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Trying out 8 different brands of champagne! To, from and within Asia on *A in First
(Well maybe not 8 bottles, but 8 different brands this time... ;))
So I’m back again! With some new adventures in the skies of the world... No it’s not another 108 hours trip, but long enough that I’ve had enough glasses of wine, champagne and premium whiskies for some time to come. Another wonderful experience! I can just consider myself luck getting the chance to try all these things. Many parts of the trip have been covered here before (well most things have by now) but as usual I’ll give a rather extensive and thorough account of what I have experienced with plenty of photos and menu transcripts. Hopefully a good source that others can use to plan their own trips. However there will also in fact be one very unusual part, which I can guarantee no one has covered. Table of content Part 1: ARN-FRA on Lufthansa in C Part 2: Lufthansa First Class Lounge, Frankfurt A-pier Part 3: Lufthansa First Class Terminal, Frankfurt Part 4: First class limousine transfer in FRA and FRA-MUC on Lufthansa in M Part 5: MUC-NRT on Lufthansa in F (part 1) Part 6: MUC-NRT on Lufthansa in F (part 2) Part 7: Hotel Metropolitan Marunouchi, Tokyo Part 8: The lounge hopping that wasn’t Part 9: Baptism of an Airbus A380 in celebration of Lufthansa 50 years in Japan Part 10: NRT-BKK on Thai Airways in F Part 11: Arrival in Bangkok and Thai Airways Royal First Arrivals service Part 12: Trying out the brand new Radisson Suites Bangkok Sukhumvit Part 13: BKK-KBV on Thai Airways in M Part 14: Krabi and Koh Lanta Part 15: Royal Lanta Resort & Spa Part 16: KBV-BKK on Thai Airways in M Part 17: Novotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Part 18: Thai Airways Royal First ground services and lounge in Bangkok Part 19: BKK-NRT on Thai Airways in F (The Jet Airways Suite) Part 1 Part 20: BKK-NRT on Thai Airways in F (The Jet Airways Suite) Part 2 Part 21: Narita - Not just an airport! Part 22: A nice start of my ANA First Class experience Part 23: First class lounge hopping at Narita Part 24: NRT-MUC on All Nippon Airways in F - Part 1, settling onboard Part 25: NRT-MUC on All Nippon Airways in F - Part 2, the main meal service Part 26: NRT-MUC on All Nippon Airways in F - Part 3, the seat, IFE and getting some rest Part 27: NRT-MUC on All Nippon Airways in F - Part 4, last meal service and arrival in Europe Part 28: Lounge hopping in Munich Part 29: MUC-ARN on Lufthansa in C And finally, the 8 brands of champagne... Summary Background and booking In November 2010 I resigned from my old job, I had been offered another job (a slightly better one) in another company, in a new industry, which I had accepted. As part of the job switch I made sure to get a few days off in the second half of January. It’s always a good thing to take some time off to recharge the batteries properly before everything starts again with new high expectations in a new work environment. And of course this meant another opportunity for some nice travels... I had loads of points in my SAS Eurobonus account, nearly 250,000 points. I still don’t quite know where all these points actually come from, I keep on spending them every now and then, but my account just never seems to get even close to empty. Well that’s a pleasant problem to have! Looking at the points chart I realised I had enough points for some really nice treats and the choice eventually fell on an F-award to Asia. A second reason for going was to visit a friend who is currently studying Thai in southern Thailand during five months. I spent many sleepless nights looking at Star Alliance award availability through ANA using the KVS Availability Tool, which actually makes it much easier and quicker to search for available flights than doing it directly on the ANA webpage. Eventually I had an itinerary I was happy with and which was as optimal and maximised as it could possibly get. There was only one problem, it was serious detour! A far cry from the most direct routing... And I know they are not too happy about this at SAS Eurobonus. Anyway, I decided to give it a try, nothing to lose (and I had actually prepared a plan B just in case). On New Year’s Eve at 4 pm I called SAS Eurobonus member service. I had not had the time to call earlier, but I realised the timing could psychologically be to my advantage. The line was quite busy, most likely they had just a very few agents working this afternoon who had more than enough to do, fortunately gold members have priority on the line. A really nice young woman answered. I explained my intention to book an F-award and started reading from my notes. When we got to the first abnormality in the itinerary she actually made a comment about it and said she would check if there was availability on one of the direct flights. There wasn’t... Phew! :) I explained to her how difficult it is to find availability in F and that I was happy having created an itinerary with what looked like full availability. We got back to my original notes, and believe it or not, she booked the rest without a comment! Everything was available with just one tiny exception which I simply couldn’t care less about. Just wonderful! After having finished the call I jumped around like crazy at home. So happy! :D Obviously a nice new year’s celebration followed during the night. So it’s time to hit the road again on another fabulous trip! A new feature in this trip report is that you can enlarge a photo by clicking on the smaller photo in the report. The larger photo will open in a new window. Comments and questions are welcome, as always! And finally some of my previous trip reports: Read all my latests trip reports here! My craziest trip to date - An odyssey of premium travel! 108 hours, 16 airlines, C/F http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=970257]Jacob_m does 66 hours in C for a quick visit to APW (and reviews EK/FJ/KE/NZ/OZ/TK) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=857191]Ni hao Taipei! A crazy itinerary on SK/QI/CX/CI/LH, all in business class (with pics) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=845338]Turkish Airlines Business Class - A review of the newest *A member! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=761237]ARN-SIN and back in three day on LH/SK/TG in C + Shangri-La Singapore + lots of pics! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=676816]European Business class can be pretty nice!! LH/TP/LX/LO/VO/OS in C with 100+ pics! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=626793]The trip of trips!! FRWSTAR2 around the world! 57 days, 34 flights, and a few trains… |
