Since waiting for the Virgin Australia Lounge in Brisbane is like Waiting for Godot, I occupied my long layover in BNE by relaxing in the Plaza Premium Lounge.
The Virgin Australia Lounge in Brisbane has been delayed almost as long as Berlin Brandenburg Airport, but there was one reason I ultimately did not care: coffee.
My love of coffee has become a running theme on this blog. Australia has a great coffee culture and the Plaza Premium Lounge in Brisbane did not disappoint. Barista-made coffee included 19 choices, all made by the hands of a caring professional.
Is this not art?
It’s not as beautiful without the chocolate, but that’s actually the way I prefer my cappuccinos.
I gained access to this lounge by virtue of my business class ticket on Virgin Australia, but I also could have used my Priority Pass card or American Express Platinum card to gain access. Looks for the lounge on the upper level at the far end of the international departures hall.
When I arrived the lounge was virtually empty, by the time I left it was nearing capacity. The lounge is open daily from 05:00AM – 12:00AM daily. There are plenty of seats, but this lounge is also used by many passengers.
In addition to great coffee, the lounge offers a large buffet. It was breakfast time during my visit and selections included cereals, fruit, yogurt, salad, meats, cheeses, eggs, potatoes, beans, bacon, sausage, pastries, and bread.
Oh yes, and a pancake machine like you see in many Alaska Lounges in the USA:
Alcohol was available behind thee bar, but soft drinks, water, and juice were self-serve:
Restrooms and showers were clean.
Children’s area:
Finally, two PC workstations were available.
CONCLUSION
I’d rate this lounge very highly in terms of drinks, seating, and wi-fi. Food looked okay, though I expect it was better in the nearby Qantas lounge.
Finally, in retrospect I really wasn’t thinking if I wanted to maximize my layover at this airport with blog content. I failed to remember that there were three restaurants (Graze Grill & Bar, Merlo Caffee, and Corretto Cafe and Bar) I could have used my Priority Pass card at. Oh well, there’s always next time!
This lounge gets SO packed in the mornings before the VS flight to LAX, AC to YVR, QF to HKG, LAX, and NRT. Not to mention the bank of morning flights to the islands like DPS and NAN.
Looking forward to the new lounge opening in BNE later this year.. this is an embarrassing lounge endorsement from VS! Especially compared to the really nice Emirates lounge at LAX…