Review: Sheraton Frankfurt Airport (FRA)

Did you notice if the a/c or thermostat was limited like it was during your stay at the Marriott last time around? Maybe not since it’s winter time.

I stayed at the Marriott last September and had the same experience as you did there where the room’s thermostat just would not get to a decently cooled temperature.

Just stayed last night. Rooms yes good renovated. Regarding:

Quote “ (suite upgrades at this property are extremely rare).”
I am Ambassador member. They said I was upgraded. I said cool is it a nice suite. They said no a club room. I asked if they have suites available. They said yes. They said no we do not upgrade to suites. I said as per terms I need to get one. They said go to Ambassador service. Which I did and waiting reply. Didnt bother to go into discussion. This is a BIG MINUS for me.

Club lounge. Yes ambiance is good. Food offerings just terrible. Breakfast not served in club lounge. I want an easy quick breakfast.

Room temperature. Way to german hot. Terrible as well and i requested a cool room by chat a day before. Terrible. (Off topic but JW Marriott Berlin , new, rooms do cool to freezing also in winter).

Alltogether. Rooms good. Rest soso.
Oh. A gin 19€

@ GP_7676 -- Great point, I updated the post to reflect that. The hotel has the same issue as the Marriott, but it wasn't a problem during my stay, since it was winter.

I used one of my few remaining SNAs last fall here on a one night stay. So maybe it takes that.

The suite however did NOT feel as renovated to me as these pics though.

I stayed recently and wasn’t impressed since I had no hot water in my room and I also felt the lounge operating hours were not optimal for a hotel that a lot of people stay at because of an early morning flight.

Stayed here for the first time about 6 months ago. A stream of coincidences made it less than enjoyable for a quick night. Arrived late on DB (from my limited German, the train stopped because there were children playing on the tracks). Late enough so that I couldn't access the lounge or get food from the restaurant since both were closed at 10 PM. Settled for mediocre sandwich and pastry. Was upgraded and room was in the same style as yours but didn't feel "premium" (okay, fine, it was the cheapest of the 4 options at FRA) but was assigned the room farthest from the elevator and there were dishes/glasses still outside the doorway. Had to leave early the next morning since I was on the SQ flight to JFK and wanted time to lounge hop so a room closer to the elevator would have been greatly preferred and an upgrade to me was not useful.

Would give it another chance, yes. But would keep my options open if I am ever overnighting at FRA again. Is it normal to have both the lounge and restaurant close at 10 PM for a hotel connected to the airport? Or have breakfast not start until 6:30 AM?

I have spent at least 100 nights at the Sheraton FRA. I really prefer the rooms that are now Marriot and the current lounge/breakfast situation does not cut it.
I will not return till there is a 9th floor lounge.
I do understand that a lounge adjacent to the kitchen works for management but the quiet, view and relaxing atmosphere are not there currently.

I assume the cigar lounge is closed permanently?

I have been going there for may years while attending a major trade and was at the Marriott side last week

what a disappointment -
•Most rooms are sealed and there is not ventilation - stuffy in the winter, impossible in the summer as the have an ancient HVAC system - the ambassador desk (that's an entirely different story) reached out days before to pre=book me into one of the rooms where the windows can open and they didn't do it
•The old Towers and new M Clubs was great - is now closed but that fact was not on the site when booking
•the Sheraton club is only open from 5-10 and there are no services like in the Marriott club- and if you are in the marriott, it's a hike to get there
•Breakfast is a dumpster fire -long waits, marginal food ,
•my friends who were on the Sheraton side all complained about no hot water for 3 day

the location is good - gym is very good - if you don't want to eat in the hotel and pay through the eyeballs, there is a group of restaurants in the train station a 5 minute walk (indoor) from the hotel

forget about upgrades -

Never stayed there but from photos and descriptions of the renovations, the common areas look fantastic and food and drink offerings excellent. The upgraded Club Room however, looked rather basic IMO making one wonder what the upgrade is??!! A standard room must be a disappointment.

I stayed here recently, probably my fourth time or so. Renovations help but the toilet wouldn’t flush every time and there was a water leak (from HVAC?) in the luggage area. Quite disappointing for what they’re charging, even accounting for the location.

The picture taking seems to be a thing in Frankfurt recently. Just been to the Lufthansa Bistro Lounge and I've been told, it's not permitted to take pictures. In none of the LH lounges because of DSGVO. Not even food. Never knew, that food has such rights but well...
Never had that problem before.