ARN-FRA on Lufthansa in C
Departure time
The week before departure was completely mad working more than is probably healthy during a week finishing up on projects, calling customers and doing handovers. Even my second last day was spent travelling leaving home at 6.15 am and landing again at Arlanda airport at midnight (where I was supposed to be again just 17 hours later) and finally crashing in my bed just before 1 am. After a nice farewell ceremony on my last day I left the office for the last time just after 3 pm. I actually got a bottle of Pol Roger from my manager, they do know my preferences! :D After a quick stop at home to change clothes and pick up my suitcase (I’m surprised I got to do any packing at all) I left for the airport. The traffic was really bad this late afternoon and the bus ride from central Stockholm took over an hour (it usually takes about 35 minutes). Fortunately I left early and stepped inside terminal 5 just after 5.30 pm with sufficient time before my 6.45 pm departure. Check-in at Arlanda airport http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1824Small.jpg Considering this was a Friday evening the departure hall was surprisingly empty, it is usually far more crowded than this. The SAS/Star Alliance departure hall in the northern part of terminal 5 was also dead quiet with short lines for most check-in desks. Two desks were open for premium check-in, one assigned for business class and the other one for Star Gold. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1828Small.jpg A very efficient middle-aged woman checked me in. When she retrieved my booking she froze and looked surprised and confused by what she saw on her screen. To avoid a lengthy questions and answers session I quickly told her I only wanted to be checked to Frankfurt, and that the same thing would go for my bag, continuing “you probably see fair number of flights on your screen”. She nodded silently... :D Well everything was easily sorted out. My bag was tagged only to Frankfurt and a priority sticker was attached accordingly. The boarding pass also indicated I had only been checked in to Frankfurt, just like I wanted it. Another positive surprise was that my gold status was indicated on the boarding pass. In the past I have had problems with the system not acknowledging my gold status when travelling on award tickets, which I think is unfair as one should always get the same recognition when travelling, irrespective on how the ticket was obtained. This time I had really struggled to get the number it in the reservation, and apparently succeeded. It was properly displayed on all boarding passes and passenger manifests during the trip. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1825Small.jpg I used the fast track security to get airside, saved me quite a bit of time as the line for the regular security was long and slow, and I had a few things to take care of before departure and did not have a great amount of time at the airport. I exchanged some money, bought some literature for the flights, and then headed for the lounge. SAS Scandinavian Lounge, Stockholm/Arlanda http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1832Small.jpg All Star Alliance carriers use the SAS lounge at terminal 5. It is divided into a business lounge (to the right of the reception desk) for business class passengers, and the Scandinavian lounge (to the left of the reception) for Star Alliance Gold. A positive change is that there are now SAS staff working at the reception, previously all lounge staff were outsourced to a third party. The lounge was very crowded but I found a seat rather easily. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1831Small.jpg The food was nothing to write home about this evening. It can be a hit or miss really. Some days they have some proper tasty food to eat (although always cold). This evening it was a rather strange mix of smoked pork, mushroom hash and tomato salsa. On the positive side they had some very nice chocolate muffins available. The drinks selection is always rather nice though with proper wines and spirits and tasty coffee. I made myself some sandwiches, got some red wine from the buffet and later a coffee and a gin & tonic to stress down after an extremely long week and get in a good mood for the flight. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1830Small.jpg It took a long time before “go to gate” was flashing on the monitors and boarding did not start until 6.30 pm, just 15 minutes before schedule departure. No problem for me as I was not in a hurry, no connecting flight in Frankfurt this evening (for a change). The gate area at gate 6 was packed and I think the A321 to Frankfurt was almost completely fully booked. Stockholm/Arlanda-Frankfurt, flight LH 805 operated by Lufthansa Departure: 18:45 Arrival: 20:55 Aircraft: Airbus A321 Class: Business Class Seat: 01A Due to a full flight, a late commencement of the boarding process, and the need for de-icing before departure, we did not pushback until just after 7 pm. The captain welcomed us onboard and announced an expected flight time of 1 hour and 35 minutes, a very quick flight due to favourable tail winds which would mean a punctual arrival in Frankfurt despite the late pushback. English and German magazines were offered in business class before departure, newspapers were available to all passengers from a rack at the gate. We were finally airborne at 7.10 pm from runway 19R. