Trying out 8 different brands of champagne! To, from and within Asia on *A in First
Feb 6, 2011, 4:39 am
#62
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Krabi and Koh Lanta
Getting from Krabi airport (on mainland Thailand) to Koh Lanta (the island where my friend currently lives) requires either going two hours by car/bus, including two car ferries, or taking a boat which also takes about two hours.
The car ferries unfortunately stop running in the evening (no 24h service), so to avoid any problems because of flight delays and to get a slightly more fun experience getting there I stayed overnight in Krabi to catch the boat the following morning instead.
I chose the Maritime hotel in Krabi, supposedly one of the better hotels in this small city.
The hotel was very good value for money but felt deserted. It was a massive hotel complex but only half of it was occupied during the night, or possibly even less.
A major advantage of the hotel was that they had a travel agency on-site and they helped me book both the boat ticket and a transfer to the ferry pier.
This meant a very relaxed morning at the hotel enjoying the pool and the surroundings before it was time to leave.
The transfer ended up being my first experience on how the Thais maximise their revenues.
Five people were booked to depart from the hotel to the pier, another four people were to be picked up from other hotels and hostels on the way, and for this they sent a smallish pickup van.
Fortunately it was only a short 10 minutes ride, but the last people had to sit at the back in open air, cramped between all the luggage.
The ferry pier was packed with people, almost entirely foreign holidaymakers going either to Koh Lanta, Phi Phi or Phuket.
The boat to Koh Lanta ended up being delayed almost an hour as they waited for some last passengers, for whatever reason. Well people weren’t exactly in a hurry anyway...
The boat ride itself was quite enjoyable although the facilities on the boat weren’t exactly modern.
The staff made several runs onboard selling beer, water and donuts.
During the last hour of the crossing the boat suddenly stopped right in the middle of the fairway.
I have never heard of pirates in the Andaman Sea, but fortunately there were just six harmless longtrail boats that docked next to the boat. They were going to collect some food and supplies from our boat as well as some passengers who were probably going to some remote villages or hotels that were hard to reach from the landside.
The ride to Koh Lanta took almost exactly two hours where we were met by a rain shower.
I thought we were going to the sun, not from it?
Well the weather got better later in the afternoon.
Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta is a nice and absolutely gorgeous island located in south-western Thailand.
The main island Lanta Yai is divided into mainly four large beaches located on the west side of the rather long island.
However in spite of the beauty of Koh Lanta I found it was way too touristic for my taste.
I don’t like going to places that are packed with my fellow countrymen, where you can sit at the breakfast table in the morning and follow almost every conversation going on around you.
That’s just not my preference of a holiday...
On the positive side though the island is really cheap and there are a massive number of excellent bars and restaurant serving absolutely superb food and drinks at bargain prices.
It didn’t matter how much I tried, I still ended up way below my budget for the visit.
I had a really fun and relaxing time with my friend really enjoying life to the fullest extent.
I wonder if he’ll ever come home again...
A first glass of Chang just after arrival in Koh Lanta. Life is good!
Klong Dao Beach, one of the main beaches
Beautiful landscape and nature
Koh Lanta by night! Fun, relaxing and entertaining, but not extreme. Just my taste!
The car ferries unfortunately stop running in the evening (no 24h service), so to avoid any problems because of flight delays and to get a slightly more fun experience getting there I stayed overnight in Krabi to catch the boat the following morning instead.
I chose the Maritime hotel in Krabi, supposedly one of the better hotels in this small city.
The hotel was very good value for money but felt deserted. It was a massive hotel complex but only half of it was occupied during the night, or possibly even less.
A major advantage of the hotel was that they had a travel agency on-site and they helped me book both the boat ticket and a transfer to the ferry pier.
This meant a very relaxed morning at the hotel enjoying the pool and the surroundings before it was time to leave.
The transfer ended up being my first experience on how the Thais maximise their revenues.
Five people were booked to depart from the hotel to the pier, another four people were to be picked up from other hotels and hostels on the way, and for this they sent a smallish pickup van.
Fortunately it was only a short 10 minutes ride, but the last people had to sit at the back in open air, cramped between all the luggage.
The ferry pier was packed with people, almost entirely foreign holidaymakers going either to Koh Lanta, Phi Phi or Phuket.
The boat to Koh Lanta ended up being delayed almost an hour as they waited for some last passengers, for whatever reason. Well people weren’t exactly in a hurry anyway...
The boat ride itself was quite enjoyable although the facilities on the boat weren’t exactly modern.
The staff made several runs onboard selling beer, water and donuts.
During the last hour of the crossing the boat suddenly stopped right in the middle of the fairway.
I have never heard of pirates in the Andaman Sea, but fortunately there were just six harmless longtrail boats that docked next to the boat. They were going to collect some food and supplies from our boat as well as some passengers who were probably going to some remote villages or hotels that were hard to reach from the landside.
The ride to Koh Lanta took almost exactly two hours where we were met by a rain shower.
I thought we were going to the sun, not from it?
Well the weather got better later in the afternoon.
Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta is a nice and absolutely gorgeous island located in south-western Thailand.
The main island Lanta Yai is divided into mainly four large beaches located on the west side of the rather long island.
However in spite of the beauty of Koh Lanta I found it was way too touristic for my taste.
I don’t like going to places that are packed with my fellow countrymen, where you can sit at the breakfast table in the morning and follow almost every conversation going on around you.
That’s just not my preference of a holiday...
On the positive side though the island is really cheap and there are a massive number of excellent bars and restaurant serving absolutely superb food and drinks at bargain prices.
It didn’t matter how much I tried, I still ended up way below my budget for the visit.
I had a really fun and relaxing time with my friend really enjoying life to the fullest extent.
I wonder if he’ll ever come home again...
A first glass of Chang just after arrival in Koh Lanta. Life is good!
Klong Dao Beach, one of the main beaches
Beautiful landscape and nature
Koh Lanta by night! Fun, relaxing and entertaining, but not extreme. Just my taste!
Last edited by jacob_m; Feb 6, 2011 at 4:56 am
Feb 6, 2011, 4:50 am
#63
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Stockholm
Programs: Various
Posts: 3,369
Great report as usual. Thanks for sharing.
Swenglish!
So many people seem to go to Thailand and Koh Lanta due to this very reason. 
I have never heard of pirates in the Andaman Sea, but fortunately there were just sex harmless longtrail boats that docked next to the boat. They were going to collect some food and supplies from our boat as well as some passengers who were probably going to some remote villages or hotels that were hard to reach from the landside.
However in spite of the beauty of Koh Lanta I found it was way too touristic for my taste.
I don’t like going to places that are packed with my fellow countrymen, where you can sit at the breakfast table in the morning and follow almost every conversation going on around you.
