Stopover in Frankfurt

Q: My husband and I are travelling to New York in December on Lufthansa via Frankfurt. On the way back from New York we have a stopover of 11 hrs 25 mins in Frankfurt. We would like to check into a, preferably inexpensive, hotel for some hours prior to catching our homeward bound flight in the evening. I travel on an EU passport, while my husband has a SA passport and no Schengen visa. What do you suggest? - Marianne Wilson

A: I am afraid that there is no hotel in the transit area at Frankfurt airport. That means that you will need to pass through immigration to access a hotel room. For this, your husband will need to get a Schengen visa. This seems the only option to get a good rest before your next flight. For a fee, you can use the Sky Club Lounge in the transit area, but this not really suitable for a long wait. Hotels close to the airport include the Sheraton Hotel (tel: +49(0)69 69770), which is connected to Terminal 1 by a walkway, NH Frankfurt Airport (tel: +49(0)61 052040), Comfort Inn (tel: +49(0)61 057050), Mercure Airport (tel: +49(0)61 077680), NH Hotel Rhein-Main (tel: +49(0)61 429900) and Steigenberger Airport Hotel (tel: +49(0)69 69750). A good budget choice would be the Holiday Inn Express Frankfurt Airport (tel: +49- (0) 6105-9660. It is 15 minutes drive from the terminal buildings but offers a regular shuttle service for 5 euros per person. (31/10/10)