Qantas First Class Lounge, Sydney

The Airline: Qantas.

The Lounge: The Qantas International First Lounge.

The Location: Airside Level 4 past immigration (enter via level 3 past escalator).

Time Of Visit: Morning.

Three Things We Loved: The coffee, the spa, the table reservations and menu.

Overview:

This uber elegant Qantas First Class Lounge has the feel of a five star hotel, and you don’t have to be flying First Class to enjoy it; it is also open to Platinum frequent fliers and selected Emirates and OneWorld travellers. Upon check in at First Class, you’ll receive an Express Path card to whisk you through priority immigration and security and within minutes you’re greeted by a staff member at reception who shows you through the Lounge and quickly explains what's on offer.

Facilities & Decor:

The space has a contemporary design with floor to ceiling windows, and the predominant colours are purple, dark red, blonde wood, and white marble, with plenty of bright airy spaces without TV's and deep relaxing chairs which are placed to take in the fabulous views across the city. When it comes to cuisine, Qantas offers Neil Perry and Rockpool inspired seasonal menus with new dishes listed beside signature favourites, taking inspiration from cuisines around the world. The a-la-carte restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner with views across the runway and the Sydney city skyline, and there's also several casual refreshment areas with light snacks including fruit and good quality sandwiches, coffee machines, tea, and full bars with a decent range of beer, wine and spirits. As we were taking a lunchtime flight to San Francisco, we opted to start with a cappuccino which was delivered while we were taking in the view, and we had a table booked for breakfast. From cereals to fresh fruit, pancakes and a good selection of egg dishes, the breakfast menu was outstanding and we went for this even though we were also offered the lunch menu. Fortunately we had enough time to enjoy a glass of Bollinger before boarding our flight. There was also daily newspapers and a wide selection of glossy magazines, complimentary WiFi, television areas with Sky News, and quieter sections for those who want a bit of peace, but no dedicated quiet zones. The Qantas First Class Lounge also has a decent spa, which First Class passengers can book in advance, offering variety of complimentary treatments including massage. There is also a dedicated business centre with computers for general use and also private work suites if you absolutely have to do some work in peace. There are also data ports for laptop connection, a photocopier, printer, fax and phone.

The Verdict:

Along with the restaurant-style brunch, coupled with pre-travel friendly spa treatments, this is the type of lounge experience that warrants a couple of hours to make the most of the top class facilities. One of the business travellers we saw was visibly annoyed when his flight was called as he'd only been sat down for 15 minutes and hadn't had the chance to get the full experience. If you are eligible to visit, make the time.