virgin Upper Class guests.

Encalm Privé, a distinguished brand offering lounges, spa, and business centres across India, has established its presence in key locations such as Delhi, Hyderabad, and Goa. Under the ownership of the GMR consortium that manages Delhi Airport, Encalm Privé Lounge promises an unparalleled blend of opulence and comfort for discerning travellers. 

Location & Access

Once you get through security in Terminal 3 ( thankfully Delhi Airport has a fairly quick Premium security zone) you need to follow the directions of gates 1-26, where the Encalm Lounge is signposted..

You can see one of the regular Encalm lounges from this level but it is the Encalm Privé you want to look for, it has its own entry.

There was still some construction work going on during my visit so I had to walk in a roundabout way to get there and then take an elevator up.

Access

While the regular new Encalm Lounges look good, they are available to a broad spectrum of customers including various credit card holders as well as various Lounge Pass networks. At the time of writing, Encalm Privé is exclusively reserved for long haul Business Class flyers only.

Encalm Privé Lounge New Delhi

Once you get upstairs, you will pass through a hallway that was still very much in it’s finishing touches but already had a super welcoming vibe and look to it..

There certainly was a calming relaxed atmosphere from the offset, from the marbled floor tiles and tile patterned walls.. with some well placed plants and hanged artwork before you reach the formal reception area..

Once inside you will immediately be drawn to the huge triple height central area of the lounge which is relatively open..

On the left side you have the more enclosed feel with various seating areas simply separated by elegant divider panels..

You will find a combination of leather chairs, sofas and luxurious velvet chairs

While the main space is flooded with natural light from the glass roof, the side windows only look out over the terminal rather than any ramp..

Going back to the main space, one part of the wall is adorned with emblems of Indian landmarks such as a Taj Mahal and the Lotus Temple..

The space is organised well with low rise panels, plants,  wood panels and accent lighting to separate different zones within the huge space.

Taking centre stage here is the circular bar with fully stocked high end wines, champagne and liquors..

Formal dining areas ensure you can enjoy a meal comfortably..

Lounge Facilities

Walking through the corridors on the side will lead you do various smaller rooms, which looks like a library / reading area. You will also find a formal business centre..

According to their website, the lounge has a dedicated Fitness Zone & Spa, I did not see this or have time to look.

Other than this, there are several restrooms which were immaculately kept

The lounge also has several shower rooms, I unfortunately did not have enough time to check this out however.

Encalm Privé Food & Beverage

There appears to be some vagueness about the service here, since you will see buffet food offerings and may just assume that is all.

In fact, you have actual table service where you can order any food and drink you desire. This I learned when I initially just sat on a table with some water and have a waiter come up to me.

When I enquired, it appeared they still did not have any menu but I could more or less order what was available in the buffet stations already!

Therefore, I decided to explore the offerings myself. Since I was in the lounge mid morning, there was a range of Western and Indian breakfast options.

There was a selection of fresh fruits and salad items?

They had the standard cereals and baked goods, cold cuts and deli section with smoked salmon and beef pepperoni etc

The selection of hot dishes were rather extensive also.

Unfortunately I did not have a great deal of time in the lounge to go through every item but rest assured you will be more than satisfied with whatever style of breakfast you desire!

You also have chefs for fresh to order dishes..

There was also a specific eggs to order stations where I requested an omelette

and then I build my own selection for breakfast with a nice watermelon smoothie..

They had a good variety of coffee also.

Again you can make your own coffee or request a waiter to bring you one..

I only had about 10 minutes after breakfast to enjoy my coffee before it was time to board!

Overall Thoughts

Encalm Privé Lounge New Delhi is an impressive space and a great new addition to the airport. A welcome respite for actual business class travellers. It was well designed with a lux choice of furnishings and fittings. For now at least it is an exclusive Premium lounge on par with other Premium Business Lounges internationally.

In fact, I don’t recall having visited a non-airline branded lounge on this level of luxury. If you are flying out of Delhi, be sure to check it out if you airline might have an arrangement with Encalm!