Virgin Australia lounges: are they up to scratch?

Hi all

I've flown VA domestically whenever possible for many years. In my experience their service - especially premium cabin service - is better than QF. However, I can't help but wonder if their Lounge offering - especially for premium class pax - is up to scratch.

I recently used my points to upgrade to domestic business class and as I sat in the overcrowded Sydney VA Lounge I wondered if the QF offering was better. Travellers in QF domestic J class get access to a separate business class lounge with upgraded amenities and a more exclusive ambiance. (QF also make their domestic business class lounge available to Plat frequent fliers too.) 

I must confess I have never been impressed by a VA lounge, 

The lounge experience for passengers in J with VA is pretty average, that's for sure - especially in Sydney where there just isn't enough space. That being said, I'm quite a fan of Virgin's J class. I recently flew SYD PER return and went VA one way, and WF the other (both A330's). QF's J lounge in Perth is fantastic, but for me the VA product, service, seat and catering won hands down.

SYD and MEL QF J lounges are sub par.  There is often a line up for the male amenities, that are also in need of a refurb.

In Brisbane, QF wins by a country mile in the lounge war.

Adelaides VA lounge is dire,needs an overhall. Otherwise Brisbane,Sydney and Melbourne etc are all fine for domestic travel plus the staff aren't as snooty as Qantas.

Not really comparing apples with apples here.  QF created the business lounges I would expect because of the complaints from J passengers at the lack of exclusivity due to people buying Q Club.  The QF J lounges also seem to have better F&B offerings for sure.   VA are stuck in a bit of a bind where they don't have enough yield in J to justify separate lounges.  They could look to create in lounge areas similar to the SQ Private rooms with improved F&B. If you then allowed Plats to use that it would give an incentive to actually want or keep Plat.

I have only used the VA lounges in ADL and MEL. They have more the feel of a cafeteria than a lounge. Very average

never tried VA but i certainly don't think the QF MEL J lounge is "up to scratch"

And then there's VA's international lounges........oh, wait ........

VA still suffer the the Brett Godfrey era overhang with the Blue Room mentality. It will take some time and lots of $$$'s (that they do not have) to rectify the situation.

Compared with Qantas Clubs, VA's lounges are fine. For example, the MEL VA lounge is far better than the tired dark MEL Qantas Club.  Compared with QF Business Lounges, they probably lag but I doubt there is a business case for a separate VA Business Lounge particularly as high-value customers are already heading into the very exclusive Club Lounge. 

Having recently compared the BNE Q-CLub and VA lounges I can say that I believe them to be comparable in their many offerings. My preference is for VA, bacon or sausages for brekky! Having not been exposed to the Business Lounge as yet, I can't compare. Virgin do have "the club" which is their equivalent of the Chairman's lounge I believe. But I don't think they will be allowing J access to this? I can definitely empathise with J class feeling short changed. I'm familiar with most VA's lounges in Australia (Alice Springs being the exception) and when they are full it can be a bit annoying. Though also there is a buzz about them that I don't experience with Qantas. The bright colours and lights add to this experience. 

No disrespect, but the BNE lounge is a bogan space and worse, there are those that bring the whole family in to fight over the offerings!