The lyf East Frankfurt is a modern, stylish hybrid hotel featuring a genuine “Guest Community” in Frankfurt’s dynamic Ostend district. This exciting concept caters to both short-term guests and long-term tenants, combining the comfort of a classic hotel with a strong sense of community.
The location between the Osthafen (East Port) and the European Central Bank (ECB) is a fantastic starting point for exploring the city. My journey there was completely hassle-free: I took the subway to Frankfurt Ostbahnhof and enjoyed a leisurely 15-minute walk to the hotel from there. For even more convenience, you can take the S-Bahn directly from the main train station, reducing the walk to the hotel door to just about three minutes. Right upon entering, the incredibly friendly reception stood out. The lovely staff immediately made me feel welcome.
Compact Rooms with Clever Design
The hotel has around 100 rooms, sized roughly 16 m² and 20 m². Admittedly, the rooms are quite compact, but absolutely sufficient for sleeping. This makes perfect sense, as the hotel’s concept intends for life to primarily take place in the communal areas, where guests can meet and interact.
Despite the compact size, the rooms lack no comfort: high-speed Wi-Fi and truly comfortable box-spring beds are standard. The visual focus of the sleeping area is the large double bed, invitingly prepared with white linens, a decorative red pillow, and a dark blanket at the foot. I can confirm from personal experience: I slept incredibly well in it!
The room layout is particularly ingenious: From the sleeping area, you look out onto a complex, open metal wardrobe structure with stylish rose-gold panels. This construction acts as a clever room divider, integrating a freestanding, black washbasin. The rest of the sanitary area is separated in a space-saving and visually appealing way:
- Behind a striking orange wooden door hides the toilet.
- Behind a second frosted glass door is the walk-in shower. A modern rain showerhead and an additional hand shower ensure a refreshing start to the day.
My tip: There is an empty glass bottle in your room. You can fetch water from the communal kitchen on the fourth floor.ten Etage befindet sich die Gemeinschaftsküche, in der man sich Wasser holen kann.
Co-Living Philosophy
The accommodation pursues a co-living philosophy and offers spacious communal areas. All rooms are visually styled very attractively. The interior design features contemporary art, restored furniture, and custom-made pieces. The goal is to create a cozy, vibrant, and dynamic atmosphere that feels like a home away from home.
Communal Kitchen “Bond” – Cooking, Chatting, and Enjoying
The hotel’s concept is designed to get guests out of their rooms and connecting with one another. The heart of this idea is the fully equipped communal kitchen, aptly named “Bond.”
Here, guests have the flexibility to prepare their own meals. The facilities leave nothing to be desired and provide everything needed for a successful cooking evening: a modern stovetop with an oven, a microwave, a large refrigerator, and of course, a dishwasher. There is also no shortage of utensils like pots, pans, dishes, and cutlery.
You can eat either right at the small bistro tables with chairs or one floor down. A staircase inside the room leads directly down to a truly cozy seating area that invites you to linger. In principle, any guest can use the kitchen. The only (and quite obvious) rule is: Please leave everything clean after use so the next guests can feel comfortable too.
I got to experience firsthand how perfectly this community concept works. As a group, we cooked a delicious vegan meal together in the “Bond” kitchen. Chopping and sizzling together in this relaxed atmosphere was a really great experience. But I’ll reveal more about that later!
Social and Workspaces: Working and Relaxing in a Seamless Transition
Alongside the communal kitchen, the lyf East Frankfurt offers a variety of other social and workspaces. There are several rooms of different sizes available to guests free of charge, which can also be rented for external events if needed. Whether you want to do focused work, exchange ideas, or simply unwind—the concept leaves nothing to be desired here.
An overview of the different rooms:
Co-Working-Room “Connect”
Perfect for anyone who needs to be productive on the road (hello, workation). Thanks to large windows, the room is wonderfully bright and equipped with four desks and office chairs. Conveniently, there is even a monitor available to use free of charge.
Living Room Flair in the “Huddel”
This room is incredibly cozy and furnished almost like a private living room. It is intended as a reading and music room where you can perfectly retreat or have a relaxed chat. But it’s also flexible: If needed, large tables can be set up to use the space as a meeting venue. My personal impression: The ambiance was so inviting that I wanted to grab my book immediately, curl up on the sofa, and end the day right there.
