Background

After a disappointing visit to the Asiana Business Lounge, we wandered around the Seoul Incheon (ICN) Terminal 1 airport shops for a bit and then decided to visit the Matina Lounge, which is accessible via Priority Pass.

Access and Location

The Matina Lounge East Wing, Seoul (ICN) is located in Terminal 1 next to Gate 11. You can follow the signs to the Transit Hotel, and take the escalator to the 4th floor. There is also another Matina Lounge in Terminal 1, on the West side near gate 43.

a escalator in a building to the Makina Lounge East

Matina Lounge and Transit Hotel Escalators

a sign in a building

Entrance to Matina Lounge and Transit Hotel

The hours of operation are from 7 AM to 10 PM daily, and the kitchen closes at 9:30 PM. It shares an entrance area with the Transit Hotel and both are operated by Walkerhill.

You can access the lounge with Priority Pass and other membership cards for 3 hours. Additionally, you can enter by purchasing access for $39.

The Lounge and Food Selection

The Matina Lounge East has a seating capacity of 134 and is essentially one big room with dining tables.

a group of people eating at the Matina Lounge East

Matina Lounge East

Near the entrance, there are small lockers if you don’t want to hold onto your small bags.

While the lounge was quite full during my 9 AM visit, we were able to find a nice half booth.

The food selection was excellent and had plenty of hot dishes. For breakfast, there were Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Vegetable Stir Fry, and more. They also had cut fruit, pastries, and cold dishes.

a kitchen with food on the counter at the Matina Lounge East

Matina Lounge East Buffet

food on a counter in a restaurant

Fruit and Pastries

a food buffet in a restaurant

Cold Dishes

There were also plenty of drinks available, and I loved trying some of the Korean juices. They had a Coca Cola Fountain as well, and coffee machines plus an alcohol/beer selection.

people standing in a row of people looking at a display case

Drinks

people standing in a line in a cafeteria

Coffee Machine & Alcohol

The service was attentive and they came around to collect plates quite frequently. Additionally, they even had the robot waiters coming down the aisles to assist with collection.

In the back of the lounge, there are restrooms and shower facilities. The lounge also features a small business center and massage chairs.

The Verdict

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with my visit to the Matina Lounge East at ICN Terminal 1. The food selection was quite good and better than the Asiana Business Lounge Plus, the service was very attentive. It’s a pretty good Priority Pass Lounge to visit if one is at the Seoul Incheon Airport.

 

Have you been to the Matina Lounge East Wing, Seoul (ICN)? How was your experience? Comment below!

 

Cheers,

Ty

Have any questions? Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. I’ve also started working with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays or planning trips. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!