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1837Small.jpg There were only three rows of business class on the rather large Airbus A321. I had initially selected 03F for the flight, but on the day of departure I changed to 01A to get my own row. In business class the middle seats are kept empty and have been replaced by a table, which means a 2-2 configuration onboard. There were only about five passengers in business class on this flight to Frankfurt. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1835Small.jpg Meal service In November 2010 Lufthansa completely revamped the inflight service in intra-Europe business class and the new inflight concept is a huge improvement. I was quite annoyed flying routes like Stockholm-Frankfurt/Munich (2 hours) and getting a small plate of cold cuts, which on a really bad day was nothing more than a simple Caesar salad. The new concept includes an appetiser, a main course (a hot meal!) and a dessert. Rather small portions, but tasty and filling nevertheless. On the tray there is usually also a small menu describing the contents of the meal. The crew are also expected to address all business class passengers by name when taking drink orders, they bring a small piece of paper with the names on the drink trolley. I have experienced this several times and was very positively surprised the first time it happened. ^ Here is the menu for the flight to Frankfurt: Menu Stockholm-Frankfurt Smoked tuna fish tranches With radish sprouts, mustard cress, sheathed woodtuft mushrooms and black cumin-honey oil Burgundy beef goulash Fruit salad with pomegranate seeds and pickled mini-figs The food in business class was very tasty and I had some red wine to drink with the meal. After the meal coffee and tea were served and I also asked for a whisky. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1843Small.jpg The rest of the flight passed very quickly and I spent the remaining time watching some TV-episodes on my laptop. Arrival in Frankfurt Despite the late departure from Stockholm we actually landed 15 minutes ahead of timetable at 8.40 pm on runway 25R in Frankfurt. Most impressive! I was also surprised to be assigned a stand at the terminal, at gate B10 this evening. I have such a bad record of this at Frankfurt airport... http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1846Small.jpg Baggage delivery started amazingly quickly. I was the first person off the plane and baggage delivery started less than five minutes after I reached the baggage reclaim. The priority tag worked like a dream and my bag was the second to arrive on the belt. Because of the smooth arrival I managed to catch the 9.10 pm hotel shuttle bus and was checked in at the hotel just 40 minutes after touchdown at the airport. ^ Mercure Hotel, Frankfurt Airport I had an overnight stay in Frankfurt and the choice of accommodation fell on the Mercure Hotel close to Frankfurt airport, around 6-7 minutes drive from the terminal using the free shuttle bus which leaves every 30 minutes. The hotel is quite OK, perhaps not spectacular, but good value for the money you pay. They also have a nice fitness centre in the basement with pool, gym and sauna. I spent a good part of the evening relaxing in the sauna, stressing down after a long week and preparing for the real travel experience which was about to start the following day. |
Lufthansa First Class Lounge, Frankfurt A-pier
Check-in in Frankfurt
I was completely exhausted when I arrived in Frankfurt after a very long week and had a really good night’s sleep in the very comfortable bed at the Mercure hotel. At 7 am my alarm clock went off and I barely made it to the 7.35 am bus back to the airport. With all that was to come during the day I definitely couldn’t be bothered about the hotel breakfast (and it wasn’t included in the rate anyway). At Frankfurt airport Lufthansa has a separate first class check-in area located at the far end of the large departure hall in terminal 1. It is in fact a separate room. There were five check-in desks open, all with red carpets. Inside the check-in area there is also a separate ticket desk for rebookings, ticket matters etc. I was quickly checked in by a very friendly young woman. She was extremely polite and also did a very proper job with the check-in process making sure every part of it was done correctly. A very nice start to my Lufthansa first class experience! My suitcase was tagged as requested and a blue and red HON priority tag was attached accordingly to indicate my suitcase should get the highest priority. My boarding passes were placed in a nice red and silver first class boarding class folder. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1850Small.jpg Adjacent to the first class check-in area there is also a separate fast track security control. It was very quick, no wait whatsoever and I was through within two minutes. Lufthansa First Class Lounge, Frankfurt A-pier My flight was not leaving until noon, and it was now just before 8 am. This was obviously intentional and gave me plenty of time to try out the first class facilities in Frankfurt, the first stop being the Lufthansa first class lounge in the A-pier. The lounge is located on the upper floor of the A-pier and the escalator to get there is right opposite the Lufthansa business/Senator lounge at gate A26. I was starting to feel pretty hungry as I had not eaten anything whatsoever yet, so I was very much looking forward to a long relaxed breakfast in the first class lounge. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1886Small.jpg I was very excited when I arrived at the entrance to the first class lounge in the A-pier, right next to the passport control to get to the non-Schengen zone of the A-pier. Two very friendly women greeted me at the reception desk inside the lounge. Seeing my first class folder it was not too hard to figure out I was entitled to go inside. They registered me in the computer and also double-checked the gate for the flight, in case there had been any changes. