The Lufthansa Senator and Business Class Lounges at Washington Dulles IAD are located in the B concourse by gate 51. It’s a combo lounge entrance with the Senator Lounge located on the departure level and the Business Class Lounge located downstairs on the ground level. The Senator Lounge is open to first class passengers on Star Alliance operated flights and the Business Class Lounge is open to business class passengers on Star Alliance operated flights. Star Alliance Gold members (including United Premier Gold members) may use either lounge when traveling on any Star Alliance operated flight (domestically or internationally). Both lounges are open from 8:20 AM to 9:45 PM daily.
Lufthansa Senator Lounge at Washington Dulles IAD:
The Senator lounge is divided into three distinct areas. There is a dining area at the entrance to the lounge with several tables, chairs and a high top, communal table in the center. The communal table has electrical outlets and can double as a work space if you want to eat and get some work done. The entire dining area is not very large and can only accommodate approximately 20 people at any given time.
The self-serve buffet was fairly substantial and had a good selection of cold and hot dishes such as a variety of sandwiches, salads, pastas, roasted vegetables and braised beef. The food was delicious and plentiful enough to serve as a full meal. For those wanting something on the lighter side, there were bowls fresh fruit, pastries, desserts and other light snacks as well.
There is a hosted bar with a top shelf selection of spirits, German beers and wines. Unfortunately, you can’t pour your own but all drinks are complimentary so come back as often as you like.
There is a small divided area for first class passengers that is separated from the main lounge. It’s not very private or secluded from the main lounge but there are tables and chairs along the large windows and a smaller, private dining area. First class passengers also get the benefit of waiter service with a better selection of food and alcohol from printed menus.
The main seating area is located beyond the dining room. There is a large open seating area with low armchairs grouped together in small clusters. There are no walls, partitions or anything else to provide any real privacy from your neighbors or reduce the noise of the main seating area. The low leather armchairs are plush and comfortable but there are no recliners, lounge chairs or anywhere else to lie down and kick your feet up.
Surprisingly, there are no dedicated work space areas such as cubicles, desks or tables to spread out and be productive. There is one long bar table along the wall with counter space large enough for a laptop and the communal table in the dining area but that’s about it. The small lounge made the best use of the limited space it had but unfortunately, those needing to work got the shorter end of the stick.
At the time of my visit, 3:00 PM on a Thursday afternoon, the lounge was very crowded and loud so bring some headphones if you need to concentrate and work.
Along the far wall of the lounge are large, floor to ceiling windows which let in a lot of natural lighting and provide views of the ramp and runway. They definitely help to make the lounge feel more open and airy than it really is.
There are no shower rooms or private day rooms in the Senator Lounge. If you want to shower or get cleaned up before your flight, you will have to go downstairs to the Business Class Lounge. If you need to use the shower room, I would recommend you get down there ASAP and reserve a room as there are only a handful of shower rooms. You might have a long wait as the shower rooms are shared between both the Senator and Business Class Lounges.
The lounge attendants were friendly and did an efficient job of cleaning, busing dishes and refilling the buffet area. Nothing sat out on the tables for longer than a few minutes before it was picked up and the food items were replaced and refilled constantly. WiFi was provided throughout the lounge and electrical outlets were located by most seats. I did not connect to the WiFi to test it out but heard it can be slow during peak times.
Lufthansa Business Class Lounge at Washington Dulles IAD:
The Lufthansa Business Class Lounge is located downstairs from the main entrance. The Business Class Lounge is slightly larger than the Senator Lounge upstairs but was equally crowded and loud. Because it’s located on the ground floor, the Business Class Lounge lacks the large windows to make the lounge feel open and airy. There are several small windows with views of the ramp and runway but the views are pretty limited.
Unlike the Senator Lounge upstairs, there is a small dedicated work space area by the entrance (and away from the main seating area). The work space isn’t very large but did provide a spacious table with partitions for some privacy, a quieter atmosphere to be productive and electrical outlets to keep your devices charged. WiFi was also provided throughout the lounge.
Located in the center of the lounge is the dining room and self-serve buffet area. The dining room is an open seating area with several small tables and chairs grouped into sets of two. Considering most people either travel alone or with one other person, this designed made good use of the limited space.
As for the food spread, there was a good selection of both cold and hot items from sandwiches and salads to pasta and burgers. Since I ate upstairs, I didn’t eat down here but I’m assuming the food was of the same taste and quality. It looked pretty good and I can see myself getting full on it.
For alcohol, there’s a hosted bar with a good selection of spirits, beers and wines and a small social area with high top bar tables and chairs to socialize with the other passengers.
Beyond the dining area is the main seating area. Just like upstairs, the main seating area is one open space with low, leather armchairs. There are no dividers or partitions to provide any privacy or noise reduction. Unfortunately, electrical outlets were a little harder to find down here.
Lufthansa Senator and Business Class Lounges Bottom Line:
Overall, the Lufthansa Lounges at Washington Dulles IAD are the best options for Star Alliance passengers at Washington Dulles. Considering your only other option is the United Club, the Lufthansa Lounges are significantly better than what United offers. The Lufthansa Lounges are not very large and can be crowded at peak times but the amenities provided make the lounges worth the hike from the United gates.
The food selection was tasty and plentiful and the shower rooms were great if you want to freshen up before your flight. The Lufthansa Lounges at Washington Dulles are not the best lounges in the world by any means but they do offer a nice little place to rest, eat and relax before your flight.
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