Club Intercontinental Lounge Brisbane, before the make over!
The Club Intercontinental Lounge, Brisbane, Australia
LOCATION
Brisbane, Australia
VENUE
Hotel Lounge
TREND
Club lounge
MAPPING
Food & Beverage
High floor lounge awaits rejuvenation
Since Hilton Hotels relinquished the management rights in April 2025; the InterContinentals Hotel Group quietly reopened the doors with new branding. Bigger changes were on the way with a planned full-hotel renovation scheduled to begin in late 2026.
I've taken the opportunity to make a pre; "face lift" visit to the InterContinental Club Lounge. This modest lounge was quiet, simple and understated, it was a lounge where the personalised service of staff made the difference to the experience.
the INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL BRISBANE
190 Elizabeth Street
Brisbane, Qld, 4000
Ph: (61) 7 3234 2000
A world of benefits
Club access was an optional extra that could be chosen at the time of booking. While the price seemed expensive, it was better value in the long run.
Benefits of club access included an afternoon high tea served at 2pm, evening canapés, and refreshments served from 5pm. Breakfast was also included and could be taken in the lounge or in the main restaurant in the lobby.
I couldn't argue with the value. Club Intercontinental rooms were located on the higher floors that commanded greater city views. Ideally a room allocated on level 25 was the best choice as the club lounge was located there.
Lounge during the day
The lounge was long and appeared to be equivalent to the size of five or six hotel rooms. The buffet zone was located at the far end near a small service pantry that was used by the staff. The lounge was divided into two seating zones. Each zone provided a range of comfortable seating, as well as a tall benches that faced out to the city. The entire lounge was carpeted, this kept the acoustics under control, so it was calm and peaceful.
A quiet escape from the hotel lobby
After breakfast the tables remained set for high tea
The high tea for one was cute and quite decadent
A mini business centre provided computers and printer
Daily newspapers and magazines were available
Stephen's Take
While this lounge was small and unpretentious, it was also calm and relaxing, and a comfortable place to write blogs. The Club Intercontinental proved good value for money. The evening canapés service was very popular and offered a simple range of hot and cold finger food and a generous selection of house wines and beers along with spritz. On your next hotel stay try booking a club room, it could be an opportunity to experience another level of comfort and service. I found the level of service to be more personal and friendly. Watch this space, I'll share the Reno once complete!
Stephen
Unit of Competency Mapping
Serve food and beverage
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Please note; the purpose of this article is to introduce current hospitality trends. The content broadly applies to the units of competency listed. It is not intended that all content in this article maps directly to all performance evidence and knowledge evidence in the unit of competency.
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The Intercontinental Hotel Brisbane
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Article and photos original by Stephen Duncan
