Hamilton Island Airport Lounge

[Homer]

In a couple of weeks we're staying at Hamilton Island and our villa includes access to a thing called the "Hamilton Island Airport Lounge". I don't think there are any airline-operated lounges at HTI so I imagine this is something run by the island itself. I haven't been able to find any information about it but if any AFFers have used it I would appreciate some feedback. We'll have a few hours between checking out and our flight departure and it would be good to know if the lounge is worth checking out or whether it's just a cupboard with an urn and thus best avoided.

 

[haydensydney]

We were there a few years ago so my info might be out of date, but there was a VA lounge in the upstairs area of the lounge - it was very basic from memory. Try to get a late check out or get the hotel to hold your luggage and go exploring on a buggy.

 

[Homer]

Thanks Hayden. There's no HTI lounge listed on VA's lounge locations page and as the resort is describing it as the "Hamilton Island Airport Lounge" I suspect it's not a VA lounge that they're referring to.

 

[drross]

Been a few years since we used 'the lounge' . it was comfortable and cool. plenty of magazines and newspapers. no free bar (no bar at all i think). can't remember any refreshments of any sort actually

 

[haydensydney]

The airport website has a floor plan and it references a upstairs VIP lounge. When you're there - take a pic and share it with us - I'm sure it will be delightful

http://www.hamiltonisland.com.au/HamiltonIsland/media/PDF-Files/Airport/airport-terminal-plan.pdf

 

[Homer]

Thanks Hayden! Looks small....

 

[samh004]

The upstairs lounge is the old Qantas lounge, it's roughly the same floor plan as the lower level, but in the rafters with nice windows and/or furniture. When I was last there anyone could use the space, and indeed there were a few people upstairs who knew it existed, but most stayed downstairs, perhaps unaware that there were more seats upstairs. Best kept secret?

 

[RIbandit]

Homer, the Hamilton Island Airport Lounge you refer to isnt actually at the airport. It is located in the Reef View Hotel in the hallway behind the tour desk. The intent is somewhere you can rest before going to the airport after checking out. It is available for villas, RVH suites and Qualia guests. It is very basic with 2 lounges, a few showers etc. Not worth using.

i was there last week (had a suite at the Reef View) and left this "lounge" early to laze by the pool before the flight. Not sure if you have a tranfer included in your package but if you do best to schedule this as close to check in as possible.

No airside lounge at the airport.

Have a great trip!

 

[Homer]

Thank you Bgreen3, that's very helpful. We have a transfer included and I'll try to schedule this for as late as possible. I would never checkout early just to visit a lounge - airport or otherwise - but we're in a villa and I imagine that it will be difficult to get a late checkout if somebody else is coming in after us due to the time it must take to clean these places.

 

[Mr_Orange]

Homer, the Hamilton Island Airport Lounge you refer to isnt actually at the airport. It is located in the Reef View Hotel in the hallway behind the tour desk. The intent is somewhere you can rest before going to the airport after checking out. It is available for villas, RVH suites and Qualia guests. It is very basic with 2 lounges, a few showers etc. Not worth using.

i was there last week (had a suite at the Reef View) and left this "lounge" early to laze by the pool before the flight. Not sure if you have a tranfer included in your package but if you do best to schedule this as close to check in as possible.

No airside lounge at the airport.

Have a great trip!

Not quite true. Whilst there is a tiny room in the Reef View, the lounge that Qualia guests have access to is the lounge upstairs in the airport terminal building. It is not signed so you need to know where you are going. There are no refreshments of any kind, but there is plenty of seating, is quiet, is air-conditioned and looks over the apron. It beats sitting downstairs.

I've used it twice. Once, having been a guest at Qualia and the second time because I knew it was there and just went in.

IMO, the room at the Reef View is not worth bothering with as, with all areas of that hotel, it is not air-conditioned.

 

[drross]

Not quite true. Whilst there is a tiny room in the Reef View, the lounge that Qualia guests have access to is the lounge upstairs in the airport terminal building. It is not signed so you need to know where you are going. There are no refreshments of any kind, but there is plenty of seating, is quiet, is air-conditioned and looks over the apron. It beats sitting downstairs.

