Review: Encalm Privé Lounge DEL Airport.

To find Encalm Privé at Delhi Airport (DEL T3), stay on the ground floor, locate the lift near the pharmacy (chemist for the locals), and head up to the 3rd floor. Important: Do not mix this up with the regular Encalm lounge unless you’re in the mood for disappointment. This is Privé, darling. French for posh-er.

Entrance Vibes:

Right next to the pharmacy, the unassuming walkway leads to what is probably the fanciest elevator ride you’ll take in Terminal 3. Once upstairs, you’ll spot the reception desk straight ahead. Flash your credentials and glide in.

The Lounge Layout: Decent Flow, with a Side of Design Quirks

Main Dining Area:

Enter and veer left for the main dining area, complete with a central bar. Veer right if you fancy quieter seating with fewer elbows and more serenity.

Food & Bar:

Food is at the back, and drinks are in the centre. The menu? Let’s just say Delhi knows how to feed its premium passengers. Everything was delicious, with actual seasoning. Shocking, I know.

Seating Options:

Big tick here. The lounge is zoned out beautifully – workstations, chill zones, and enough armchairs to host a summit. Whether you’re hustling or horizontal, you’re covered.

Wellness at 30,000 Feet (or 3 Floors Up)

Juice Bar:

A juicing station just after the dining room? Now, that’s elevated hydration. Bonus points for being next to the gym; it’s very LA meets Delhi.

Gym:

Yes, it’s an actual gym. The equipment is modern, the showers are clean, and lockers are provided. Honestly, if you want to squeeze in a quick pump before your long haul, this is the place.

Spa:

Here’s where it gets a bit mysterious. One section looked like a salon with foot massage chairs, while another had full-on treatment rooms. Both looked polished and professional – if slightly confusing. Foot scrub or full-body? Your guess is as good as mine.

Showers:

There are four dedicated lounge showers besides the gym and spa showers (two each for men and women). I have no complaints here; the water pressure is strong enough to make you question your plumbing at home.

Extras: Some Brilliant, Some Bizarre

Sleeping Pods (for a fee):

There are five pods, each in its own teeny room. The catch? You’ll have to pay to use them. In a business class lounge. In 2025. Bit of a cheek, really.

Smoking Room:

Massive, ventilated, and blissfully legal, this was a rare treat in a country where lighting up is practically an Olympic-level obstacle course.

Gaming Room:

Right at the far end of the lounge is an unexpectedly massive gaming space – screens, desks, and enough controllers to distract even the grumpiest teen flyer.

WiFi Situation:

Swipe your passport at the little kiosk, and out pops a code. Enter it, and voilà, internet. It works, but in a world of QR menus and retina scans, the tech felt a bit 2012.

And Finally… The Bit That Didn’t Land

Kids’ Play Area Placement:

I’ll never know why someone thought it was a genius idea to plonk the children’s play area right in the middle of the main dining section. There’s a literal game room at the back with space for days; it could’ve gone there and spared us all a few airborne chicken nuggets.

Final Verdict:

Encalm Privé punches well above its weight for a business-class lounge in India. It’s stylish, surprisingly well-equipped, and mostly hits the right notes. Sure, the sleeping pod fees are a bit high, and whoever planned the kids’ corner might need a map, but compared to the lounges in Amritsar or Goa, This is heaven in terminal form.

Have you tried the Encalm Privé lounge at DEL? Would you pay for a sleeping pod, or is your team “nap on the lounge sofa and hope no one notices”?