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1882Small.jpg The lounge was surprisingly busy, busy for a first class lounge that is. I guess most people inside had arrived on longhaul flights from Asia and the Americas and were now waiting for their connecting flights to destinations around Europe. Still the lounge was far from crowded and there was plenty of space and empty seats. The lounge is divided into different areas with proper lounge armchairs by the windows facing the apron, while at the entrance next to the bar there are bar chairs you can use if you just want to have a quick drink or get some work done. There is also a cigar lounge, resting rooms, and of course shower/bathing facilities (which I have yet to try some other time). By the entrance there is an excellent selection of reading material, especially the selection of magazines was quite impressive. I found plenty of nice travel magazines to read for example. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1881Small.jpg The bar in the lounge is most extensive with an impressive selection of wine, champagne, beer, spirits, and most importantly, a fabulous selection of whiskies. Lounge attendants regularly tour the lounge to take drink orders and all hot drinks ordered by guests dining in the restaurant are prepared at the bar (and of course other drinks as well if you want something particular to drink later during the day). http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1885Small.jpg The restaurant The first class lounge has an excellent restaurant with a marvellous selection of fresh food. Breakfast in the morning and hot food and cold cuts later during the day. Although most drinks are available at the bar in the main lounge there is also a small trolley in the restaurant with several bottles of wine. There are eight tables in the restaurant and most of them provide an excellent view of the apron and the two main runways through the large windows. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1877Small.jpg The lounge food is available for self-service at the buffet and lounge attendants regularly keep an eye on the buffet to make sure it is tidy and that the food is kept fresh. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1864Small.jpg All tables are beautifully decorated with white linen, napkins, flowers and a bowl with chilled still and sparkling water. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1863Small.jpg The breakfast buffet The selection of food is incredibly extensive and a menu of the offerings is available at every table. Here is the menu for the breakfast buffet: Breakfast Buffet Freshly squeezed fruit juices Orange / Kiwi-pineapple / Grapefruit / Carrot Smoothies Banana-lemon / Strawberry / Mango Variation of different spreads Fruits / Yoghurt / Cereals Fresh fruits / Home made yoghurt Home made muesli / Selection of cereals Selection of muesli ingredients Granola Dried fruits / Nuts & Co Banana chips / Apricos / Raisins Cranberries / Figs / Dates Almonds / Cashews / Wasabi bouls / Macademia Homemade confitures / Honey Apricot / Raspberry / Strawberry / Blueberry Orange / Nutella / Diet confiture Honey Ham / Cheese & Co Smoked farmer ham / Bresaola Salami a la Milano / Spanish fuet “Mettwurst” / “Lebersstreichwurst” Gouda / Cottage / Philadelphia / Boursin with herbs / Pont l’Eveque Scottish smoked salmon - Loch Fyne Horseradish cream / Cream cheese Toast / Bagel Butter / Milk & Co Fresh farmer’s butter / Salted butter Yoghurt butter / Diet margarine Fresh whole mil / Low fat milk / Lactose-free milk Free range eggs Scrambled eggs / Boiled eggs / Ham & eggs Fried eggs / Omelette Crispy bacon / Grilled ham / Sausages Baked beans / Roasted potatoes Asian breakfast Spring rolls / Dim sum / Miso soup From the DO & CO bakery White bread Baguette / Tuscay style sour dough bread Rolls / Ciabatta / Melba toast Home made Demel-Brioche Brown bread Whole wheat bread Pumpernickel / Finn crisp Toast White / Toast wheat toast Freshly baked Croissants Selection of home made Danish pastries Pancakes Plain / Raisin / Red currant Maple syrup Coffee / Tea / Hot Chocolate American coffee Espresso / Cappuccino / Café latte Wide choice of tea Hot DEMEL chocolate Hot food http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1876Small.jpg Pastries, muffins, pancakes, vegetables with dip and cold cuts http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1875Small.jpg Selection of cheeses http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1874Small.jpg Fresh fruits, yoghurts, muesli and some of the fresh fruit juices A fabulous breakfast I had a seat at one of the tables by the window and spent over an hour having a nice and relaxed breakfast while watching the action on the apron. Just wonderful! http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1865Small.jpg A lounge attendant passed to take drink orders and I asked for a cup of strong freshly made black coffee. Very tasty! A refill was later arranged! The food was just great! Very fresh and very tasty! There were plenty of nice options and it all looked very appetising. I could have eaten far more than I did... http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1878Small.jpg There was lots of traffic on the apron, the time period between 8 am and 9 am must be one of the busiest times of the day at Frankfurt airport. An endless number of planes arrive from both longhaul and shorthaul destinations while a fair number of widebodies were towed from remote stands to the terminal in preparation for longhaul morning departures. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1872Small.jpg I spent about 1½ hour in the lounge and enjoyed every minute of it. Verdict The Lufthansa first class lounge is a truly fabulous place, easily one of the best lounges around! ^ Great facilities, a very attractive restaurant, wonderful food and drinks, great view, excellent selection of reading material (especially magazines) and really nice staff. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1869Small.jpg Next: A visit to the Lufthansa first class terminal in Frankfurt |
Brilliant report LH's F lounge is truly amazing...Looking forward to hear about your next adventures. Cheers
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Great report so far...looking forward to the rest!