That’s just not my preference of a holiday...
I don’t like going to places that are packed with my fellow countrymen, where you can sit at the breakfast table in the morning and follow almost every conversation going on around you.
That’s just not my preference of a holiday...
Feb 6, 2011, 5:03 am
#64
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: In the skies of the world
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Haha! Corrected!
Well the word sex exists in the English vocabulary as well, although with a slightly different meaning...
Yeah, and that's just sad! 
There were even Scandinavian restaurants on the island.
Thailand has really become the new Canary Islands.
Well the word sex exists in the English vocabulary as well, although with a slightly different meaning...
There were even Scandinavian restaurants on the island.Thailand has really become the new Canary Islands.
Feb 6, 2011, 7:34 am
#65
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA/IAD
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Posts: 485
On the plus side for Americans, Koh Lanta still feels like an exotic place even if everyone is speaking Swedish at breakfast. 
Last March, we stayed at the Twin Bay at the north end of Klong Dao Beach. While it was still full of Scandinavians, it was isolated from the main commercial strip, and we often had a long stretch of the beach to ourselves. It was also walking distance to Saladan (or a five minute ride), which had plenty of great seafood restaurants.
Oh, and thanks for a great report!
Last March, we stayed at the Twin Bay at the north end of Klong Dao Beach. While it was still full of Scandinavians, it was isolated from the main commercial strip, and we often had a long stretch of the beach to ourselves. It was also walking distance to Saladan (or a five minute ride), which had plenty of great seafood restaurants.
Oh, and thanks for a great report!
Feb 6, 2011, 9:00 am
#66
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Royal Lanta Resort & Spa
Royal Lanta Resort & Spa
As my friend had to study at daytime I ended up staying in a hotel instead to get more facilities and a better location.
After reading some reviews and recommendations the choice fell on Royal Lanta Resort & Spa located on Klong Dao Beach, the northernmost of the four main beaches.
Another reason was the location, just a few minutes walk from Saladan, the main town on the island where the ferry pier was also located.
An excellent choice that I can warmly recommend to anybody!
My only complaint is that the running machine in the fitness centre didn’t work properly. Damn it!
I would have needed it after all the extensive meals and glasses of cheap chilled Chang.
The beachside entrance to the hotel
The pool and the main restaurant
The view from the pool area is just gorgeous
The bakery to the right
The small walkway leading from the beach through the bungalows to the reception
Inside the bungalow
The lovely reception
Return to Krabi
Having already tried the boat I decided to take a regular transfer back to Krabi airport, that meant a two hours drive in a car or a bus.
The hotel was very helpful and managed to arrange a transfer at only 300 Bath (9 USD), a bargain, and with a pick-up time that suited me perfectly. A late check-out was also arranged.
Everything seemed positive until the minivan showed up, it was absolutely packed with people and luggage.
There was however one empty seat so everything seemed OK after all, until I was told we were to pick up another two passengers.
I looked around and simply could not see any space for two more passengers and their luggage.
Well how they managed to squeeze all of us and our luggage inside I still don’t know.
We ended up being 14 people inside this small minivan (incl two small children) + the driver.
I wonder if that was even legally allowed from a safety perspective...
The drive back to Krabi would in normal circumstances have been rather pleasant, especially the first part of it with two ferry crossings in the beautiful archipelago of Koh Lanta.
However being stuck at the back of the minivan with little chance to get off if was rather a pain instead as the AC stopped when the driver switched off the engine. It became unbearable hot inside.
Back at the airport the first thing to do was to visit the restroom to change clothes.
Well the transfer was cheap, to see it from the bright side...
As my friend had to study at daytime I ended up staying in a hotel instead to get more facilities and a better location.
After reading some reviews and recommendations the choice fell on Royal Lanta Resort & Spa located on Klong Dao Beach, the northernmost of the four main beaches.
Another reason was the location, just a few minutes walk from Saladan, the main town on the island where the ferry pier was also located.
An excellent choice that I can warmly recommend to anybody!
My only complaint is that the running machine in the fitness centre didn’t work properly. Damn it!
I would have needed it after all the extensive meals and glasses of cheap chilled Chang.
The beachside entrance to the hotel
The pool and the main restaurant
The view from the pool area is just gorgeous
The bakery to the right
The small walkway leading from the beach through the bungalows to the reception
Inside the bungalow
The lovely reception
Return to Krabi
Having already tried the boat I decided to take a regular transfer back to Krabi airport, that meant a two hours drive in a car or a bus.
The hotel was very helpful and managed to arrange a transfer at only 300 Bath (9 USD), a bargain, and with a pick-up time that suited me perfectly. A late check-out was also arranged.
Everything seemed positive until the minivan showed up, it was absolutely packed with people and luggage.
There was however one empty seat so everything seemed OK after all, until I was told we were to pick up another two passengers.
I looked around and simply could not see any space for two more passengers and their luggage.
Well how they managed to squeeze all of us and our luggage inside I still don’t know.
We ended up being 14 people inside this small minivan (incl two small children) + the driver.
I wonder if that was even legally allowed from a safety perspective...
The drive back to Krabi would in normal circumstances have been rather pleasant, especially the first part of it with two ferry crossings in the beautiful archipelago of Koh Lanta.
However being stuck at the back of the minivan with little chance to get off if was rather a pain instead as the AC stopped when the driver switched off the engine. It became unbearable hot inside.
Back at the airport the first thing to do was to visit the restroom to change clothes.
Well the transfer was cheap, to see it from the bright side...
Last edited by jacob_m; Mar 13, 2011 at 10:59 am
Feb 6, 2011, 10:36 am
#67
Join Date: Apr 2010
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Programs: AS MVP 75K, DL Diamond, LH SEN, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 2,360
Feb 6, 2011, 11:36 am
#68
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
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KBV-BKK on Thai Airways in M
After two hours in a hot cramped car the feeling of arriving at Krabi airport just cannot be described in words.
It took nearly ten minutes to offload all the passengers and all the luggage in the car.
All luggage had to be x-rayed at the entrance to the terminal building and the passengers had to pass through a metal detector.
Once inside I immediately headed for the restroom to freshen up a bit and change clothes.
I had spent most of the day in the sun so my skin was aching a bit and the hot car had not really made things any better (I had quite a tan when I finally got home).
Check-in
Three desks were open for Thai Airways in the rather spacious departure hall, two desks for economy class and one desk for business class (Royal Silk) and Star Gold.
No line for the single premium desk so they were checking in economy class passengers, I am sure many people didn’t even notice there was a difference between the desks and several people glared at me as I passed the long line of people in the regular line.
A man and a woman were working at the premium check-in desk, the man actually made a comment about me looking quite warm. I am not surprised...
