- Introduction: A Secret Mission To Dubai
- Review: Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport (MCO)
- A Final Emirates First Class Farewell!
- Review: The Dubai EDITION Hotel
- Paying To Upgrade On FlyDubai: My Experience
- Review: Emirates Business Class Lounge Dubai (DXB)
- Review: Marhaba Lounge Dubai Terminal 3 (DXB)
- Review: FlyDubai Business Class Boeing 737 MAX (DXB-BEG)
- My Drunk & Unusual FlyDubai Seatmate…
- Hyatt Regency Belgrade: My Four-Hour Stay
- Review: Air Serbia Premium Lounge Belgrade (BEG)
- My Frustrating Air Serbia Transfer Desk Experience
- Review: Air Serbia Business Class A330 (BEG-JFK)
- Review: Frontier Airlines A320neo Stretch Seats (ISP-TPA)
Prior to my FlyDubai Boeing 737 MAX business class flight to Belgrade, I had the chance to check out the Marhaba Lounge (marhaba means “hello” in Arabic). While I spent most of my time in the Emirates Business Class Lounge, I was curious to see what the Priority Pass option was like as well.
Note that there are five Marhaba Lounges at Dubai Airport (DXB) — my review is of the one in Terminal 3 Concourse B (in the past I’ve reviewed the one in Terminal 1 Concourse D).
In this post:
Marhaba Lounge Dubai location & hours
The Marhaba Lounge that I visited is located in Terminal 3 Concourse B. While there’s great signage throughout the terminal for the Emirates Lounge, signage is lacking for the Marhaba Lounge. Fortunately the lounge is pretty easy to find. It’s located on the north side of the terminal, near gate B21.
So just walk along the central terminal area in the direction of gate B21, and then you’ll see the entrance to the lounge on the side. The lounge is located one level up from the main concourse, so you’ll need to take the elevator.
The Marhaba Lounge is open 24/7, as is pretty standard in Dubai, given flight schedules.
Marhaba Lounge Dubai entry requirements
The Marhaba Lounge isn’t used as a contract lounge for any first & business class passengers, given that Emirates and FlyDubai exclusively fly from the terminal, and all those premium passengers use the Emirates Lounge.
The primary way to access the Marhaba Lounge is using a lounge membership program, like Priority Pass (there are many premium credit cards that offer complimentary Priority Pass memberships).
Alternatively, access to the Marhaba Lounge can be purchased for 235 AED (~64 USD).
Guests are permitted to stay in the lounge for up to three hours, so this won’t be a good option if you have a very long layover (though I’m not sure to what extent that stay limit is enforced).
Marhaba Lounge Dubai seating & layout
The Marhaba Lounge has the capacity for 300 guests. So the lounge is objectively a good size, but pales in comparison to the Emirates Business Lounge, which can hold five times as many passengers. The Marhaba Lounge has several seating zones.
Near the entrance are seats arranged in rows.
Further into the lounge are various types of communal tables, seating anywhere from four to 12 people each. Some are standard height, while others are high-tops.
Then there’s the bar and dining area, which has more communal tables, as well as some individual dining tables and booths. I kind of dig the restaurant-style booths, since it’s not often you see that in an airport lounge.
Then there’s a long, narrow hall along the back of the lounge, which has some more communal seating, some semi-private nooks, and even some individual rest areas, each of which had a daybed and a chair.
There was also a rather cramped “smoking cabin” in the back of the lounge — certainly not as pleasant for smokers as what you’ll find in the Emirates Lounge, where a large part of the lounge allows smoking.
The Marhaba Lounge also has a massage chair, which you need to contact reception to use.
All-in-all I thought the lounge design was modern and felt pretty high-end. I also appreciated how bright and airy the lounge was. I was there during off-peak times, so the lounge wasn’t crowded at all, though I imagine it’s a different story at 1AM.
