Onto the next leg of my Indian escapade: a quick hop from Goa to Jaipur on IndiGo. But before I took to the skies, I squeezed in a visit to the Encalm Lounge at Goa Airport’s domestic terminal. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t exactly the Maharaja treatment.
In This Post
The Basics
Tucked away on the second floor, the Encalm Lounge is open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., though unless you’re desperate for stale samosas or somewhere dim to nap, I won’t rush to get there at dawn.
It’s part of the Priority Pass network and, very on-brand for India, is also accessible with a whole stack of credit cards. This means crowds, big ones. Don’t be shocked if you find a mini-mob forming at the entrance. That said, I’ve seen quite a few folks get turned away. Why? I have no clue. Maybe they flashed a card and hoped for the best. Perhaps the bouncer just wasn’t feeling generous that day.
Food: Spice Over Substance
The food? Meh. It’s your standard domestic Indian lounge buffet: curry, carbs, and a whole lot of heat. I’m here for the spice, but draw the line at greasy trays and crusty serving spoons. Cleanliness could definitely do with a little more, shall we say… “attention.” And this isn’t just a Goa problem; it’s a nationwide lounge trend.
The Bar: A Hard Pass
I’ve yet to brave a single lounge bar in India. The Encalm one is included. Call me paranoid, but if I wouldn’t trust the water glasses, I’m certainly not sipping a G&T from here. Let’s just say my cocktail cravings can wait till Jaipur.
Seating: Designer Who?
One word: hideous. Whoever picked the furniture colours must have had a personal vendetta against the human eye. Still, there were a few quiet nooks where you could steal a nap or hammer out a few emails. One area was roped off and looking suspiciously VIP, but no one seemed to know why. Goa’s best-kept secret? Perhaps.
The Verdict
No windows. No views. No showers. No loos. So, what does this lounge offer? A few lukewarm curries and a place to sit if you’re lucky. Honestly, it’s hard to tell why it exists at all.
And yet… somehow, this wasn’t the worst lounge I’ve been to in India. More on that shocker soon.
Have you ever dared to lounge domestically in India? Did you survive the buffet? Did you get turned away at the door? I want to hear all the gory details. Drop me a comment below.
3 comments
Wow! What a balantly racist review. If you are visting a lounge in india what do you expect to get to eat other than spicy indian food that probably 90% of their patrons want anyway?
Saying that you eat spicy food in India isn’t racist in the slightest, i appreciate your concern though
“It’s always helpful to know about smaller lounges for domestic travelers. Thanks for sharing your experience.”