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The best hotels in Austria for May Bank Holiday breaks

Mountain hotels, city hideaways, foodie or design hotspots… the Austria Hotel Collection has you covered! May is looking pretty neat in the UK this year with no less than three Bank Holiday weekends to look forward to. And there’s no doubt many will use the opportunity to escape their everyday lives for a few days without the need to take annual leave. Luckily, May is also one of the best times to explore Austria, both for outdoor enthusiasts and those looking for a fun-packed city break.

But where to stay? Hotels can make or break a holiday; we all know that from experience. Therefore, to make things a little easier, we are happy to introduce you to this year’s Austria Hotel Collection, a curated group of premier hotels, exemplifying the best in Austrian hospitality.

Hotels for a city break

Tirol’s capital Innsbruck has no shortage of accommodation options but trendy NALA Individuell Hotel stands out from the crowd. The colourful rooms are all individually designed in line with their names (from cinema to zen), there’s a beautiful rooftop terrace and garden as well as stunning mountain views. And if all of this weren’t enough, sustainability is key here.

Arthotel Blaue Gans is the place to be when on a city break in Salzburg. Located right in the heart of town across from Festspielhaus (Festive Hall), it houses Salzburg’s oldest inn (dating back to 1350). Expect a prime location, stylish rooms, more than 120 original artworks, and contemporary cuisine with a Mediterranean touch.

Organic, fair-trade and sustainable: Henriette Stadthotel Vienna in the hip 2nd district, the former home of Johann Strauß, is a small luxury home away from home having earned both the Austrian and EU Ecolabel. It heats its room with an in-house air-to-air heat pump system, while most of the food at the restaurant is regional and organic. Longing for a good night of sleep? The natural organic bedding ensures sweet dreams.

Hotels with mountain spas

Tirol’s Ötztal is a popular alpine destination all year round and Aqua Dome – Tirol Therme Längenfeld makes the deal even better. The resort sports a whooping 12 indoor and outdoor pools filled with thermal waters, 14 different saunas, and tons of spa treatment options. Relax in thermal water while marveling at the mountains around you.

Five-star Stanglwirt Green Spa Resort in Kitzbühel is an organic farm and luxury hotel both in one. It is the first sustainable resort in Austria and the first Austrian hotel to be included in the “Gold List” of the 142 best hotels worldwide by Condé Nast Traveler. Stanglwirt’s spa features a saltwater, rock and sports pool, a waterfall grotto, a natural swimming lake, a kid’s area, 5 saunas and 3 steam baths.

Luxurious Forsthofgut in Leogang, SalzburgerLand, boasts Europe’s first forest spa. The adults-only wellness oasis has an old-wood sauna, herbal and steam paths, and a 25-m-long sports pool with stunning views of the surrounding mountains, whereas families with kids are welcomed in a separate water wonderland with an indoor and baby pool, slides, saunas, and a waterfall.

Hotels for foodies and luxury travellers

Foodies visiting Vienna will love the newly opened The Amauris on the famous Ring boulevard near the Vienna State Opera. The Glasswing Restaurant inside the palais – dating back to 1861 – offers traditional Austrian cuisine with a contemporary touch. What’s more, you are in the heart of the city. And if you want to stretch your legs in style after a sightseeing day, the luxurious in-house spa awaits.

Located in Tirol’s Sölden, five-star Hotel Das Central is surrounded by more than 250 three-thousanders. The resort features a Venice-inspired spa on three floors and an award-winning restaurant. Everything here is top-notch, from the best quality ingredients to the creative recipe ideas. Equally legendary is the in-house wine cellar with over 30,000 bottles.


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Hotel Bristol in Vienna is the place to be for fans of classical music – it’s right next to the Vienna State Opera and close to most major sights. The rooms boast opulent décor and amazing views of the Opera and the Ringstraße’s grand buildings. Enjoy all-day dining and exquisite cocktails and cognacs at the in-house restaurant, bars, and salons.

Want to feel like a royal? Hotel Schloss Dürnstein, a castle built in 1622, is located on the shores of the Danube, in the picturesque UNESCO World Heritage site Wachau, just an hour from Vienna. It features vaulted ceilings, fine parquet floors, antique furniture, and views of the river and the surrounding vineyards. It goes without saying, that the wine list is stunning, too.

Best hotels in Vienna

Trendy Hotel Harmonie owes its name to the former Harmonie Theatre, just a stone’s throw away. Unsurprisingly, owner Sonja Wimmer chose an artistic concept for her city hotel, combining Vienna’s rich history with dance traditions. Expect stylish and colourful rooms, pieces of art throughout the building, and many sustainability measures, including a fully vegan breakfast.

Opened in 1898, Hotel Ambassador is just as elegant as its surroundings – it is located right in the heart of Vienna’s historic centre, close to St Stephen’s Cathedral and the State Opera. Many well-known figures in music, art, and culture have popped in here over the years. The top floor apartments come with picture-perfect city views.

Hotel Sans Souci is regularly Vienna’s best rated hotel on Tripadvisor and it’s easy to see why: It offers a prime-location, complimentary champagne breakfast at the hotel’s Veranda Restaurant and the largest hotel pool in the capital. Champagne lovers can look forward to 60 different bottles and tastings every first Thursday of the month.

Hotels for design lovers

Trendy Hollmann Beletage is a charming boutique hotel just a stone’s throw from St Stephen’s Cathedral. Surprises await at every corner, like a hidden garden, a stylish private cinema, or a room solely dedicated to board games (they are even on the walls!). It almost goes without saying that all the rooms boast unique design features such as (half) open bathrooms, too.

Vienna’s Hotel Altstadt, a carefully restored 19th-century patrician house in the Spittelberg artist district, is a piece of art in itself: All 62 rooms and suites have been individually designed by the likes of Lena Hoschek, Matteo Thun and Lilli Hollein, and over 350 pieces of art are displayed throughout the hotel. Don’t leave without checking out the rooftop garden!

Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere is a contemporary upscale, yet relaxed design hotel inspired by the spectacular art and architecture of Austria’s capital. Fully in line with its name – Andaz is Hindi for “personal style” – the hotel celebrates each guest’s individuality and represents the uniqueness throughout the building. Pop into the newly opened Veuve Clique Chandelier Bar on the 16th floor for a drink in style.

Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Daily Telegraph.

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7 Comments

  1. A mountain hotel with a spa would really hit the spot for me. What a blissful break from the routine 9 to 5 that could be. If there were a dozen pools I’d have to try everyone.

  2. I had been thinking about getting away for one of the long May weekends and as usual had been thinking France / Spain / Portugal / Balearics etc.

    When you think about it, it really isn’t that much more further to Austria. Only a couple of chapters more in my book.

  3. Sneak off Thursday evening and with all these Bank Holidays you can grab a great quality weekend away. What I ask is wouldn’t it better if we had a Bank Holiday in November when it’s getting dark and cold? I’d be up for a long weekend of skiing in Austria then.

  4. Really pleased that I saw this nice post. Haven’t really got my head around all the opportunities that these Bank Holidays give us. Even if the overdraft says that we’ll probably only get away for one weekend.

  5. We both love our music and Salzburg has been on our list for a city break for quite a while now. The Arthotel Blaue Gans looks to have the perfect location, right in the heart of the city, ideal for hitting all the sights.

  6. Although I’ve done many European countries I’ve never been to Austria. From this post there’s some great hotels to stay at. I think they’re probably worth more than a long weekend.

  7. All of our precious long May weekends were booked up long ago. Though Austria has plenty going for it when it comes to a long weekend away. Some great hotels here.

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