During my wild review trip, I finally had the chance to visit The Private Room, which is Singapore Airlines’ most exclusive lounge. The airline completely overhauled its lounges at Changi Airport within the past couple of years.
One of the biggest changes of the new lounge compared to the old one is the addition of proper nap rooms in both The Private Room and the First Class Lounge, which is something I really appreciate. However, the execution is… a little odd, and I’m curious if I’m the only one who feels this way?
In this post:
The basics of Singapore Airlines’ nap rooms
Singapore Airlines has four nap rooms in The Private Room, and four nap rooms in the First Class Lounge. This is such an awesome feature, for those looking to get some rest between flights.
In The Private Room, the nap rooms have a very comfortable bed, a chair that can recline almost flat, and a desk. In the First Class Lounge, the nap rooms have a bed and a desk. Even though the beds are small, they have extremely comfortable mattresses.
These rooms are available on a first come, first served basis. Guests can enjoy the room for two hours, though if other people don’t want to use them, you can extend your stay. Even though The Private Room closes for a few hours every day (from 2:30AM until 5:30AM), you can actually stay in these overnight, so I guess at that point you get a minimum of three hours. That’s exactly what I did, since I arrived late in the evening, and departed early in the morning.
Singapore Airlines’ nap rooms have some quirks
There’s a lot to love about these nap rooms, though there are also some things to be aware of. I’m trying to make sense of the logic of these quirks, and I don’t know if they’re bugs, features, or what. Let me rank them in order of weirdness, starting with the weirdest.
I was super tired when I got in the nap room, so I immediately got into bed. Not to share too much information, but I wear different clothes in bed than in public (scandalous!).
While lying down, I looked over, and noticed there’s a window between the room and the hallway. I could even see a person standing there briefly. I figured maybe it was a one-way mirror window thing, or something, because surely the nap rooms aren’t designed so that people can look into them? Well, no, as it turns out, that is how they’re designed. And there aren’t blinds you can lower either.
So that certainly impacted how I chose to sleep. As a side sleeper who usually bunches up a blanket and sort of spoons it, and likes to sleep in the direction of a wall, I changed my sleeping position.
Anyone want to take a stab at the logic for this? Is this intended so that staff can easily figure out which nap rooms are occupied, and which aren’t? Is this to avoid people engaging in non-PG-13 activities? Those are the only theories I can come up with.
Now, on to the next quirk — the lights in the nap rooms just fully turn on at random intervals. At first I assumed that this was a way for the staff to tell guests that their allotted nap period was over, but nope, my lights turned on after 45 minutes. I then assumed that maybe I accidentally pushed something. But nope, they turned on again an hour later. I also heard two other people in the lounge share the same feedback. Surely this has to be a temporary glitch, or something?
The lights turning on is even stranger when you consider the above point about the windows…
Now, on to the third quirk. You can’t actually make the nap rooms fully dark, but rather the lights at the top always stay on. Again, I’m not sure I understand the logic.
Bottom line
Singapore Airlines finally has nap rooms in its most premium lounges, which is awesome. However, there are definitely some things to be aware of, the most significant of which is that the nap rooms have windows so that people can peek in. Combined with the lights turning on at random intervals for seemingly no reason, and the lights not fully shutting off ever, you’ll definitely want to plan (and act) accordingly…
Can anyone make sense of these Singapore Airlines nap room “features?”
Hi Lucky. Just been to the Private Room and used the nap rooms recently. No issue with lights turning on randomly, so maybe they have fixed that issue. Also was able to fully turn the lights off in the room, maybe discovered accidentally. First you press Off, which would turn the room almost dark like in your photo. Then you can press Dimmer and this takes it all the way down. Maybe this will be helpful to someone else.
I think you are not meant to change or strip down in the room. It is probably for sleeping while clothed. The bedding is for ease of cleaning. If so then the window is just to see if the room is occupied. Not sure why the lights besides some low key lighting.
The window is nothing a black cloth and reversible tape couldn’t fix. A little pedestrian but quaint. Just make sure you lock the door and stay somewhat clothed in case the cops arrive and take you to be caned for having an explicit nap.
Maybe the lights turn on when someone is standing next to the window and inserts a quarter into the slot next to it?
Lol
Getting a comfortable eyeshade and a box of earplugs is the first thing I learnt after living communally.
Why are you okay sleeping in a first class seat without a lockable door (and in most cases without walls). But suddenly it is uncomfortable to do the same thing in a lounge with a door and ostensibly the same people on the ground? It is not a hotel room, it’s a nap room. Most map rooms don’t have beds or doors.
