12 Best Hotels in Salzburg, Austria

A picture-perfect Alpine chalet on the lofty perch of the Gersberg, high above Salzburg, this hotel is less than 15 minutes by car from the Neustadt. Inside, it has all the warmth and rustic coziness you would expect in a country house; indeed, it was originally a 19th-century farmhouse. Guest rooms have contemporary furniture and wooden balconies overlooking the mountain scenery. The house restaurant is excellent—the seasonal menu changes monthly and serves favorites such as locally caught fish and Tafelspitz (broiled beef). Locals know to request the off-menu homemade Kaiserschmarrn (fluffy, baked, shredded pancake with plum compote) for dessert. The wine list has an outstanding selection of Austrian wines. The outdoor pool and small playground make it an especially nice place for families.

Renovated in recent years, the guest rooms in this 500-year-old house are individually decorated, featuring wooden floors and antique armoires among understated modern accents. Downstairs, greet the day in one of the cutest breakfast nooks in Salzburg. The hotel site was once home to one of Salzburg's communal baths. Back in Wolfgang's time houses didn't have running water, so travelers—especially those arriving through the nearby Linz Gate—would head straight here after their long, dusty trip. Today travelers still make a beeline here. If you're wondering why the hotel has Mozart's middle name, this 500-year-old house is not far from the St. Sebastian church and cemetery where many members of his family are booked in for an eternal stay.

A lush, green oasis is tucked between the two buildings that comprise the Auersperg: the hotel, built in 1892 by the noted Italian architect Ceconi, and its neighboring villa. The lobby welcomes you with Biedermeier antiques, and upstairs, the rooms have a fresh, modern feel, accented with classic ornaments. On request, kids' toys, food, and babysitters can be arranged. An extensive local, organic breakfast buffet, bicycles (including one fitted with a toddler trailer), and access to the rooftop sauna, steam bath, and lounge are included, while useful extras like iPads and e-bikes are available for hire. A five-minute walk brings you to the popular shopping street Linzergasse, while the historic Mirabell Palace is 10-minute walk away.

There is little wonder that this pale-yellow palace, just across the river from the Altstadt and with stunning historic detail and fine artwork, has attracted an impressive roster of royal and celebrity guests. Emperor Franz Josef I, Sigmund Freud, and the cast of The Sound of Music have all stayed here, to name a few (check out the photograph gallery in the plush piano bar). Rooms feature chandeliers and marble baths, and some have inner doors with their original etched glass. Some are classic historical, some are in whimsical Napoleonic style with tented ceilings, and others are in sleek, modern style. A few of the deluxe suites have stupendous views of the entire city. Classic international and Austrian dishes are served in the Polo Lounge.

Wonderfully located right on the Salzach River, this mammoth heritage hotel has attracted guests from the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, but the owners, the Gürtler family, will ensure that even if you don't have a Vuitton steamer trunk you'll feel welcome. The main atrium is a symphony in marble, while the grand staircase still looks like the Empress Sisi could make a dazzling entrance amidst its ferns. Upstairs, guest rooms are so lovely there is a danger you won't want to leave (especially if you get one with picture-perfect views of the Old City). Each is different, but all are exquisitely decorated. Restaurants include haute-style dining at the Zirbelzimmer, grilled specialties at the Sacher Grill, and of course the Salzburg outpost of Vienna's fabled Café Sacher.

Standing tall over the Staatsbrücke and looking across at the Old City, Hotel Stein provides a high-end, design-forward, adults-only accommodation option at the very heart of Salzburg. The building may be historic, but the interior is unapologetically modern, with a blue sky/lagoon theme running throughout the bright and airy lobby, the plushly decorated bedrooms, the soothing wellness center, and even the al fresco Steinterrasse restaurant. Avoid the elevator and take the stairs to see the hotel's most striking design feature: a chandelier-like installation made of hundreds of blue glass discs that hang seven floors down from the ceiling.

Located in a residential area just north of the New Town, this smart new hotel (opened in December 2022) offers warm and elegantly designed rooms complete with comfortable king-size beds, stylish furnishings made from natural materials, and modern conveniences including coffee pod machines. Upgrade to a Junior Suite for extra space and riverside views to the Altstadt and the mountains beyond. Downstairs, the Mayburg Living Room—a swanky lounge-bar area—is where meals are served, from the excellent (included) buffet at breakfast to tasty burgers in the evening. There's also an honesty bar with drinks and snacks available 24 hours a day. Guests here will also enjoy the relaxing roof-garden terrace and small gym.

This budget-friendly, thoroughly modern, and recently redesigned riverside hotel is situated halfway between the Mirabellgarten and the main train station. Rooms are compact but comfortable and stylish with big TVs, strong air-conditioning, and, in some rooms, balconies overlooking the river. The breakfast buffet (not included in the room rate) only has cold options, but the meats, cheeses, and pastries are exceptional, and everyone is catered for (note the half-dozen different milks on offer).

Part of a Spanish hotel chain, this pretty building is in a nice location, around the corner from Linzergasse (the shopping street leading to the Salzach River) and five minutes away from the beautiful Mirabellgarten. The exterior has Art Nouveau awnings, Secession-style sash windows, and white stone trim, and inside all is sleek and comfy. There is a rich buffet-style breakfast, and the restaurant has a garden terrace.

With the lovely Mirabellgarten virtually at its back door, this modern hotel tastefully blends in with the belle-epoque buildings that surround it. Rooms are soothing in tone with contemporary furniture, and contain all the little extras and then some; try to get one room facing the gardens. The buffet breakfast (not included in the basic room rate) is enough to keep you going all day. The house café, with attractive garden seating, bakes all its tempting pastries and strudels on the premises.

Snuggled under the monument-studded Kapuzinerberg and a two-minute walk from the bridge leading to the center of the Altstadt, the Stadtkrug (dated 1353) hits an idyllic, romantic, and quiet vibe, thanks to its mountainside setting. A traditional wrought-iron sign greets you, the lobby tinkles with chandeliers, and the main-floor restaurant is your archetypal, white, classic, vaulted Salzburg sanctuary. Upstairs you find charming rustic rooms. Head up to the roof to enjoy a restaurant that is terraced into the mountainside and set with statues, potted begonias, echoes of Italy, and lovely views.

This small, family-owned hotel is an inviting choice, with some of the guest rooms including attractive sitting areas; rooms in the back look out over the looming Gaisberg and the cemetery of St. Sebastian. Note that this hotel is divided between houses opposite each other: the main Altstadthotel (no air-conditioning) and the Residenz (all rooms with air-conditioning). The reception, breakfast room, spa, and other public areas are all in the main building. The hotel also has apartments a couple blocks away.