During my current review trip, I had an extended layover at Delhi Airport (DEL). In a previous installment, I shared my thoughts on the incredible Air India First Lounge.
While at the airport, I knew I had to finally visit the Encalm Xenia Lounge, which opened in late 2025. I had heard great things about this, and wanted to check it out for myself, even though I had to pay out of pocket for access. I must say, I was absolutely blown away by the quality of this lounge, and it might be the nicest airport lounge I’ve ever been to that’s not run by an airline. While access isn’t cheap, I thought it was well worth it.
In this post:
Why I paid $125 to access the Encalm Xenia Lounge
Encalm operates several lounges at Delhi Airport, including the Encalm Prive Lounge and the Encalm Xenia Lounge. The idea is that the former is a business class lounge, while the latter is a first class lounge, and neither are accessible via Priority Pass.
Many airlines contract out to these lounges, so if you’re flying first class on British Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa, SWISS, etc., you can use the Encalm Xenia Lounge.
You can also outright purchase access, at the cost of 12,000 INR (~125 USD) for two hours. Meanwhile if you have access to the Encalm Prive Lounge, you can upgrade to the Encalm Xenia Lounge at a cost of 7,000 INR (~73 USD) for two hours. Since I was flying Air India, I wasn’t entitled to access to this lounge, and I just paid outright. Of course that’s expensive, but I wanted to give it a shot.
Obviously that’s quite a bit to spend on lounge access, especially in a country like India (where average buying power is lower for the local market than in the United States, so that’s especially expensive, on a relative basis). Then again, in absolute terms, an American Admirals Club day pass would cost you $79, so this is only around 50% more, though admittedly with more time restrictions.
Anyway, I have to say, this was money well spent, and I thought the lounge was absolutely spectacular. I’ll have a full review soon, but let’s start with some initial thoughts.
The Encalm Xenia Lounge can compete with the best!
I spent two lovely hours at the Encalm Xenia Lounge. I was the only guest there the entire time I was visiting, and there must have been at least six staff to look after me. Goodness gracious, talk about overly attentive service. Let me just mention that I imagine the experience is completely different and not nearly as good if you visit late at night or early in the morning, when it’s “rush hour.”
The lounge primarily consists of one large rectangular room.
There’s a bar area, then there are a couple of more traditional seating arrangements, and then there are these semi-private nooks, each with their own reclining seat, chair with table, etc. I couldn’t help but chuckle how the staff emphasized how each little area has its own “private” coffee station. If I have six people looking after me, I’m happy to let them prepare the coffee for me. 😉
The service in here is unbelievably good. There’s a massive selection of a la carte dining and drinks. I started with a glass of Moet, and the entire bottle was just brought out, and placed on ice.
I then went for another cocktail, which was phenomenal.
And how nice is this tea trolley presentation?
The food is also great, with all kinds of small and large plates, so that you can mix and match (I’ll of course share the full menu and drink list in the review).
The lounge also offers complimentary massages.
Then there’s even a private bedroom that guests can use, which feels more like a hotel room than a nap room. However, between all the drinks I had, plus the amazing meal, plus the spa treatment, I couldn’t quite find time to squeeze in a nap. 😉
The lounge also offers complimentary golf carts to the gate, though I didn’t need that, since I was just going back to the Air India Maharaja Lounge. Besides, I needed to get in some steps to even partially start to work off that food and those drinks!
This is an incredible lounge, and while I realize I spent a lot of money to access this, it’s among the best value lounge access I’ve received, in terms of actually offering a quality experience. I also think this might be the best airport lounge I’ve been to that isn’t operated by an airline.
Bottom line
I had heard great things about the Encalm Xenia Lounge Delhi, and finally had the chance to check it out… it lived up to the hype! It’s so rare to see a non-airline or credit card lounge be high quality, since there’s the tendency to closely control costs, given how monetization works.
So along those lines, the Encalm Xenia Lounge is fabulous, with nice design, attentive service, a la carte dining, great drinks, included massages, and even access to a bedroom.
If you don’t have access on account of your ticket, you can outright buy access for around $125 at the door. That’s obviously not cheap, but at least they deliver an amazing experience.
Anyone else love the Encalm Xenia Lounge Delhi?
The comments here can be so weird.
Talk about a $5k+ flight or $1k+/night hotel room? Oh, that's fine.
A $125 (or less) somewhat bespoke lounge experience? Colossal waste of money!
Agree it’s a great lounge. Others have said this too but LX F at least does not send pax here. When I flew LX F out of DEL in April I was escorted to Encalm Prive and then paid up to Xenia. I told the ground handler who escorted me to the gate that LX really should be sending F pax to Xenia. He claimed he hadn’t heard of it.
Comes to roughly ₹12,000 today, which doesn't seem excessive considering I'd likely spend a similar amount on a nice dinner and a bottle of wine over a couple hours elsewhere in Mumbai - only with much more frills here.
"...especially in a country like India (where average buying power is lower for the local market than in the United States..."
