Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage

Qantas International Business Lounge Melbourne 

Here is our review of this shiny and modern lounge. It is spacious and comfortable with fast Wi-fi. A calm oasis to relax in, before your long haul flight. We visit at both breakfast and lunch time. The menu changes at mid day. Only1invillage tells you what you get and what you don’t, in the coffee Capital of Australia!

Australia’s national carrier Qantas has recently spent a lot of money refurbishing its domestic lounges. Are the lounges of the same standard for international passengers in Melbourne, Australia? When Down Under, find out if you’re getting a dud or a gem, when you fly through or from Melbourne International.

Quick Index Qantas International Business Lounge Melbourne

                                            

 the Qantas International Business Lounge Location

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
The Qantas business class lounge for international passengers is after security in Terminal 2. Look up for the signs!                               

After passport control in Terminal 2 you go through the duty free shops. Keep following the signs. The lounge is located down an escalator and is opposite the Singapore Airlines and American Express Lounge.

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Keep following the signs to get to the Qantas business class lounge at Melbourne International Airport.
Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
The Qantas business lounge for international passengers is on Level 1, airside, opposite the AMEX and Singapore Airlines lounges.

                                                

Qantas International business class dress code

Quite a lot of people can use this lounge. Before you get dressed though, please read our guide of what to wear and what not to wear! How embarrassing if you get refused entry because you’re not properly dressed!

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Would you let this man in? Make sure you’re properly dressed for the business class lounge. Qantas are quite fussy. You don’t have to wear a shirt and sunglasses. They are optional.

                                                

Who can Get In

Emirates code share customers who are flying business class can use this lounge, but will probably opt for the Emirates lounge. Also business class passengers of the following airlines. Get ready for the long list! Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Sri Lankan Airways, LATAM (Chilean), China Airlines, China Southern, China Eastern, Garuda Indonesia, Fiji Airways, Jetstar, Vietnam Airlines and Sichuan Airlines.

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Who let him in?!! A lot of people can get into the Qantas lounge.

You can also gain entry if you have racked up enough points with your airline. Usually if you’re in the top two tiers and have jewel status of at least a sapphire, you can use the Qantas international business lounge in Melbourne. For Qantas you have to hold gold status. For Emirates, gold and platinum status gets you in. If you’re a Oneworld alliance flyer and have sapphire or emerald status, come on in!

Lastly, if you’re a Qantas Club member or you have a single entry pass, then come on in and relax.

                                              

Seating

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Various seating options in the Qantas international business lounge at Melbourne. The one negative is the natural light, There isn’t much of it!

The good news is that the lounge is very big. It can hold up to 350 people apparently. Still you don’t want it to be full and at capacity! You come to a lounge to get away from the terminal crowd.

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Size matters! The Qantas lounge at Melbourne International is spacious.

The best thing for families with small children, is the play area. It would be better however, if it was enclosed, so you can’t hear the screeching of the little darlings. Take a leaf out of Emirates’ children’s area in Dubai. For a review of the Emirates business class lounges in Dubai, click here.

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A dedicated area for little travellers to play in (Melbourne international Qantas business lounge)

There’s a business area with a sleek long desk and photocopier machine/printer at one end, just after the reception desk. Set up here if you need to get some work done.

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Get your business done here! A large office area is available in the Qantas Melbourne international business lounge. Naturally there are plenty of charging points.
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One of the office benches with USB charging points for your devices. If you forget your laptop, you can use this machine!

The seats range from armchairs in small groups to bar stools. They come in a variety of colours, textures and comfort levels. As usual, the tables are way too small to fit much onto them. However, most people aren’t travelling in large groups and you can always put two tables together, if the need arises.

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Sit and have a meal, like you’re at home in your kitchen!
Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Take a seat in a padded armchair in the business class lounge at Melbourne international airport.
Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Have a chat or watch some sport on these modern round chairs.
Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Like the leather look instead? Place your hide on these arm less leather sofas.
Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
If you like the breakfast bar look, pull up a stool. They are surprisingly comfortable!
Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Hidden behind one of the breakfast counters. These weird cylinder stools look funky. But, are they comfortable? Probably not as no one is sitting on them.

                                                

Bathrooms and Showers

Close your eyes it’s time for the shower shots!

You ask for a towel and an amenity kit at reception. It isn’t help your self service and there is no attendant like at the Qantas Sydney international lounge.

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Your towel and toiletries kit includes a bath mat.
Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Your towel kit contains a bath mat. You are given a toothbrush and a shaving kit.

The shower area is located in the middle of the lounge. 

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
The shower cubicles are located in the middle area of the business class lounge at Melbourne international.

There are also separate toilet areas.

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Separate from the showers are toilet areas.

The showers have a toilet inside them too, so they’re more like a mini bathroom.

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Each shower cubicle is really a mini bathroom. Every shower room also has a toilet and sink inside.

The toiletries have been exclusively designed for Qantas by Aspar. The 500ml body lotion retails at $50AUD per bottle. When you get on the A380 Qantas plane, inside your amenity kit, you will find an exclusive offer for Aspar products. You enter a code on the Aspar website and you get $50AUD discount. Conditions apply.

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Aspar cleansing and moisturising products. They smell good and are mostly organic. Feel nourished, protected and loved! That’s their strap line, not ours.
Qantas Melbourne business class lounge shower amenities
Different scents for men? Aspar products add a touch of class to the cleansing experience.
Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Almost forgot to show the shower. A powerful shower with adjustable head, in the spacious cubicle.

                                                

Food and Beverages

Feeling hungry? Like all business class lounges, the food changes according to the time of the day. We visit at breakfast time on one occasion and another time for lunch. There’s a very good, not quite excellent, variety of hot and cold choices, including Qantas’ signature ‘made to order’ dish of the day.

