Taoyuan International Airport’s Plaza Premium Lounge
Taoyuan International Airport’s Plaza Premium Lounge is one of the many lounges under the Plaza Premium Lounge Management Limited banner.
Aside from rewarding airline miles, I’ve been trying to collect credit cards with airport lounge access as a benefit. This is because whenever I travel with friends, my flight times would either be late into the evening or early in the morning. Most of the shops during this time would be closed so dining and shopping options are limited. Having lounge access allows me to pass the time comfortably and luxuriously.
One such credit card that I have is Citi’s PremierMiles. This credit card allows one to have unlimited access to Plaza Premium Lounge’s network of lounges. While I have had this card since 2015, it was only during my trip to Taiwan this September that I was able to use it. In Taoyuan International Airport, 2 lounges are located in Terminal 1 while another 2 are located in Terminal 2.
After checking-in at the Cebu Pacific counter and passing through immigration, I went ahead and searched for the lounge. Navigating to the lounges is easy as there are signs leading to them. Even better, I found out that the VIP lounges were on the way to our flight’s boarding gate. Once you are at the counter, all you have to do is present your eligible credit card and boarding pass and you’re in! For Citi’s PremierMiles, only the principal cardholder and supplementary cardholders can access the lounge. Unfortunately, you will need to pay a fee of around 1,200 NTD for every non-PremierMiles guest.
As soon as you enter, you will be greeted by this beehive-like seating arrangement. This is great for solo travelers or travelers who simply need their me time. There’s an ample amount of seating and leg room so it’s very comfortable. Aside from the desk which you can use to eat or read, each hive is also equipped with a socket to charge your gadgets and a reading light for when you want to read.
On the left-most and right-most of the lounge, you can find an area for bigger groups. Also, if you really just want to stretch out and maybe lie down, then this place should likewise do the trick. I’m not exactly sure if the area or the couches have sockets attached to them so I’ll have to check this on my next visit!
Near the entrance/exit of the lounge, you can also find a schedule of the flights. Make sure you don’t miss it just because it’s such a great place to stay!
Up next, we have the dining area. While I call this the dining area, it should be fine to stay here even if you won’t be eating specially if it’s relatively free. On the sides, you can also find a TV, some magazines and newspapers. You’ll also find a note on the plaza’s WiFi password. I believe the latter is the most important detail to take note of, yes?
The feeling of being in a luxurious place doesn’t end as a feeling of course. The lounge offers a vast selection of drinks. The left most machine mixes coffee, latte, and milk tea. The fridge, on the other hand, houses a number of canned drinks, milk, and soy milk. Below it are fresh fruits for your consumption. Next to it, you can find an ice and cold water dispenser. Below it is Taiwan Beer and wines! Lastly, you can find soft drinks and a few cookies and nuts. Talk about choices, and in an unlimited amount too!
They also have a nice selection of food from each of the food groups. Imagine my excitement when I saw lasagna! Other food that they served include broccoli, chicken and eggs. Aside from these, they also have an ala carte menu which you can request for the chef to cook. Top off the mind, I remember them serving Teriyaki Chicken.
You can also find the toilets here so you don’t need to go out of the lounge. Although it’s quite small with only 2 cubicles and 2 urinals, it’s actually sufficient for the number of people that access the lounge. Counter tops and the cubicles were clean and complete with toiletries. Lastly, I overheard one of the guests requesting for use of the showers. While this lounge doesn’t have it, I’m guessing the receptionist directed him to use the other lounge’s shower area. After preparing the shower room, toiletries and towels, the receptionist gave the go-signal and the keys to the guest. Definitely good to note of for future, longer stays!
Now that I’ve had a first-hand experience of staying in a VIP lounge, I can finally say that paying an exorbitant amount for annual fees is totally worth it as a frequent traveler, or at least an aspiring one. It makes travelling so much more relaxing and convenient.
You can find out more about Plaza Premium lounges on their website here.
