Trip Report Series
- Self-Connecting to an International Flight: Lessons Learned
- Review: Singapore Airlines Economy Class, San Francisco – Singapore (via Hong Kong)
- Review: Plaza Premium Lounge, Hong Kong Chep Lap Kok Airport
- Review: Free Singapore Stopover Tour, Changi Airport
- Review: Tigerair (now Scoot), Singapore to Denpasar, Bali
- Review: Premier Lounge, Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport
- Review: EVA Air Economy Class, Denpasar, Bali to Taipei
- Review: China Airlines Lounge, Taipei Taoyuan International Airport
- Review: China Airlines Business Class, Taipei to Seoul Incheon Airport
- Review: Korean Air KAL Prestige Lounge, Seoul Incheon Airport
The Plaza Premium lounge is open to all Priority Pass holders. It is located near Gate 1 in Terminal 2 at HKIA. There are technically two lounges which are adjacent to each other, and I made the mistake of waiting in line for one when I could have easily proceeded into the other on the opposite side :-/ This was the line to get in at 6:30 AM on a Saturday morning.
I chose to go into the second one based on shower facility availability. There were not any spaces available at the first one until 10 AM, but the other one had availability at 7AM. Boarding for my onward flight to Singapore was expected to commence at 7:20, so a 7AM shower slot was perfect for me.
The interior of the lounge is a bit “dark” in the sense that there are no windows or views of the tarmac, but the interior is gorgeous. It has a lot of space to roam, work and play, although it is entirely business-centric. This is definitely a transfer lounge where you are meant to come, grab a rest and optimize your dining/working/refreshing experience.
I loved how the tables were arranged, “family style” so that large groups could be accommodated in one seating area. There were also individual carrels to work, read or relax, which enabled optimal privacy.
So there are two words to describe why I loved this lounge: DIM SUM.
The spread of Chinese-style breakfast items wasn’t overly large, but the food tasted FRESH and delicious. I helped myself to some delicious dumplings, a few custard bao, a piping hot bowl of Congee (Chinese-style porridge) with fixings and some green Tea. I loved how many hot spices were available to enhance the food, and tucked in.
There is a full espresso machine along with fresh juices. There is also a plethora of western options available. WiFi is fast.
After catching up on some emails and work stuff, it was time for my shower. The shower facilities come with individual toilets, shavers, bottled water and toothbrushes. You can freshen up with all of the things that you need to proceed on your way.
The walk to the gate area was no more than 5 minutes. I had plenty of time to spare within that 20 minute window and was able to board my Singapore flight, walk-off refreshed and ready to hit the town.
This lounge is one of the most “efficient” lounges that I’ve ever been to and think that it is perfect for an early-morning Hong Kong layover. Definitely be mindful of the fact that there are two lounges and you can go into the smaller, quieter one that is, “hidden” from view. The staff was friendly as well, and everything was cleaned and bussed in a really quick manner. This was definitely the best Priority Pass lounge that I have visited in Asia so far.
