Throughout my journey to Zimbabwe, I deliberately deliberate a roughly 10-hour layover at Zurich Airport, to have the ability to do some lounge hopping, after getting off my SWISS 777 top notch flight from Miami. My first cease was the SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal E, with Terminal E being the realm for non-Schengen departures.
This lounge is phenomenal, amongst my favourite top notch lounges on the planet. There’s a lot to like about this lounge. The three most spectacular issues are the restaurant high quality eating, the out of doors terrace with airplane views, and the wonderful personal bedrooms. However even past that, the lounge has nice decor, plenty of pure mild, and is such a pleasant place to move a while.
Individually, I’ll evaluate the SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal A, and the SWISS Senator Lounge Zurich Terminal E.
SWISS First Lounge Zurich location
The SWISS First Lounge Terminal E is situated close to gate E27. If you’re in that space, you’ll see each a staircase and elevators that may take you up a degree to the lounge.
Within the curiosity of being thorough, let me make clear that that is each past safety and passport management, although should you’re arriving from the US, you don’t must clear safety. Should you’re touring throughout the Schengen zone, it’s simpler to make use of the SWISS First Lounge Terminal A, which doesn’t require going by means of passport management.
SWISS First Lounge Zurich hours
The SWISS First Lounge Zurich is at present open each day from 6AM till 10:30PM, overlaying just about all departures from the airport.
SWISS First Lounge Zurich entry necessities
Who will get entry to the SWISS First Lounge Zurich?
- Passengers touring in SWISS top notch identical day can entry the lounge whether or not arriving or departing; you’ll be able to even use this as an arrivals lounge, with out an onward boarding move (assuming you may get by means of safety, which relies on the place your flight arrives from)
- Passengers touring in Lufthansa top notch identical day can entry the lounge, however not purely as an arrivals lounge, so there must nonetheless be a connecting section
- Lufthansa HON Circle members get entry to the lounge every time flying a Lufthansa Group flight identical day; there’s no have to be in top notch, and there are not any route restrictions
In every case, vacationers are allowed one visitor within the lounge.
SWISS First Lounge Zurich seating & format
The SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal E is roughly 750 sq. meters (~8,100 sq. ft), with seating for 80 friends. The very first thing to understand about this lounge is that it has floor-to-ceiling home windows all through, with many of the lounge having apron views.
As you enter the lounge, you’ll first be greeted by the wine humidor (which reportedly has over 1,000 bottles of wine from world wide), plus a welcome desk with champagne and a few sweet and different snacks.
Should you look straight forward, you’ll then see the middle a part of the lounge, which is the bar space. The eating space is to the left, whereas the lounging space is to the fitting.
The wraparound bar is the centerpiece of the lounge, and has roughly a dozen high-top seats, do you have to need to plop down there for a drink.
Then to the fitting of the bar you’ll discover the realm supposed primarily for lounging. That is damaged up into about half a dozen semi-private front room areas, separated by vertical wood partitions.
These areas have sofas, chairs, and in some instances TVs.
Deep into this space you’ll discover a convention room of types, containing is a desk with 10 seats. Beneath regular circumstances, anybody can simply sit there and use this as a workstation, although I imagine this can be reserved for a gathering.
Then to the left of the doorway you’ll see the eating space, which is in two separate areas. One aspect accommodates 4 cubicles, every of which might seat at the least 4 folks comfortably.
The opposite aspect is the principle eating room, which has 9 tables, every seating two folks (although they are often pushed collectively for bigger events). It is a lovely house, particularly with every desk having a tablecloth and slightly ornamental plant.
Then there’s one among my favourite components of the lounge, which is the terrace, spanning the size of the lounge. That is solely open climate allowing — it was open through the first a part of my go to, however then it began raining, so it closed. The terrace has benches and a seating space, and wonderful views of planes.
As you’d anticipate, that is way more widespread in summer season than winter, and in summer season it’s frequent that ice cream is served on the market, which certain is enjoyable.