The check-in process was very quick and as I showed my Star Gold card the check-in agent immediately got a priority sticker from the desk.
Apparently seat 32K had been pre-booked for me, same seat as on the outbound flight.
I could imagine the check-in agent in Bangkok had something to do with it. Anyway, that was a good seat so very appreciated!! ^
Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge, Krabi
With all formalities completed it was just after 5 pm, the priority check-in really made a difference. Still two hours left before scheduled departure.
After a quick security control I was happy to find a Thai Airways lounge on the immediate left after security. It couldn’t have come more appropriately!
The lounge was completely empty when I arrived and the three or four lounge attendants working there looked very bored and were in fact quite happy when I arrived.
The lounge had the new Royal Silk lounge design which is very stylish in my opinion.
I was happy to find a rather decent selection of light food and snacks at the self-service buffet including fresh fruits, finger sandwiches and warm miniature pies and pastries.
As for dessert they had very nice and tasty pineapple pastries and blueberry cake.
The lounge was completely dry though, just like the domestic lounge in Bangkok, so only soft drinks, fruit juices, tea and coffee to drink. Fair enough...
For nearly an hour I was the only passenger in the lounge making very good use of the self-service buffet (I was both thirsty and hungry after the long afternoon) while watching TV and surfing the internet using the free WIFI.
Just after 6 pm, an hour before departure, four more passengers arrived at the lounge
On the whole the Royal Silk lounge was a very decent lounge and a positive surprise for a small domestic airport like Krabi with only three flights a day to Bangkok.
Boarding
The main transit hall in the terminal was quite small with only a small shop and a cafeteria.
Killing two hours in there would have been boring, to say the least, so I am glad I had access to the lounge.
At 6.35 pm boarding started for the evening flight to Bangkok.
The passengers seemed to have been divided into two rooms, I never quite figured out for what reason, but I would guess it depended on if you were connecting to an international flight in Bangkok or not.
Priority boarding was offered for business class and Star Gold but wasn’t properly enforced.
As on arrival all passengers took an escalator down to the ground floor and then walked the short distance to the aircraft.
A rather tropical feeling!
Quite a lot of passengers on the flight so it took a bit of time for everybody to get onboard and we ended up waiting outdoors for a few moments.
Actually a very pleasant evening with a perfect temperature in the air, very refreshing after the long hot day.
The aircraft that was to take us to Bangkok was an Airbus A300 named Phaya Thai. Not the same aircraft as on the outbound leg (it was called Chiang Mai), but the same aircraft type.
Just like on the outbound flight I had been assigned 32K, so a window seat on the second row of economy class.
The flight was very full, I think economy class was almost completely full whereas in business class there were quite a few empty seats.
I was seated next to a young Japanese man who spent most of the flight playing with his laptop.
The interior was the same as on the outbound flight, old and retro with simple but adequate economy class seats.
Otherwise the cabin itself was tidy and well-maintained.
Krabi-Bangkok, flight TG 250 operated by Thai Airways
Departure: 19:00
Arrival: 20:20
Aircraft: Airbus A300
Class: Economy Class
Seat: 32K
Expected flight time to Bangkok was 55 minutes, so slightly shorter than scheduled.
We pushed back right on time at 7 pm and after back-tracking the runway we took off at 7.12 pm from runway 34.
During the flight to Bangkok a paper box was offered to all passengers in economy class.
The box contained a cheese croissant, a chocolate chip cookie and a small orange juice.
After the boxes had been distributed the crew passed through the cabin offering coffee, tea, water and more orange juice from a trolley.
The snack was quite nice and filling and perfectly adequate for the time of the day and the length of the flight.
I wasn’t very hungry myself as I had quite a lot to eat in the lounge in Krabi, so this was perfect!
I was rather tired after a long day to I spent the remaining part of the flight dozing off while listening to some music.
Arrival in Bangkok
The weather in the Bangkok area was excellent so a very nice view was provided during the descent to Suvarnabhumi airport.
We landed 10 minutes early at 8.10 pm on runway 01R.
Sitting on the second row of economy class with a very light load in business class in front I was one of the very first passengers to get off the aircraft and the very first person from the flight to reach the baggage reclaim.
It was a rather lengthy walk to get there from the gate, but actually I did not really mind stretching my legs a bit.
More passengers started to arrive in the baggage area, however I believe a large number of passengers on the flight were connecting to international flights and headed straight for the international transit area. There are quite a lot of departures around midnight.
Baggage delivery started very quickly and the priority-tag worked like a dream.
My bag was the second to arrive on the belt and I was standing in the arrivals hall at 8.35 pm, just 25 minutes after touching down on the runway.
That’s really good for a large airport like Bangkok ^
Verdict
I was very pleased with the lounge in Krabi, much better than expected. The lounge was in fact really pleasant with nice food and drinks and an elegant interior.
It would have been even better though with some nice Thai beer as well...
The flight itself was unremarkable but the small snack was nice and adequate.
A hands up for the arrival in Bangkok, the quick baggage delivery and the priority baggage coming out first (as it should). Saved me a fair amount of time...
But now back to the real first class flights again!
It took nearly ten minutes to offload all the passengers and all the luggage in the car.
All luggage had to be x-rayed at the entrance to the terminal building and the passengers had to pass through a metal detector.
Once inside I immediately headed for the restroom to freshen up a bit and change clothes.
I had spent most of the day in the sun so my skin was aching a bit and the hot car had not really made things any better (I had quite a tan when I finally got home).
Check-in
Three desks were open for Thai Airways in the rather spacious departure hall, two desks for economy class and one desk for business class (Royal Silk) and Star Gold.
No line for the single premium desk so they were checking in economy class passengers, I am sure many people didn’t even notice there was a difference between the desks and several people glared at me as I passed the long line of people in the regular line.
A man and a woman were working at the premium check-in desk, the man actually made a comment about me looking quite warm. I am not surprised...
The check-in process was very quick and as I showed my Star Gold card the check-in agent immediately got a priority sticker from the desk.
Apparently seat 32K had been pre-booked for me, same seat as on the outbound flight.
I could imagine the check-in agent in Bangkok had something to do with it. Anyway, that was a good seat so very appreciated!! ^
Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge, Krabi
With all formalities completed it was just after 5 pm, the priority check-in really made a difference. Still two hours left before scheduled departure.
After a quick security control I was happy to find a Thai Airways lounge on the immediate left after security. It couldn’t have come more appropriately!
The lounge was completely empty when I arrived and the three or four lounge attendants working there looked very bored and were in fact quite happy when I arrived.
The lounge had the new Royal Silk lounge design which is very stylish in my opinion.
