GVK Airport Lounge Mumbai Review: I Got Invited In. I Don’t Know Why

I’ve never been invited to a lounge like the GVK Airport Lounge Mumbai before. I approached the Air France ticket desk at Mumbai International Airport, expecting only to get my tickets.

Since I have Platinum Medallion status on Delta, an Air France partner, I always ask if there are upgrades available; however, I never expect this to work.

They may be partners, but they don’t do much for each other when it comes to upgrading. Still it never hurts to ask. When I received my tickets for my flight home, sans upgrade, the attendant said, “…and here’s your pass for the GVK Lounge.”

It kind of threw me off and I didn’t say anything. But as I walked away, I looked at the pass.

Sure enough, I had been invited to go to the GVK Airport Lounge Mumbai.

I’d planned on going to one of the two lounges available with my Priority Pass  membership, so I did check them out. They were quite busy and I didn’t do anything but look. So I moved on – looking for the GVK Lounge.

And then I saw the sign. At first glance, the entrance seems way overboard. I mean, look at that picture. It’s a little much, right?

The GVK Lounge is located Mumbai Airport Terminal 2, just past security, through the Duty Free shop, and on your right.

Checking in

The GVK Lounge is a business-class lounge in Mumbai airport that is shared by multiple airlines. Knowing this, I was again surprised that I was extended an invitation, as I certainly wasn’t traveling in business class. Perhaps I missed something and I should have been in business? Who knows!?

This is the first lounge of this type I’ve ever been in and I didn’t know what to expect. Check-in was simple though. Just show them your lounge pass and they’ll wave you through.

The attendants were super nice and always smiling. You feel welcomed immediately. If you need them to explain the lounge and how everything works, they are more than happy to do this as well.

There was no wait time like there was in the Priority Pass lounges, so I was glad I got this pass, as it didn’t seem to be nearly as busy as the other Mumbai lounges.

It was just what I needed after the 70 minute ride to the airport (which would have been a 20 minute ride in a normal city!)

GVK Airport Lounge Mumbai Layout

This is definitely a large Mumbai airport lounge. From what I saw of the two Mumbai Priority Pass lounges, they looked much smaller and sort of square, with everyone sitting in the middle.

This lounge is quite large with people spaced throughout.

And it is well-partitioned, meaning that you will never feel like you’re in a busy space.

While there were plenty of people here, it did not seem crowded. But again, the GVK Lounge in Mumbai seems much bigger than the others.

You’ll find comfy couches, armchairs with tables, cushy recliners, and even massage chairs (which I didn’t take the opportunity to use).

Basically, you won’t have a problem finding a quiet place to sit.

The Bar at GVK Mumbai

There are two bars at the GVK Lounge. Only one was open when I visited. And that was fine for the number of people that were there at the time.

The liquor and wine selection was pretty good, with plenty of varieties of wine and a fully stocked liquor shelf.

I wouldn’t give them high marks for the beer selection, however. Kingfisher, Kingfisher strong, and Carlsberg.

All three are low-quality beers, in my opinion, but they pretty much mirror the selection I saw around India, so this might be just what they can get at a decent enough price.

I took a Carlsberg because I like it well enough.

The bar staff was very polite and no one seemed to ever have an empty glass. Actually, the bartender poured me another Carlsberg before I even asked him to do it.

That was great, even though I didn’t want a second one. I drank it though (er, to be polite! Yeah, that’s it!).

Tipping seems to be a thing here, just like everywhere else. The equivalent of a U.S. dollar was what I often saw people handing over. So that’s probably a good suggested amount.

Flight schedules are on display throughout the lounge, including at the bar, so you will never need to get up from wherever you are to know when your flight is leaving.

GVK Lounge Mumbai Food

In my opinion, airport lounge food is pretty much always acceptable. I mean, at least it’s not costing you $25-30 for food and a drink, right?

The food at Mumbai’s GVK Lounge is beyond acceptable. It’s downright delicious. When I was here, there were at least 8 main course dishes on the buffet, and each was clearly marked as veg or non-veg (as is quite common in India).

I didn’t have to worry or ask about whether I could eat what was on the buffet. It was clear.

I took a dish of the tikka masala and a stuffed mushroom. Both were delicious and easily restaurant quality. I’m not a dessert eater; if you are, you’ll have no complaints.

The dessert table at the GVK Airport Lounge was full of delicious looking sweets and they replenished them regularly.

Showers

Before I discovered the wonders of the airport lounge, it never occurred to me how refreshing a shower could be just before a flight.

Even if you had a flight just before you left for the airport, there’s just something about having one 15 minutes before you get on the plane that makes you feel so much better.

This is especially true, sadly, in India, where the outside air in a large city like Mumbai can often smell smoky. A shower is appreciated for that reason alone.

The showers here are very nice. And while I think they may have forgotten to clean the sink, the place was pretty immaculate, so I believe the sink might have been an oversight.

My only complaint here, and it is fairly minor, is that you only get a towel. It would have been nice to also have a washcloth as well.

Still, it was worth it to use the shower, as it always is! When I was here, I didn’t even have to wait. There are a few showers, so that’s probably why.

Other Amenities at GVK Mumbai Airport

Electrical outlets

There are electrical outlets everywhere in this Mumbai lounge. You won’t have a problem finding them. Most are the circular two-pronged style that is common in India.

There are a few that are adaptable to U.S./Canada-style plugs. Most of the tables have them as fold outs from the table-top.

Business Area

The lounge has an area with desks for those who need to get work done.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is available here and it is fairly fast. I had no problem connecting to it and getting to any site I wanted. I suspect it’s about as fast as you’ll need, even if you’re working.

The Spa at GVK Airport Lounge Mumbai

There is an on-site spa that is available for all GVK Lounge patrons for a fee. Having said that, if you receive a lounge pass, as I did, you’ll get a 15-minute complimentary spa treatment. You’ll have to check to see what that means. I didn’t take them up on it because it’s not my thing. I am a bad gay man.

GVK Lounge Accessibility

There are a few areas at the GVK Airport Lounge Mumbai that seem tight, but I don’t think you’ll have any issues if you use a wheelchair or scooter. 

It’s obviously worth asking if there’s a shower specifically set up for accessibility. While the shower area I was in didn’t seem technically accessible (handrails, etc), I think you could manage, depending on your level of disability.

First Class Experience

While you’ll feel like you’re in first class even if you just get the regular experience, there is much more to this lounge.

Since I only had a regular lounge pass, I didn’t get the entire treatment this lounge offers. If you have a first-class ticket, I’d suggest reading this post at One Mile at a Time.

Check out our reviews of airport lounges around the world!

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