My flight from London was scheduled to arrive at 5:20AM, while my flight to Shanghai was scheduled to depart at 7:50AM, so I had a 2hr30min layover. We seemed to be one of the first arrivals of the morning, and when I showed up at the international transit security checkpoint there weren't even any staff…
Continue reading: Review: Vietnam Airlines Lounge Ho Chi Minh City Airport
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Lucky, what do you normally eat? Somehow I think you don't go too far out of your comfort zone .
@Lucky. I seem to remember seeing advertisements at SGN airport for a one day pass (more like max 4 hrs) to these lounges for around $20-30 per person. Which one of the lounges would you recommend to purchase passes for in the International and the Domestic terminals? I am heading there in a few months' time. Thanks.
Had a similar experience with the international to international transfer, although when I went there lines at immigration were clogging up the entrance to the transfer room. Immigration desks were not staffed, I was baffled at how this could happen !
I found the lounge to be quite nice although a bit crowded during the night time peak (when Europe and Australia bound flights depart).
I really liked the tarmac views.
One thing I really dislike about SGN is the amount of remote gates, I know it helps them shuffle their fleet around between domestic and international without having to tow them around. But last thing you want to do when you're wearing a suit is to walk around in the hot and humid weather of Vietnam.
Lucky rarely eats Asian food when flying J or F class on Asian airlines so let that speak for itself re: his level of knowledge re: Asian food.
Personally, I never bother with the airline lounge(s) at SGN, just head straight to the massage lounges. Last time I was there I spent four hours in the lounge. Incredibly value for money.
@Kevin A quick look at the trip reports from the past would reveal this to be quite false, particularly in the case of the Korean carriers.
Just curious as I am flying from this airport next week. Did you take a shower after this long flight?
How was the shower room in terms of convenience.
Ordering a salmon with tomato basil sauce (lunch) and shrimp noodle soup (dinner; Cantonese dish) on KE LAX-ICN and salmon with pesto cream sauce (lunch) and potato crusted orange roughy (snack) on OZ LAX-ICN isn't exactly stepping out of one's comfort zone.
I frankly don't care anyway because I don't read this blog for food recommendations.
Yes, it's a pretty good lounge compared to the old one. There is also a Priority Pass lounge in both domestic and international terminals for those not flying in a premium cabin. In country, I only ever fly Vietnam Airlines.
The price of the food on airport quite shocked me. Prices same like in US with wages 4times less. What a rip off
I went to Vietnam with Colonel James Braddock to look for missing POW's. We ran into General Trau, and some bad stuff went down.
If only US airports could learn how to organize international transfer in a more effective and professional fashion
What's the point of travelling everywhere when Lucky doesn't even bother learning the basics of a country's culture? Even a random person off the streets of LA would likely know what pho is. It is literally the most well know Vietnamese dish.
Lucky is pretty much the opposite of what Anthony Bourdain was. I'm pretty sure you wont see Lucky eating anything local from a street vendor. It's got to be a place where you can get credit card points.
As a frequent traveler to Viet Nam, I found the post about the lounge spot on. I have used this lounge several times, and it is quite an improvement over the old one. You typically don't qualify to use airline lounges on arrival. For anyone departing on Vietnam Airlines flight in a premium cabin (domestic or international), it's a great facility. Great post!
Careful with the lounge food at SGN. I've called at the Apricot Lounge 3 times recently, and twice I saw cockroaches...
I was at Orchid March 2019 and I was shocked to see people oblivious to the roach infestation. I saw them on the walls, under chairs, and in the bathroom. I lifted one chair and 5-6 scattered. I told the front desk guy and he just said thank you.
Did you pay to enter to the lounge? Or have to fly with business class?
If I fly with Economy class can I use it for free?
@Mint,
Business class flight out gets you in. No day passes to my knowledge. No use on arrival unless you're flying out to another city same day. I've often seen what appears to be Vietnamese "big shots" in the lounge and wondered if they were actually flying business.
Rick
The lounge has some + plus points. But I want to add a minus- point , that is about missing of a handicapped restroom in the lounge . A person with a wheelchair can not access to the restroom here. That seems like a discrimination to handicapped people who you may thought are not welcome or not “be able” to be here . Please correct it by making one handicapped access restroom here. Other than that, the lounge is good .
If you’re thinking of buying a ticket and you are flying economy, DON’T!!!
The young ladies in the first lounge were beautiful but because they shut early and my flight was delayed I moved to Lotus 2.
The manager there was on a power trip and wanted to hold on to my boarding pass. I felt very uncomfortable parting with my boarding pass and when I asked for it back, he was very insulting and derogatory.
I purchased the ticket and he was discriminating against me because I wasn’t business class. If they only want business class holders, why sell to economy ticket holders.
Maybe Vietnam airlines should train their staff on anti discrimination laws.
I love Vietnam but the normal people. When it comes to young lads who want to exert authority and feel they are superior, I don’t believe there’s a place for them in hospitality.
After all, they’re just the floor manager.
No brains required just decency.
How strange for an international to lounge to have just one shower which is located inside the men's toilets! Bad luck if you are a woman! Interesting last century approach to the value of women, even when they are paying customers!
You might want to amend your post to include that there are 2 shower stalls located in the female bathrooms at the Lotus Lounge, I see some comments about this. I’m using the lounge right now and the first thing I did when I arrived was use the showers.