Plaza Premium gate1 Hong Kong Lounge
The Hong Kong Plaza Premium lounge beside gate 1 (previously known as the 'east' lounge) is a decent, if not exceptional, pay-in lounge.
The lounge is all underground, without windows, and this can lead to a somewhat claustrophobic feeling with at much furniture as possible crammed into two not overly large rooms.
However, the lounge is well-furnished with comfortable seating, shower rooms, a dining area, buffet catering, noodle bar and with wine and beer on draft.
There is free Wi-Fi and if you can get a booth to yourself at the back, is an acceptable lounge for a few hours. However, the Plaza lounge at Gate 35 is vastly better.
Hong Kong Plaza Premium gate1 lounge review
The Plaza Premium gate1 Hong Kong Lounge is conveniently located near Gate 1 at the South Departures Hall in Hong Kong International Airport. The lounge is well-furnished with comfortable seating, shower rooms, dining area, Wi-Fi and as much furniture as it can possibly cram in, but without any natural daylight.
First though, you have to get into the lounge, and that means queuing around the tensa-barrier to the left of the main door, which is kept free - woe beside you if you just wander in, rather than joining the snaking queue outside for you to hand over your invite to the lounge attendants. At busy times - which is to say most of the day - the lounge is reserved for those with invite cards from their respective airlines, so make sure you received one at check in.
Then, when you are in, the Plaza Premium Lounge at Hong Kong Airport at Gate 1 is nothing special: indeed there is a vastly better Plaza lounge at the other end of the airport, by gate 35.
However, many passengers choose to come here for the cooked-to-order food and a well-stocked bar.
Once you enter, you are in the main central room, with the noodle bar on the left, a row of solo chairs acting as a room divider up the middle of the lounge, and row upon row of armchairs in a 4+4 layout on the right. These armchairs all have small table lamps and power sockets, and if you can't grab a solo chair are the best places to sit in the lounge.
The Solo chairs have a small slide table, with just enough space for cocktails, a light, two USB power sockets, and a mains 240 volt power socket which accepts UK / Hong Kong design sockets.
Then head through the archway into the further reaches of the lounge, and you'll discover just how crowded it can be. There are three large tables in the middle here, with eight chairs around: communal dining is the name of the game for most passengers. In the far right corner is a table with overhead lights that few people seem to use, and is the most pleasant of spaces in this lounge.
Then as you turn left there are the coffee machines and the bar on the far left. Again operating as room dividers are 2+2 booths, and these can be very busy indeed, and it is hard to get one. On the left of this is a long bench running the whole length of the lounge, with tables and chairs opposite.
The whole lounge then, feels just full of furniture, and then some, with only a few places to come to roost among all the people, all of whom are carrying vast bowls of noodles to and from their booths.
Don't miss the feature living green wall, right at the end of the lounge. With no natural light it is suffering, but it's good to get some greenery in here.
Food
Many passengers pop in for the signature Hong Kong-style fish ball noodles with spicy XO sauce, which is served up at the noodle bar and which is a local delicacy. There is often a queue for the noodle bar, again behind the tensa barrier.However there are also a variety of other global cuisines available in the lounge: on the noodle bar top are big solver bowls full of rice, pasta, and chicken or random meat dishes.
Right at the end of the bar is a small salad bar, but it is pretty basic, and the salad isn't chilled meaning it can get pretty manky at the end of the day.
If you really want, you can try the Lounge To Go, a snack in a bag, which is an alternative for an on-the-go meal at the airport that the lounge advertises as a 'great inflight meal replacement'.
Bar
Entrance includes complimentary house beer or wine. The bar is hidden around the far side of the lounge, on the left, behind the giant water cooler. The free drinks are rather anonymous lager, or white or red wine.There is also a machine with coffee, tea & soft drink.
Fancy, it is not, but it does the job.
Beer on draft is Carlsberg. Wine is pretty anonymous 'no name' white or red.
Oddly, the bar mixes cocktails on demand.
There are snack towers of nuts, crisps, and nibbles at the bar, and small bowls to put them in.
Business Facilities
There is free and fast wifi.Don't miss the mini charging Station, on the counter top, to give your mobile some juice.
There is free printing & photocopying, but only the first two pages are complimentary. Plus a Fax service, whatever that is.
Bathrooms
In lounge, and very tiny. Often you have to queue to go in.There is one shower. You have to ask at reception for a complimentary amenity kit which includes shower gel, shampoo, body lotion, bath towel, dental kit, comb, and a shower cap.
The shower is available for 30 minute use on a first-come, first-served basis, and timing is strictly controlled.
Access
Priority Pass or pay on the door.
Airlines like KLM, Lufthansa, Finnair, Malaysian, Korean Air, Garuda and Eva Air also use the Hong Kong Plaza Premium gate1 lounge as their lounge, and these airlines have priority.
Video: Plaza Premium gate1 Lounge
Superb Hong Kong cuisine
Can get packed