Singapore may be a great airline, but on the whole their lounges don’t meet tip top standards. At Heathrow their premium class customers get access to the Virgin Clubhouse, certainly one of the world’s better offerings, and a better option than Singapore’s lounge at that airport. Their home base lounges don’t compare to similar offerings by Thai, Asiana, or Lufthansa. The new first class lounge at Singapore’s new Terminal 3 was generally disappointing.

But this past Tuesday they introduced a new product for paid first class passengers (apparently not those traveling in award first, not their top tier elites, and not the first class passengers of other Star Alliance carriers). It’s called The Private Room and over at sqtalk.com there are photos of the lounge here and here.

Nice and exclusive to be sure, but still not exceptional. No Mercedes transfer to the plane a la Lufthansa’s first class terminal. No spa a la Thai Airways in Bangkok (or even like the new Qantas offerings).

Ok, but not bad… though I do think they’re a bit short-sighted in policy in denying entrance to their top tier elites spending double miles for a first class award on the the carrier’s new long-haul first class offering on the 77W aircraft. But allowing access to a first-time customer with a cheap first class ticket flying Singapore-Bangkok. Oh well.