I've used it twice. Once, having been a guest at Qualia and the second time because I knew it was there and was went in.

IMO, the room at the Reef View is not worth bothering with as, with all areas of that hotel, it is not air-conditioned.

beat me to it. Just like Mr_orange said.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I've mentioned before that I think VA are amiss to not try to "own" HTI. I think they are still the only ones to fly J into HTI (QF has reintroduced flights, but I don't think they have many J seats, if any). To get to HTI, VA is the best option (IMHO) and the Whitsundays have the 6 star Hayman resort and Hamilton Islands Qualia and Sunsail (some luxury vessels can be around $2000/night) so some added sectors, wise marketing, business class and lounge (with an easy and probably cheap take over of the airport lounge) may be wise. I think there is a real potential that's currently going untapped. Hamilton Island and the whole Whitsundays are an amazing asset to Australia and are without doubt of world class potential. The Oatleys have done a pretty good job bringing Hamilton back again and the GFC days are hopefully past for a bit now and the fact QF is once again flying into HTI suggests they see potential as well.

 

[Mr_Orange]

I've mentioned before that I think VA are amiss to not try to "own" HTI. I think they are still the only ones to fly J into HTI (QF has reintroduced flights, but I don't think they have many J seats, if any). To get to HTI, VA is the best option (IMHO) and the Whitsundays have the 6 star Hayman resort and Hamilton Islands Qualia and Sunsail (some luxury vessels can be around $2000/night) so some added sectors, wise marketing, business class and lounge (with an easy and probably cheap take over of the airport lounge) may be wise. I think there is a real potential that's currently going untapped. Hamilton Island and the whole Whitsundays are an amazing asset to Australia and are without doubt of world class potential. The Oatleys have done a pretty good job bringing Hamilton back again and the GFC days are hopefully past for a bit now and the fact QF is once again flying into HTI suggests they see potential as well.

QF fly J from SYD and probably MEL, since they use a 738. Last time I flew from BNE the check-in agent seemed to think they were considering introducing a jet from BNE in order to offer J. Probably a 717.

 

[drross]

do they do J on a 717? have a flight back from Mt Isa shortly on 717 and no J on it.

 

[Mr_Orange]

do they do J on a 717? have a flight back from Mt Isa shortly on 717 and no J on it.

Not all of them are fitted with J, but some are. 8 seats. There was a press release around the same time as the A330 refit press release.

Edit: correction to number of seats. Should be 8.

 

[drross]

Not all of them are fitted with J, but some are. 4 seats. There was a press release around the same time as the A330 refit press release.

Thanks Mr_Orange. We must have an unenhanced one!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

QF fly J from SYD and probably MEL, since they use a 738. Last time I flew from BNE the check-in agent seemed to think they were considering introducing a jet from BNE in order to offer J. Probably a 717.

I must admit I thought they did as well, but I did a few dummy bookings and no J available on any of them from MEL, SYD or BNE. Not to say they don't exist, but just not on the jagged dummy dates I used. Do QF have non J ports that are serviced by J fitted craft like VA do (eg ROK)?

 

[Mr_Orange]

I must admit I thought they did as well, but I did a few dummy bookings and no J available on any of them from MEL, SYD or BNE. Not to say they don't exist, but just not on the jagged dummy dates I used. Do QF have non J ports that are serviced by J fitted craft like VA do (eg ROK)?

BNE is currently a Q400 so no J. The agent I spoke to implied QF were looking at introducing a jet and he mentioned a 717 with J.

SYD definitely offers J. A random search I just did shows this as $899 one way. You may have hit upon the days that JQ still fly.

MEL appears to be still operated by JQ, but fast forward to November and the QF flights are available with J at $829 on a 738.

 

[Homer]

Currently in the lounge.

 

[Mr_Orange]

Currently in the lounge.

View attachment 46700View attachment 46701

Looks the same as both of my previous visits with the same sign at the entrance.