In April 2023, Encalm Hospitality, the new operator for all lounges at Delhi Airport, opened the doors to two lounges at Delhi Airport, at Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 (Domestic). Before this, Encalm only had a Lounge accessible with Credit Cards for Terminal 3 International customers and the erstwhile Plaza Premium Lounge. With the T3 Domestic Lounge opening, Vistara also got a lounge contract up and running with the new lounge operator at T3 for their Business Class and elite customers.
Encalm Lounge Delhi Airport Terminal 3 (Domestic)
The Encalm Lounge at Delhi Airport Terminal 3 (Domestic Pier) is operational on the Mezzanine Floor adjacent to the Food Court at Terminal 3, next to the erstwhile Plaza Premium Lounge. This small, compact lounge at T3, spanning 2,788 square feet, can accommodate up to 93 guests.
I arrived at the lounge at about 4:45 AM, and after taking down the details from my boarding pass, the lounge receptionist waved me inside.
The Lounge offers access only to Vistara’s Business Class, Gold and Platinum tier customers, and Priority Pass/ LoungeKey customers. If you arrive with a credit card, you will be promptly directed to the other lounge at the back. With only 90 seats, the lounge is not going to offer credit card-based access as it might get enough customers from Vistara on an ongoing basis during the day.
For an early morning on a Saturday, the lounge was pretty full. There are two sections in this lounge. As you enter, the first section is on your left, with seats and charging ports for those who want to get some work done or wait in the lounge. There are about 20 seats here.
The rest of the lounge is one big dining area. There is a restaurant with a non-operational bar at the moment. Of course, it isn’t easy to get a Bar license at the Delhi Airport. Even the International Lounge from Encalm has yet to have a bar operational, and I last visited them in December 2022.
As you can note, the tilework and the walls are beautifully done. However, that does not compensate for the fact that the lounge is small and can only take in a few people in one go.
At the hour I arrived, the restaurant was serving breakfast. A limited selection was available, including north-Indian and South-Indian options, juices, and pastries.
From the non-vegetarian options, there were eggs and sausage, along with Kulcha and Keema.
There were some Upma and Chole Kulche for a warm breakfast.
Or you could go for Sambar and Idli.
Or some Yogurt, which could go with cereal or cut fruit.
Amusingly, at 4:30 AM, there was also some halwa for breakfast.
There were also some salad leaves to toss up a salad.
Some usual options at other lounges, such as an egg station or a dosa station, are absent at the airport lounge for now. So, you can eat Chole Kulche or Idli or salads for breakfast, but not an omelette or a dosa. I was not hungry, but I did try out an Idli from the buffet; it was very soft and delicious.
There is also a water and coffee station, and some newspapers and reading materials were provided alongside.
Overall, it was a small lounge, almost half full at 4:45 am and almost undoubtedly full later in the day. It has not been receiving good reviews from other travellers for now.
Thoughts on new #Encalm lounge at #Delhi T3 dom. Two areas both accessible to credit cards, Vistara Biz, Plat,Gold
Dedicated UK seating – no
UK reception desk – yes, but unmanned at 7am🤔Overall #paxex 4/10 (mostly due to lack of space, dirty tables, hygiene, avg food quality) pic.twitter.com/Y2CPYO0V8E
— AJ (@OntheRoadAJ) May 6, 2023
Bottomline
The Encalm Lounge, Delhi Airport Domestic Terminal 3, is small compared to the bigger, erstwhile contract lounge operated at Delhi T3. The lounge is the only option for airlines (Vistara) offering Lounge Access to their elites and Business Class customers. You can also gain access via Priority Pass. The Lounge seats about 90 passengers.
Have you been to the Delhi Airport Domestic Lounge T3, operated by Encalm? What has been your experience here?
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