Melbourne Qantas Club is the world's nosiest airport lounge!

Recently visited the new MEL QC and although aesthetically quite nice, it has to be the noisiest lounge I've ever sat in.

The hard surfaces from wall to floor combined with the narrow length of the lounge create an actual echo chamber, where every glass, piece of cutlery and plate is continuously clanging regardless of where you're seated. Obviously people's discussions adds to this, but once an announcement comes over the PA or music starts playing, yikes it is a loud environment!

Although it doesn't have to be the Emirates business lounge in Dubai where it’s is almost a total silent environment in every aspect, Qantas would be wise to make this a PA-free lounge and/or add some carpet to absorb the nose, otherwise it is a rather unpleasant space to sit in without grabbing the noise cancelling headphones!

Anyone else found the same issue during peak periods?

I agree. The hard wood floors really echos the sound of shoes and high heels. Cutlery sounds are unavoidable but the floor and the PA system is very loud. Given the amount of flights Qantas has, it would certainly wake you up in the morning if you weren't already.

And it's an absolute horror arriving there late afternoon / early evening. Nightmare trying to find a seat

Absolutely agree, it’s a shocker, my son has sensory issues so we had a quick breakfast and then left and wondered around the terminal, it’s the only lounge we have ever had an issue with, maybe it’s a new way of thinning the numbers.

Hardwood floors, cheapens the experience, but/and also makes it cheaper for QF cleaning wise.

Just need to read the marketing for Priority Pass to see what's needed. Lounges 'Aspire' to silence for an hour's sleep between flights.

Whats the lounge like on Sunday evening? guessing it wouldn't be as bad noise wise compared to during the week?

The new lounge is akin to a cheap ikea inspired food court, the ambiance is terrible it feels cheap with the mixture of ikea looking timber chairs and metal picnic chairs, anyway good luck finding one of these poor quality chairs to sit down on when it gets busy. This make over has from my point of view lessened the appeal of Qantas,(along with there terrible service level particularly on international flights) the Virgin Melbourne lounge is much better.

Unfortunately it won't help with the noise issues raised by the OP, but it is worth noting that the lounge is not yet finished.

Qantas Cafe

I pay premiem get out of my lounge

came into this thread expecting OP to point out how other patrons were looking over his shoulder and judging him on his weird internet habits...