Review: Garuda Indonesia International Lounge Jakarta (CGK)
Let me be blunt: the Garudia Indonesia International Lounge in Jakarta (CGK), also called the Executive Lounge, is a sorry excuse for a lounge from a five-star carrier at its main hub of operation. Your best is to visit the nearby Plaza Premium Lounge, also in Terminal 3 of Soekarno–Hatta International Airport.
Garuda Indonesia International Lounge Jakarta (CGK) Review
I find it so sad that Jakarta opened a beautiful new terminal less than a decade ago, Garuda Indonesia boasts a Skytrax five-star rating (for how long is another question), and yet its lounge feels like it has not been updated in 30+ years.
Hours + Access + Location
This lounge is located on the mezzanine level one level below security and passport control and one level above the departure gates. After clearing security, proceed down an escalator and then turn left (if coming from the gate area, you’ll find an escalator up to the lounge around gate 9)
It does appear that Garuda is at least updating the odd passageway that leads to this lounge, as we encountered scaffolding and other signs of work being performed. Right now the long hallway is very dreary.
While the lounge has no posted hours, it is open daily from two hours before the first departure until the last departure…which makes sense.
Access is reserved for both SkyTeam Elite Plus members (traveling in any cabin of service on an international flight, plus one guest) and SkyTeam business class passengers.
Be warned, though, that not all SkyTeam carriers use this lounge, and that causes some confusion. For example, Xiamen Airways, a SkyTeam member, directs its premium passengers to the Plaza Premium Lounge. But, my first stop was the Garuda Executive Lounge and as a part of the SkyTeam lounge network, my ticket granted me access to this lounge too.
However, the staff at lounge reception had a deer-in-the-headlights look…they did not know what to do with my boarding pass and had to make a call before finally making a photocopy of it and my passport, then let me in.
Seating
As you enter the lounge, the buffet greets you and the primary seating area is to the right. The furniture is well-worn and past its prime. At 8:00 pm, the lounge was not packed, but on the fuller side. Sporadic power ports are available and interent worked poorly.
Food + Drink
I found the selection of food and drinks underwhelming and unappetizing. Evening selections included soup, sandwiches, a salad bar, hot items including steamed rice, mixed vegetables, beef rending, chicken caraage, and vegetable tempura, and whole fruit.
There appeared to be a live cooking station, but it was unmanned.
The drink selection was even more underwhelming, with a small coffee machine, soft drinks, bottled water, and an empty bar (it looked like two bottles of red wine were on permanent display). My trip was in November…not during Ramadan.
VIP Room
Even though there is a first class lounge next door, this lounge has a VIP room if you walk beyond the buffet to the oppsoite side of the main seating area.
Showers + Restrooms
Showers are available, but they were occupied during my brief visit. Even though there were two attendants inside the men’s restroom, I found the bathroom smelly (bad venting…) and grimy…it was not befitting of a public terminal toilet let alone a flagship lounge.
Smoking Room
While the lounge has cut many amenities over the years, it left its smoking room, which is fine except for the fact that the stale smell of cigarette smoke wafts from the room into the lounge, like an ashtray that has not been emptied for days.
Kids’ Room
My son Augustine was really too old for this room, but after a long day he tried to keep himself occupied here during our brief visit.
CONCLUSION
This lounge felt like Garuda Indonesia has just given up…it’s not that the lounge was objectively horrible (it was certainly below-average generally and well below average for a flag carrier’s hub lounge). I fondly look back on my first class trip to Amsterdam on Garuda Indonesia and wonder what happened…Garuda lounges may have always been underwhelming but when compared to the Plaza Premium Lounge (I’ll review that next), it really is a lounge worth skipping…