The House Melbourne Lounge Review
I recently visited The House Melbourne Lounge, and I was quite impressed.
The House lounge located inside the Melbourne International Terminal is arguably the best lounge in Melbourne along with the Qantas First Class lounge. The House is a brand of lounges operated by No1 Lounges and also has a location in Sydney International.
Right now Priority Pass holders can get access to this lounge for an additional $20; which is still great value for what you get! Since American Express Platinum Card holders get Priority Pass for free, this is an excellent upgrade to the program and a valuable benefit to Platinum Card holders.
The House Lounge Details
Opening times: 5:30 AM to 10:30 PM
Location: Airside – after Security Checks, follow signs for ‘Airport Lounges’, and the lounge is located on the 2nd Floor towards Gate 10.
Time Limit: 3hrs of access – Is this policed? Probably not.
Restrictions: Children under 2 years are not admitted
Who Can Access ‘The House’ Lounge?
In Melbourne you can access them for up to 3hrs before departure if you’re:
- Flying business, first-class or The Residence with Etihad Airways. When flying business class with Virgin Australia.
- Etihad Guest Status Holders: Those with Gold or Platinum status travelling on either Etihad Airways or Virgin Australia in any class.
- Velocity Frequent Flyer Status Holders: Those with Gold or Platinum status travelling either with Virgin Australia or Etihad Airways in any class.
- Priority Pass Members: Those with a Priority Pass membership can gain access. However, a co-payment of $20 applies per person
- Dragon Pass Members: Those with a Priority Pass membership can gain access. However, a co-payment of $20 applies per person
- Direct Booking: guests can book access online via the No1 Lounge website and pay $80 when booked in advance. Walk-up rates start from $90 per person.
The House Melbourne Review
What sets this lounge apart from other lounges who attempt to compete at the same level is the a-la-carte dining room and bar. While there is a small self serve area with food, the star attraction is the cooked to order menu and table service.
The lounge is spacious with ample seating areas an a few separate areas just off the main dining room create more privacy for guests.
The House commands excellent tarmac views so you can sit back with a glass of champagne for a bit of plane spotting.
Power supplies and USB ports are readily available at most seats to accommodate all your charging needs – most from the comfort of your Italian leather Poltrona Frau designer chair.
The Bar at ‘The House Melbourne’
The centrepiece of the lounge is the impressive-looking bar with great views over the tarmac. There’s a great wine, and cocktail list and barista made coffees for those who want something non-alcoholic.
The Food at ‘The House Melbourne’
Guests at The House will see either a lunch/dinner menu or the breakfast/brunch menu. When I visited, it was late afternoon, so I had a light dinner before boarding my flight to New Zealand.
In the morning one can expect a range of cooked to order egg dishes such as Eggs Benedict, Avocado Smash and the likes.
At night there is Braised Brisket Burger, Warm Goats Cheese Crostini, Chicken Musukhan, Porcini Gnocchi and a daily soup special. To finish, there’s a cheese plate.
During my visit, I enjoyed the gnocchi, which was outstanding, both in terms of presentation and taste.
Other Lounge Amenities
The House also has a kids room and shower facilities. Although you should note that kids under 2 years old aren’t allowed in. While this isn’t ideal for parents looking to relax somewhere quiet before their flight, it does save other guests from having to listen to crying babies in what is a pretty quiet lounge.
If you’re a “celebrity”, there’s a VIP room attached to the lounge where invited guests can escape plebs like us. This room used to be reserved for The Residence guests, but there’s no longer any use for it since Etihad stopped flying the A380 to Melbourne.
The House Melbourne Conclusion
I rate this lounge. It’s pretty quiet and the food & drinks offering is outstanding. It think it’s good enough to warrant the $20 surcharge to Priority Pass guests. This is especially true if you were going to spend money on food at other dining outlets inside the airport. For the $20 you have to pay, the experience is a huge step up from the other mediocre lounge offerings.