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Lovely jacob_m....this is potensially a classic TR ^
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Looking forward to the rest of this one.
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Wow, I'm impressed... and waiting for more!
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Lufthansa First Class Terminal, Frankfurt
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Arrival at the First Class Terminal After a very nice and tasty breakfast in the first class lounge I decided to stretch my legs a bit and head for the famous Lufthansa First Class Terminal. To get there you have to go airside (in my case through most of the A-pier), then down the escalator to the arrivals level, through the doors to the taxi stand/hotel shuttle bus stop, and then to the left. It is quite obvious the terminal was originally meant for passengers starting their journey in Frankfurt, arriving at the terminal by taxi or car, and not really for passengers in transit. However there is no problem walking to the first class terminal from the regular terminal 1, but you have to walk through the taxi waiting area where the taxi drivers have their breaks, followed by some maintenance areas. It is not a particularly enjoyable walk. After having passed the small shop/cafeteria in the taxi area I could see the terminal right in front of me on the opposite side of the small road. There is a small staircase leading to the upper floor where the entrance and the car/taxi drop off area are located. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1891Small.jpg There were no staff waiting outside the terminal when I arrived, so I just walked in. The first thing inside is a rather large lobby with a nice-looking Lufthansa reception desk to the right and a seating area to the left. However there was not a person to be seen there either. I had used the first class terminal once before. At that time I arrived at the terminal by taxi from downtown Frankfurt and I was met outside by both a personal assistant and a porter, they arrived before I had even got out of the taxi. So this was of course slightly different... After a few moments a man showed up and apologised for the wait. Fair enough, I got the chance to take a few extra photos in the lobby instead, so not the end of the world. He was to be my personal assistant during the visit, a very sympathetic and pleasant man. He had a quick look at my boarding pass to make sure I was entitled to terminal access and then escorted me the remaining three meters to the dedicated security control in the terminal. With only me passing it was obviously a very quick and pleasant experience and the staff working there were both friendly and helpful. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1892Small.jpg Straight after the security control is a small duty free shop on the left side. They have most of the standard products: perfumes, cosmetics, alcohol, chocolates and of course some luxury goods. I read somewhere that if there is anything in particular you are looking for that they don’t have they can get it for you from one of the larger shops in the regular terminal while you wait, of course assuming there is enough time. Once inside the main lounge my personal assistant gave me a brief introduction to the first class terminal and the facilities available. Furthermore he said I could naturally approach him at any time if I had any questions or requests during my stay. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1907Small.jpg He invited me to take a seat and then said he would be back with my boarding pass in a few minutes. All passengers have to be registered in the terminal upon arrival so the staff can keep track of departure times and arrange the limousine transfers. After you have been registered your flight also appears on the departure monitors with the appropriate “gate” in the basement to use for the limo. There are three different “gates” in the basement and I believe the reason for that is to separate passengers based on where they travel to and what immigration/security checks they need to pass. Inside the terminal http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1896Small.jpg The first class terminal is quite large, especially considering the limited number of passengers who are entitled to use it. The terminal definitely never felt crowded and each passenger had plenty of personal space. And there was certainly no wait for anything, whether it would be a drink order or a visit to the restroom. There are plenty of seats by the window facing the apron, mostly very comfortable light brown leather seats. Unfortunately there is not much of a view from the terminal though, most of the view is obstructed by office and maintenance buildings. In that sense the first class lounge in the A-pier had an advantage over the terminal. