It looks like an Apple Store instead it is Air New Zealand's business lounge in Sydney

Australia was one of the stops on my first world tour., the crazy one, booked during lockdown. Before departing from the capital of New South Wales, I passed by the Air New Zealand lounge and I have to say it's one of the most beautiful rooms I've ever seen, also considering the fact that Sydney is one of many destinations and not the company's main hub.

Location

This lounge is located near gate 50. Once you pass the controls and go through the Duty Free, you have to go right and walk at least about ten minutes. There are four other lounges in this area.

First you walk past an Aspire, independent and accessible to Priority Pass holders. Then, having reached the gate area, in addition to this one from New Zealand's flag carrier, there is Singapore's SilverKris Lounge: both of these airlines are part of the Star Alliance and are located on the upper level above the main one.

On the lower level instead are the American Express Lounge, not a Centurion but very much like one, and the Emirates Lounge. On the opposite side of the international terminal are the Qantas lounge, the SkyTeam Lounge and the Plaza Premium.

Access

To gain access, one must travel in business or be an Elite member of the New Zealand carrier's frequent flyer program, or have a status that is equivalent to Gold level in the Star Alliance. 

In fact, if you have access to this lounge, you also automatically have the option of entering the Singapore Airlines lounge, and vice versa.

The Lounge

As said this is, along with the Clubhouse at JFK in New York City., an airline's best lounge outside its home airport. 

It is very large, it is brightly lit thanks to the glass windows that surround the room, and the contrast between the dark furnishings and the white of the fixed structures makes it elegant and relaxing.

At the end of the entrance corridor is an immense bar counter, manned by at least one bartender.

Opposite the bar is the buffet area. Self service of drinks ranging from juices and soft drinks to a cooler full of beers, wines and a selection of super spirits.

The front part of the lounge is all about seating. Impossible not to find a place to comfortably wait for your flight.

There are cubicles, armchairs, high tables and sofas where you can sink into a nap while waiting for your flight.

There are more separate areas, an area to work on the computer, and plenty of power outlets and spots to wirelessly charge one's cell phones.

Services

There are showers and of course toilets, which is not taken for granted given that I've already had to leave and go to the airport bathrooms more than once. because the facilities were not present in the lounge. There is also a business area and a room where you can leave your luggage without worrying about lugging it around.

Then a small children's area; I could not photograph it because it was full of visitors.

Food & Beverage

The buffet is nice, neat and well organized. My flight to Auckland was leaving at 12 noon so the breakfast menu was served during my visit.

Perhaps the only flaw, if you wanted to look for it, was that the hot dish offerings were limited to scrambled eggs and bacon and no choices from more oriental flavors, as would be logical to expect in this area of the world.

But it's really wanting to look for the hair in the egg. Because otherwise there really was everything, even the machine that at the push of a button churned out hot pancakes to be "topped" with any kind of sauce or topping, including Nutella.

Too bad we couldn't extend the visit since during lunchtime the counter becomes a station where two chefs prepare dishes on the spot for all the guests

If the food service is reduced at breakfast, the bar service is not. You can get something from self-service or have the bartender prepare whatever you want, alcoholic or not.

In conclusion

This lounge is really nice, even nicer than Thai Airways' new lounge in Bangkok thanks mainly to the fact that it faces the gate, something Thai's lounge lacks. 

It does not take top marks because there was a lack of some oriental dishes in the hot offerings, the point being precisely that this is not Air New Zealand's main lounge and therefore it would be logical to expect an inferior product, instead we are at the level of the official lounges in the main airports.

The verdict

Hard to find such nice lounges away from a company's home airport, obvious the Sydney/Auckland route is super busy and there is huge competition both between Qantas and Air New Zealand and among other carriers such as Virgin Australia, Jetstar and many others. So obvious that companies compete to intercept the most passengers.

8

Rated Location

9

F&B

7

Services

8

Pro

• The setting up of the hall
• The bar
• The view of the runway

Against

• Something "oriental" was just missing from the breakfast menu