Review: Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge Bangkok

In September 2022, Singapore Airlines reopened the SilverKris Lounge in Bangkok, making it the seventh overseas lounge to resume operations after COVID-19. 

I’ve made no secret about this being one of my favourite outstation lounges, thanks to its beautiful interiors, extensive F&B selection and manned bar. In fact, prior to COVID I’d often choose it over THAI’s Royal Orchid Lounges, though the opening of the new Prestige Lounge has levelled the playing field somewhat. 

I finally had a chance to revisit the SilverKris Lounge earlier this month, and the good news is it’s as impressive as ever before. 

Access and Operating Hours

The SilverKris Lounge in Bangkok is located on Concourse D, level 3, opposite Gate D7. Operating hours are 6.30 a.m to 11.00 p.m daily, which allows it to serve passengers on all four daily Singapore Airlines flights:

• SQ707 (departs 1215)
• SQ709 (departs 1530)
• SQ711 (departs 1830)
• SQ713 (departs 2010)

What I appreciate is that the lounge has remained open in the early morning, even though SQ705 (departs 0940) is temporarily not operating (it’s scheduled to come back from 26 March 2023 onwards). 

Access is available to passengers departing on a Singapore Airlines or Star Alliance flight in:

• First Class (+1 guest)
• Business Class
• Premium Economy or Economy Class, with Solitaire PPS Club, PPS Club, KrisFlyer Gold or Star Gold status (+1 guest)

When flying on Singapore Airlines only, the following passengers may also access the lounge:

• In any cabin, with Club Vistara Platinum or Gold
• In any cabin, with Velocity Platinum or Gold (+1 guest)
• In any cabin, with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold

All guests must be travelling on the same flight as the eligible passenger.

Overview: SilverKris Lounge Bangkok

At the entrance to the SilverKris Lounge is a beautiful backlit façade that reminds me of watercolours on rice paper. The SilverKris logo is stamped onto a solemn wall of granite-coloured marble, and it’s safe to say the aesthetics of this lounge are spot on.

The SilverKris Lounge in Bangkok underwent a major renovation in 2017, where designers ONG&ONG implemented Singapore Airlines’ “home away from home” concept, as part of the airline’s $100 million revamp of its lounges worldwide. 

This concept, which first debuted in the Sydney SilverKris Lounge in 2013, involves creating personal spaces that evoke a sense of being home, like a dedicated living room, kitchen and dining area, together with Singapore-sourced artwork and food.

Half of the 313 sqm Bangkok lounge is devoted to the living room, which consists of leather-clad armchairs and recliners. Seating is available for 102 passengers, arranged in pods of two and four for couples and families. The neutral colour palette creates a sense of calm, and metal frame partitions help to visually divide the space. Credit also to the decorators for using different types of chairs for visual variety, instead of endless rows of copy pasting. 

Around the perimeter of the living room are five productivity pods, each with their own power outlet, USB charging port and reading light. These are Singapore Airlines’ first-gen productivity pods, so they’re not nearly as private as the ones at the SilverKris Lounge in Singapore, nor do they offer great back support (unless you’re willing to sit diagonally and use your laptop at an angle). 

While working in the productivity pods, I did notice that the lounge’s walls were rather thin. I could hear the constant “end of the walkway” reminders that Suvarnabhumi Airport is so fond of, which got annoying very quickly. 

Elsewhere in the lounge are these high-back chairs you may have spotted at other “home away from home” lounges, like the SilverKris Lounge in Sydney (where they’re reserved for the First Class section!).

The lounge’s walkway divides the living area into a smaller alcove by the windows, which has coffee table seating together with some (strictly ornamental) books.

The eye-catching bar with its hanging glasses and open shelving forms the epicentre of the lounge, separating the living area from the dining area. 

On the other side of the bar are four-top dining tables, booth seats and a communal table. 

A spillover enclave with an elongated high table and additional living room style seating completes the dining room. 

Food & Beverage

The SilverKris Lounge in Bangkok offers one of the best buffet spreads I’ve seen at an outstation lounge, and I’ve got to commend the staff for assembling such an extensive selection that showcases both Thailand and Singapore’s food cultures with such pride.

During breakfast, the food warmers were stocked with croissants, pastries, you tiao and fried chicken drumlets (for Nasi Lemak). A separate steamer contained char siew bao, har gao, siew mai and lor mai gai.

The obligatory salad bar, cheese platter and cold cuts were of course present. 

Hot items for breakfast consisted of eggs three ways (omelettes, hard boiled and fried), baked beans and French toast, breakfast meats, Pad Thai and Nasi Lemak. 

Around 11 a.m, the food selection rotated, with fish curry, braised pork leg and penne pasta replacing some of the breakfast items. 

The breads and breakfast pastries were also swapped out for a selection of kuehs, together with swiss rolls and surprisingly-addictive chocolate mousse brownies.

Those with a sweet tooth will be delighted to know that mini cups of Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie are available in the fridge. For those who want more of a local flavour, Thai-Denmark (that’s the name, really) Milk Mania, Mango Aloha and Sweet Durian are offered too.

Inside the drinks fridge were cut fruits, yoghurt, fresh coconuts, Heineken, Chang and Singha beer, Coca Cola (Original and Zero) and Sprite, plus Schweppes tonic and soda water. 

Apart from the buffet line, guests can also visit the manned bar where there’s a standard menu, but the bartenders are happy to whip up something different if that suits you better.

I had a mojito and SilverKris Sling, both of which were great. I’d go so far as to say the cocktails here are even better than the “flagship bar” in the Singapore lounge! 

Behind the bar are those delightful Japanese-style self-pouring draft beer machines, with Asahi and Singha beer, complete with frosted mugs. 

If your tastes veer more highfalutin, there’s a choice of two whites and two red wines, together with champagne (on request only, it’s normally stored in the bar fridge).

If alcohol’s too sinful, there are wellness options like tamarind juice, butterfly pea lime juice and milk tea (not sure how much wellness that provides).

Power & Productivity

The SilverKris Lounge’s Wi-Fi network clocked in at 19 Mbps down and 4.5 Mbps up, not the zippiest connection in all of BKK but good enough for basic streaming. 

Power outlets are abundant throughout the lounge, mostly found in the living room area between pairs of seats. All are universal, and come with either one or two USB Type-A ports. 

Restrooms & Showers

Male and female restrooms are located at the rear of the lounge, behind the buffet area. 

Restrooms do not have showers, which isn’t that big a deal given its primary audience. If Singapore is your final destination, then you’re just 2.5 hours away from a shower, and if you’re transiting through Singapore, a shower can be had in the SilverKris or KrisFlyer Gold Lounge (well, in Terminal 3 at least) on arrival. If you absolutely need to shower before you fly, you can visit the THAI Airways or EVA Air lounges. 

Both restrooms were kept impeccably clean by a single attendant, who diligently darted inside after every guest to freshen the place up.

Conclusion

The SilverKris Lounge in Bangkok has beautiful interiors, a top-notch F&B selection, and on-the-ball staff. And since the vast majority of Star Alliance passengers will end up in the THAI Airways lounge, there may very well be periods between SIA flights where you have the entire lounge to yourself! 

Easily my favourite outstation lounge in the entire Singapore Airlines network.

Have you visited the SilverKris Lounge in Bangkok?