Best lounge in Melbourne for an SQ F flight?

[Mr H]

Hi all. I am due to fly MEL-SIN in a couple of weeks in F on a flight leaving at 3.40pm on a weekday. I am wondering what the best lounge choice would be.

I have Lounge Key, Priority Pass, Star Alliance Gold and, of course, an F boarding pass.

I do not drink. I like tarmac views, quiet spaces and comfortable seating.

I am inclining towards a short stop in the SQ lounge to get some laksa and then decant to the Marhaba lounge to appreciate daylight - but happy to take advice from others who do this more often...

 

[Peasant]

I actually think The House lounge probably suits your requirements best (just double check that it will be open for your departure as their opening hours seem to be all over the place).

I rate it as the third nicest lounge at Melbourne Airport after the QF F and EK lounges.

The SQ F lounge is fine and comfortable enough, but it has no tarmac views as it's in the dungeon. It's very quiet and they do offer a reasonable a la carte menu. Perhaps you could have a late lunch there first, before adjourning to House with a much nicer view.

Seeing as you don't drink, I won't get started on the alcohol deficiencies of both louunges!

 

[Mr H]

I actually think The House lounge probably suits your requirements best (just double check that it will be open for your departure as their opening hours seem to be all over the place).

I rate it as the third nicest lounge at Melbourne Airport after the QF F and EK lounges.

The SQ F lounge is fine and comfortable enough, but it has no tarmac views as it's in the dungeon. It's very quiet and they do offer a reasonable a la carte menu. Perhaps you could have a late lunch there first, before adjourning to House with a much nicer view.

Seeing as you don't drink, I won't get started on the alcohol deficiencies of both louunges!

Thanks so much for that considered response. I see The House lounge costs a Priority Pass visit plus $20 - this looks like $20 well spent. Given the food menu I have seen online, I don't think I'll need to trouble the SQ lounge at all.

 

[clifford]

I have a similar question, so I thought I'd tack on to this thread.

Next month I'm flying business class CBR (VA) - MEL (TG) - BKK, with a 3-hour layover at MEL (20:30 - 23:30). I'm also wondering which lounge to use, given the NZ lounge seems to close at 7 pm. Does anyone know which lounge TG sends business class pax to?

I'm thinking I might visit the SQ lounge in the dungeon for some nibblies and a decent fizzy wine, and then move on to the Marhaba lounge (Diners card) for the views and a more substantial meal prior to the flight. I really can't see the point of paying an extra $20 for The House.

What thoughts?

 

[Quickstatus]

@clifford
Lounge hop the SQ and Diners. By the time you complete formalities you prob will have 2hrs up your sleeve?. But yeah $20 not the best spend in that context

 

[Mr H]

With enormous thanks for the advice, I rocked up to The House with a dodgy Priority Pass card and $20. My card was accepted but my dollars were not, there is no more co-payment, it seems, but not is there a la carte dining. Is still a lovely space, though. So rather than having a brisket burger I popped out to the SQ lounge for a bowl of laksa and some ice cream. They minded my bags in The House - and the dragon seemed most pleased that I chose The House over a branded F Lounge. I have been warned to keep an eye on the departures board, though, as my flight won’t be called.

 

[Peasant]

Glad you enjoyed the House. It's a nice legacy of Etihad's general excess from that era, so long may it live on!

They minded my bags in The House - and the dragon seemed most pleased that I chose The House over a branded F Lounge

When I was last there, the lounge was still managed by the same lady who ran it when it first opened under Etihad's stewardship. Her pride in the facility is very evident, so I'm sure she'd have enjoyed your endorsement if she's still running the show.

I also hope you also told SQ what you were doing too...there's plenty they should be doing to elevate the F lounge experience.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I also hope you also told SQ what you were doing too...there's plenty they should be doing to elevate the F lounge experience.

It's a coughking disgrace that a SQ F pax is seeking another lounge pre flt - I have emailed SQ MEL Mgmt re this matter and also included links to this thread - will be interested in Wesley's response when he does return to work on May 8

 

[clifford]

Well I'll now be visiting The House at SYD, rather than MEL, as I've changed my flight from TG ex MEL to TR ex SYD.

Happy if they don't charge $20, as I'll have eaten in the Amex lounge.

 

[the8guy]

out of curiosity, does The House at Melbourne charge $20 per pax per entry, or only when you opt for premium offering (alcohol etc)? any chance of entering without the $20 ?

 

[Mr H]

out of curiosity, does The House at Melbourne charge $20 per pax per entry, or only when you opt for premium offering (alcohol etc)? any chance of entering without the $20 ?

There was no $20 charge and no premium offering.

 

[the8guy]

There was no $20 charge and no premium offering.

thanks this is great. I have priority pass and Qantas international Melbourne lounge access.Which one do you recommend if I can enter both of them, even for lounge hopping but my aim is to have breakfast while enjoying some relax time prior to boarding?