I was happy to find a rather decent selection of light food and snacks at the self-service buffet including fresh fruits, finger sandwiches and warm miniature pies and pastries.
As for dessert they had very nice and tasty pineapple pastries and blueberry cake.
The lounge was completely dry though, just like the domestic lounge in Bangkok, so only soft drinks, fruit juices, tea and coffee to drink. Fair enough...
For nearly an hour I was the only passenger in the lounge making very good use of the self-service buffet (I was both thirsty and hungry after the long afternoon) while watching TV and surfing the internet using the free WIFI.
Just after 6 pm, an hour before departure, four more passengers arrived at the lounge
On the whole the Royal Silk lounge was a very decent lounge and a positive surprise for a small domestic airport like Krabi with only three flights a day to Bangkok.
Boarding
The main transit hall in the terminal was quite small with only a small shop and a cafeteria.
Killing two hours in there would have been boring, to say the least, so I am glad I had access to the lounge.
At 6.35 pm boarding started for the evening flight to Bangkok.
The passengers seemed to have been divided into two rooms, I never quite figured out for what reason, but I would guess it depended on if you were connecting to an international flight in Bangkok or not.
Priority boarding was offered for business class and Star Gold but wasn’t properly enforced.
As on arrival all passengers took an escalator down to the ground floor and then walked the short distance to the aircraft.
A rather tropical feeling!
Quite a lot of passengers on the flight so it took a bit of time for everybody to get onboard and we ended up waiting outdoors for a few moments.
Actually a very pleasant evening with a perfect temperature in the air, very refreshing after the long hot day.
The aircraft that was to take us to Bangkok was an Airbus A300 named Phaya Thai. Not the same aircraft as on the outbound leg (it was called Chiang Mai), but the same aircraft type.
Just like on the outbound flight I had been assigned 32K, so a window seat on the second row of economy class.
The flight was very full, I think economy class was almost completely full whereas in business class there were quite a few empty seats.
I was seated next to a young Japanese man who spent most of the flight playing with his laptop.
The interior was the same as on the outbound flight, old and retro with simple but adequate economy class seats.
Otherwise the cabin itself was tidy and well-maintained.
Krabi-Bangkok, flight TG 250 operated by Thai Airways
Departure: 19:00
Arrival: 20:20
Aircraft: Airbus A300
Class: Economy Class
Seat: 32K
Expected flight time to Bangkok was 55 minutes, so slightly shorter than scheduled.
We pushed back right on time at 7 pm and after back-tracking the runway we took off at 7.12 pm from runway 34.
During the flight to Bangkok a paper box was offered to all passengers in economy class.
The box contained a cheese croissant, a chocolate chip cookie and a small orange juice.
After the boxes had been distributed the crew passed through the cabin offering coffee, tea, water and more orange juice from a trolley.
The snack was quite nice and filling and perfectly adequate for the time of the day and the length of the flight.
I wasn’t very hungry myself as I had quite a lot to eat in the lounge in Krabi, so this was perfect!
I was rather tired after a long day to I spent the remaining part of the flight dozing off while listening to some music.
Arrival in Bangkok
The weather in the Bangkok area was excellent so a very nice view was provided during the descent to Suvarnabhumi airport.
We landed 10 minutes early at 8.10 pm on runway 01R.
Sitting on the second row of economy class with a very light load in business class in front I was one of the very first passengers to get off the aircraft and the very first person from the flight to reach the baggage reclaim.
It was a rather lengthy walk to get there from the gate, but actually I did not really mind stretching my legs a bit.
More passengers started to arrive in the baggage area, however I believe a large number of passengers on the flight were connecting to international flights and headed straight for the international transit area. There are quite a lot of departures around midnight.
Baggage delivery started very quickly and the priority-tag worked like a dream.
My bag was the second to arrive on the belt and I was standing in the arrivals hall at 8.35 pm, just 25 minutes after touching down on the runway.
That’s really good for a large airport like Bangkok ^
Verdict
I was very pleased with the lounge in Krabi, much better than expected. The lounge was in fact really pleasant with nice food and drinks and an elegant interior.
It would have been even better though with some nice Thai beer as well...
The flight itself was unremarkable but the small snack was nice and adequate.
A hands up for the arrival in Bangkok, the quick baggage delivery and the priority baggage coming out first (as it should). Saved me a fair amount of time...
But now back to the real first class flights again!
Last edited by jacob_m; Feb 26, 2011 at 10:43 am
Feb 6, 2011, 12:03 pm
#69
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: In the skies of the world
Programs: SAS Gold, FB Gold, BA Gold, EY Silver
Posts: 3,167
Many thanks for the comments!
Yes, I still don't know how to pre-book seats for Thai.
Tried the Thai webpage, several airlines and booking pages using Amadeus, but no luck.
However since I had been pre-assigned a seat on the return leg KBV-BKK, it should be possible to do.
Tried the Thai webpage, several airlines and booking pages using Amadeus, but no luck.
However since I had been pre-assigned a seat on the return leg KBV-BKK, it should be possible to do.
Feb 6, 2011, 1:06 pm
#70
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: In the skies of the world
Programs: SAS Gold, FB Gold, BA Gold, EY Silver
Posts: 3,167
Novotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
As I was arriving at Bangkok airport in the evening and had an onward flight already the following morning the only wise thing to do was to book a room at the airport.
As far as I know there is only one hotel at the airport - the Novotel. So not much to think about...
The Novotel hotel at Bangkok hotel is a massive hotel with 612 rooms, 4 restaurants and 2 bars.
The hotel is supposedly only a 10 minute walk from the terminal, but there is also a free airport shuttle running around the clock, every 10 minutes.
Arrival at the hotel
It was quite easy to find the hotel shuttle, it leaves from level 2 exit 4 at the terminal building.
Personally I could just as well have walked the short distance from the terminal building, but it was actually easier to find the hotel shuttle than instructions and directions on how to walk to the hotel.
After a short drive we arrived at the Novotel hotel where a bell boy got the luggage from the shuttle bus.
The first thing you take notice of when entering the hotel is the huge lobby. It is really impressive! An enormous, spotless and very modern atrium!
Fortunately there are lots of signs so guests can find their way around, it wasn’t completely obvious where to go to check in.
Check-in was very quick at the incredibly stylish reception area, right in the middle of the atrium. Never seen anything quite like it before...
My A-Club number was also entered in the reservation, although all my A-Club points (earned at Novotel, Mercure, Sofitel etc) are automatically transferred to my Flying Blue account.
The massive atrium
The reception
First sight when entering the hotel
The room
The room was very nicely decorated, rather spacious and with an incredibly comfortable bed.
Rather interestingly there was also a window between the bathroom and the room. Although it looked pretty cool I’m not quite sure of the purpose. To sneak at your partner taking a shower perhaps?!
