Review: Hotel Das Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

This was our second visit to Innsbruck and this time we stayed at the historic Hotel Das Innsbruck, a modern yet traditional hotel on the edge of the Old Town, just a stone’s throw from the banks of the Inn River. The hotel is in fact built on the foundations of the old city wall, and combines modern Alpine luxury with a rich history and offers the quintessential Tyrolean city stay.

The welcome

On our last visit to the city, we flew from Manchester to Innsbruck airport, before taking a short transfer to the city centre. This time we were visiting in the Summer, when there are no direct flights from Manchester. Flying from London was an option, but we decided instead to fly to Munich and catch the train from there. It was a pleasant train journey with all the timeliness and efficiency that you come to expect from this part of the world, and the hotel is just a 10 minute walk from Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof (the central station). Since we were travelling with hand luggage only, this all worked well. We were warmly greeted on arrival, issued with Innsbruck Welcome Cards (more on that in another post) and directed to our rooms.

The room

We stayed four nights in rooms 310 and 312, classified as ‘Doppelzimmer Design Innsbruck’ rooms (Designer Double Rooms). Both rooms adopted a modern Alpine-contemporary design. Wood paneling, and a large panoramic wall mural in room 310, served as a reminder of our urban riverside location.

Hanging from the ceiling was a suspended bouclé swing chair. This cocoon-like seat was a cosy spot to read a book or rest after a busy day. Apparently they are not uncommon in Austrian and German boutique hotels nowadays, and are used to convey Gemütlichkeit – a kind of cosy warmth and opportunity to take stock and simply relax.

Both rooms were beautifully styled and utterly functional, with everything you needed for a comfortable stay. It was an inviting space to return to after a day’s mountain biking or hiking, and the beds were super-comfortable. The high quality fixtures and fittings and a contemporary Alpine feel immediately put us at ease, and everywhere was surprisingly quiet given its central location.

Having two rooms close to each other on the same corridor meant our family with adult children had ample space whilst still keeping minor logistics, such as meeting up for breakfast, completely effortless.

The layouts of both rooms made good use of the available space, and came with ample space to accommodate a work area and a fixed luggage stand. The flat-screen TV was loaded with useful hotel information as well as your usual channels, and the WiFi was easy to join and worked well.

Quite fun were the fancy glass lampshades that mimicked the mountains around Innsbruck, the contours casting interesting light patterns across the room.

Whilst there were one or two novelties such as the lampshades and suspended seating, it’s fair to say that practicality wasn’t sacrificed for style. The room boasted ample shelving storage and hanging space, as well amenities such as an in-room safe, iron and ironing board.

The bathroom

Both bathrooms were spotless, modern and functional – well-illuminated and with combined bath and rainfall showers with excellent water pressure

The hotel provides high-end toiletries from Bogner – the iconic Munich-based luxury skiwear house – produced in partnership with ADA Cosmetics.

The facilities

While we didn’t dine at the hotel’s Restaurant Das Innsbruck during our stay, we took full advantage of the daily buffet breakfast so we were well-prepared for the day ahead. The spread at breakfast is extensive and would cater for even the fussiest of individuals. You’ll find everything from hot and cold options, to freshly baked pastries, cereals, fresh fruit, and even a dedicated cold meats station with two rotating blade slicers so you can cut your own.

In the evenings, the bright and airy breakfast area transforms into an elegant, formal dining room where guests can enjoy refined regional cuisine before or after a drink at the adjoining Minotti Bar and lounge.

A highlight among the hotel’s facilities is the spa which is split across two distinct areas. In the basement is the ‘Golden Pool’, a tribute to Innsbruck’s most famous landmark – the Golden Roof – located just a short walk away. Next to it is a sauna and seating and beds to relax and unwind.

The other site is the Panorama Wellness area on the hotel’s 6th and uppermost floor – a clothes-free adults area. This is commonplace in Austria and Germany but, being British and typically reserved, we didn’t go, but understand it is home to saunas, steam rooms and relaxation areas.

The location

The front entrance of the hotel leads out on to the Innrain boulevard with picturesque views of the Inn River and easy access to the promenade across the road.

The property lies on the edge of Innsbruck’s historic Altstadt (Old Town) and, if you make your way through the restaurant and head out of the rear of the hotel, you have direct access to iconic Innsbruck landmarks such as the Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl) and the Imperial Palace (Hofburg).

Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof is just a 10 minute walk on foot, or a very quick drive/bus ride away.

Other nice touches

The inclusion of the Innsbruck Welcome Card upon check-in is a huge bonus. Only some hotels participate in this scheme, and it is dependent on your length of stay, but having one gives guests access to free public transport throughout the region, as well as discounts on local cable cars, museums, and attractions.

It didn’t stop there, though – there were plenty of other thoughtful extras such as the provision of bathrobes for heading down to the pool and sauna, and even a pillow menu available at reception.

One thing I’d not come across in a hotel room before, and that gave a wonderful local touch, was a plug-in device from Zirb. In all honesty, I wasn’t sure what it was at first, but it is a room diffuser that spreads a gentle, relaxing aroma of Tyrolean stone pine shavings

The hotel even has its own smartphone app, with hotel information and local recommendations. On the few occasions we asked for help from the staff, they were always friendly and accommodating, such as when we needed our luggage stored for a few hours after check-out on our final day.

The cost

Rates at Hotel Das Innsbruck vary according to the season and room category, but are typically €180 to €300 per night, including breakfast and access to the spa. For a high end hotel that has been a popular place to stay in the city for more than 50 years, the rate seems very fair.

The best bit

The hotel’s location is a fantastic selling point but our favourite thing about our stay was access to the basement pool and wellness area. From 6pm onwards each day, this becomes a much quieter, adults-only space and was a great opportunity to soothe tired legs after a day’s walking or biking, both in the pool and the sauna.

The final verdict

We loved our time at Hotel Das Innsbruck. It was a seamless luxury stay in a great location, offering very comfortable, Tyrolean hospitality. It was an easy walk to Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof each morning, which was where most of our daily activities commenced, and an easier one to explore the Altstadt. In fact, I think you would be hard-pushed to find a better-located hotel in Innsbruck. Pair that with stylish rooms and a superb spa area, and it is a property we would happily recommend to anyone visiting Innsbruck.

Disclosure: Our trip was sponsored by Innsbruck Tourism.