You used this hotel as an overnight transit hotel. Many (most?) use it as a centrally located conference hotel. I’ve been here many times, spend many nights in the (now closed…permanently?) cigar/pool lounge. Breakfast is akin to buffets in Asia - extremely large and plentiful - really excellent. Rooms are very stuffy despite the renovations. Food in the restaurant is expensive and average (and you can’t get a burger cooked medium or lower - hotel policy).

I know hotel shuttles are nasty. Time delays, worry about finding them, etc. Frankfurt has several good hotels near the airport. We took a 10€ cab, instead of waiting, to the Steigenberger, and were blown away by the friendly service, great food, super clean comfortable room. Much better value than the Sheraton where we stayed many times.
Try that representative of a smaller European chain.

Ben - I’ve spent many nights there pre-pandemic, and agree with your assessment on location, old lounge, etc.
-Is the new lounge located where that dark bar was on the line by level? Or in “Flavors” space? Both?
- Is the delicious German restaurant in the lower level still there/open?

Excellent job on the photographs.

You mentioned the gym. Is the Gym's Spa still open? They have separate Men's and Women's locker rooms in the Gym, but the Spa area of the gym - sauna, steam room, showers are CO-ED. Being Europe - men and women are naked together in the group showers.

The Austrians are also terribly unreceptive with the whole photo-taking indoors anywhere on commercial premises thing.

I remember talking with a girlfriend of ours prior to a trip (my husband is Austrian) about how great Schmalz is (she is Jewish, and a great chef), then saw it in a supermarket fridge whilst we were there and went to take a photo of it for her (as one does).

A staff member instantly came barrelling up, loudly questioning me indignantly and very brashly as to why. What she didn’t expect was an Australian who won’t tolerate rudeness and gave it back to her ten times as loudly with some English swearing (which is like nails on a chalkboard to Austrians, Germans and the Swiss). If you’re gonna start something, you’d better be ready to bring to with me, bitch!

Great review, by the way Ben (how rude of me getting caught up in my story and forgetting to compliment you!). When I finally do the LH F terminal in FRA and find an overnight is necessary (which it could be, given that all the in-laws and relatives there are closer to VIE, ZRH & MUC) it will be my go to.

@Ben - How would you compare to the Hyatt Place in Frankfurt airport?

I would just consider that this is walking rather than a taxi/shuttle or subway ride.

You could have made breakfast. There is night before check in for SQ. Since you are walking across the street you could cut it tight. When you are among the last few to arrive to board SQ greets you by name, they know the names of those not boarded yet, lol

@Lucky - You are underselling how terrible the bedding, pillows and blankets are!
2 flat pillows - no you can't have any more!
1 blanket - no you can't have any more.

This hotel has been going down hill for years. The rooms are worse than a motel 6!

@ Christian -- Personally I'd only consider the Sheraton, Marriott, Hilton, or Hilton Garden Inn, since they don't require a shuttle, and that's so much more convenient. So unfortunately I don't have any firsthand experience with the Hyatt Place FRA.

I stayed there (Marriott) Feb 2023 and can tell you, sadly, the Gym's spas is NOT open. Stayed there in Oct & Nov 2022 and again now in Feb 2023. Three different excuses: 1) Part needs to come from Eastern Europe - explained in detail by front desk agent of Marriott. 2) The fan is broken - by front desk agent at Sheraton. 3) Probably the most truest - the nighttime janitorial staff said it's been closed since March 2020. And so is the mini gym and sauna on the 9th floor of the Marriott.
I've brought this up with Marriott management - especially since they advertise the Spa on their website (which is actually an outside vendor open M-F from 5 - 10 pm).
I'll be back in May - we'll see.

I used to stay at the Sheraton years ago and was usually upgraded to a suite. It was remarkable how quiet the rooms were and I was told they were sound-proofed. Did you find it to be quiet?

Servus Ben.

Thank you of this report. I changed my booking from Marriott Airport to Sheraton Airport based now on your report. Thank you of that one. It will be nice to see, how Club ( I am Plat) works our, and how views (work on bizaviation) are to tarmac. Been at Marriott, and views are not good, rooms are basic rooms, Suite, where we have been, just basics. But the location is superb, as we have 1145 dep to Finland. No hassle in the morning, Star Alliance priviledges throughout the travel day. I live with the trains to and from downtown, daily FRA ticket is somewhat 10 euros. And trains are convenient.