There was WIFI available at the hotel, but unfortunately you had to pay for it.
The room and the working area
The really comfortable bed
The window between the room and the bathroom
Verdict
A very convenient hotel for passengers connecting at Suvarnabhumi airport or having an early departure. Considering the bad traffic in Bangkok quite a bit of time can be saved by staying at the airport instead.
The room was rather nice, the service excellent, and the lobby and atrium most impressive.
As I only stayed a few hours I never got to try the other facilities available, there is a fitness centre and an outdoor swimming pool for example, and of course plenty of restaurants.
The hotel is slightly expensive (compared to other hotels in Thailand) but worth the money in my opinion considering the location, the standard and all the facilities available.
As far as I know there is only one hotel at the airport - the Novotel. So not much to think about...
The Novotel hotel at Bangkok hotel is a massive hotel with 612 rooms, 4 restaurants and 2 bars.
The hotel is supposedly only a 10 minute walk from the terminal, but there is also a free airport shuttle running around the clock, every 10 minutes.
Arrival at the hotel
It was quite easy to find the hotel shuttle, it leaves from level 2 exit 4 at the terminal building.
Personally I could just as well have walked the short distance from the terminal building, but it was actually easier to find the hotel shuttle than instructions and directions on how to walk to the hotel.
After a short drive we arrived at the Novotel hotel where a bell boy got the luggage from the shuttle bus.
The first thing you take notice of when entering the hotel is the huge lobby. It is really impressive! An enormous, spotless and very modern atrium!
Fortunately there are lots of signs so guests can find their way around, it wasn’t completely obvious where to go to check in.
Check-in was very quick at the incredibly stylish reception area, right in the middle of the atrium. Never seen anything quite like it before...
My A-Club number was also entered in the reservation, although all my A-Club points (earned at Novotel, Mercure, Sofitel etc) are automatically transferred to my Flying Blue account.
The massive atrium
The reception
First sight when entering the hotel
The room
The room was very nicely decorated, rather spacious and with an incredibly comfortable bed.
Rather interestingly there was also a window between the bathroom and the room. Although it looked pretty cool I’m not quite sure of the purpose. To sneak at your partner taking a shower perhaps?!
There was WIFI available at the hotel, but unfortunately you had to pay for it.
The room and the working area
The really comfortable bed
The window between the room and the bathroom
Verdict
A very convenient hotel for passengers connecting at Suvarnabhumi airport or having an early departure. Considering the bad traffic in Bangkok quite a bit of time can be saved by staying at the airport instead.
The room was rather nice, the service excellent, and the lobby and atrium most impressive.
As I only stayed a few hours I never got to try the other facilities available, there is a fitness centre and an outdoor swimming pool for example, and of course plenty of restaurants.
The hotel is slightly expensive (compared to other hotels in Thailand) but worth the money in my opinion considering the location, the standard and all the facilities available.
Feb 6, 2011, 1:44 pm
#71
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Stockholm
Programs: Various
Posts: 3,369
This is quite common at Radisson Blu hotels. Not sure either what the purpose is.
Feb 6, 2011, 2:37 pm
#72
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Your descriptions, photos and refreshing enthusiasm combine to make this a very enjoyable trip report. I have got to find a way to fly Lufthansa First Class someday. And those bungalows look pretty nice too! Well done!
Feb 7, 2011, 1:59 pm
#73
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: In the skies of the world
Programs: SAS Gold, FB Gold, BA Gold, EY Silver
Posts: 3,167
Thai Airways Royal First ground services and lounge in Bangkok
My alarm clock went off already in the wee hours at 5 am. Definitely not my cup of tea...
Over three hours left until departure time of my flight, and the terminal building was only a few minutes walk away. But if you have access to one of the best first class lounges in the world it would be a waste to spend the whole morning sleeping...
After a refreshing shower and a quick cup of coffee I caught the 5.40 am shuttle bus back to the terminal, a short five minutes ride.
Check-in
Thai Airways has a dedicated first class check-in area at the far end of the terminal building at check-in island A. The entrance is very clearly marked and absolutely can’t be missed.
As I approached the entrance I was met by a friendly man who greeted me. He asked for my destination as well as airline and class of service.
When he was satisfied I was a genuine Thai Airways Royal First passenger he immediately took my suitcase and escorted me inside.
I was invited to take a seat in the very nicely decorated check-in lobby and he waited patiently until I had found my passport and booking confirmation in my bag. No hurry whatsoever...
He also asked to what destination I wanted my suitcase checked.
When I had answered all his questions and given him all relevant documents he disappeared inside another room next to the seating area.
It was a very relaxed experience sitting in the comfortable armchairs while all the formalities were taken care of for me just around the corner. No stress, no noise, and no line of people waiting impatiently behind.
The only thing missing would be a nice chilled drink.
In the past I think you could actually see check-in counter from the seating area, but nowadays there is a wall in-between.
A few moments later a woman arrived at my seat with my boarding pass and baggage receipt.
She showed me the baggage receipt and that my suitcase had been tagged as requested and handed me my first class boarding pass with my pre-assigned seat.
After I had collected my belongings she asked me to follow her and we went through a rather deserted corridor and eventually ended up at the dedicated first and business class passport control and security control.
No wait whatsoever and the woman patiently waited for me at each counter.
I must have been really tired this morning and actually managed to forget my jacket at the security control. I was not really used to carrying around a jacket, given the warm weather in Thailand. Actually I don’t think anything similar has ever happened before...
Fortunately a very observant Thai gate agent, who passed through security right after me, noticed the mistake and alerted me as I was just about to leave.
Much appreciated! It would not have been fun to continue travelling without a jacket.
After descending the escalator the woman asked me to take a seat on the small golf cart, she wished me a nice flight and handed the driver my lounge invitation (which I actually never got to see).
We were quickly on our way and passed through the entire business/Royal Silk lounge, then through the regular transit hall until we finally arrived at the entrance to the Royal First lounge.
People just kept staring at me, but although I normally don’t mind walking I have to admit it was a very comfortable way of passing through the airport formalities.
As we arrived at the entrance to the Royal First lounge the driver gave my lounge invitation to the lounge attendants at the reception and I was immediately invited inside and escorted to an empty seat by the friendly female lounge attendant.
They even saved me the time and hassle having to present my boarding pass at the reception, really everything was taken care of for me.
That’s First Class service for sure!
Thai Airways Royal First Lounge, Bangkok
The Royal First lounge in Bangkok is quite large with a large main lounge area and several smaller rooms for those who prefer more privacy.
The decor is quite elegant with a stylish and luxurious interior, without being tacky.
The lounge was very empty when I arrived just after 6 am. I had in fact made it from the hotel reception to the lounge in just 20 minutes.