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1904Small.jpg The first class terminal has similar facilities to the first class lounge in the A-pier, including a sit-down restaurant, a very extensive bar, a cigar lounge and great shower facilities. There is also free WIFI available, although you need to ask the staff for a voucher which will give you two hours of access. If you don’t have your own laptop I believe you can rent one (for free) in the terminal. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1900Small.jpg There is also a very extensive selection of newspapers and magazines in the lounge, there are easily magazines to cover most people’s interests. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1923Small.jpg The bar The Lufthansa first class terminal has a wonderful bar with an incredible selection of premium champagnes, wines, spirits, liqueurs and soft drinks. Just to mention a few examples there are 6 brands of champagne, 8 types of red wine, and something like 80 types of whisky including some rare and vintage ones The staff can also mix a large number of cocktails and prepare coffee drinks. And of course everything is available free of charge and you can mix and match and try as much as you want. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1920Small.jpg I took photos of all the pages in the drink list as I think it is quite spectacular. I have actually taken the time to type all of it, you’ll find the full drink list below for your enjoyment. I wonder how many bars in the world can match this selection.... Drink List Water Apollinaris, Evian, Stattl, Fachingen, Perrier, San Pellegrino, Voss, Vöslauer Fruit Juices Pineapple, Apple, Pear, Strawberry, Black currant, Cherry, Mango-passion fruit, Tropical fruit, Peach, Tomato Fresh Juices Orange juice, Grapefruit juice, Kiwi-pineapple juice, Carrot juice Smoothies Strawberry, Banana, Mango Soft Drinks Coca Cola, Coca Cola Light, Coca Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Bitter lemon, Ginger ale, Tonic water, Soda water, Red Bull, Red Bull sugar free Homemade Drinks Limonade, Ice tea Coffee Espresso, Double espresso, Small black, Large black, Melange, Cappuccino, Latte macchiato, Café crème, Espresso macchiato, Double espresso macchiato, Irish coffee, Ice coffee Hot chocolate Tea Assam Bukhial second flush, Ceylon orange pekoe, Darjeeling lingia first flush, Earl Grey imperior, Five O’closk tea, Chai tee Decaffeinated Darjeeling Formosa Oolong II, White apricot tea China Lung Ching green tea, China Wujuan jasmine, Grean tea ginger lemon Fruit tea, Camomile, Fennel, Peppermint, Rooibos caramel, Herbal tea, Lemongrass Champagne & Prosecco Prosecco “Brusole” Champagne Taittinger Champagne Tattinger “Rosé” Champagne Ruinart Champagne Mandois Champagne Bollinger White Wines 2009 Riesling, Weingut Robert Weil, Rheingau, Germany 2006 Saar Riesling, Van Volxem, Saar, Germany 2008 Grüner Veltliner Kreutles Smaragd, Weingut Knoll, Wachau, Austria 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Mount Nelson, New Zealand 2008 Chardonnay, Jadot, Bourgogne, France 2009 Pinot Grigio Doc, Tenute Grandi & Gabanda, Friaul, Italy 2009 Verdejo Rueda Do, Marques de Riscal, Rueda, Spain Red Wines 2005 Marchese Antinori, Chianti Classico D.O.C.G, Antinory, Tuscany, Italy 2009 Tomaresca Neprica Puglia IGT, Tormaresca, Apulien, Italy 2006 Rioja Vallobera Crianza Doca, Bodegas San Pedro - Rioja, Spain 2006 Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois Supérieur AC, Châteaux Senejac - Medoc, France 2007 Tesoro Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon, Esterházy - Neusiedlersee Hügelland, Austria 2008 Shiraz Diamond Label, Rosemount, Australia 2008 Shiraz “Inidvidual Vineyard”, Paringa Estate, Australia 2008 Pinotage, Alexander von Essen - Stellenbosch, South Africa Rose Wine 2008 Rosado IGT, Re Manfredi - Basilikata, Italy Dessert Wine 2007 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese, J.J Prüm, Germany 2007 Beerenauslese, Kracher, Austria Draft Beer Beck’s, Radeberger, König Pilsner Bottled Beer Budweiser, Carlsberg, Corona, Foster’s, Heineken, Köstritzer, Kronenbourg 1664 Ottakringer, Warsteriner, Sion Kölsch Wheat Beer Franziskaner Hefe, Franziskaner Kristall, Franziskaner Dunkel, Franziskaner Alkoholfrei Non Alcoholic Beer Clausthaler Apfelwein Possmann Cider Strongbow Aperitif Aperol, Campari, Martini Bitter, Ouzo No 12, Pernod, Ricard Digestif Averna, Chartreuse 40% yellow, Chartreuse 55% green, Fernet menta, Cynar Fernet branca, Nonino amaro, Ramazzotti Calvados Chateau de Beuil VSOP, Pâpidoux Fine Cognac Camus Grand VSOP, Hennessy Fine de Cognac, Hennessy X.O Remy Martin Coeur de Cognac, Otard VSOP, Otard X.O Gold Brandy Carlos Primero, Lepanto, Conde de Osborne, Osborne Veterano Vodka Absolut, Absolut Citron, Absolut Mandarin, Finlandina, Green Mark, Grey Goose, Stolichnaya Gin Beefeater, Bombay Sapphire, Gordon’s, Hendrick’s gin, Saffron gin, Tanqueray, Whitley Neill Sake Shinzui, Zuikan Aigamo - Kame No O, Shiraume Ginjo - Umeshu Shochu Kouriyama Imo Tequila Camino Real Blanco, Don Julio, Jose Cuervo, Patron Grappa Antinori, Altesino, Fontana Fredda, Nonino, Poli Fruit Schnaps Apple, Raspberry, Elderflower, Cherry, Apricot, Quince, Pear, Plum (Reisetbauer) Apricot, Rowan Berry, Yellow plum (Lantenhammar) Rum / Cachaca Cartavio, Bacardi, Havana Club, Myers’s, Pitú, Pyrat, Zacapa, El Dorado, Saint-Etienne Liqueur Amaretto Disaronno, Baileys, Batida de Coco, Bénédictine D.O.M, Chambord Cointreau, Crème de Cassis, Drambuie, Grand Marnier, Kahlua, Lufthansa Cocktail Malibu, Pepino Peach, Pimm’s No 1, Heering Cherry Liquer, Sambuca, Southern Comfort, Tia Maria Sherry Sandeman Vermouth Martini, Noilly Prat Port wine Sandeman, Warres’s Whisky & Whiskey Blended Scotch Ballantine’s Finest, Ballantine’s 12 years, Chivas Regal 12 years, Clan Campbell 12 years Cutty Sark 6 years, Dewar’s White Label, Dimple 15 years, The Famous Grouse Finest The Famous Groupse 12 years, The Famous Grouse 18 years, Glob Kitty, J & B, Johnnie Walker Red Label Johnnie Walker 12 years Black Label, Johnnie Walker 18 years Gold Label, Johnnie Walker Blue Label VAT 69 Finest Scotch Single Malt Whisky Speyside Aberlour 10 years, Aberlour A’Bunadh Cask Strength, Balvenie 12 years Double Wood Ferintosh 10 years, Glenfarclas 10 years, Glenfarclas 12 years, Glenfarclas 21 years Glenfiddich 15 year, Glenfiddich 21 years, Glenlivet 12 years, Glenlivet 15 years Glenluig 10 years, Knockando 12 years, Macallan 12 years, Macallan 18 years, Mortlach 15 years Central Highlands Dalwhinnie 15 years Northern Highlands Glenmorangie 10 years, Glenmorangie 18 years, Glenmorangie Qinta Ruban Glenmorangie Lasanta, Glenmorangie Nektar d’Or Eastern Highlands Glen Garioch 15 tears Western Highlands Oban 14 years Lowlands Glenkinchie 12 years, Kincaple 10 years Campeltown Springbank 15 years Isle of Islay Ardbeg 10 years, Ardbeg Uigedail Cask Strength, Caol Ila 12 years, Druichan Islay 10 years Lagavulin 16 years, Laphroaig 10 years, Laphroaig 18 years Isle of Mull The Craignure 12 years Isle of Orkney Highland Park 12 years, Scapa 16 years Isle of Skye Talisker 10 years Vatted malt Glen Grant, Johnnie Walker Green Label, Compass Box Peat Monster We preferably serve our single malt selection with Scottish highland “Royal Deeside still mineral water” Irish Blended Whiskey Jameson 12 years, Kilbeggan, Paddy, Tullamore Dew Irish Malt Whiskey Bushmills, Connemara, Locke’s, Tyrconnell Bourbon Whiskey Four roses, Jim Bean, Jim Bean 8 years Black Label, Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve Tennessee Whiskey Jack Daniel’s Old No 7, Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Canadian Whisky Canadian Club, Crown Royal, Old Canada Exotic Whisky Japan - Suntory Yamazaki 12 years New Zealand - Milford 10 years Austria - Resetbauer 7 years Germany - Robert Fleischmann, Schwarzer Pirat 13 years Cocktails Champagne Cocktails Mimosa, Bellini Cocktail, Kir Royale, Ritz, Red Star Martini Cocktails Martini cocktail, Vodkatini, Rieslingtini, Vesper (James Bond Martini), French martini Apple martini, Delight Classic Cocktails Daiquiri, Classic Margarita, Sours & Fizzes, Cuba Libre, Mai Tai, Mojito Majito Royal, Caipirina, Piña Colada, Long Island iced tea Anytime Cocktails Negroni, Americano, Singapore sling, Bombay crushed, Cosmopolitan, Sex on the beach Bloody Mary, Swimming pool, Vanilla sky, Summer breeze Virgin Cocktails Coconut kiss, Maradonna, Fruit punch, Apple cooler, Refresher, Bottermelk fresh Then of course you can always go to the bar yourself to have a look at the amazing display of bottles and discuss the selection with the staff. From my experience many of them are quite knowledgeable about what they have on the shelves. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1924Small.jpg I decided to give the champagne selection a try and started off by taking the advice from my friend and fellow FT-member View to try the more unusual Mandois Blanc-de-Blanc, which was quite tasty. The other champagne brands included Taittinger, Bollinger and Ruinart. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1897Small.jpg The drinks selection is almost the same in the terminal as in the first class lounges in the main terminal. The restaurant Just like the first class lounge the first class terminal has a very nice restaurant where guests can choose from a very extensive buffet selection and have a seat at one of the nicely decorated tables. The chairs and tables in the first class terminal are basically the same as in the first class lounge, but the restaurant in the terminal has a more modern and contemporary feeling to it. There is no natural light in the restaurant, but some nice lighting effects instead. