I’ve stayed in Frankfurt many times on layovers. This time, thanks at least in part due to having more time with a late afternoon arrival, I decided to leave the airport area to stay in the city. I decided on the Le Meridien Parkhotel. It would be the 3rd Le Meridien hotel of this trip, after stays at the Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur and Le Meridien Angkor in Siem Reap.
a quiet time at Frankfurt airport
After my excellent flight in Asiana Airlines First Class, I cleared customs, collected my bags, which went quite fast, as the airport was surprisingly slow at this time. From there I headed to the train station for an approximately 20 minute ride to Frankfurt . From the Hauptbahnhof (main train station), I walked a few blocks to the hotel.
Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof
Le Meridien Parkhotel Frankfurt
The hotel had a very ‘classic’ look on the outside and in most public areas. That said, the rooms were pretty modern. My only complaint about my experience was the rather poor a view from my room.
view only of the adjacent apartment building at the Le Meridien Parkhotel
King bed room
On evening I arrived, I was getting tired due to jet lag, but I wanted to stay up as long as I could to start to getting my body clock switched to western hemisphere time zones. One thing that could help with this was the opening match in the world cup between Brazil and Croatia. The hotel was showing the match on large TVs in the park across the street from the entrance. Kickoff was at 10pm, so this would help me stay up.
After getting checked in and unpacking slightly in my room. I decided to go out and explore the nice summer evening in Frankfurt. There were countless restaurants in the area, and nearly all of them had outdoor seating set up for world cup viewing. Even several hours before the match was to begin, most of these places were getting crowded. I got some food from a Doner stand, for a relatively light meal after chowing down for much of my flight from Seoul. I knew if I returned to my room, I’d be likely to fall asleep, so kept walking around until it was nearly time for the soccer match to begin.
King bed room at the Le Meridien Parkhotel Frankfurt
I watched part of the first half outside, but I was really getting tired, so I returned to my room. I can’t say I was awake the entire time, but I did make it to the end before turning the lights off. The next morning, I went for a run along the Main river, which is just a few blocks from the hotel. I then returned to the hotel to partake in a light breakfast. I’ll call this meal blog research, since I knew I would be having much more food in the Lufthansa First Class Terminal and on board my flight.
Breakfast al fresco
al fresco breakfast at the Le Meridien Frankfurt
Since I had a somewhat longer layover than I often do in Frankfurt, I enjoyed heading into the city. As much as I like the convenience and great lounge at the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport, I’d definitely return to the Le Meridien Parkhotel on future trips through Frankfurt.
classic design in the public areas of the hotel
After breakfast, I checked out, and headed back to the train station for the quick trip back to the airport. From there I walked to my favorite airline lounge in the world, the vaunted Lufthansa First Class Terminal.
Other posts in this series:
- Air Canada to Toronto and The Maple Leaf Lounge
- First Class all to myself: Lufthansa Inaugural Toronto to Munich
- Munich Lufthansa First Class lounge then transiting Frankfurt
- Thai Airways Royal First Class on the Airbus A380 Frankfurt to Bangkok
- Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur
- My time in Kuala Lumpur and at the Le Meridien
- Malaysia Airlines economy from Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap
- The Le Meridien Angkor, my home base in Siem Reap
- A Picture Tour of the Angkor Wat Temples Around Siem Reap
- Best Western Amaranth for a short layover in Bangkok
- Thai Airways Royal First Class Lounge and Spa
- Thai Airways Royal First Class Bangkok to Hong Kong
- Cathay Pacific Business Class Lounges in Hong Kong
- Cathay Pacific Business Class Hong Kong to Seoul
- Hyatt Regency Incheon Airport
- Asiana Airlines First Class Lounge in Seoul
- The only passenger in Asiana Airlines First Class Seoul to Frankfurt
- The best lounge in the world? Back at the Lufthansa First Class Terminal
- Lufthansa First Class with a seat and a bed Frankfurt to Toronto
