Review: Business Class Lounge Mahe Airport, Seychelles
- Konrad Tillman
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Intro
Prior to our flight from Mahe to Antananarivo on Emirates First Class, we had the opportunity to visit the Air Seychelles Business Class Lounge inside Mahe Airport.
It's quite an interesting lounge, as this is the only lounge for premium passengers inside of the terminal, meaning my guess is that it can get quite crowded at night. However, during our time there we had no issues with the lounge whatsoever. In fact, it's not a bad business-class lounge for Africa with comfortable seating, nice views, and a decent food selection.
Location+Access
There are no two ways about it, the airport in Mahe is one of the smallest airports in the world. Once clearing immigration and security, make a quick left and there will be an elevator in front of you taking you up the lounge.
Once upstairs, on the right-hand side is where you will the Air Seychelles Lounge. It's pretty hard to miss...
In terms of access, here is the information that I could gather:
Passengers flying Air Seychelles Business Class gain access (and my guess is that the top tier of their frequent flyer program would gain access as well, although I am not 100%).
Passengers flying in Business Class on any other airline, such as to Dubai, Doha, and Frankfurt to name a few.
I am not sure if the lounge sells day passes, as I forgot to ask.
Seating
Stepping in past the entrance, I was pleasantly surprised by an empty-looking, and beautifully appointed lounge. The space is interesting, as it is just one big room but with multiple different facets to it.
Placed around the lounge are a couple of TV's, some couches, and different types of seating to satisfy whatever you might fancy.
To the left of where you enter is where you will find the traditional dining room setup, featuring tables, drinks, and a couple of different options from the buffet.
However, during our couple of hours in the lounge, we decided to hang out in the back where it was slightly darker and filled with couches. Perfect for my mum to get a quick nap in.
I'm not going to say that this is the best lounge in the world, but it's honestly quite good for a lounge in Africa. When this place is empty, there is so much space to spread out. However, be aware that this place probably gets packed from 5-10 pm.
Food+Drink
Another aspect in which I will commend the Air Seychelles Lounge is on their respectable food and drink. Passengers have the opportunity to grab a couple of lights snacks such as sandwiches, cheese and crackers and few other bits and bobs. However, if you are feeling like more of a hearty meal, there is some hot options including chicken thighs that are delicious!
Feeling boozy (I tried to hold back for the Dom P onboard), the Air Seychelles Lounge offers respectable options such as the local Takamaka rum, and many more spirits. In terms of wine, there was a South African red on offer, as well as some other brand which I hadn't heard of.
Other drinks are available as well such as traditional soft drinks, juices, beer, and a nice coffee machine (which was hard to find in the Seychelles).
Bathroom
Unfortunately, the Air Seychelles Lounge doesn't feature any showers, but they do feature some nice bathrooms that were kept clean during my time there. Be aware that there are two stalls per gender (the Female side looks to be the same size), so there could potentially be a wait during peak hours.
Views
Perhaps the best part of the lounge is the views. If you are an Avgeek like myself, plane spotting at Mahe is an absolute treat, when there are planes active that is 😅. You can sit in half of the lounge and be able to plane spot, which is something that Air Seychelles did very well.
We even caught the Emirates 777-300ER landing which would be taking us over to Madagascar.
Let's just say: this flight was so much fun and the best redemption for Emirates First Class in the world.
Final Thoughts
While the Air Seychelles Lounge lacks pretty much any sort of amenities, we have to look at this lounge in terms of location and the clientele that it serves. If we look at the lounge through that lens, the lounge is quite nice for an hour or two before boarding. The lounge is a modern space but has a Seychellois twist to it making it the perfect place to grab a shot of Takamaka before boarding. Combine that with the views, and the comfy couches: I had a lovely time here at the Air Seychelles Lounge.
Side note: if you are flying Emirates First Class, you only get access to the Business Class Lounge as there is no higher space.
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