 

[clifford]

thanks this is great. I have priority pass and Qantas international Melbourne lounge access.Which one do you recommend if I can enter both of them, even for lounge hopping but my aim is to have breakfast while enjoying some relax time prior to boarding?

I've never been to The House (or Marhaba), but I would imagine it would be hard to beat the Qantas Business lounge. There usually is quite a substantial breakfast array (hot/cold) and there is also the option of self-pour bubbles (Australian) to go with it, if that's what you wish.

But, of course, why not find out for yourself, as you have the option.

 

[ninja-tim]

Sorry to hijack his thread but I guess others would find the extra info helpful.

I'm flying via MEL-SYD then SYD-SIN on SQ F and have a good 4 hrs at the airport before the flight so are there any other lounges to visit?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

As VA does not have an int lounge presence anymore, any of the SYD ones will need you to pay the entry 3/4 hrs fee.
I have tried the SQ lounge in SYD, had a (Air)NZ J booking a while back.
You could try the 2, ie Koru as an SQ partner and the KF lounge itself.
Other than these 2, no others are included in the fare or points used you paid for.
Though, if you have an AMEX card, you could get entry into their lounge.
The MEL - SYD flight will be into T2 the one that VA uses, or T3 if its QF you are flying with.
Getting across to T1 can be a pain in the bum.
With min 2 hours to get across, your lounge time will probably be 1 hour 15 mins.
VA in MEL should issue you an SQ BP if its all a linked PNR.
Edit: you might already know that in SYD, the int and dom terminals are far apart, if you are flying VA dom, you would need to to out into the public area, and get the Tbus across.
I don't think the inter terminal bus that VA used to have around gate 35 at T2 is running anymore.
===
Just had a look at the VA website, yep, for SYD, you have to exit the terminal and go out into the public area, which would eat up quite some time.
Tbus can also get quite full.

 

[ninja-tim]

Sorry meant to just ask about SYD lounges specifically. I do have amex and priority pass, which I should have mentioned in my post .
VA MEL-SYD Arr 10.55
SQ SYD-SIN Dep 15.00.
I probably didn't calculate all the bits and bobs between arrival and depature, so 4hrs was probably a bit generous as you calculated. I guess we probably won't have that much time to visit other lounges once we settle in after check-in/immigration.

 

[TomVexille]

Sorry to hijack his thread but I guess others would find the extra info helpful.

I'm flying via MEL-SYD then SYD-SIN on SQ F and have a good 4 hrs at the airport before the flight so are there any other lounges to visit?

The SQ F lounge at SYD is the best option. Don't really waste your time anywhere else.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Are the bookings linked with the same PNR, ie, the alpah numeric 6 long disginator?
If so, VA in MEL should be able to issue you a BP for the whole way, saving having to go to the check in desk at SYD.
And bags should be able to be dropped off in MEL for the whole trip to SIN.
Right, 11am arr SYD, give it an hour to get across, it might even be less time, but its hard to tell, if lucky, it would be less.
30 mins for lining up to get from int screening, to pass immi and into int secure area, if less, lucky, I think you could try the AMEX lounge, after visiting the SQ F lounge first, just to see what its like?

 

[ninja-tim]

No, it's completely seperate bookings. Manged to find SQ R from SYD at time of booking as MEL didn't have A380 yet so decided to book via SYD then booked VA MEL-SYD. Then a month later they bring A380 back to MEL but already booked MEL-SYD so didn't bother changing. Never flown internatonal at SYD before so didn't mind leaving flights as is.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Get to MEL early and see if VA will do anything.
Probably they wouldn't/can't, but who knows.
As the transfer bus is now in the public area outside the terminal, you wont have to show anything, as it would be too time consuming for Tbus to check everyone as a BP/Tbus ticket.
In years past, when the bus used to go from near gate 50 at T2, VA used to issue a small thin piece of paper to give to the bus driver, but that was years ago now.
One option, either way, is to do OLCI with the SQ website, and just present your passport at the SQ check in desk at SYD T1, (in the lane for those who have done OLCI), and get the data line validated (>>>>> page needs to be swiped), and then do bag drop, (if VA in MEL cant/won't help).
You will need a BP to get into the secure zone, I believe Aust allows it on the phone, where as SIN Changi still needs paper BP.
With an unlinked PNR booking, possible lounge lounging time will be less.
I thought it was a linked PNR in your first "reply" above.
===
On my SQ flight a few years back, this was a bit pre covid, I had the SQ flight MEL - WLG, and had done OLCI, HLO only, but on the paper print out, it said I was checked in, but still had to get my Aust passport validated.
Think SQ stopped the MEL - WLG flights about 2 years a a bit ago now.
So at MEL int early morning, once the machines opened up, I just slid my passport into the reader, and successfully generated am SQ BP.
So, even after OLCI, they still need a passport swipe.