Taipei is EVA Airlines hub and on my recent trip, I was able to check out the EVA Air Star Lounge in Taipei’s Taoyuan Airport Terminal 2. While the EVA Air Star Lounge won’t win any awards for design or service, it is a pleasant place to spend your time till departure, grab a drink and have a snack. Find out more below.
EVA Air currently has three lounges in the terminal, all located on the upper floor above the departure gates, the EVA Star Lounge and EVA Infinity Lounge share an entrance lobby. To the left is the Star Lounge, which I went to. It is open to all StarAlliance Gold Elite members departing on a StarAlliance flight, regardless of cabin class. To the right of the lobby is the EVA Air Infinitiy lounge for business class travelers on EVA Air or partner airlines. Across the hall is the Eva Garden Lounge, which you’ll see on your way to the other two lounges and which is open to the departure area below. It’s open to EVA Infinity MileageLand Diamond members only. The EVA Club Lounge, also on the same level, is currently closed for renovations.
You enter the EVA Star Lounge through a hallway that opens up to the main area, with a low barrier and rows of lounge chairs with small tables. The decor is held in beige and brown tones and rather boring. Above it is a fake blue sky, apparently inspired by Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas! There are a few large TV screens throughout the lounge, mostly tuned to news channels to stay up to date on world events.
There are wood and glass dividers separating another area with high chairs, good for working, if you have to get some emails done before boarding. You’ll also find some bistro style seating to have a quick meal.
Across the hall is the food buffet. The oval buffet has a glass front in green and brown and backlit, making this the most notable decor in the whole lounge.
On this central buffet and tables around the room, you’ll find a mix of cold snacks, salads and hot meals, mostly Asian food that can make up a whole meal if you are hungry. If you still need to wake up, there are automated espresso machines for a good coffee. There is also a full range of soft drinks, wine, beer and liquor available to self-serve. My favorite was the Moevenpick icebox in the corner – I skipped, fast-forward to the dessert, had a scoop (or two) and it was delicious!
While the StarAlliance lounges are often crowded, the EVA Star Lounge wasn’t very busy and a quiet place to wait for your flight. The decor was calming, borderline boring, but everything was clean and in good condition. I wasn’t very hungry and didn’t try the food, but there was plenty of choice for anything from a small snack to a full meal and the excellent ice cream was a nice touch! It’s a solid lounge, good for a short stay, but it could use an upgrade to support EVA’s five-star premium status! If you are traveling in Business Class, check out the Infinity Lounge next door!