THAI Royal Orchid Lounge

The THAI Royal Orchid Lounge is located by gate 40, next to the airport transit stop, on a mezzanine that hosts several other airline lounges.

THAI Royal Orchid Lounge HKG design

The spacious, airy and luminous club boasts exciting views on the tarmac, with white marble floors that reflect the airport’s signature soaring curved ceilings. The design is both strikingly simple and yet modern and classy: dominant white tones and light wooden partitions flooded with daylight foster a feeling of spaciousness, which is compounded by the bird’s eye view on the sprawling concourse.

To the right of the business center is the entrance to the modest Royal First lounge, a small enclave within the Royal Silk Lounge. Straight ahead is a buffet area which leads to a large seating area dotted with colorful chairs. The furniture is mildly comfortable and hardly luxurious, but the colors contrast pleasantly with the dominant white tones.

The layout achieves a comfortable balance between space and privacy: while most seats are located in an open space, walking around the partitions reveals corners with private seats and pods away from the action. A definite inconvenience, though, is the unfortunate lack of power outlets – the trained eye may spot a couple on the ground, but they’re few and far between.

THAI Royal Orchid Lounge HKG amenities

Beyond the traditional seating spaces, the Royal Orchid Lounge also features an open TV room and a closed off VIP area. Kids of all ages will enjoy the small video game zone tucked away behind the TV room (ask the reception desk for instructions) while weary travelers will prefer the two massage chairs, which are pleasantly isolated within a partitioned off area. A wide selection of newspapers and magazines is also available.

The food and beverage selection is a highlight, both in terms of contents and presentation. The beautifully laid out buffet offers a selection of snacks, appetizers, salads, cold and hot entrees and desserts. The attention to detail in the presentation is notable, and the selection is constantly refreshed. A wide range of soft drinks is available, in addition to wines and an unpretentious selection of alcoholic beverages.

Past the reception desk is a large well-appointed business center, featuring counter-style seating, cubicles with self-service computers, and a printer. We love the bright open space — too often business centers are relegated to cavernous, dreary areas. On the flip side, the open design makes it challenging to find privacy for a phone call. Secure Wi-Fi is available.

Two showers (respectively in the male and female bathrooms) are available and come with towels and amenities, though the facilities are pretty basic overall. (Tip: shower at the Singapore Airlines SilverKris lounge.)

THAI Royal Orchid Lounge HKG bottom line

Overall, the THAI Royal Orchid Lounge at Hong Kong airport is a relaxing and pleasant lounge with a solid range of amenities and a spacious layout. Catering wise, it is the best Star Alliance lounge, above the United Club and the Singapore Airlines SilverKris lounge. We only wish that THAI fixed the few glaring flaws by adding power outlets and improving the showers.