I decided to have a seat in the main lounge area and immediately as I had taken a seat a male lounge attendant arrived at my seat, wished me a cheery good morning, and handed me the menu for the lounge.
I asked to have a proper look in the menu before making up my mind, which obviously wasn’t a problem. In the meantime I ordered a glass of orange juice.
The menu
The menu of the first class lounge was really extensive, it was presented in a rather nice brown leather binder.
While the lounge attendant disappeared to prepare my drink I quickly took photos of the menu. Given that the menu contained as many as 14 pages I barely had time to finish before he was back again.
I am not sure if the lounge menu has been posted before, but no matter what here it goes!
Quite an impressive menu, enjoy!
Breakfast
As the lounge attendant returned with my orange juice I asked if I should order the food from him or make my way to the buffet room in the lounge to choose from the dishes there.
He very persistently told me I should order everything from him, and he would do his outmost to accommodate my order.
Since I had not eaten anything yet, just a quick cup of coffee in the hotel room, I ordered a full breakfast with yoghurt, omelette, bread and cheese.
A moment later he was back with the yoghurt and a very nice cheese plate with crackers and grapes.
After a few minutes he also arrived with the hot breakfast. A rather tasty omelette served with ham and bacon. Everything was very fresh and well presented and they even brought some sauces and spices.
I also asked for a cup of freshly brewed black coffee.
Yoghurt and a nice cheese plate
Omelette, ham and bacon
Very nice bread basket with four different types of bread
As I had finished the breakfast I started thinking there was just one thing missing for a complete first class experience - a glass of bubbly!
As the lounge attendant was back I asked if it was too early to order a glass of champagne. He looked at me strangely, the large electric clock on the wall right behind said 6.50 am, but eventually he nodded and headed back to the bar counter in the lounge to prepare the drink.
A moment later I had a glass of chilled Moet on my table. That’s the way to start a day!
A glass of Moet to start the day
As I had a fair amount of time left until departure I had a quick look around the lounge to stretch my legs and digest some of the food.
I had a look inside the buffet room where all the different dishes (at least cold ones) are on display. However even if you actually venture there, rather than ordering from an attendant, there is no way they will let you grab anything yourself from the buffet.
You point and they do the work...
Visiting the restroom was also a bit of an experience.
The area actually has a small waiting room with a large comfortable sofa. I am not sure in what situation you would actually sit there, but it was quite a nice and elegant setting nevertheless.
There were two Thai women working in the restroom area and I seriously believe they cleaned the toilet after every visit. The place was absolutely spotless!
A few more passengers arrived around 7 am, but the lounge was never even close to crowded.
And 6-8 am should be rush hour at Bangkok airport with lots of arrivals around 6 am and many departures around 8 am.
During my visit the staff easily outnumbered the passengers in the lounge and for that reason it was incredibly difficult to take photos discreetly. The service was simply too attentive!
So the photos from the lounge are perhaps not the best...
After an hour and a half I left the lounge to spend my remaining Bath in the tax-free area before departure, it ended up being a very tasty Macallan.
As I passed the reception on my way out the lounge attendant at the reception quickly approached me and asked me on what flight I was leaving.
She had a list of every Thai Airways flight leaving in the morning with a first class cabin onboard which also included the names of all the passengers on these flights.
As she had found my flight and my name she ticked me off the list telling me she did so to make sure they would not start looking for me in the lounge.
I think they were also to arrange some kind of transfer or escort from the lounge to the gate.
The main entrance to the Royal First lounge
Verdict
Really one of the best first class lounges in the Star Alliance network.
Very nice interior with comfortable sofas and armchairs and a wonderful service from a team of very dedicated lounge attendants who easily outnumbered the guests in the lounge.
Really excellent menu and drink list as well, with everything available for order at any time during the visit.
Maybe the drink list can’t match the one at the first class terminal in Frankfurt, but it does come pretty close!
Over three hours left until departure time of my flight, and the terminal building was only a few minutes walk away. But if you have access to one of the best first class lounges in the world it would be a waste to spend the whole morning sleeping...
After a refreshing shower and a quick cup of coffee I caught the 5.40 am shuttle bus back to the terminal, a short five minutes ride.
Check-in
Thai Airways has a dedicated first class check-in area at the far end of the terminal building at check-in island A. The entrance is very clearly marked and absolutely can’t be missed.
As I approached the entrance I was met by a friendly man who greeted me. He asked for my destination as well as airline and class of service.
When he was satisfied I was a genuine Thai Airways Royal First passenger he immediately took my suitcase and escorted me inside.
I was invited to take a seat in the very nicely decorated check-in lobby and he waited patiently until I had found my passport and booking confirmation in my bag. No hurry whatsoever...
He also asked to what destination I wanted my suitcase checked.
When I had answered all his questions and given him all relevant documents he disappeared inside another room next to the seating area.
It was a very relaxed experience sitting in the comfortable armchairs while all the formalities were taken care of for me just around the corner. No stress, no noise, and no line of people waiting impatiently behind.
The only thing missing would be a nice chilled drink.
In the past I think you could actually see check-in counter from the seating area, but nowadays there is a wall in-between.
A few moments later a woman arrived at my seat with my boarding pass and baggage receipt.
She showed me the baggage receipt and that my suitcase had been tagged as requested and handed me my first class boarding pass with my pre-assigned seat.
After I had collected my belongings she asked me to follow her and we went through a rather deserted corridor and eventually ended up at the dedicated first and business class passport control and security control.
No wait whatsoever and the woman patiently waited for me at each counter.
I must have been really tired this morning and actually managed to forget my jacket at the security control. I was not really used to carrying around a jacket, given the warm weather in Thailand. Actually I don’t think anything similar has ever happened before...
Fortunately a very observant Thai gate agent, who passed through security right after me, noticed the mistake and alerted me as I was just about to leave.
Much appreciated! It would not have been fun to continue travelling without a jacket.
After descending the escalator the woman asked me to take a seat on the small golf cart, she wished me a nice flight and handed the driver my lounge invitation (which I actually never got to see).
We were quickly on our way and passed through the entire business/Royal Silk lounge, then through the regular transit hall until we finally arrived at the entrance to the Royal First lounge.
People just kept staring at me, but although I normally don’t mind walking I have to admit it was a very comfortable way of passing through the airport formalities.
As we arrived at the entrance to the Royal First lounge the driver gave my lounge invitation to the lounge attendants at the reception and I was immediately invited inside and escorted to an empty seat by the friendly female lounge attendant.
They even saved me the time and hassle having to present my boarding pass at the reception, really everything was taken care of for me.
That’s First Class service for sure!