I agree the lights are annoying, I will ask when I’m there next week.
@ John -- Well I was more caught off guard than anything. On a plane it's normal to change into pajamas before you go to sleep. So I guess if you wanted to do the same in this lounge, you'd have to change and then walk across The Private Room in your sleepwear. It feels stranger to do that on the ground than in the air.
@Ben But don't you have experience walking around terminals in your PJs? I seem to recall a story you posted years ago :)
@ mangoMan -- Hahahahah, you have amazing memory, thanks for reading for so long! So yes, that's a mistake I didn't want to repeat, especially at the airport that was the scene of the "crime."
LOL I saw a guy in his Emirates PJs at DXB recently, reminded me of your story from years ago.
a classic story!
The existence of a 3 inch wide window certainly wouldn't preclude me from changing in that room. What are the odds that someone happens to look in for the 15 seconds that I'm standing there in my underwear? Super low. And if they do...so what?
I wonder if the window is some kind of legal loophole to make it "not a hotel room" and not subject to hotel regulations? Just a wild guess, though.
Had the exact same situation last week found it very uncomfortable to get changed with the big window in the door … that has to be fixed !
There certainly are a few technical quirks around. While I did not experience the lights issue (on 2nd of November), I found the banging of doors quite annoying in the nap rooms. Additionally, the two departure monitors constantly tried to connect to my phone, and did anyone notice the regular cracking sound on the speaker system in the lounge area? I guess they are experiencing issues with their electrical installation.
Oh, and by the way.....
There certainly are a few technical quirks around. While I did not experience the lights issue (on 2nd of November), I found the banging of doors quite annoying in the nap rooms. Additionally, the two departure monitors constantly tried to connect to my phone, and did anyone notice the regular cracking sound on the speaker system in the lounge area? I guess they are experiencing issues with their electrical installation.
Oh, and by the way.. at least shower room 3 in TPR still pushes away the bath mat, not to mention the loud gargling noise from the drain..
Well, if it's too dark inside the room, then there would be no point in having a spy window. So I guess it all makes sense? Either they are trying to discourage you from having sex in there or they want to see it.
The reimagined lounges have had quirks from the beginning. In the business section, the hot and cold water dial in the shower room that I used was installed in reverse. Specifically, turning the dial to the red section resulted in cold water and turning the dial to the blue section resulted in hot water. Moreover, the shower and the area just in front of the shower were the same height and the shower door opened...
The reimagined lounges have had quirks from the beginning. In the business section, the hot and cold water dial in the shower room that I used was installed in reverse. Specifically, turning the dial to the red section resulted in cold water and turning the dial to the blue section resulted in hot water. Moreover, the shower and the area just in front of the shower were the same height and the shower door opened outward. That meant that the shower door pushed the bathmat away. As you'll see in hotels, typically showers have slightly raised floors so that a shower door swings higher than the bathmat. Alternatively, some shower doors open inward. I pointed these quirks out to a manager in the opening days of the lounge a couple of years ago. They fixed the dials of several showers but left the shower door issue in place. I hope that this will be fixed before someone slips on the wet floor.
As per what @WS have stated.
When the lounge was built, it was illegal under the authoritarian regime for 2 men to engage in 'public indecency' acts.
One of the tools the British Empire used exercise total control over it's colonies. Not surprised they followed the authoritarian doctrine.
At least Singapore and Malaysia can still coexist. Unlike the other trap set by the British that is going on right now.
Woah… someone needs a history lesson! Some truth to your 2+2 but you’re arriving at 5 every time!
Nap room for exhibitionists. No problem. Just cringe.
Definitely not first class - almost a bit creepy too
Quirk or kink
Yes I experienced the same as well. Just drifted off to sleep and bang all the lights were on. I had a good 4 hour wait time and figured a 1:30 nap would be great. No it’s essentially a 45 min Power Nap. Then bang wake up and out.
Why didn’t you ask the lounge staff?
Singapore is a police state. You are under totalitarian there.
With legal prostitution though so that’s not the problem here.
Well you'll arrived in Indonesia shortly, hope you got nice hotel in Jakarta if you decide to stay. I work at CGK airport, not the best airport but I hope you enjoy your short stay in CGK.
Minute Suite?
Lights: wear a sleep mask.
Window: hang a jacket over the door to cover the window slit.
I would be going to town on my girlfriend. NC-17
Do you prefer a Western or English saddle?
The window is definitely for PG13 purposes. In Asia you get that in spa/massage rooms as well to kind of show that there is nothing to hide.
The lights are definitely a problem though I guess!