Qantas Melbourne business class lounge breakfast made to order only1invillage
The healthy ‘made to order’ breakfast bowl only takes 5 minutes to prepare. Go on, treat yourself, before your flight. Get a freshly pressed juice to go with it.

The drinks selection never changes, don’t worry. You can still mix yourself a cocktail at 8am!

Being in Melbourne you are guaranteed great coffee. Barista made is best. There are 2 self service machines, but who in their right mind uses them, when you’re in the coffee capital of Australia?

                                              

The breakfast

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You won’t go hungry before your flight. The hot breakfast menu at the Qantas international business lounge Melbourne.

 

The cold options are a Western style selection. On offer for breakfast is fruit salad, yoghurts, cereals and muesli.

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The healthy cold choices for breakfast. Fruit salad (not from a can), yoghurt, cereals and muesli.
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Bright and appealing colours at the breakfast bar in the Qantas international business class lounge. There’s even chia pudding! What do you mean you don’t know what that is?! It’s on the right hand side of the photo.

Now onto the hot food. It’s what we call a full English.

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Here’s a full English breakfast served with fresh barista made coffee.

For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s pretty tasty, but, not so healthy. Fried or grilled sausages, bacon, eggs, mushroom and hash browns are standard. For the health component grilled tomatoes are usually offered too. It’s not all bad!

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Components of a full English breakfast. Note that for our American friends, hash browns come in one piece, Down Under and in the UK.

If that’s too unhealthy for you, you can always try the special dish of the day. It is cooked to order, so it’s guaranteed to be fresh. The business lounge plate of the day is next to the barista coffee bar. You place your order and hang around for about 5 minutes. They call your name, when your food is ready.

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Place your order for the business lounge dish of the day at the barista bar.
Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
While you’re at the barista bar, might as well get a fresh pressed vegetable juice too, to go with that healthy breakfast option.
Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
The brown rice, kale, almond, feta and poached egg looks so good. The fetta cheese was missing, which was a bit disappointing.

                      

The Lunch 

At midday the breakfast is removed and replaced with lunch offerings. Cereals and yoghurts are replaced with salads. Grilled tomatoes and bacon change to various hot dishes. Presentation wise, Qantas comes second to an Emirates lounge, both in taste and presentation.

     

Qantas Melbourne business class lounge salad options
At lunch time the lounge menu changes. Cold salad or sandwich fillings replace cereals and fruit for breakfast.

If you don’t fancy making your own sandwich, you can make your own salad or choose from two ready made versions.

Qantas Melbourne business class lounge salad bar
The salad bar for lunch allows you to mix your own healthy recipe.

 If you’re after something hot, there are two dishes on offer. 

Qantas Melbourne business class lounge hot lunch food
The hot lunch offerings today are a beef Bourgingnon with red wine sauce and a Moroccan inspired tagine with chickpeas. There is also steamed rice in the pot on the left. The soup in the big vat, is red lentil.

If you still have room, there is a small cake selection.

Qantas Melbourne business class lounge dessert
Indulge your sweet tooth and your waist line at lunch time. Cheesecake or apple pie for dessert at the Qantas International Melbourne business class lounge.
Qantas Melbourne business class lounge wide shot of lunch
The cold lunch selection in the business class lounge in Melbourne. A salad bar and a make your own sandwich station.

The beverages

Any international business class lounge worthy of its class has to have a good selection of alcohol. Whilst Qantas doesn’t offer premium alcohol, like Emirates does, the variety is good.

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One of the red wine stations in the Qantas international business class lounge Melbourne.

 The selection of alcohol is vast. You can mix your own cocktails for breakfast at two stations in the business class lounge. No one is going to judge you!

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The range of spirits and beer available in the Qantas Melbourne lounge. Make your own cocktail!

The quality of the wines isn’t as good as in the Emirates lounges, but much better than the Qantas Club in the domestic terminal.

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White wine in the Qantas international business class lounge Melbourne. Bottles range from $15 to $25 AUD in price. Not quite up to Emirates standards, which is why most people prefer to use the Emirates lounge, if possible, on a code share flight.

The soft drinks selection is pretty good too. Teas are available in single sachets. Freshly pressed vegetable juice is available too.

Qantas Melbourne business class lounge fresh juice
While you’re ordering your barista made coffee, don’t forget the freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juice.

What the Qantas lounge does have over the Emirates lounge, is the barista coffee.The fresh barista coffee is excellent.  Well, this is the coffee capital of Australia, after all! The latte art is pretty impressive too.

What the Qantas lounge has over the Emirates lounge in business class is the barista coffee.
Barista made latte and capuccino is excellent in the Qantas lounge. The Italian Faema coffee machine retails at $17000USD . We do our homework at Only1invillage!

The only drinks missing are the bubble teas and smoothies. We don’t know any lounges that offer these! If you do, let us know.

                                                

Final Thoughts

Here’s a round up of what you get and what you don’t in the Qantas international business class lounge.

You get plenty of space. A dedicated children’s play area. Comfortable spaces to sit or work. A big variety of beverages. A good selection of hot and cold food. Showers to freshen up in. Fabulous barista coffee. 

What you don’t get is natural light. Also, the cleaning up of dirty plates isn’t as good as it could be. Apart from that, there’s not too much to complain about. We enjoyed our time in the Qantas international business class lounge Melbourne. It beats having to cook breakfast  or lunch for yourself!

Qantas business class lounge Melbourne International review only1invillage
Want to read more about other lounges? See below for more fantastic reviews by Only1invillage.

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