English Translation
They are in the teachers’ lounge.
Shouldn’t this be “Ils sont dans la salle des profs”? Is there something about this sentence that calls for “en” and not “dans”?
You would be understood, but the French translation is good here. When I was a student, “en salle des profs” was almost a set expression, very commonly used.
I am unaware of any formal rule, but here are a few cases in which “en salle” is commonly used:
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en salle de réveil (recovery room, after surgery)
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en salle de réunion
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en salle d’attente ( If you go to the doctor, you may hear something along the lines of: " “Je vous invite à patienter en salle d’attente.”)