HKG SKL Reopen after Refurb

[yflyer]

HKG SilverKris Lounge Update (Aug 2019)

I visited the SQ SilverKris Lounge yesterday before flying home on SQ1 HKG-SIN, after a short visit to Hong Kong this week.



This was just a brief visit to Hong Kong -- in fact I spent all my time in Kowloon, and didn't head over to Hong Kong island itself, as all my business meetings were on the Kowloon side.

I'll save my brief impressions of Hong Kong and the airport situation during these turbulent times for a subsequent TR, but thankfully I experienced minimal delays or hitches on my trip.

I did visit the J section of the SQ SilverKris Lounge in Hong Kong, and here is a brief update on the lounge facilities and catering.

Showers aside (Which are brand new), not a lot has changed since the lounge underwent a full refurb to the "Home Away from Home" concept in late 2014. Most significantly, the location remains a windowless location, in an airport where many other lounges are located in large airy atriums with beautiful airside views.

On the positive side, the lounge is quite close to the SQ boarding gates, which makes it quite a convenient pitstop before the flight. Ironically, right above the SQ lounge are two beautiful lounges: The Qantas Hong Kong Lounge, and the new CX lounge "The Deck", both of which would have been great places for SQ to have a lounge.

[yflyer]

Upon entering the lounge, there is a small seating area close to the entrance...



...before a long passageway which leads to the main J and F lounges as well as the showers/restrooms.



I've never visited the F section on the left. Instead, I went straight and headed to the J section...



The bar remains a full service, manned, bar...



The drink list...



The liquor selection...



Tiger and Asahi on tap...



Always nice to start a lounge visit with bubbles (In this case Moet & Chandon Imperial...)

[yflyer]

There was a large breakfast buffet selection on offer...



Tables for sit-down dining...



Elsewhere, various seating options...



...and work pods...

[yflyer]

The breakfast selection comprised both Asian and International/Western selections...

Salads...



Delicious HK-style congee with condiments...



Fried flat rice noodles/rolls...



Noodles with black pepper chicken...



Sauages, baked beans and scrambled eggs...



A small selection of single-serve cereal boxes was also available.

Dim sum...



Soy bean curd...



The freezer cabinet, which was previously stocked with ice cream, was empty that morning, but I don't know if that was temporary or if they no longer serve ice cream in the lougne.

Overall I thought this was a good F&B spread, with the Asian selections looking more interesting that the Western breakfast options.

[yflyer]

The lounge had attached restrooms...



...and two brand new shower rooms, which were very well equipped...

[yflyer]

To sum up my current impression of this lounge: it is a decent lounge, with good F&B options. It is great that the showers have been refurbished too. Proximity to the boarding gates were a plus as well. The main negative for me is that it is (still) a windowless lounge in an airport where so many other lounges have wonderful views, open airy atriums, and great ambience.

There are at least 2 other lounges in HKG available to Krisflyer Gold/PPS/Star Alliance Gold members: the United Lounge and Thai Airways Lounge, both of which are larger and offer better ambience in large, open spaces (Although UA catering was quite minimal compared to SQ). However, these other lounges are located quite far from the SQ gates, which would make it quite inconvenient to visit if you were short of time.

As mentioned in the past, I would visit this lounge for a quick snack and a drink, and maybe a shower, before heading out to enjoy the shopping and ambience outside. Not a lounge I would want to spend a lot of time in, given how wonderful the HKG airside area is.

[HUGE AL]

...and two brand new shower rooms, which were very well equipped...

Great pics as usual!

Still blows my mind how TPR has toilets outside the shower rooms.

[hclee01]

Anyone has any idea when the lounge will be opened as I have an upcoming trip in end April 2023 and there are reports that the lounge is currently under renovation and the Premium Plaza lounges are grossly crowded. Thanks!

[ell3]

I second your sentiment on the overcrowded premium plaza lounge at HKIA (its horrendous!!).
But i doubt the lounge will be reopened any time soon… pre-covid, there were 8 daily SQ departures to fill. Right now there’s barely 3 and until August the latest departure is mid-afternoon. So i can’t imagine it being cost feasible to operate the SKL there. Sadly.
The only hope is if because the 3x flights depart within a roughly 6 hour window, that they operate the lounge for that short daily period to serve breakfast & lunch.

[scooby5]

Yeah, I came out of HKG a few weeks ago on the last flight and the PP lounge was pretty useless. As three of us, we were lucky to find a table for us all, only because a couple left as we were wandering around. Food sucks but at least they had staff behind the bar, unlike a few of months ago. There's loads of staff wandering around so that does help to keep it reasonably clean.

SQ surely can come to a deal with United to temporarily operate a joint lounge, at least for *A, since the Gate60 one is also closed even if they can get renovation completed. Ideally HKIA should step in to organize something since even The Wing is still closed and that has plenty space. I think the Saphire is open, near Gate40, and isn't that the same group SQ uses in Jakarta already - I was in a couple of weeks ago, pretty good. It will take a while before HKIA and airlines can get their acts together after three years - most of the food court and duty free are still shut.

[hclee01]

Was at HKG in early May and used the AMEX lounge near Gate 60. Though lounge is good, will be great if SKL can be opened soon as Gate 60 is a distance away from the gates that SQ typically uses. I used the HKD220 voucher to purchase some chocolates to bring back to SG instead.

Will be heading out to HKG again in end July and hopefully by that time, SKL will be fully operational.

[scooby5]

Just back from HKG, given access to Plaza Premium Lounge near Gate Home again, or use it to a value of HKD180 at a confirmed list of outlets.

Upon arriving at PPL near Gate #1, counter staff told me it was very busy so pointed me to their other lounge near Gate Marking threads Took the train down and in the end used LoungeKey to gain access to Chase Sapphire lounge on the other side, near Gate Past/Closed Lounges The lounge was basically empty, three meals to order via QR code, a small buffet as well, and a bar. Felt better than SKL is everything was wide open, natural light and views down the length of the departures level. For me, natural light is so important.

Now you say, yes, I should have used the voucher value to bring something back.

[scooby5]

So, today I'm having an extended stay in the re-opened SQ lounge as SQ893 is delayed more than 5hrs after a failure of an A380 in Mumbai overnight - later will move to the Chase Lounge at Gate 40, at least get some daylight.

There is almost nothing different after months of closure/"renovation", the dining section tables and chairs are reorganized and that's about it. The working pods still have their wonky, old, sloping cushions but now, again, toilets are unfinished as they were when the lounge first opened - i don't know why they can never get the toilets and showers ever working properly in this place. The Laksa receipt has changed, and from my point of view, not for the best, changing from orange to a gritty brown.

Good thing, plenty staff and far better that the Premier poo along the way.