- Another round the world for 90K: Introduction
- Review: Club International Seattle
- Review: Lufthansa Business Class Seattle to Frankfurt
- Review: Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt
- Review: Lufthansa Business Class Frankfurt to Nice
- Review: Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Mediterranee
- Review: Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez
- Review: Park Hyatt Zurich
- Review: Swiss Senator Lounge Zurich
- Review: Austrian Business Class Zurich to Vienna
- Review: Austrian Business Class Vienna to Tokyo Narita
- Review: EVA Air Business Class Tokyo Narita to Taipei
- Review: Le Meridien Taipei
- Review: W Taipei
- Review: EVA Air Infinity Lounge Taipei
- Review: EVA Air Royal Laurel Class Taipei to San Francisco
- Thoughts on Nice, Monte Carlo, Cannes, Zurich, and Taipei
Our incoming flight from Seattle parked at the “C” gates while our connection left from the “A” gates (which are located on top of the “Z” gates) so we began the long journey there, which sure felt awfully Heathrow and de Gaulle-esque. We decided to go to the “Z” gates since there’s a nicer lounge there and it’s in the same area. Totally random tangent, but am I the only one that thinks “Z” is a horrible name for a concourse in Germany? Saying “your flight is leaving from zhee gates” seems like it could lead to a German episode of “Who’s on first.”
Our aircraft upon arrival
After clearing security we headed to the non-Schengen Senator Lounge, located near gate Z50. As a reminder, there are several other options available in Frankfurt if you have a credit card with lounge access.
Senator Lounge entrance
Lounge reception
Lounge entrance art
Once in the lounge I decided to first take a shower. To my surprise there was no queue, and I have to say the shower rooms were lovely. I find most European airport showers in business class lounges to not be especially nice or large, and because of how small they are they get super-hot and you end up sweating to the point that the purpose of the shower is defeated.
Shower room area
These shower rooms were spacious and beautifully designed.
Shower room
Shower room
Shower room
Shower room
The shower had a single dispenser for soap/shampoo.
Dispenser
After a quick shower it was off to the rest of the lounge to catch up on some work. This particular Senator Lounge is the size of an IKEA, and it really is amazing how much it fills up.
Senator Lounge seating
Senator Lounge seating
Senator Lounge seating
Senator Lounge seating
Senator Lounge seating
Senator Lounge seating
Senator Lounge seating
Senator Lounge seating
Senator Lounge seating
Senator Lounge seating
Senator Lounge seating
Duty free display
The food spread was fairly good and consisted of the two staple items of any good German’s diet — pretzels and Fanta.
Buffet area
PRETZELS!
Buffet area
Buffet area
Buffet area
Anyway, on the whole this is one of the nicest Senator Lounges I’ve been to. I do wish it would’ve been a bit less full because it felt more like a terminal than a lounge, but at least the food spread was decent, it was nicely furnished, and the Wi-Fi speed was fairly good.
At around 11:45AM we left the lounge to clear passport control and head towards the Schengen gates in the “A” concourse.
Walking to departure gate
Walking to departure gate
Frankfurt Airport is nice aside from the lounges?! Who knew?
We made it to our departure gate, A1, at around noon, shortly before boarding began.
Departure gate
This also has to be the coolest departure gate ever, given that the plane parks “sideways” and doesn’t even have to pushback — awesome!
Our plane to Nice
Let me get back to the root article about lounges - I think the writer was a bit negative in the end on the Frankfurt Senator Lounge. It can get crowded, but I can't begin to compare the quality to any domestic USA lounge. It blows away every lounge I've ever been to in the USA, from the food and beverage quality, to the ambiance - US lounges need to take a lesson here.
This lounge does have a sleeping room, it's in the very back on the right. Thanks for this post!
I recently flew into FRA on UA Global First and had to transfer to a LH flight within Europe in Terminal B. I found the lounge in terminal B but to get there from my gate in Terminal B and back, I went though passport control 4 times (4 stamps just for walking in Terminal B), security checkpoints 3 times (including the same checkpoint twice), and customs twice. Have you encountered this problem? I find...
I recently flew into FRA on UA Global First and had to transfer to a LH flight within Europe in Terminal B. I found the lounge in terminal B but to get there from my gate in Terminal B and back, I went though passport control 4 times (4 stamps just for walking in Terminal B), security checkpoints 3 times (including the same checkpoint twice), and customs twice. Have you encountered this problem? I find it very strange there is security checkpoint and passport control within a terminal. I will be doing the return leg in a week and wondering if you have any insights. Maybe I am doing something wrong.
@Lucky, Old post I'm responding to, but it's on point--and you obviously still see new comments!
I'm going ATL-FRA-PRG next week. All LH, all business--although obviously FRA-PRG is intra-Europe business. I assume we can access any of the business lounges because both our arriving and departing flights are business (I award fare)? If so, this Z lounge looks pretty spacious--and I would appreciate bigger shower rooms--but involves some extra walking and navigation. How much...
@Lucky, Old post I'm responding to, but it's on point--and you obviously still see new comments!
