Review: Qantas Brisbane Business Class Domestic Lounge
The main bar and dining zone at the Qantas Brisbane domestic business class lounge.
NOTEWORTHY DETAILS
Entrance via dedicated premium entry at Brisbane domestic.
Open 60 mins prior to first Qantas flight of the day through last flight.
Shower suites available.
Excellent position with floor to ceiling glass on perimeter providing natural light throughout.
Qantas have operated their own premium lounge precinct at Brisbane domestic terminal since 2017, offering Qantas Frequent Flyer members gold and up, Qantas club members (QC is located in the same precinct) as well as business class flyers an expedited experience through dedicated security lanes.
This is a highly valuable time saver which has been improved even more with the implementation of Brisbane domestic terminals new security systems already operating in the Qantas lounge precinct. This means no more removing shoes, emptying bags of liquids or laptops etc. Simply empty your pockets and you’re through!.
Recently, I visited the Qantas Brisbane domestic business lounge, please read on for my independent, personal and detailed review!.
Lounge Access and General Information
The Qantas Business lounge is located within the lounge precinct at Brisbane domestic, which consists of three lounges being the business lounge, Qantas club and the Chairman’s lounge.
Access to this lounge is quite straight forward and is as follows:
From Flying
Passengers departing on Qantas business class are permitted
Through Qantas Frequent Flyer Membership
Qantas FF members Platinum and above are permitted access to the business lounge regardless of cabin class. Travelers may enter if departing Qantas, Jetstar, Emirates or Oneworld airlines.
Please note two guests are permitted when travelling together. Also note that Platinum and Platinum 1 members may use the lounge on arrival also, with a seperate entry/exit located inside the terminal.
Oneworld alliance access
Oneworld Emerald members may enter the business lounge if departing on Oneworld, Qantas or Jetstar.
Lounge Atmosphere and Layout
This lounge is large, and for good reason with Brisbane being the country’s third biggest by passenger count. As you enter the lounge you can head to the right if you’d like to check out the food and drinks or grab a coffee, if you head left from the entrance you’ll be amongst a large quieter space of seating, and be close by the bathrooms and showers.
Despite being operational in it’s current design for 8 years now, the lounge still appears very modern and well maintained, with no wear and tear noticeable on the furnishings or internal linings. No matter where you are, natural light pours through due to the entire outer peritmeter being lined with floor to ceiling glass which also gives a feel of spaciousness.
Sheer curtains are located throughout should you wish to reduce the light or heat coming through, but generally it’s best left open to enjoy the expanise views. In terms of interior design, this space follows the familiar formula from Qantas which is mid-grey tiling offset by lighter timber features. Some greenery and brass features finish things off and provides a calm and contemporary feel.
The main dining area and cafe/bar is expansive and the staff here were churning out the coffee’s in record time while I was there, all while maintaining a very high standard of personal service and cheer.
The dining area features some high tables and stools set with cutlery and crockery should you wish to eat here. There’s a small buffet and aslo a cooking station where fresh meals are prepared to order.
Back towards the opposite end of the lounge is where you’ll find the bathrooms, showers and generally quieter spaces as mentioned, theres also a second cafe/bar however its often not in use, unless the lounge is at high capacity.
Right in the middle as you enter the lounge there’s also a dedicated zone for business with ample charging and table space.
Overall the lounge has everything you need. The bathrooms in my experience are very well maintained, and though I have never used the showers here I susptect they would be kept to the same standard.
Something worth mentioning however, is despite the lounge being free from any major wear and tear, I do believe some of the lounge chairs and tables could do with a deep clean. It’s not to say that the furnishings were awful, but you could notice some areas could do with some extra attention.
Notably, It’s not as though this appeared to be a staffing issue, as there was a clear abundance of friendly staff throughout the lounge. Plates and dishes were always cleared in prompt time.
Food and Beverage
For a domestic lounge I think the food and beverage on offer here is of a high standard, without being mind blowing. The coffee is great considering the volume they churn out, and the bar serves alcohol from midday onwards pouring a variety of fantastic draught beers including Stone and Wood, Coopers Pale Ale, Heineken and of course, XXXX Gold.
There is also a changing variety of white and red wines as well as sparkling wine you can pour yourself, addtiional canned and bottled beers and a wide vairety of spirits.
The sparkling wine was Seppelt, The Driver. To me, it’s a significant improvement on the Seppelt Fleur de Lys that had been served for years in domestic lounges.
It’s worth noting that this lounge also features the Quench drinks station, which I have to say provides really lovely and refreshing options.
The buffet features a changing range of food items as well as staples such as fresh salads, cold cuts, soups, pastries and breads. The items here were fresh and tasty and a deifnite step up from what you generally find at the neighbouring Qantas Club.
Probably the one area that I think could do with improvement is the fresh cooking station. Compared to other Qantas domestic business lounges, such as Melbourne which seem to be plating meals non-stop, this station seems to close when transitioning from Morning to Midday etc., and the item provided at the time of visit was…hot dogs!.
Now, this was not an ordinary hot dog, it was lovely, but still as the only fresh made to order option available I think leaves room for improvement.
Hot dogs!, don’t get me wrong it was delicious, who doesnt love a hot dog, but some other options would be appreciated.
Overall the food was fresh and well presented, and you certainly wont go hungry. The drinks on offer I think are excellent in terms of variety, there is absolutely something for everyone here, both alcoholic and alcohol free. When I compare to the Qantas domestic business lounge in Melbourne however in terms of food options, I think the Brisbane lounge could improve just a little.
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, the Qantas domestic business lounge at Brisbane is a very enjoyable place to start your journey. It is spacious, modern and light and I found the staff here all very helpful and friendly. Personally, I think the drinks, staff and overall lounge design are what makes this place a highly appealing way to kick things off, not to mention the outstanding dedicated premium entry.
Thanks very much for reading this review, and I hope it helps to inform your future travel plans!.