Thai Airways Royal First Lounge, Bangkok
The Royal First lounge in Bangkok is quite large with a large main lounge area and several smaller rooms for those who prefer more privacy.
The decor is quite elegant with a stylish and luxurious interior, without being tacky.
The lounge was very empty when I arrived just after 6 am. I had in fact made it from the hotel reception to the lounge in just 20 minutes.
I decided to have a seat in the main lounge area and immediately as I had taken a seat a male lounge attendant arrived at my seat, wished me a cheery good morning, and handed me the menu for the lounge.
I asked to have a proper look in the menu before making up my mind, which obviously wasn’t a problem. In the meantime I ordered a glass of orange juice.
The menu
The menu of the first class lounge was really extensive, it was presented in a rather nice brown leather binder.
While the lounge attendant disappeared to prepare my drink I quickly took photos of the menu. Given that the menu contained as many as 14 pages I barely had time to finish before he was back again.
I am not sure if the lounge menu has been posted before, but no matter what here it goes!
Quite an impressive menu, enjoy!
Menu Thai Airways Royal First Lounge, Bangkok
Breakfast
Pork congee
Chinese doughnut
Boiled rice with fish
Selection of breads
Assorted pies, assorted cakes
Omelette / Scrambled eggs / Fried egg
With ham, bacon and sausage
Yoghurt
Cereals, cornflakes
Seasonal fresh fruits
Fresh juice
Snack
Cashew nut
Assorted nuts
Potato chips
Spring rolls
French fried
Shrimp cocktail
Dim sum
Fried prawn cake
Sandwiches
Traditional sandwiches (cheese, ham tuna)
Toasted ham and cheese sandwiches
Club sandwiches
Soup
Chicken soup
Cod steam soup
Mushroom steam soup
Tom Yum Goong
Giew Nam Goong
Salads
Garden salad with choice of ham, shrimp, chicken
Choice of dressing:
Thousand island
French
Balsamic
Thai herb
Japanese
Main Course
Phad Thai Goong (Stir fied noodles with shrimp in tamarind sauce)
Paho-Phad (Fried rice with shrimp, chicken or ham)
Grilled duck with egg noodle
Khang Keiw Wan (Green curry with chicken, shrimp or beef)
Kai Phad Med Ma-Muang Himmapan (Stir fried chicken with cashew nut, goat pepper and onions)
Grilled pork chops or beef-Thai style
Noodle soup with chicken and shrimp ball
Continental Dish
Pork chops
Beef steak
Fish and chips with tartar sauce
Spaghetti with carbonara sauce
Buffet Corner
Assorted cheeses
Bakery
Selection of breads
Assorted pies
Assorted cakes
Assorted cookies
Desserts
Ice cream (Vanilla, Chocolate)
Coffee
Regular coffee
Cappuccino
Latte
Espresso
Decaffeinated coffee
Hoc cocoa
Hot chocolate
Hot chocolate malt
Tea
English breakfast tea
Earl grey tea
Black tea
Green tea
Jasmine tea
OO-Long tea
Peppermint tea
Camomile tea
Selection of fruit tea
Juices
Apple, Grape, Guava, Orange, Pineapple
Tomato, Carrot and Mixed Fruit
Soft Drinks
7 Up, Sprite
Coke, Pepsi
Coke Light
Ginger Ale
Soda Water
Tonic Water
Cold Drinks
Iced tea
Iced coffee
Iced chocolate
Mineral Water
Evian
Perrier
Champagne
Moet & Chandon Imperial
White Wine
Chardonnay, Georges Duboeuf 2007 France
Sauvignon Semillon, Cape Mentelle 2008 Australia
Red Wine
Chateau Belregard-Figeac 2004 France
Chateau Villa Bel-Air 2005 France
Beers
Chang
Heineken
Singha
Apertitifs
Campari
Martini, Dry
Martini, Rosso
Gin & Vodka
Bombay Sapphire
Gilbey
Absolut
Smirnoff
Rum
Bacardi
Captain Morgan Black Label
Thai rum Mae Khong
Tequila
Pepe Lopez
Whisky
Chivas Regal
Chivas Regal Royal Salute
Johnnie Walker Black Label
Glenmorangie Single Malt
Jack Daniel’s
Cognac
Hennessy V.S.O.P
Hennessy X.O
Liqueurs
Amaretto
Baileys Irish cream
Cherry Heering
Crème de Menthe Verte
Drambuie
Galliano
Kahlua
Malibu
Port & Sherry
Taylor’s Tawny
Harvey’s Bristol cream
Cocktails
007
Americano
Black Russian
Bloody Mary
Dry Martini
Kamikaze
Long Island
Mai Tai
Manhattan
Margarita
Mojito
Singapore Sling
Whisky Sour
Wine & Champagne Cocktails
Spritzer
Buck’s Fizz
Champagne Mojito
Non Alcoholic Cocktails
Fruit Punch
Sparkling Pine
Breakfast
Pork congee
Chinese doughnut
Boiled rice with fish
Selection of breads
Assorted pies, assorted cakes
Omelette / Scrambled eggs / Fried egg
With ham, bacon and sausage
Yoghurt
Cereals, cornflakes
Seasonal fresh fruits
Fresh juice
Snack
Cashew nut
Assorted nuts
Potato chips
Spring rolls
French fried
Shrimp cocktail
Dim sum
Fried prawn cake
Sandwiches
Traditional sandwiches (cheese, ham tuna)
Toasted ham and cheese sandwiches
Club sandwiches
Soup
Chicken soup
Cod steam soup
Mushroom steam soup
Tom Yum Goong
Giew Nam Goong
Salads
Garden salad with choice of ham, shrimp, chicken
Choice of dressing:
Thousand island
French
Balsamic
Thai herb
Japanese
Main Course
Phad Thai Goong (Stir fied noodles with shrimp in tamarind sauce)
Paho-Phad (Fried rice with shrimp, chicken or ham)
Grilled duck with egg noodle
Khang Keiw Wan (Green curry with chicken, shrimp or beef)
Kai Phad Med Ma-Muang Himmapan (Stir fried chicken with cashew nut, goat pepper and onions)
Grilled pork chops or beef-Thai style
Noodle soup with chicken and shrimp ball
Continental Dish
Pork chops
Beef steak
Fish and chips with tartar sauce
Spaghetti with carbonara sauce
Buffet Corner
Assorted cheeses
Bakery
Selection of breads
Assorted pies
Assorted cakes
Assorted cookies
Desserts
Ice cream (Vanilla, Chocolate)
Coffee
Regular coffee
Cappuccino
Latte
Espresso
Decaffeinated coffee
Hoc cocoa
Hot chocolate
Hot chocolate malt
Tea
English breakfast tea
Earl grey tea
Black tea
Green tea
Jasmine tea
OO-Long tea
Peppermint tea
Camomile tea
Selection of fruit tea
Juices
Apple, Grape, Guava, Orange, Pineapple
Tomato, Carrot and Mixed Fruit
Soft Drinks
7 Up, Sprite
Coke, Pepsi
Coke Light
Ginger Ale
Soda Water
Tonic Water
Cold Drinks
Iced tea
Iced coffee
Iced chocolate
Mineral Water
Evian
Perrier
Champagne
Moet & Chandon Imperial
White Wine
Chardonnay, Georges Duboeuf 2007 France
Sauvignon Semillon, Cape Mentelle 2008 Australia
Red Wine
Chateau Belregard-Figeac 2004 France
Chateau Villa Bel-Air 2005 France
Beers
Chang
Heineken
Singha
Apertitifs
Campari
Martini, Dry
Martini, Rosso
Gin & Vodka
Bombay Sapphire
Gilbey
Absolut
Smirnoff
Rum
Bacardi
Captain Morgan Black Label
Thai rum Mae Khong
Tequila
Pepe Lopez