Dating yourself a bit there, Ben? India is a country of significant income disparities, much like the US. While the majority make less than 100 USD per month, the top 5% earn a significantly disproportionate amount. With a country of 1.5 billion people, 5%, most of whom live in the major urban areas, amount...
"...especially in a country like India (where average buying power is lower for the local market than in the United States..."
Dating yourself a bit there, Ben? India is a country of significant income disparities, much like the US. While the majority make less than 100 USD per month, the top 5% earn a significantly disproportionate amount. With a country of 1.5 billion people, 5%, most of whom live in the major urban areas, amount to 75 million. This does not include the huge Indian diaspora all around the world. Whereas I would think twice about spending USD125 for a lounge for two hours, my Indian colleagues and friends, would not blink twice.
Love the attentive service! Wish we had more of it here the States!
"Goodness gracious, talk about overly attentive service."
This is actually an aspect of service in India that I do not enjoy. I like good service that is discreet and intuitive. But I find it does tend to lean to 'overly attentive' often in India.
This.
Last week in DEL every driver I had would ask, multiple times, "How is my driving? Are you comfortable? Are you cool enough? Would you like it cooler?" Etc. etc. etc.
And I found it extremely annoying. I was extremely nice and sincere in my answers, but I was gnashing my teeth a bit.
Questions: Is that the mark of high service levels (the drivers were from the Oberoi and were using S-Class...
This.
Last week in DEL every driver I had would ask, multiple times, "How is my driving? Are you comfortable? Are you cool enough? Would you like it cooler?" Etc. etc. etc.
And I found it extremely annoying. I was extremely nice and sincere in my answers, but I was gnashing my teeth a bit.
Questions: Is that the mark of high service levels (the drivers were from the Oberoi and were using S-Class or 7-series cars, so perhaps that's "luxury" driving(?)), or was that pandering for tips? Both? Neither? Other? Maybe I'm just cynical, but I found the constant questions extremely off putting.
Hospitality and giving attention to guests is ingrained in their culture. I am married to an Indian. Even after decades together, every time I visit her family and friends, I feel special with the attention given, until I realize that they treat all their guests with the same level of attention. Never have I ever been asked for tips by drivers or staff at luxury hotels in India.
Just like some of us in the...
Hospitality and giving attention to guests is ingrained in their culture. I am married to an Indian. Even after decades together, every time I visit her family and friends, I feel special with the attention given, until I realize that they treat all their guests with the same level of attention. Never have I ever been asked for tips by drivers or staff at luxury hotels in India.
Just like some of us in the west feel like Indians (and other Asians) are cloying, my wife always complains that service in Europe and the US leaves much to be wanting, and cold like the people. What you may find comforting, may be putting off for others.
Thank you very much for the perspective, Em, much appreciated.
I am cheap. So I would definitely not pay 125 bucks for a two or three hour stay in the lounge when I had the option of another first class lounge or even in a business class lounge.
But if I had a travel blog, but I could write up the expense as a business expense makes great business sense.
You are the first to realize out of 35 comments that $125 for Ben is actually more like $85-100 (assuming OMAAT is profitable) since business expenses are deductible.
That's not shade, but a bit of envy.
For that price I find it still way too much for only 2 hours. I expect at least 6 hours if I had to fork out that much money for a lounge. I would rather keep that money and splurge it on a better hotel or food at my destination.
Quite surprised that you are so easily "blown away" by just a few private service, cocktails, etc.
Heck even if I would not...
For that price I find it still way too much for only 2 hours. I expect at least 6 hours if I had to fork out that much money for a lounge. I would rather keep that money and splurge it on a better hotel or food at my destination.
Quite surprised that you are so easily "blown away" by just a few private service, cocktails, etc.
Heck even if I would not miss the money, I would not spend it there, definitely not worth it.
btw: why is it now compulsory to accept the option to receive newsletter, etc before I can comment? Is this site becoming commericalized?
Minimum wage in India: USD 60 per month. Two months local wages for two hours in a lounge. Honestly, even here in the US I would balk at paying USD 125 for two hours in a lounge. A whole day, yeah, but two hours...
“Honestly, even here in the US I would balk at paying USD 125 for two hours in a lounge. A whole day, yeah, but two hours...”
Thank you so much for answering a question about yourself that literally nobody asked.
First I thought 'too expensive'.. Then I was impressed!, what a nice lounge.
"Anyway, I have to say, this was money well spent,..."
Makes one question whether you understand the value of a dollar.
Technically …it was rupees.
So, Ben is paid in rupees? Interesting since his business and residence are located in America. That's a neat trick.
$ 125. gone , never to be recovered .
Besides the Moet and Chandon, what were the other wines? Moet and Chandon is hardly great but it's easily US$125 at many restaurants. So I suppose you at least got your money's worth if you drank the whole bottle.
The bedroom looks nicer than most Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Park Hyatt and Grand Hyatt hotels rooms.
