The Sphere Lounge is an independent waiting lounge accessible to all travelers departing from the main KLIA 1 terminal at Kuala Lumpur airport (KUL) in Malaysia.
I visited this lounge on Thursday afternoon 29 February 2024, using my Priority Pass card to wait until check-in opened for a Saudia flight to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia in economy class.
Location, opening hours and entry rules
The Sphere Lounge, open daily from 07:00 to 23:00, welcomes members of the Priority Pass and DragonPass networks, regardless of the airline or class of travel.
The Sphere Lounge has the particularity of being located in the public area, in the lobby of the airport’s Sama-Sama hotel.
Therefore it is possible to access it before going to the check-in counters, making the Sphere Lounge a privileged place to wait when arriving early at the airport.
On level 2 (take the elevators or escalators), a free buggy shuttle is available at the junction between the terminal and the covered pedestrian walkway (Skybridge) leading to the bus station and the Sama-Sama hotel. The vehicle can take up to 3 people and their checked luggage at a time. In case of absence, an intercom allows you to contact the hotel to arrange for a driver. On foot, it’s a 10-minute walk along the long corridors.
Time in the lounge is limited to 3 hours.
Buggy transport back to the terminal is also available.
I formally advise against going to the Sphere Lounge after having checked in your baggage for an international flight, due to the time required to clear border control and the distance from the boarding gates (opt for lounges in the restricted area). For domestic flights, you must leave the Sphere Lounge no later than an hour and a quarter before take-off, and go straight to screening.
Facilities and catering
On arrival at the Sama-Sama Hotel, large items of luggage should be handed in at reception against receipt.
The Sphere Lounge occupies part of the hotel’s lobby. The cosy space overlooks tropical trees and is furnished with armchairs and sofas around coffee tables and a bar with counter stools.
Service is by the seat. The hostess, kneeling to be at the customer’s level, registers the arrival and then presents a menu. A dozen small dishes are offered: meat, chicken, fish or vegetarian. A choice of two is permitted. Unlimited soft drinks, local beer, coffee, tea and water are available. The table is set, the drinks immediately brought in, and the plates followed a few minutes later. A bell allows you to call the hostess at any time.
The Wi-Fi internet connection works well.
Information screens let you keep track of flight status.
The hotel’s toilets are available and perfectly clean.
Opinion
The Sphere Lounge offers a comfortable place to wait in the public area of KLIA 1, away from the hustle and bustle of the departure hall. The premises are pleasant, the staff helpful and the food carefully presented and tasty. A lounge of this kind upstream from the check-in counters is a really appreciable service when it’s not yet possible to access the reserved area.
What is your experience of the Sphere Lounge in Kuala Lumpur?