Zurich Airport hides one of the world's best first class lounges above gate E27, and a recent detailed visit confirms why it keeps topping travellers' lists. SWISS operates two First Lounges at its Zurich hub — Terminal A for Schengen departures and Terminal E for non-Schengen flights — and the Terminal E version is the showstopper, with restaurant-level dining, a plane-spotting terrace and private bedrooms with proper beds.

The space covers about 750 square metres with seats for 80 guests, so it rarely feels crowded despite the daytime rush of transatlantic departures (it empties out almost completely by early afternoon before filling again before the evening long-haul wave). Floor-to-ceiling windows run the length of the lounge, and a wraparound bar with roughly a dozen stools anchors the room, flanked by semi-private living room nooks on one side and a proper dining room on the other. There's even a ten-seat table that doubles as a workspace or meeting room.

Dining here is fully à la carte — no sad buffet trays. Travellers order from breakfast and lunch/dinner menus, with roaming servers bringing drinks. The reviewer sampled a three-course lunch of beef carpaccio, salmon with fava beans and romesco, and an Ovomaltine mousse, and calls this one of the top two first class lounges for food anywhere, alongside Air France's La Première lounge. Cheese fondue is on the menu, and the wine humidor reportedly holds over 1,000 bottles.

The standout perks: an outdoor terrace running the length of the lounge (weather permitting, often with food and drink activations on nice days), two shower suites with unusually good airflow, and two private bedrooms — first come, first served — each fitted with a Hästens bed, a TV and apron views. The reviewer ranks these the best airport lounge bedrooms in the world. Small caveats: Wi-Fi requires generating a code from your boarding pass, and there's no smoking area here (the Terminal A lounge has one).

Getting in is the hard part. Access is limited to same-day SWISS first class passengers (who can even use it as an arrivals lounge), same-day Lufthansa first class passengers with a connection, and Lufthansa HON Circle members on any Lufthansa Group flight. Each can bring two adult guests or children under 18 on the same flight. Since neither SWISS nor Lufthansa first class awards are currently bookable with partner miles, most people will need to pay cash or hold top-tier status. The lounge is open daily from 6AM to 10:30PM, and if you're starting your trip in Zurich, the smoothest route is the dedicated first class security checkpoint into Terminal A, then a limousine transfer straight to the Terminal E lounge.

For anyone piecing together a first class trip through Europe, this lounge is a genuine destination in itself — plan a longer connection, grab a bedroom if you're quick, and have lunch on the terrace watching A350s push back.