Fabled Koh Samui: its where the other half goes while the sloshed masses party it up on Phuket across the penninsula. Yes, this is a Thai vacation destination that promises to take the quality and the tranquility up a notch. But how does the airport stack up, you ask? Does it have a lounge? Is it a nice lounge? We’re here today to tell you that it does, and its called the Blue Ribbon Club Lounge. The place looks great in pictures, and its got a kind of saccarine, cutsey feel to it, but does it really cut the mustard? Read our Blue Ribbon Club Lounge Review – Koh Samui (USM) to find out.
Our Trip – Blue Ribbon Club Lounge Review – Koh Samui (USM)
This wasn’t our wildest routing: the Sharks decided to play it cool for once and slow things down. Once we had wrapped up our week-long workathon in Samui we jetted up to Bangkok to rendezvous with friends and of course visit some of our favorite airport lounges at BKK.
The Facts – Blue Ribbon Club Lounge Review – Koh Samui (USM)
Getting to the lounge couldn’t be easier. As you’ll notice on arrival at the airport, there’s not many ways to get lost here. Once you’ve gone through security you’ll head to what is basically the sole operating gate, wihch is open air (huge points for that). Look to your left and you’ll see the glass doors of the Blue Ribbon Club beckon.
To get into the lounge, you’ll need to fly Bangkok Airways business class, pay cash, or use a membership card such as Priority Pass. That’s the route we took.
The Space – Blue Ribbon Club Lounge Review – Koh Samui (USM)
Alright, the truth is that there aren’t too many flight routes that run from this airport: aside from a single flight to Phuket, its basically one airline running small-ish passenger loads back and forth to Bangkok over and over again. And given that’s not much more than an hour long, this lounge isn’t set up for much more than giving you a place to escape the crowd. The lounge is accordingly pretty small, with just one real seating area to speak of, unless you count the little table by the entrance.
However small it may be, the lounge does get points for keeping things aesthetically pleasing. The furniture is a likeable wicker with comfortable cushions. There are multiple types of seating, though nothing that would be very conducive to any type of serious work.
They even threw in a few couches for good measure, though nothing great for sleeping or attempting to get over that hangover.
The Food – Blue Ribbon Club Lounge Review – Koh Samui (USM)
There’s not a ton of space, but there’s an acceptable amount of food! Happily, the eats here at the Blue Ribbon are made to order. The selection isn’t huge and its carb heavy, but a fresh meal plated just for you always tastes better than a buffet, in our opinion. Check out the hot meal menu here.
They’ve also got a standard dim sum stand, the likes of which you’ll find in every 7-11 in the country. And that means that there are bao buns as well. We tried each item in the photo below and found them to be acceptable, if not particularly remarkable.
The rest of the snack table is pretty sad. There’s not a lot going on here.
There are a few sweets, but nothing that would really rise to the word “dessert.”
The Drinks
The offerings here are pretty basic: sodas, coffee, tea. There are beers and wines available, though not on display; you’ll need to ask for them.
The Internet
Internet is available.
The Restrooms
The restrooms are a trek. They’re public, but also surprisingly quiet. When you need to tinkle, the lounge directs you out the back door towards another gate that is, at least for now, unused. You walk down this long empty hallway, as pictured below, where you reach a restroom no other passengers are likely to want to visit.
There is AC and a sliding door. But there is no shower.
Final Thoughts
There’s something creepy about the lounge (maybe the lifesize lady bear in the middle of the sitting are)?, but we can’t say that we hated it. Someone has clearly put some thought into the aethsetics of this place and, for such a small regional airport, they didn’t do a terrible job, either. There is hot food on demand and a few snacks to tide you over for what is sure to be a short stay in the lounge before youre Bangkok Airways flight to one of the two destinations that this place serves. They even have alcohol. All in all, we can’t ask for much more.
Final Grades
| Connectivity: | 3/5 |
| Workability | 2/5 |
| Relaxation: | 3/5 |
| Catering: | 3/5 |
| Alcohol: | 2/5 |
| Ambiance: | 3/5 |
| Total Score | 16/30 |