Whisky
Chivas Regal
Chivas Regal Royal Salute
Johnnie Walker Black Label
Glenmorangie Single Malt
Jack Daniel’s
Cognac
Hennessy V.S.O.P
Hennessy X.O
Liqueurs
Amaretto
Baileys Irish cream
Cherry Heering
Crème de Menthe Verte
Drambuie
Galliano
Kahlua
Malibu
Port & Sherry
Taylor’s Tawny
Harvey’s Bristol cream
Cocktails
007
Americano
Black Russian
Bloody Mary
Dry Martini
Kamikaze
Long Island
Mai Tai
Manhattan
Margarita
Mojito
Singapore Sling
Whisky Sour
Wine & Champagne Cocktails
Spritzer
Buck’s Fizz
Champagne Mojito
Non Alcoholic Cocktails
Fruit Punch
Sparkling Pine
As the lounge attendant returned with my orange juice I asked if I should order the food from him or make my way to the buffet room in the lounge to choose from the dishes there.
He very persistently told me I should order everything from him, and he would do his outmost to accommodate my order.
Since I had not eaten anything yet, just a quick cup of coffee in the hotel room, I ordered a full breakfast with yoghurt, omelette, bread and cheese.
A moment later he was back with the yoghurt and a very nice cheese plate with crackers and grapes.
After a few minutes he also arrived with the hot breakfast. A rather tasty omelette served with ham and bacon. Everything was very fresh and well presented and they even brought some sauces and spices.
I also asked for a cup of freshly brewed black coffee.
Yoghurt and a nice cheese plate
Omelette, ham and bacon
Very nice bread basket with four different types of bread
As I had finished the breakfast I started thinking there was just one thing missing for a complete first class experience - a glass of bubbly!
As the lounge attendant was back I asked if it was too early to order a glass of champagne. He looked at me strangely, the large electric clock on the wall right behind said 6.50 am, but eventually he nodded and headed back to the bar counter in the lounge to prepare the drink.
A moment later I had a glass of chilled Moet on my table. That’s the way to start a day!
A glass of Moet to start the day
As I had a fair amount of time left until departure I had a quick look around the lounge to stretch my legs and digest some of the food.
I had a look inside the buffet room where all the different dishes (at least cold ones) are on display. However even if you actually venture there, rather than ordering from an attendant, there is no way they will let you grab anything yourself from the buffet.
You point and they do the work...
Visiting the restroom was also a bit of an experience.
The area actually has a small waiting room with a large comfortable sofa. I am not sure in what situation you would actually sit there, but it was quite a nice and elegant setting nevertheless.
There were two Thai women working in the restroom area and I seriously believe they cleaned the toilet after every visit. The place was absolutely spotless!
A few more passengers arrived around 7 am, but the lounge was never even close to crowded.
And 6-8 am should be rush hour at Bangkok airport with lots of arrivals around 6 am and many departures around 8 am.
During my visit the staff easily outnumbered the passengers in the lounge and for that reason it was incredibly difficult to take photos discreetly. The service was simply too attentive!
So the photos from the lounge are perhaps not the best...
After an hour and a half I left the lounge to spend my remaining Bath in the tax-free area before departure, it ended up being a very tasty Macallan.
As I passed the reception on my way out the lounge attendant at the reception quickly approached me and asked me on what flight I was leaving.
She had a list of every Thai Airways flight leaving in the morning with a first class cabin onboard which also included the names of all the passengers on these flights.
As she had found my flight and my name she ticked me off the list telling me she did so to make sure they would not start looking for me in the lounge.
I think they were also to arrange some kind of transfer or escort from the lounge to the gate.
The main entrance to the Royal First lounge
Verdict
Really one of the best first class lounges in the Star Alliance network.
Very nice interior with comfortable sofas and armchairs and a wonderful service from a team of very dedicated lounge attendants who easily outnumbered the guests in the lounge.
Really excellent menu and drink list as well, with everything available for order at any time during the visit.
Maybe the drink list can’t match the one at the first class terminal in Frankfurt, but it does come pretty close!
Last edited by jacob_m; Feb 13, 2011 at 11:21 am
Feb 7, 2011, 2:29 pm
#74
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bodø, Norway
Programs: SK*G/EBD, Le Club Accor Plat, Club Carlson Concierge, Hilton Gold
Posts: 537
TGs first class lounge is just fabulous and a real haven when traveling ^
Got my next trip there lined up in April; BKK-HKG with a nice 1600 departure time to enjoy the sanctuary the lounge is to the max
Then I have the LH first class lounges at FRA lined up i June so 2011 should be a great years for lounging
Thanks again for an inspiring report!
Cheers
Stein
Got my next trip there lined up in April; BKK-HKG with a nice 1600 departure time to enjoy the sanctuary the lounge is to the max
Then I have the LH first class lounges at FRA lined up i June so 2011 should be a great years for lounging
Thanks again for an inspiring report!
Cheers
Stein
Feb 7, 2011, 3:54 pm
#75
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Wellington
Programs: QFWP (LTSG), NZ (Jade), TG ROP (Forgotten), OZ (Silver), AA (Cardboard), EK (Lowest of the Low)
Posts: 4,669
Hi jacob_m I am enjoying this ongoign trip report.
A question, did the First Class lounge attendant enquire if you wanted a Spa treatment?
I remember that First Class passengers get priority and also a full body treatment if they wish. I thought you would have indulged in this if you had the opportunity.
A question, did the First Class lounge attendant enquire if you wanted a Spa treatment?
I remember that First Class passengers get priority and also a full body treatment if they wish. I thought you would have indulged in this if you had the opportunity.