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1925Small.jpg There was a menu available on every table describing the food available in the buffet. As I had a seat in the restaurant just before 11 am the breakfast dishes had been replaced by a proper lunch buffet with plenty of cold cuts, hot dishes, soups, vegetables, breads and desserts. Here is the menu for the buffet: Buffet and Specials Soups Consommé with vegetables Tom Ka Gai Thai chicken soup with coconut milk Corianer / Chili Creamy Pumpkin Soup Roasted pumpkin seeds / Pumpkin oil Local special Bavarian “Leberkäse” Creamy potato salad / Brezel / Sweet mustard “Tiroler Gröst’l” Green asparagus / 13 years aged balsamico Steak & Salad Seared fillet of beef Eggplant salad / Crispy rosemary chips Asia Chicken panenghai Crispy chicken in curry coconut sauce Fried Thai basil Fried rice Beef Teppan Yaki Fillet of beef in soy butter Tomatoes / Zucchini Soy sprouts / Oyster mushrooms Pasta Artichoke ravioli Sundried tomatoes / Arugula / Parmesan Special “Wiener Schnitzel” Potato / Cucumber / Cabbage salad However the main problem for me was that I had a first class meal to look forward to in the afternoon and needed to save some room for that. Here are a few photos of the very extensive lunch buffet: http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1931Small.jpg The self-service buffet http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1933Small.jpg Some of the food, including the pasta, the Asian dishes, and the lovely smoked salmon http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1934Small.jpg Cold cuts http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1935Small.jpg Cold cuts, breads, fruits and desserts http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1929Small.jpg Selection of wines in the restaurant I got some food the buffet, it ended up being a little bit of everything, and had a seat at one of the tables. A moment later one of the lounge attendants arrived and asked me if I wanted anything to drink with the meal. I decided to have some red wine and she asked me if there was anything in particular I wanted to try. To make it easier we went just around the corner to the drink trolley and I had a look at the drink list which included a list of all the wines available. The choice fell on the 2005 Marchese Antinori, a Chianti wine from Tuscany in Italy. I usually like Italian wines and this was another nice one! The pleasant attendant brought the bottle to my table and let elegantly let me taste the wine properly before she poured a glass for me. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1936Small.jpg After a tasty meal I asked for a cup of black coffee, which was prepared for me at the bar. I also got some fresh fruits from the buffet and eventually could not resist trying one of the very nice desserts. The chocolate mousse dessert was delicious! http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1943Small.jpg I was very full but incredibly satisfied when I had finished the meal. The food was very tasty and filling and so was the wine. Just as I had finished my cup of coffee my personal assistant arrived, it was time to go downstairs, the limo transfer was waiting... http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1..._1945Small.jpg Verdict The first class terminal is a truly fabulous place to kill some time inside. The facilities are great, the terminal is in an excellent and spotless condition and the selection of food and drinks is simply mind-blowing. The main problem is that you simply cannot eat or drink too much as you probably have a first class flight coming up with an extensive meal service onboard. The service is also very good, however I did get the feeling it has declined a little bit since the terminal opened a few years ago. I seem to remember it as slightly more attentive when I visited the terminal last time. Still the Lufthansa first class terminal and first class lounges in Frankfurt are easily some of the best first class ground facilities around. Next: Finally time for some more flying, and a fun limousine transfer... |
Originally Posted by jacob_m
(Post 15767883)
There is a small staircase leading to the upper floor where the entrance and the car/taxi drop off area are located.
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The drinks list in the F terminal is extensive:)
Can't wait for the rest of the report. |
Nice report, looking to read the next installment of the report.
Especially enjoyed the overview of Lufthansa's FCT which seems very impressive! |
Woohoo another jacob_m adventure.
Hmmm there seems to be a pre-ponderance of champagne in trip reports lately (I'm also guilty). |
Wow, that was a great TR.
Looking forward for reading the rest of your TR. Thank you for writing :) |
I would agree with the comment that the First Class Terminal staff are a bit less attentive than they used to be. Same applies to the F lounges at FRA. Having passed through several times in the past 9 months (most recently two weeks ago) and several times in 2009 the attentiveness definitely is lower. Still not at all terrible by any means, however.
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