Qantas First Class Sydney Lounge
The Qantas First Class lounge Sydney is one of the best airport lounges in the world, without exception.
There is a fantastic a la carte restaurant, with celebrity chef, some fine wines, a library, spa, and lots of seats: here, another passenger is hassle indeed.
The Sydney International First Class lounge is absolutely superb: it's up with some of the top lounges of the world. It's right on the top floor of the airport, and occupies a new space that juts out over the apron, giving fantastic views.
Sydney Qantas First Class lounge review
To find the Qantas First Lounge, once through security take the escalator beside the change counter next to the Oyster bar. Business class is left all the way along the shelf like balcony: the lounge entrance is at the far end, while First Class is on the upper floor, normally at least three lounge dragons carefully vet anyone who tries to come in.
You enter past one flunky, and then turn a corner in what seems like a waiting lobby, before going up escalators to the main reception desk, to have your boarding pass checked. You can get in on the rare domestic flights that leave from the international terminal, if you are a oneWorld Emerald.
Even as you enter the lounge, you find the left wall of the curved entryway is lined with real living plants - and there are some seats down here too if you are waiting for anyone.
The lounge itself is divided up by wooden partitions, so it doesn't seem as big as it is. It's a classy place, full of white marble and rather uncomfortable designer chairs (leather lounge chairs, recliners, and sofas are by Italy's Poltrona Frau. This is not a recommendation). As you come in the dining area is on your left, and the library (and mobile free zone) is on the right. Huge American oak sculptures that separate the lounge space into defined areas.
The amazing chairs in the lounge do look amazing - they are a modern take on the classic club chair. They are designed by Marc Newson, and are richly padded and with round bolster headrest.
Through the lounge, even though it is ultra-modern in style, there are some wonderful touches of whimsy, such as the flipper boards which come straight out of the 1960s, and yet which do work to track flight departures.
Right at the end of the lounge is the library - a great secluded area, where few people venture. There are some great books here, and it is a good area to spend several hours if you are in need of a nap: indeed, the one thing that the lounge doesn't have is a snooze zone.
As you leave, don't miss the green wall, or Vertical Garden. The impressive natural entrance, designed by internationally celebrated tropical botanist Patrick Blanc, is one of the largest in the country. Home to about 80 plant species, a mixture of exotics and Australian natives. There are 15,000 plants, reflecting a high biodiversity, including orchids, bromeliads, African violets, figs, ferns, lilies and peperomias. It occupies a space that is perhaps wasted. It's used as a kind of overspill area from the main lounge, but is rarely occupied.
Bar
The bar is absolutely top notch. with a fine selection of pretty much every spirit you'd like, and with decent champers.
The bar is open from the first flight.
The Sydney First Class lounge of course has champagne including Tattinger, Veuve Cliquot and Bollinger champagne. On the bar are a dozen top-notch Australian red and whites too; you can browse the selection, or ask for advice.
Food
The dining facilities at the Qantas International First Lounge are very definitely first class. The service are what you'd expect from an up-market bistro, while the food can hold its own against any in Surry Hills.
You can sit at the counter with a view through to the kitchen theatre, or you can sit in the main dining area, where waiters will attend to you. If you really must there are a couple of fairly basic self-serve snackbar, but if you want to ask the staff for what you'd like, there is a chair-side waiter service throughout the lounge).
The menus by Neil Perry, and breakfast is served until noon. A firm favourite in the mornings is Eggs Benedict with salmon, and then there are all-day dining menus plus daily specials. Many people choose a few entrees rather than a main - these are very good, with buffalo mozzarella with tomatoes and basil, smoked salmon with creme fraiche, or wagyu bresaola with goats curd generally on the menu. Always there on the menu is a 300 day grain-fed tenderloin served with cafe de Paris butter and chips.
At the two self service areas there are are sandwiches, bread rolls, chocolate brownies, and some very good deserts, plus fresh fruit and cheese platters.
Business Facilities
There are two private work suites with conference facilities and plasma display screens.Newspapers are good in the lounge, with a complete selection of Australian and UK papers, plus some good magazines.
There are two meeting rooms in the lounge, with their own computer, printer/copier, telephone, sofa and a large flat-screen TV - these are designed as meeting rooms, but many families book them as a haven away from the rest of the lounge. They are free to book.
Bathrooms
Around the back there are luxurious individual marble-lined shower suites with individual stereo volume and lighting controls, radiant heating to reduce condensation on the mirrors, and luggage racks. As if that wasn't enough, the First Lounge is located on level four of the Sydney International Terminal and was designed to comply with both Flying Star Feng Shui and classic Feng Shui elements.
At the far end of the lounge is Payot spa. Boarding calls are not made in here - it is very quiet. It offers a range of treatments - facials, massages, even foot and leg wraps - lasting from 30 minutes to 50 minutes, all performed in a lush private room with their own shower.
Access on Domestic
You can get access to this lounge if you are in First (international) of course, but you can also get into the lounge if you fly on a cheap domestic ticket, but with a oneworld Emerald card. You can gain access to the lounge on a Qantas domestic flight with a Platinum card, if that flight leaves from the international terminal: there are currently very few that do, and most are early in the morning.
Video: Qantas First Lounge
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Sydney Airport Guide
| Qantas First Class Sydney Lounge | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rating |
Video walkthrough and Image gallery by Loungeindex.com
| |
| Pros | Amazing restaurant Fine wines Lots of space |
|
| Cons | Hard to enter, even harder to leave | |
| Location | Airside, Pier B, Level 4 | |
| Terminal | Int | |
| Opening hours | 0525-0030 | |
| Lounge for: | Qantas | |
| Other Airlines: | British Airways Sydney Lounge Cathay Pacific Sydney Lounge Qatar Airways Sydney Lounge | |
| Access | Platinum QF FrequentFlyer, oneworld Emerald, British Airways Gold | |