I do find the design choice to have so many communal tables to be quite strange, though. I wouldn’t be very happy if I were sitting at a communal table with six seats, and the five other seats were occupied by strangers.
Marhaba Lounge Dubai food & drinks
The Marhaba Lounge has a pretty elegant bar area, where a bartender serves alcoholic drinks (which are free of charge).
Water, soft drinks, and juice, are self-serve, and are available at the buffet.
There’s also a coffee machine, tea selection, Arabic coffee, and dates.
As far as food goes, there was a selection of both cold and hot options. Cold options included fruit, a salad bar, finger sandwiches, wraps, and cakes.
There were also several hot options, including rice, pasta, curry, samosas, and veggies.
Marhaba Lounge Dubai bathrooms
The Marhaba Lounge’s bathrooms are located near the entrance, and were well maintained.
The lounge also allegedly has showers, though you have to pay an extra fee to use them. They weren’t available when I was visiting the lounge.
Bottom line
The Marhaba Lounge Dubai Airport Terminal 3 Concourse B is a great option for Priority Pass members. The lounge has a variety of seating arrangements, the food & drink selection is pretty good, and the lounge just generally feels fresh. While not as good as the Emirates Lounges, this is a great option if you’re traveling in economy and have a lounge membership that would get you access.
If you’ve visited the Marhaba Lounge Dubai Airport, what was your experience like?
I had a very bad experience when I went to on arrival visa counter on 27th morning .I came 12.09 in counter to get my on arrival visa and wait for 30 minutes to some one come to the seat
Terminal 2
They should look to quality of food and different type not only vegetarian Indian food
food was very poor and it looks like balance from lunch and all vegetarian no beef or chicken. It was really bad experience for me.
They should look to quality of food and different type not only vegetarian Indian food
I went to Marhaba lounge when I travel from terminal 3 it was 11:00pm the food was very poor and it looks like balance from lunch and all vegetarian no beef or chicken. It was really bad experience for me.
They should look to quality of food and different type not only vegetarian Indian food
I hold a MasterCard and was under the impression that lounge access was free. It is not. I got charged USD32 by Lounge Key for 4 hour access.
Ben - Didn't go for the Ahlan Cadiz lounge instead on T3-B or have you reviewed that before? Curious if you've experienced both and have a recommendation. Was in DXB in March and did the Biz lounge on the way back, but had a split ticket connecting on economy on the way out so had to make use of my PP lounge access and chose Ahlan over Marhaba. It was a cool setup as it's...
Ben - Didn't go for the Ahlan Cadiz lounge instead on T3-B or have you reviewed that before? Curious if you've experienced both and have a recommendation. Was in DXB in March and did the Biz lounge on the way back, but had a split ticket connecting on economy on the way out so had to make use of my PP lounge access and chose Ahlan over Marhaba. It was a cool setup as it's inside a tapas wine bar, but can be a bit tight when busy. Nonetheless, good food at the buffet, nice service at the bar, massage chairs and free access to the showers at the airport hotel. Didn't hurt that I could watch my departing gate from the lounge so I knew when to head downstairs into the crowded gate area. Marhaba seems nice but maybe nothing overly special/memorable about it based on your review?
So the first grouping of grey seats has a view of…a settee overlooking…a slatted wooden wall? How pretty and how inspired!
Extra lucky you didn't have to fly FlyDubai out of terminal 2. That place in an absolute s**hole and the lounge is a pit.
Agreed... the T2 lounge was quite possibly the worst lounge I have ever been to. Packed, loud, hot, and dirty.
We need a list of the top ten worst lounges Ben has visited.
My vote is China eastern in Shanghai
You are lucky you visited here off-peak. It is an absolute zoo during the midnight and morning banks. Every second credit card in the UAE offers Marhaba Lounge access so it gets very crowded very quickly.
Absolutely agree.
It is impossibly crowded between 9pm-8am, so much so that it is almost a meme amongst UAE residents.
You are bound to bump into someone you know!