At Hanoi Airport (HAN) in Vietnam, the international terminal (Terminal 1 is domestic, Terminal 2 is international) has three airline lounges: Vietnam Airlines, ACV Business Lounge, and the Song Hong Business Lounge. All three are airside, that is, you must first pass security/immigration to reach them.
Let’s pay a visit to the two non-airline affiliated Hanoi International Terminal Lounges.
First up….
ACV Business Lounge
Head up the escalators by Gate 31, and you’ll end up at the entrance:
After entering the ACV Business Lounge, I immediately placed my bags in the luggage storage lockers to the right of the entrance. They’re hugging the wall, next to the currently “under construction” sleeping pods.
There were quite a lot of seats in this lounge, but most of them were taken by this point (it was around 22:30). Nevertheless, I snapped up a chair in the extreme left of the lounge, overlooking part of the gate area.
There was even a business area — really, just a few of computer terminals — ruined by the fact that the smoker’s room was next door. There were nonstop miasmas heading towards the computer.
As for the food, a big “meh.” Nothing looked appetizing, so I really just steamed in for the bottled drinks, to take for my flight.
To be a little more descriptive, there were rice, meat, and vegetarian options, as well as fruit and desserts. It’s more that the taste wasn’t so good, and the platters made them look less appealing.
That’s enough of the ACV Business Lounge.
Song Hong Business Lounge
Look for escalators near Gate 28, go up, then you’re made in the shade:
I really just hopped over to this one to see if it had better food options, and in my opinion, it did.
Whereas the food was in better shape, the seating, not so much. It was a more compact lounge, so you were definitely getting in other people’s ways a lot of the time. Then again, if you were sitting by the massage chairs, or behind the food area (abutting the window that looked out onto the escalator), it wasn’t so bad.
Now, given that there was more ample seating at the ACV Business Lounge, if I could have brought food there from the Song Hong Lounge, then we’d be on to something. (don’t misunderstand– it’s not that the food was great, more that it was better)
Of the two Hanoi International Terminal Lounges that I visited, ACV Business and Song Hong Business, neither was much of a hoot. The former has more seating — and they’re adding sleeping pods — but the latter has better food choices. Both do have showers, in case you wanted to freshen up before losing that freshness on the next flight.
However, the gate areas are none too appealing, so why not stay fed in the lounges?
Thank you for sharing your experience with the ACV Business Lounge and Song Hong Business Lounge at Hanoi Airport. It’s interesting to note the contrasts between the two lounges, especially in terms of seating availability, food options, and overall ambiance. Your detailed observation about the ACV Lounge’s seating options and upcoming additions like sleeping pods provides useful insight for travelers seeking a comfortable waiting area. On the other hand, the Song Hong Lounge’s better food choices, despite its more compact space, offer an appealing alternative for those prioritizing meal quality. It’s helpful to know that both lounges have shower facilities, a valuable feature for long-haul travelers. Your conclusion about neither lounge being particularly outstanding, yet preferable over the gate areas, offers a practical perspective for passengers transiting through Hanoi International Terminal.