If you’re unsure where to stay in Austria, we’re here to help. From former Viennese banks-turned-hotels to boutique Salzburg art spots to points properties, luxury ski and spa resorts, affordable millennial lodgings and even igloos, we’ve rounded up our favourite accommodation in Austria — complete with options for every budget. Here’s the TPG hotlist of where to stay in Vienna and beyond.
1. The Park Hyatt Vienna
Perfect for exploring attractions like St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Spanish Riding School and the Hofburg Palace, The Park Hyatt Vienna is located in a 100-year-old building that was once a bank. The high-end hotel offers comforts like a unique indoor pool (located in what was once the former bank’s vault) the Arany Spa complete with six treatment rooms and the Bank Brasserie & Bar, which serves up fancy Viennese culinary delights and cocktails. The luxury property is also pet-friendly, featuring amenities like dog sitters, pet beds, food/water bowls and furry friend welcome amenities.
Room rates hover around $400 or 25,000 Hyatt points per night. An additional $42 will be charged for pets. Although the Andaz Am Belvedere Vienna opened in 2019 (and costs just 12,000 points per night), the old-school glamor and central location of the Park Hyatt still takes the cake for those wanting to earn and burn Hyatt points.
2. Hotel Sacher Vienna
One of the most iconic hotels in the city, the Sacher is all about old-world elegance and glamour. It’s no wonder its guestbook is filled with names from Queen Elizabeth to the Kennedys, Indira Ghandi and even Justin Bieber. Located across the road from the famous Vienna Opera House, guests can sample the coveted Sachertorte, a layered chocolate cake with apricot jam at the breakfast buffet under sparkling chandeliers.
Room rates hover around $450 per night. The breakfast buffet costs $51 per person.
3. Do&Co Hotel Vienna
For something more modern, stay, dine and hang out at the Do&Co Hotel Vienna, a member of Design Hotels. The hotel is located inside the famous Haas Haus building, known for its glass circular facade, which overlooks the historic St. Stephen’s Cathedral, meshing the old world with the new. For the ultimate splurge, stay in the Dome Suite, which has an in-room jacuzzi and wraparound balcony.
AvGeeks may recognise the Do&Co brand for its airline catering, but the Viennese/Asian fusion gastronomic offerings at this design hotel such as fresh tuna tataki and grilled fish go well beyond typical airline food. Plan to dine there, and afterward, enjoy cocktails with views at the chic Onyx Bar.
Room rates start around $300 per night. Although you can’t redeem Bonvoy points at this hotel, you can earn Bonvoy points and receive on-property Bonvoy benefits for your stay.
4. Max Brown 7th District Vienna
Millennial travellers looking to stay in a creative, hip Viennese neighbourhood will enjoy the location and ease of the Max Brown 7th District which opened in mid-2019. This quirky, colorful hotel claims to have “mastered the basics”, offering guests choices from small rooms at 200 square feet (perfect for solo travellers on a budget) to extra large rooms at 360 square feet, which the hotel advertises as ideal for skipping rope, playing games of Twister and performing dance routines.
With fresh bread delivered daily and plenty of tasty coffee, the hotel doesn’t scream luxury by any means but has comfortable beds and user-friendly amenities like heated bathroom floors and vegan food options.
Room rates start around $120 for a small room.
5. SO/Vienna
With luminous, sleek rooms ranging from a small SO Cosy, which has all-white decor and a Nespresso machine to a SO VIP, a suite with a dining room for 12, kitchen, jacuzzi and Turkish bath complete with four flat-screen TVs, the Sofitel Vienna has a dizzying amount of room choices. With options like the SO Studio, SO Urban, SO Comfy, SO Lofty and more there’s something to suit every party and budget.
The 18th-floor Das Loft Bar and Lounge has massive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sprawling Vienna skyline. It’s the place to be for a celebratory meal or happy hour drinks.
Room rates for the SO Cosy start at $220, with rates for other room categories hovering in the mid-$230 and up range. The luxurious SO VIP jumps up to starting rates of €$1,692 per night.
6. Radisson Blu Park Royal Palace Hotel Vienna
The recently renovated 223-room Radisson Blu Park Royal Palace Hotel is best for budget travellers, Radisson Rewards members or anyone looking to explore the famous Schönbrunn Palace. Located outside Vienna’s city centre, the hotel directly overlooks the palace itself. The hotel also features a gym, sauna and executive lounge.
