QANTAS gets the big thumbs-up from JetMoney for its new $20 million First Lounge at Sydney International Airport. There are worse places to hang out than the stand-alone Marc Newson-designed surrounds which overlook the incoming A380 docking stations across to the city skyline.
First, though, we enjoyed pre-arrival check-in which saw us met roadside by a Qantas "host" equipped with an oversized luggage trolley. Check-in ended up being a mere bag drop, after which we were whisked through customs and into the rarefied environs of the lounge.
The place is huge. Entry is via a sweeping foyer bordered by floor-to-ceiling windows on one side and a wall of plants on the other. In the lounge, the wall of glass frames the action outside. Intermittently the room is subdivided into areas of rest, recreation, business and dining.
The latter is provided by Sydney chef Neil Perry via a fully staffed ultra-modern induction-driven kitchen. Perry's produce-driven philosophy, so apparent in his Sydney and Melbourne Rockpool restaurants, is clear in the 240-seat space here, too. The food was excellent.
Some of our party were fortunate enough to snag a couple of 50-minute slots in the spa before boarding. The spa, run by French skincare company Payot, offers the blocks of time which can be used for one facial or massage, or split into two sessions for a combination of shorter treatments.
One of us, for example, chose a truly relaxing 30-minute foot massage (sleep descended) then a 20-minute eye-and-lip treatment which made a marked difference to their pre-flight appearance, apparently.
Overall, the lounge is so well equipped, those who are able to take advantage of the salubrious facilities should do so. JetMoney would even go so far as to recommend arriving well in advance of their scheduled flying times.
It looks as if the Qantas has indeed delivered the world's best first-class on-ground lounge experience.
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