Main Conference Room “Panoptikum Collab”
This is the largest room. Here again, the hotel’s community ethos shines through: The room isn’t just used for classic meetings, but occasionally transforms into an in-house cinema for joint movie nights among guests.
Down to the Basement: Fitness Room “Burn” and Laundromat “Wash & Hang”
The hotel’s well-thought-out concept continues in the basement. Here you’ll find additional spaces that make a stay at the lyf East Frankfurt not only sportier but also significantly more practical for everyday life.
First, there is the fitness area with the motivating name “Burn.” The room is surprisingly spacious. While it doesn’t offer a direct view, it still catches some natural daylight, so you don’t feel like you’re working out in a dark cellar. The equipment provides a good mix for a solid workout:
- Weights for strength training
- Modern fitness bikes for endurance
- A few smaller pieces of fitness equipment as a supplement
- Comfortable mats (which are also ideal for yoga, by the way—they even offer joint yoga classes for guests here every now and then!)
A particularly cool detail that picks up the community vibe again: There is also a ping-pong table in the “Burn”! Perfect for a quick match with other guests after a workout or a long day in the co-working space.
Right around the corner is the “Wash & Hang” room. This houses a well-equipped, in-house laundromat with washing machines and dryers. Guests can use this service for a fee. This is, of course, an unbeatable advantage, especially if you live in the hotel as a long-term tenant or are simply traveling light.
Culinary & Gastronomy: From a Vegan Breakfast to Drinks Above the Rooftops
When it comes to food and drinks, the lyf East Frankfurt also has a lot to offer. The start of the day kicks off with a real highlight for anyone who loves plant-based food: The hotel offers a strictly vegan breakfast.
It truly leaves nothing to be desired. There are super delicious spreads, plenty of fresh fruit, and classic filter coffee. Naturally, various freshly prepared coffee specialties are also available upon request. Nothing stood in the way of my favorite breakfast either: muesli, fruit, and of course, in this case vegan “yogurt.”
Good to know for planning: Breakfast is not automatically included in the room booking but can be flexibly added for a surcharge of around 19 euros per person. A great thing for locals or friends who happen to be in the city: The breakfast offer is also open to external guests! So anyone wanting to just drop by in the morning is warmly welcome.
Anyone looking to wind down the day in a relaxed way, after a good meal or a day’s work in the co-working space, should definitely make their way to the very top. That’s where you’ll find the rooftop terrace “Sky Bond.”
During the day, the rooftop area is open to everyone and provides a fantastic opportunity to take a deep breath, enjoy the sun, or work in peace. In the evening hours, the terrace really comes to life.
It operates as a bar and draws you in with excellent beverage service. With a drink in hand and a view over the city, you get a real metropolitan vibe here. It’s the perfect place to strike up a conversation and bring the day to a close.
Vegan Highlight in the House: The Restaurant “Leuchtendroter”
A true culinary flagship of the property is the integrated restaurant “Leuchtendroter” (an absolute insider tip for foodies!). The restaurant made it into the Top 50 Vegan Restaurants of 2025 in the Schlemmer Atlas. So anyone dining here is literally eating at one of the best vegan addresses in the region.
Since it was unfortunately closed on the day of my visit, I couldn’t eat there myself. But the fantastic concept made me so curious that I looked into it more closely afterward. Here is what you need to know about the Leuchtendroter:
The restaurant stands for 100% vegan casual fine dining. It is operated completely independently within the hotel building and has long made a name for itself in the Frankfurt culinary scene. The atmosphere is described as relaxed, cozy, and urban. Diners here can look forward to creative plant-based dishes where vegetables are processed at the highest level and placed front and center.
The menu changes seasonally and relies on exciting flavor combinations. The food is accompanied by a great selection of natural wines, pet-nat, ciders, and creative cocktails.
The restaurant is extremely popular in the evenings and is often fully booked weeks in advance. If you want to eat here, you should absolutely reserve well ahead of time. There is even a no-show fee if you don’t turn up. That shows just how coveted the tables are.
My Personal Highlight: Vegan Cooking Event in the Communal Kitchen
As mentioned earlier, I got to test out the heart of the hotel, the communal kitchen “Bond,” during a very special event. Together with a chef from Leuchtendroter and other guests, a vegan cooking event was on the agenda.
The plan: A 3-course menu that we were all supposed to prepare simultaneously in small groups. The hotel’s concept of bringing people together was truly put into practice perfectly here.
