Review: Navigating Hanoi & Bangkok Airport Lounges with VCB Sign
Today, I'm sharing my experience using the VCB Sign card for international airport lounge access, specifically on a Hanoi to Bangkok flight route.
Noi Bai International Terminal 2 (Hanoi) Lounges
At Noi Bai Terminal 2 (International Terminal), there are three main lounges:
- ACV Lounge
- VNA Lotus Lounge
- SH Premium Lounge
If you are using the VCB Sign card, you are only permitted access to the SH Premium Lounge.
However, if you hold the VIB Travel Elite card, you can access all three lounges mentioned above.
Since I was traveling with friends who only had VCB cards, we all ended up in the SH Lounge this time. The SH Lounge was noticeably the most crowded among the three.
Crowding and Amenities at SH Lounge
I traveled on a Saturday morning, around 10:30 AM, and the lounge was almost full. My group of four had to split up to find two separate seating areas. By 11:00 AM, it was completely full, and there was a line forming outside as the reception staff could only let new guests in as others departed.
The food selection was quite rich, but due to the constant flow of people, some popular items ran out and required waiting. Fortunately, I kept my meal simple with just some greens, so I didn't face any delays.
A notable drawback: the lounge does not offer bottled drinking water. I intended to grab a bottle to take on the plane, but couldn't find any.
Overall, regarding Terminal 2, I prefer the spacious and airy atmosphere of the ACV Lounge.
Suvarnabhumi Airport Lounges (Bangkok to Hanoi)
For the return trip from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport), the available lounges are the Miracle Lounge and The Coral Lounge.
Despite traveling to Thailand frequently for work throughout the year, I rarely had time to use the lounges before. The VAT refund queue always takes a significant amount of time, plus I usually end up rushing to buy sticky mango rice, duty-free liquor, and cosmetics before sprinting to the gate.
First Lounge Experience in Bangkok
Thanks to my VCB Amex card, I experienced the priority check-in line, which was very fast. Since I wasn't claiming a tax refund this time, I had about an hour to spare and finally decided to explore a lounge. I headed to the Miracle Lounge, located near the VNA boarding gate.
Before that, I stopped by The Coral Lounge, presented my VCB card, but they declined entry and directed me to the Miracle Lounge instead.
Miracle Lounge Impressions
The Miracle Lounge was fairly quiet, but it felt small and a bit cramped. The food selection was extremely minimal; they didn't even have cold cuts. I only managed to grab a piece of bread with butter and a bottle of water. It was significantly inferior to the lounges back in Vietnam, in my opinion. Furthermore, the lounge lacks its own restroom; you have to use the public facilities located just outside.
I considered using my VIB card to check out the Coral Lounge just to compare, but I felt too lazy to queue up again, so I skipped it.
Has anyone else successfully accessed the Coral Lounge at Suvarnabhumi Airport?
(Content shared by Orange899)
