Best Hotel Club Lounge
The perks of offiffice come into play at hotel club lounges, those members-only sanctuaries reserved for the most loyal or cashed-up customers. Australia’s fifinest executive refuges oftften come with sensational views, all-day refreshments and food, a concierge on call and access to meeting spaces for discreet deal-making – and it’s all complimentary.
Sheraton on the Park, Sydney
Newly refreshed and reimagined as part of Sheraton on the Park’s (hotel.qantas.com.au/sheraton ontheparksydney) hotel-wide $40 million refit, the Sheraton Club Lounge is a 21st-floor sanctuary with views over Hyde Park all the way to Sydney Heads, best seen from the terrace. Inside, it feels homely and full of character, with a fireplace, spaces for meetings and me time and a reading room. Breakfast is served from 6.30am, while cocktails and canapés await after a hard day at the office. Club Concierge services include sorting your ticketing and reservation issues and booking the boardroom, which is gratis for the first hour.
Shangri- La Hotel, Sydney
Guests staying in the Shangri-La’s (hotel.qantas.com.au/shangrila sydney) 113 Horizon rooms and suites have knockout harbour views but nothing compared to the 210-degree panorama from the 30th-floor Horizon Club. The club’s other benefits include private check-in, a dedicated concierge to handle everything from travel planning to basic translation services, buffet breakfasts, afternoon tea, two hours of evening drinks and canapés and the pressing of one suit or dress during a stay. Late check-out until 4pm, where available, is the clincher.
InterContinental Sydney
Truly an address to impress, Club InterContinental commands the rooftop of this Sydney CBD stalwart (hotel.qantas.com.au/ intercontinentalsydney), offering guests an unrivalled 270-degree view of the Harbour City in all its glittering grandeur. All-day refreshments and evening cocktails, a concierge and one hour’s complimentary use of the club lounge’s meeting room are available to guests. But all that feels ho-hum when you’re standing on the terrace with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House seemingly within reach and North Head and South Head beckoning in the distance.
Crown Towers Melbourne
This sophisticated retreat on the third floor of Crown Towers Melbourne (hotel.qantas.com.au/ crowntowersmelbourne) defies expectations of a casino complex with its elegant lounge and charming, light-filled deck. For many, Crystal Club becomes a home away from home – albeit one with staff to deliver drinks and snacks, make bookings and appointments, arrange airport transfers, reserve meeting rooms and generally look after every comfort. The usual club privileges apply, including daily happy hour (or hours, from 5pm to 7.30pm) with drinks on the house.
InterContinental Perth City Centre
The 16th-floor eyrie of this new property (hotel.qantas.com.au/ intercontinentalperth) is restricted to guests fortunate enough to be staying in Club InterContinental rooms. Rest assured, the club lounge perks are worth it: à la carte breakfasts, all-day snacks, high tea and twilight drinks with the city twinkling all around. Eating and drinking aside, there’s also ample incentive to catch up on some work, with a boardroom and concierge support at guests’ beck and call.