I was assigned to the appetizer group, and we conjured up a summery pattypan melon with chimichurri. The kickoff for our course was a zucchini carpaccio. For this, we arranged fine slices of yellow zucchini flat on the plates. Over that went wafer-thin strips of green zucchini that we had professionally grated on a mandoline.
Around the zucchini, we draped mushrooms that had previously been sautéed in an aromatic spiced olive oil. The flavor highlight was the freshly mixed chimichurri (for explanation: this is an incredibly delicious South American herb sauce, mostly consisting of fresh parsley, garlic, chili, olive oil, and a little acid). We poured this over the zucchini carpaccio along with a piece of melon.
My verdict on this task: It was an incredible amount of fun to cook for such a large group. The individual steps weren’t difficult, but correctly estimating the quantities for so many people was not that easy. In the end, though, it tasted phenomenal!
The other groups were, of course, also busy in the meantime:
The Main Course
There were potato pancakes with water spinach and mushrooms. Classic pancakes made from fresh potatoes served as the base, fried in the pan until wonderfully golden brown and crispy.
One half of the pancake was topped with freshly prepared water spinach, the other half with a savory mushroom mix. This was so super delicious that I immediately made a mental note: I absolutely have to make potato pancakes myself at home again soon!
The Dessert
he sweet conclusion was an apple tiramisu, beautifully served in a glass as a layered dessert. The base was a biscuit crust soaked in apple juice. This was followed by a fruity apple layer and, to top it off, a thick layer of vegan cream cheese. It was sweet, quite heavy, but unbelievably good. The kind of dessert that immediately leaves you wanting more.
In the end, we sat together and enjoyed the menu we had cooked ourselves. It was an all-around fantastic event with incredibly lovely people. This is exactly how you imagine a genuine “Guest Community”!
More Than Just a Place to Sleep
The lyf East Frankfurt is definitely no ordinary city hotel. Anyone looking for a massive hotel room where they can hide away anonymously might be at the wrong address here. But those who are in the mood for an innovative concept that focuses on togetherness will love this place.
The “Guest Community” concept completely succeeds thanks to the well-thought-out and stylish communal areas. The hotel is therefore the perfect choice for digital nomads, solo travelers, young and young-at-heart city trippers, as well as long-term guests who want to feel the pulse of the city right inside the hotel.
ersonally, the relaxed vibe, the exceptionally friendly staff, and the consistently implemented, high-quality vegan focus won me over across the board.
Travel Information
Address
Lindleystraße 17,
60314 Frankfurt am Main
How to get here
By car:
The hotel is conveniently located in the Ostend district. You can reach Lindleystraße in just a few minutes via the A661 motorway (Frankfurt-Ost exit).
Public transport:
The Ostbahnhof underground station (line U6) and the Osthafenplatz tram stop (line 11) are just a few minutes’ walk away. From the airport, you can reach the hotel by S-Bahn (to Hauptwache) and then by underground in around 30 to 40 minutes.
Parking
On-site parking:
The hotel has a limited number of its own parking spaces, which are subject to a charge. As these are often fully booked very quickly, we strongly recommend booking in advance.
Public alternatives:
There are public car parks in the surrounding streets (such as Hanauer Landstraße), but these are often full. A pay-and-display car park is located right next to the nearby Ostbahnhof.
Check-in and check-out
Check-in: from 3.00 pm
Check-out: by 11.00 am
Digital process:
The lyf concept is very modern. You can check in the traditional way with the so-called ‘lyf Guards’ at reception, or use the mobile app to check in digitally and use your smartphone as your room key.
FAQ
Are pets allowed?
Yes, four-legged friends are welcome at the hotel. There is usually an additional cleaning charge per night for this.
What are the catering options?
The choice is yours: prepare your own meals in the large, fully equipped communal kitchen (“Bond Social Kitchen”) or make use of the on-site dining options, such as the restaurant and the bakery.
Can I store my luggage on site?
Yes, the hotel offers a secure luggage room where you can store your suitcases free of charge before check-in or after check-out.
Are there laundry facilities?
Yes, there are washing machines and tumble dryers that can be conveniently operated and paid for via an app.
The hotel stay and the cookery event took place in collaboration with lyf East Frankfurt and Claasen Communication GmbH .
Published 18 September 2026
Leave a Reply