I'm going ATL-FRA-PRG next week. All LH, all business--although obviously FRA-PRG is intra-Europe business. I assume we can access any of the business lounges because both our arriving and departing flights are business (I award fare)? If so, this Z lounge looks pretty spacious--and I would appreciate bigger shower rooms--but involves some extra walking and navigation. How much further out of the way is it vs. just using the Welcome Lounge or heading straight for a lounge in the Schengen A gates?
Thanks as always for the great info!
@ Autolycus -- Figure it'll take an extra 30 minutes or so. While it is more spacious, it also tends to get a LOT more crowded, so unless your layover is really long I wouldn't go out of my way for it. I think the Welcome Lounge might be a better option. Enjoy your trip!
Leaving FRA on UA in First Class to ORD. Have no status at all. I think I can access the Senator Lounge (can't I?) but what about a First Class lounge or do I have to be flying LH for that to happen?
@ I says pardon? -- As a United first class passenger you can access the Senator Lounge. The Lufthansa First Class Lounge is reserved exclusively for HON Circle members as well as Lufthansa/Swiss first class passengers.
@ DP81 - Yep, on account of your Star Gold status you can use the Senator Lounge and bring in a guest.
Lucky,
If I'm flying LAX-FRA-FCO on LH biz, can I access the Senator lounge? I'm companion is flying coach but I'm also Star Gold, can I bring her in with me? Thanks!
@ You're Pathetic - You're pathetic. 'Nuff said.
Thanks Lucky!
@ Ken -- As an arrivals lounge you only have access to the Welcome Lounge.
If you're in Thai business class you have access to the Lufthansa business lounge.
If I'm arriving on LH Biz in FRA will I have access to any of the lounges on arrival?
If I'm departing FRA on Thai Biz which lounge will I have access too?
"Totally random tangent, but am I the only one that thinks 'Z' is a horrible name for a concourse in Germany? Saying 'your flight is leaving from zhee gates' seems like it could lead to a German episode of 'Who’s on first.'"
You are the only one. What makes you think the letter 'Z' is pronounced 'zhee' in GERMAN? For once, try to think like a human and not some monolingual Euro-American ignoramus. Seriously...
@ john -- Technically you only get first class lounge access on departure at your transoceanic gateway. The rule it as follows:
"- Customer must present a boarding pass for travel in International First Class on a Star Alliance flight
- Customer must be departing from the local airport in International First Class"
So you'd only get access to the Lufthansa Business Lounge, though it can't hurt to try and access the Senator Lounge.
Lucky, if I am flying into FRA on UA F and onto CDG on LH business, will I have access to Senator lounge with UA F boarding pass?
@ Yarki Sabar @ Oliver2002 -- Whoops, you guys are of course right. We left from the "A" gates. Post updated!
It looks like Bens NCE flight left from Gate A1...
Why is a flight from Nice going from a Z gate? As I understand FRA, Z is the non-Schengen concourse which sits "on top" of Schengen concourse A. So gate A69, for example, is the same physical hard stand as gate Z69; it's just that they use Z69 when it is a non-Schengen flight parked at that stand and they should be using A69 for a Schengen flight.
Must admit I tend to think along similar lines. Much as I love being connected I've only ever been on one flight* with wifi (AA DFW-MCO) so I just don't associate flying with having connectivity - I therefore tend to be self-sufficient with work/entertainment and actually use it as a time to disconnect. Better seat therefore much appreciated!
* being based in Europe we don't really have it on most planes here and the LH/SQ...
Must admit I tend to think along similar lines. Much as I love being connected I've only ever been on one flight* with wifi (AA DFW-MCO) so I just don't associate flying with having connectivity - I therefore tend to be self-sufficient with work/entertainment and actually use it as a time to disconnect. Better seat therefore much appreciated!
* being based in Europe we don't really have it on most planes here and the LH/SQ flights I've been on long-haul it hasn't been working!
As I can work for 5 hours without wifi, I will almost always prefer a better seat to wifi.
As I can work for 5 hours without wifi, I will almost always prefer a better seat to wifi.
BTW is it just me or does this site keep flipping between asking for name/email and offering WordPress login??
LOL of course over here we pronounce Z as 'zed' so there's not really such an issue :-P
@ Thalha -- There are some lounge chairs, but I don't believe there's a sleeping room.
Is there a sleeping room in the business class lounge?
What were the hot dishes? Couldn't tell from your pics. I like to read about all the good stuff we'll never see at a domestic United Club :)
I believe the Germans pronounced letter z as 'zet' so no problem there :)
I haven't been to this particular lounge, but depending on your departure gate another option is to head to the arrivals lounge. Always plenty of showers there. You'll need to clear security, but I find the arrivals lounge less crowded than other Senator lounges.
I love the FRA lounges except for the tiny showers, which you normally find in the other LH lounges. The pretzels are my fav - I usually pack one for the plane as well. My only regret is that I am normally transiting FRA and MUC during morning hours, so I rarely feel like pouring myself a delicious German bier...
Lucky was lucky that he did not hit one of the horrendous early morning security lines, which could cause a missed connection.