Review Royal Orchid Prestige Lounge Bangkok

This lounge is not new, but it was opened just before the pandemic outbreak. Thai had suspended virtually all flights and the Asian Kingdom's borders remained closed until July 2021. Slowly things started to improve, and so in late 2021 the flag carrier decided to reopen this lounge along with those of other airports as well, also granting access to Priority Pass holders, but not this one.

That is why it looks like it has just opened. And you have to admit, compared to other Thai lounges, it is a 1,000-meter leap forward.

There are plenty of other lounges in this area of the terminal, both independent like Prestige and official. The only one that is always open is Turkish's, while JAL opens on a hiccup basis. All others from Singapore Airlines to Qatar, Bangkok Airways to China Eastern are closed.

Location

It is located in Pier D of Bankok Airport. The capital airport is not divided into terminals, it is a large and beautiful single structure divided into zones. This lounge is located on the third floor, the floor below the security screening area, in front of gate D4. 

Access 

The lounge is reserved for the Passengers traveling in business class with Thai or with another company Star Alliance or to holders of the Gold equivalent level in one of the various aviation alliance companies.

In this case, passengers have as a benefit free access with a guest as long as they travel on the same flight.

The lounge

The exterior is anonymous, but as soon as you open the automatic doors everything changes, starting with the smiles of the receptionists. 

To the right of the entrance, there is a model of the A380 in Thai livery, hopefully a way of saying that there is still hope to see the giant of the skies that is parked on the runway today take flight again.

The reception area divides the lounge into two: to the left is the bar and part of the lounge; on the opposite, larger side are the main buffet and, continuing all the way to the back, a second bar right in front of the lounge's secondary entrance.

Reviews of the old Thai lounges were not enthusiastic; this one, on the other hand, is very beautiful and elegant. The decision to decorate the walls with a mix of real and fake plants makes it very original.

It does not face the outside of the runway, but the glass walls let in a lot of light, partly because the terminal is an immense structure of glass and steel.

Thai Airways' official colors, beige and purple, are everywhere. In the seats, in the plants, in the decorations.

The lounge is really big, there are at least 500 seats all widely spaced. There are not a lot of seating types, but the seats are very comfortable and the ambiance with these flowery walls is really relaxing.

There are, of course, also more traditional seating and workstations.

Near the buffet is an area reserved for first-class passengers, but at present Thai no longer has this cabin having grounded its A380s.

Food & Beverage

There is a main buffet where you can serve yourself, there are various hot items and also some cold ones.

Then there is an open kitchen where dishes of the day are served, in my case I had a shrimp ravioli soup. Very good.

Then there are small islands scattered in other areas of the lounge as well; when it is crowded, it is convenient to have more dedicated spaces around the lounge to avoid gatherings.

Same for refrigerators with soft drinks and beers and for hot drink machines.

For drinking, there are two bars, the main one near the reception area opposite the buffet area. 

And a second toward the secondary entrance to the lounge.

The offer is complete with everything, there is also an extensive cocktail menu from Pina Colada to Mojito to the classic Spritz. No champagne but made-in-Italy prosecco.

Services

All seats have power outlets; even the seats near the buffet have at least a couple of outlets available.

Free wi-fi is offered but the speed is embarrassingly fast; it's better to use the always-free one at the airport. It's not a splinter, but it's definitely faster than the one in the lounge.

In conclusion

If you have status with Star Alliance, this lounge is preferable to the others. I haven't had a chance to try the one in Singapore, but judging from the outside, it is nowhere near as good as this one. 

Neither is that of Turkish Airlines, another Star Alliance carrier, which operates at the airport. It is beautiful, elegant, brand new, and the food proposal very good. 

Hard to ask for more, even in non-pandemic times.