Room rates start around $95 or 44,000 Radisson Rewards points per night.
7. Schloss Fuschl, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa Fuschlsee, Salzburg
Perched on a hill overlooking the calm waters of Lake Fuschl, the Schloss Fuschl is the definition of pure Austrian, old-world charm. The green hills and picturesque surroundings will make you want to frolic around all day long, Sound of Music-style.
Just a 20-minute drive from the city of Salzburg, the hotel has unique touches like an Old Master painting collection and the lakeside cottages feel like a true escape into nature. The 12,000 square foot spa offers a number of services, including massage lessons.
Room rates at the Category 8 Bonvoy property start at 70,000 points per night, but reach as high as 100,000 points per night during high season. Cash rates start at $340 per night.
8. Blaue Gans Arthotel Salzburg
Those looking for an artsy, one-of-a-kind hotel experience should stay at what was once Salzburg’s first inn and later the city’s first boutique hotel: Blaue Gans. This unconventional property has 35 rooms and suites each individually designed, incorporating unique artwork, sustainable materials and design touches from local artisans. The hotel also features a 660-year-old wine cellar, complete with 1,500 bottles of wine varieties.
Small rooms start at $170 and suites start at $287.
9. Grand Tirolia Hotel Kitzbuhel, Curio Collection by Hilton
Ski or relax in nature at the Grand Tirolia Hotel in Kitzbuhel, set on the Eichenheim 18-hole golf course. The hotel offers shuttles to winter ski areas in the Tyrolean Alps and plenty of hiking and other outdoor activities in the spring and summer months.
For those wanting a spa experience, the Eforea Spa has inter-connecting indoor and outdoor pools, six saunas, a 24-hour fitness centre and a variety of rejuvenating treatments like ginger body scrubs and oxygen facials. Or, get cosy with a good novel near the fireplace in the hotel’s library.
Room rates start at $160 per night or 34,000 Hilton points — but can be triple that or more during high season.
10. Iglu Dorf Kühtai
Choose from a romantic double or a group igloo at this unique hotel, where each igloo is rebuilt every season with fresh snow and ice. Spend your mornings on the ski slopes, afternoons at the bar/restaurant sipping mulled wine and sampling fondue and evenings warming up in the on-site sauna before snuggling into lambskins and sleeping bags in your igloo for a night of rest.
One bed (read: sleeping bag and mattress on a large block of ice) in a group igloo costs about $150 with breakfast and dinner included. A romantic igloo for two costs $450 with breakfast and dinner included.
11. DasPosthotel Zillertal,Tyrol
There’s no shortage of fancy resorts to stay in for a ski or spa escape in Tyrol, but boutique hotel DasPosthotel is a hidden gem. The rooms and suites, which are created from wood and other natural materials, are luminous and warm, creating a cosy elegance that makes guests feel immediately at home. The Skyloft suites are especially beautiful, offering amenities like sunken tubs or fireplaces. The hotel also has a heated pool usable year-round and a boutique spa complete with a sauna, fitness center and treatment rooms.
While many hotels in the area have room rates rising into the thousands, room rates at DasPosthotel start at around $240 per night.
Coming soon
If your trip isn’t right away, consider staying at some of these hotels which are still under construction:
- The Almanac Vienna: Set to open in 2020 but now delayed, the regal 111- room Almanac is located on one of the most beautiful streets in all of Vienna, the Ringstrasse, in what was once the Radisson Blu Palais Hotel. The boutique hotel (complete with luxury residences) will also have a restaurant and bar, plus an indoor swimming pool, spa, coffee shop and a concept store.
- The Rosewood Vienna: This luxury property will feature 99 rooms and suites in a historic 18th-century building on Persplatz. The hotel, which will hopefully be ready sometime in 2021, is set to have a Sense spa and rooftop bar.
Bottom line
There are endless options when it comes to selecting a hotel in Vienna — and we didn’t even get into any of the many gorgeous home rentals you can also stay in. But, if you plan to use points, want a trendy boutique experience or a truly memorable stay, then select one of the properties on this list, which are some TPG favorites.
Make sure to check out some of the other posts in our Austria series that you will help you plan your holiday:
- How to spend 48 hours in Vienna, Austria
- Off the beaten path: Tips on visiting and exploring Austria
- The best health and wellness spots in Austria
- TPG readers’ top tips for Austria
Featured photo by Paul Volkmer/Unsplash