GV Gold Class Cinemas

GV's Gold Class cinema may be expensive, but it was worth every cent. We went to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at the Gold Class Cinema at VivoCity last week. The plush red La-Z-Boy-style seats recline to just the right angle, and the blankets are perfect for keeping warm in the cold theater.

Since we were watching during off-peak times, we paid just S$25 for each ticket instead of the regular S$30. Our Gold Class experience started downstairs at the Golden Village ticket counter, where a separate area is roped off (complete with red carpet) for Gold Class viewers. We were handed our tickets in a glossy Gold Class envelope, and then directed to the lounge upstairs to wait for our screening to start.

The lounge is essentially a bar and cafe just outside the Gold Class theaters. The lounge staff welcomed us, then handed us a menu and a glossy little envelope containing feedback cards. While waiting in the lounge, you can watch TV, flip through a stack of Vanity Fair issues and other magazines, and pore over the menu. You can pre-order food to be served inside the theater. The set dinner looked yummy and was reasonably priced - S$25 for an appetizer, a main course, dessert, and coffee or tea. We'd already had dinner so we decided to go straight to dessert, but in any case I imagine it must be difficult eating an entire meal inside a dark theater. Plus, the cinema tables are a tad small for a full meal. So you may be better off having your appetizer and main course in the lounge, and then asking them to serve your dessert during the movie (as we did!).

We pre-ordered the warm chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream, a couple of drinks, and a bucket of popcorn, then settled in with a couple of film magazines until the movie was ready to start. They handed us our credit card slip and receipt in yet another glossy envelope - by now we were accumulating quite a stack of them.

Once inside, we had fun playing with the motorized reclining seats and finding just the right viewing angle as trailers flashed on the screen. As usual, we booked late and ended up with center seats in the very first row! That would normally be a painful, neck-stiffening experience in any other theater, but at Gold Class it was made bearable by reclining our seats almost all the way down. The whole experience was a bit like being on an airline - complete with a little concierge button to call someone over in case you want to order more food.

The theaters are pretty cozy, with maximum capacity ranging from 24 to 48 seats. Seats are arranged in groups of two, which makes it a bit awkward if you're a family of five or a group of three friends - I guess Golden Village is primarily catering to the couple crowd. Spacious aisles and low seating capacity eliminate the mad rush to the exit that happens at the end of each screening in regular theaters.

The sound quality wasn't so great in the particular theater we tried (GV Gold Class 3 at Vivocity), but picture quality was excellent. I wonder if the sound would have been better if we'd sat a little further back.

Overall, the extremely comfortable seats and blanket more than made up for any hiccups in the experience. While I don't think we can afford to catch films at Gold Class every week, we will definitely be back.

Contact Information and More Details

• Golden Village's website is at www.gv.com.sg - you can check showtimes, reserve seats, and buy tickets online.
  
• Gold Class cinemas are available at GV VivoCity (Harbourfront MRT) and at GV Grand (Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade)
  
• Ticket prices for Gold Class films generally range from S$25 for weekday and off-peak screenings to S$30 for weekends.
  

What others are blogging about GV Gold Class cinemas

• "So comfortable and accommodating" - Momo Land
  
• "I even took off my shoes and snuggled up" - MiCHEING iN ACTioN
  
• "Made me almost fall asleep" - Jaschocolate
  

Did you like this post? Check out my other posts about our adventures in Singapore.

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