There are a couple of different minor issues to say. Simply inside the doorway to the lounge and to the fitting you’ll discover a machine that permits you to generate a Wi-Fi code utilizing your boarding move. This is identical system utilized in all SWISS lounges on the airport. It will be a lot nicer should you might simply join with one click on, however I assume that is the system as a result of the lounges makes use of the airport Wi-Fi system.
Additionally on this space you’ll discover a collection of newspapers and magazines.
Lastly, the SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal E doesn’t have a smoking lounge. Nevertheless, the Terminal A location does, so should you’re a smoker, you would possibly like that lounge extra.
When it comes to lounge crowding, you’ll be able to anticipate that the lounge will usually be busy till shortly earlier than 12PM, as that’s when many of the transatlantic flights depart by. By round 1PM, the lounge was fully empty, with no single different visitor. Then the lounge will get a bit busier once more within the evenings previous to in a single day flights, although not as busy as through the daytime rush.
SWISS First Lounge Zurich meals & drinks
Except for the few snacks close to the doorway, the SWISS First Lounge Zurich has a completely a la carte food and drinks service. Should you sit in the principle lounge space, there are servers roaming to give you drinks. Upon arrival, I had a cappuccino and a few water.
Somewhat later throughout my keep, I made a decision to have lunch within the eating space. You’ll find the SWISS First Lounge menu beneath.
You’ll find the SWISS First Lounge drink record beneath.
The SWISS First Lounge Zurich gives an distinctive eating expertise. Look, plenty of top notch lounges provide a la carte eating, although they’re not all created equal. The SWISS First Lounge is within the prime tier of lounges with regards to eating, together with the Air France La Premiere First Lounge.
Upon taking a seat, I used to be requested if I needed one thing to drink. I ordered a glass of champagne, as a result of I figured I’d as properly attempt to buzz my means by means of the day.
As an appetizer, I ordered the Scottish smoked salmon with honey mustard sauce, cucumber, yuzu pearls, rice chips, and french fries. Yum.
Then for the principle course, I figured I needed to order the Swiss cheese fondue with pickled greens, bread, and potatoes, provided that I skipped it on the airplane. I’ll allow you to guess the way it tasted (what’s to not love about bread and cheese?), although I attempted to restrict my general consumption.
This was a completely phenomenal eating expertise. I additionally had a meal within the different SWISS First Lounge Zurich later within the day, which had an equivalent menu. As you’ll see in that evaluate, each dish is executed very properly.
SWISS First Lounge Zurich bogs & showers
The SWISS First Lounge Zurich’s bogs and showers are situated on the alternative aspect of reception of the remainder of the lounge.
The lads’s room has fairly some good apron views, which is uncommon. The toilet has two sinks, two urinals, and three stalls, and is cleaned continuously, as you’d anticipate. Toiletries are from Soeder.
Along with the bogs, the lounge has two bathe suites.
The bathe suites are properly appointed, and every has a sink, bathroom, and walk-in bathe. One factor that stood out to me was that the bathe suite had excellent airflow, which is all too usually not the case.
SWISS First Lounge Zurich bedrooms
Final however most positively not least, the SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal E has two personal bedrooms, obtainable on a primary come, first served foundation. I’d argue that these are the perfect bedrooms that you simply’ll discover in any airport lounge.
The bedrooms are tremendous good — every room has an absurdly snug Hästens beds, a TV, a chair, and views of the apron.
The bed room additionally has a personal rest room. I used to be assigned the accessible bed room, so the lavatory setup was maybe a bit much less glam than within the different bed room, however nonetheless had a sink, bathroom, and walk-in bathe.
Backside line
The SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal E is one among my favourite lounges on the planet. The lounge has phenomenal eating, panoramic views, an outside terrace, and the perfect airport bedrooms. You probably have the possibility to go to this lounge, I can’t advocate it sufficient.
Admittedly scoring a ticket in SWISS top notch isn’t low-cost, although you too can entry this lounge when flying in Lufthansa top notch.
What’s your tackle SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal E?
