I arrived at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) early ahead of my flight to Kuala Lumpur, using the extra time to visit every Star Alliance Lounge on the international side of the airport.
I Went Star Alliance Lounge Hopping In Bangkok (BKK)
BKK is a hub for Thai Airways, featuring four Thai lounges, two Royal Orchid and two Royal Silk lounges, an EVA lounge, Singapore Airlines lounge, and Turkish Airlines lounge (note that one of the Royal Orchid lounges appears to be permanently closed, though the signage is still up…I’ve reviewed it in the past).
Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge – E Concourse
I started at the Royal Silk Lounge in the E Concourse and found it virtually empty. Seating was comfortable and a mix of Asian and Western food was available, including a noodle bar. This lounge also had showers.
EVA Lounge
Next, I stopped at the EVA lounge nearby. EVA offers many flights from Europe to Taipei via Bangkok and has maintained its own lounge here for as long as I can remember. It’s a modern lounge with distinct mood lighting, though I’m not sure the food was any better than the Thai lounges. Alcohol is self-serve and there are shower suites available.
Turkish Airlines Lounge
The Turkish Airlines lounge was empty…I had it all to myself (unfortunately, the airport authority recently decreed that this lounge could no longer be part of the Priority Pass network in order to protect its own network of inferior airport-operated lounges). There was “pide” available, but sadly it tasted nothing like the pide available in Turkish’s flagship Istanbul lounge. But what I love about this lounge is that guests can take advantage of a complimentary 15-minute neck and shoulder massage, which I did.
Singapore Airlines Lounge
Next, I stopped the Singapore Airlines lounge, which was fairly crowded. I noticed barista coffee was available and had a flat white, though sadly it was not very good (too weak). Even so, I appreciate that like the Seoul lounge, there is at least an effort to provide better coffee. The food looked pretty good too and there are shower suites available.
Thai Royal Orchid Lounge – Main Terminal
I was very pleasantly surprised to check out Thai’s flagship Royal Orchid Lounge in the Main Terminal…not only was it beautiful with the “hanging gardens” throughout, but it was huge and there was a wide selection of food and much better barista-made coffee here. For first class passengers, there is a separate first class area (the former first class lounge has been closed and sadly, the Royal Orchid Spa remains closed).
Thai Royal Silk Lounge – Main Terminal
Next door is a Royal Silk lounge that, while nice enough, really feels like an ugly stepsister to the next-door Royal Orchid Lounge. Much of the food is the same (including the very unpleasant smell of sambal petai) but I prefer the ambiance in the next-door lounge.
CONCLUSION
BKK is a great airport for Star Alliance flyers with a wide variety of lounge options. The Thai Royal Orchid Lounge in the Main Terminal is your best choice, but do stop by the Turkish Airlines lounge for that back and shoulder massage.
I’ll publish full reviews of each lounge in due time.
Next: Thai Airways 787-9 to KUL
I’m sharing about my whirlwind trip through Asia.
Good to know that the airport authorities have stopped interfering with the ability of frequent flyers to visit the lounges they’re entitled to access.
Thankfully, they are not messing with that, but the Priority Pass restrictions are absurd…I miss the Oman Air lounge, which remains one of my favorite lounges at BKK.
the star alliance equivalent of T3 at LHR huh?
Yes!
Not really, given that LHR is a oneworld hub and BKK is a Star Alliance hub. Your comparison would be better if Matthew was loungehopping at a bunch of OW or SkyTeam lounges at BKK.
I think it was clear what he meant…the SA equivalent to OW LHR.
But that doesn’t work because you visted a bunch of SA lounges at SA hub BKK…I’m not sure how that works other than you can visit a bunch of SA lounges at both airports?
Just as LHR T3 is a Mecca for OW flyers, so is BKK a Mecca for SA flyers.
Except that
“the star alliance equivalent of T3 at LHR huh?”
LHR is a OW hub that has a bunch of nice SA lounges, ie, you can lounge hop at a bunch of nice non-OW lounges while visiting a OW hub.
In this case you were at a SA hub while also lounge hopping at a bunch of SA lounges as well.
The original comparison would make more sense if you were at a SA hub (which you were) and spent your time lounge hopping at a bunch of OW or ST lounges (which you did not, and obviously could not have given the airlines you were flying on).
It amazes me why you don’t see this. We are talking about the OW lounges (CX, AA, BA, and QF) at a OW hub (BA – LHR), just like the SA lounges (BR, SQ, TK, TG) at a SA hub (TG – BKK).
LHR has nice SA lounges in T2, just like BKK has nice OW lounges…but that’s a different issue.
Sad that Thai has never reopened the Royal First Lounge and importantly the Royal Orchid Spa, which made for a singularly great (and unique) Thai ground experience.
That said, the new Royal Orchid Lounge looks gorgeous and perhaps a better experience even than the old RFL.
Haha, I did exactly the same thing when I was there in January
This is a bit of a hot take, but I think Star is squarely in the #2 spot when it comes to lounges. Let’s start with BKK, I would argue the JL lounge is as good as any of these, the QR lounge is better, and the WY lounge is on par, or better probably, than the TK lounge here.
LHR T2 is good for Star, but the UA lounge is likely the best one. CX, QF, and even BA match our outdo AC, UA, and SQ.
Star doesn’t have a comparable to lounge offerings at HKG, and even at Star hub SIN, OW’s lounge game outdoes Star’s.
Other airports where it’s relevant are SFO, HND, LAX.
Love a good Tour d’Lounges on a long connection. Least bad way to spend the time.
Epic. Going to be through there next year. Gonna try the same!
This was very useful, thanks, since coincidentally I flew Business from Bangkok yesterday so had an opportunity to lounge-surf. However, what would have been made it even more useful would have been a map to show the lounge locations since for Thai at least there are several (I took a photo of the terminal map but I can’t see a way to upload).
My mini-review/highlights:
– Showers in Turkish a bit dingy (and oddly nowhere to put the shampoo/soap mini-bottles) but serviceable
– Note Singapore apparently didn’t have showers (maybe I went to the wrong one?)
– Food in Turkish rather poor but there is Turkish tea
– I didn’t see the sign for the massage in Turkish, but yes, you need to sign up at the bar. It was very nice, and you should book as soon as you arrive just in case (I had to wait about 30 minutes)
– Singapore had coconut water in coconuts; no other place seemed to have coconut water
– Singapore probably had the best food (note I was turned away from one of the Thai lounges, presumably because that one was for First only, so maybe that one had even better food)
– Thai’s Thai tea was incredibly sweet. I have a sweet tooth and it was still too sweet for me, even after diluting with some extra milk!
– Eva was like a trendy jazz bar. Ice cream was annoyingly packaged in such a way as to be unclear whether someone had already opened it or the film just came unstuck on taking the lid off