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Air New Zealand Lounge (MEL) – Introduction
During my recent trip flying out of Melbourne Airport (MEL) after attending the Australian Open, I had the opportunity to visit the Air New Zealand Lounge. I was booked in Business Class on one of my favourite airlines, Singapore Airlines (SQ), from Melbourne (MEL) to Singapore (SIN) and then from SIN to New York (JFK). With access to several Business Class lounges in MEL and a few hours before boarding, I started my lounge hopping with Air New Zealand Melbourne International Lounge.
Air New Zealand Lounge Melbourne (MEL)
Air New Zealand Lounge (MEL) – Location and Access
This lounge is located in Terminal 2 on the ground floor of Melbourne’s International Airport terminal, near Gate 7. It’s somewhat easy to overlook, but the escalator leading down makes it accessible. The lounge offers access to those flying Business class (or higher) on a Star Alliance partner or those with Star Alliance Gold Status.
Air New Zealand Lounge (MEL) – Seating and Layout
Upon entering the lounge, I immediately noticed its spaciousness—about five times the size of the Amex Centurion Lounge I had also visited at MEL. The seating area is primarily furnished with leather couches, mostly in grey and pink hues, accompanied by light music playing in the background.
Main Lounge area
The lounge is brightly lit, making it a relaxing working space. Although there are no flight announcements, multiple screens display flight information. The lounge also has a single TV screen showing the news, albeit with the volume off and closed captioning on.
Seating against windows (tarmac views)
Quiet seating spaces
An exciting feature of the lounge is the small, dimly lit area opposite the bathroom, with black couches, purple pillows, and grey sofas. The white beaded lights give a rainfall effect reminiscent of a nightclub setting. This section offers a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere than the rest of the lounge.
More lounge seating
Area with single seats
Additional amenities include a small luggage storage room near the entrance, a coffee counter (which was closed during my visit), and a business center with a laser printer. The lounge also caters to families with a small children’s play area. The bathrooms and unisex showers were clean and well-maintained, featuring fresh towels and an entire sink area.
Children’s play area
Luggage Storage in the lounge
Unisex bathroom options
Air New Zealand Lounge (MEL) – Food & Drinks
The lounge offers a solid selection of food and beverages. The cold food options during my visit included roast beef and onion wraps, spicy tuna sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches, and carrot and tomato sandwiches. There was also a garden salad, cheeses, dried apricots, and scones.
Food Station – Cold options
Desserts and Wraps
The lounge served rice, an Argentinian beef stew, and a roasted red pepper and tomato soup for hot foods. Dessert options included red velvet cake and a fruit salad.
Argentinian Beef Stew
Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
The snack section provided Japanese crackers, pretzels, chocolate cookies, mango, and coconut cookies. Regarding beverages, the lounge featured a drink station with a selection of beers, wines, and spirits. All the wines were from New Zealand, which was a nice touch. There was also a smaller drink station at the back of the lounge with coffee, wines, and beers. While the coffee station and barista were closed, I got a cappuccino after speaking with an employee.
Snack Station
Fresh fruits
Coffee and Beverage Station
Beer, Wine and other Alcohol options
Liquor selection
Air New Zealand Lounge (MEL) – Takeaway
My visit to the Air New Zealand Lounge was a positive experience. The food selection was good, and the lounge was spacious and well-appointed. Since only about 20 people were in a lounge that could easily accommodate 200-300 guests, it was a quiet and relaxing environment.
A standout aspect of my visit was the service from a concierge named Leslie, who was knowledgeable and friendly, adding to the overall experience. This lounge is a hidden gem at Melbourne Airport, and I would rate it an 8/10. It is worth revisiting.