Sounds reasonable. Will be flying out next February on Air India J from DEL to JFK. Gladly will pay $125 for a couple of hours there. Question - my flight leaves at midnight so will likely get to airport early evening. If the 2 hours only within 3 hours of flight (like many US lounges) or any time? Can see spending a couple hours there then chilling in the Air India business class lounge for maybe 2 more hours before the flight
I had access to the Encalm Privé lounge when flying JAL earlier in the year. Frankly remarkable—on par with Cathay J lounges I’ve visited, nicer than Korean Air Prestige lounges at ICN and almost anything that exists in the US. People online are really focused on the low end of India travel, but the ME3 dominate that market in part because of the massive (possibly underserved) high-end demand. It’s going to be interesting to see...
I had access to the Encalm Privé lounge when flying JAL earlier in the year. Frankly remarkable—on par with Cathay J lounges I’ve visited, nicer than Korean Air Prestige lounges at ICN and almost anything that exists in the US. People online are really focused on the low end of India travel, but the ME3 dominate that market in part because of the massive (possibly underserved) high-end demand. It’s going to be interesting to see how US airlines adapt their approach to India as the market continues to grow. I think it was Lufthansa who announced today that India has passed China as its second-largest international market
Indeed. People do not realize the massive international F & J class seats available out of many Indian airports (beyond the DEL/BOM/BLR that most western and Indian airlines fly out of). Emirates run 4 class double daily out of airports which are not served by Western airlines. The reason Lufthansa and other European airlines got windfall is that due to the war many people are avoiding ME3 to significant extent.
If European airlines start...
Indeed. People do not realize the massive international F & J class seats available out of many Indian airports (beyond the DEL/BOM/BLR that most western and Indian airlines fly out of). Emirates run 4 class double daily out of airports which are not served by Western airlines. The reason Lufthansa and other European airlines got windfall is that due to the war many people are avoiding ME3 to significant extent.
If European airlines start non stops from more cities and increase their service level, there are a lot of money to be had as more people wish to fly non stop to Europe. But if they have to take 1 stop, they always prefer ME3 for higher quality of service and hard product.
It should either be $60 OR 6-hours access it make it a good deal; hard pass.
LH and LX first class passengers only have access to the Prive lounge and not Xenia.
Crazy pricing for India honestly
You are so disconnected from reality.
First day on the blog?
I donno, DS... Sabine seemed 'super cereal.'
SQ is being cheap; they send their FC pax to the Encalm Privé lounge, not the Xenia. That said, I've begun to time my airport arrivals so that I don't have more than 60 minutes in a lounge before I board, so that's fine, but had I had two+ hours in the Privé lounge, I would have been sorely disappointed!
I'd've said the same think for SQ at JFK, back when they were stiffing J into the AI lounge in T4. But, lately they've upgraded to the C1 lounge, which is far superior. So, maybe give SQ time to see the error in their ways! Bah!
There were over 20 people in the C1 lounge line when I was there three weeks ago. Between that and the AI lounge at JFK, SQ is really sticking it to their biz class passengers. And I’m sorry, but for those of us in F, that VS lounge is well well well past its prime.
Then again, there’s no real estate available to build out any new lounges in T4, so one can sort of see how SQ is stuck.
That’s a shame to hear about the line at C1. I’ve mostly taken the after 10PM JFK-SIN flight, not the earlier 8PM-ish JFK-FRA, so maybe it was a timing issue. VS is not special enough for F; they should contract with D1, even though not in-alliance.
SQ could move to T6 and open its own lounge like CX!
CX, that would make a lot sense. 6 gates at the new JFK T6 expected to open late 2026; the remainder by 2028. AC, LH already moving there. Then there's the new T1, phase 1 opening delayed to November, 14 new gates. AF, KE, QR, EY, TK, BR, CI, etc.
If this was done by airline-alliance, it would make more sense to have all SkyTeam at T4; Star Alliance at new T7; oneworld already...
CX, that would make a lot sense. 6 gates at the new JFK T6 expected to open late 2026; the remainder by 2028. AC, LH already moving there. Then there's the new T1, phase 1 opening delayed to November, 14 new gates. AF, KE, QR, EY, TK, BR, CI, etc.
If this was done by airline-alliance, it would make more sense to have all SkyTeam at T4; Star Alliance at new T7; oneworld already at T8; then the remaining 'cats and dogs' at T1. But, JFK just does it differently. Like, the construction of the original T1 was an effort funded by a combination of AF, KE, LH, and JL, ironically. Talk about all three alliances coming together.
“Why I paid $125 to access the Encalm Xenia Lounge”
“You can also outright purchase access, at the cost of 12,000 INR (~125 USD) for two hours. Meanwhile if you have access to the Encalm Prive Lounge, you can upgrade to the Encalm Xenia Lounge at a cost of 7,000 INR (~73 USD) for two hours.”
So it’s $125 for both lounges? Or $125 for the Prive lounge and then another $73 for the Xenia lounge?
125$ if you have no access to any Encalm lounges and want to access Xenia. If you have access to Encalm Prive, you can pay 73$ to upgrade access to Xenia. That is how I understood it.
I wonder now much access to Prive lounge on it’s own is.
Ben, did you see that Matthew Klint from Live and Let's Fly was just in Delhi as well. Did you guys coordinate? He wasn't able to get into the Air India First lounge, so you 'win' there!