Review: Hotel Stein in Salzburg, Austria

Actually, I could have guessed it. When I answered the usually not at the mouth fallen cab driver at the airport Salzburg to his question, where it goes now: “Once to the hotel Stein Salzburg, please!”, his eyebrows suddenly shot up and it escaped him only one “Oooooh!

The oldest hotel in Salzburg

“Good evening, have a seat, how was your journey?” I have to say, I do love hotels anyway where you have to sit down to check in. Not because I’m that exhausted from a trip – but because it already reveals a lot about the atmosphere of a hotel. Here, there is no anonymous online check-in, extra-fast and efficient, without frills and always the same.

Welcome to my travel blog

Hey, I’m Tatiana and I’m the blogger behind The Happy Jetlagger. Since 2014, I’ve been sharing my personal travel stories on this blog. I don’t have a big team behind me, so I’m pretty much a one-person show: I’ve researched and tested all recommendations myself.

At Hotel Stein you sit down, take a breath, arrive, relax.

I let myself fall into the armchair. On the other side of the reception desk, a young man, friendly, attentive and in the best of moods. His chair seems to be just as comfortable. Or it’s just the ambience in general. I’ve never really been into Feng Shui, but somehow I do believe that there are places where energy flows differently. I wonder if someone here has explicitly dealt with Feng Shui when planning the interior?

The “new” Hotel Stein

Quite possible, who knows. After all, the Hotel Stein in Salzburg* was recently renovated from head to toe. The whole reconstruction took a whole two years, during which the oldest hotel in the city was completely closed. How much attention to detail was to blame, can be guessed in every corner of the house. Tearing it down completely and rebuilding everything again would probably have been more time-saving. Instead, you can see in small as well as large details what kind of history the Hotel Stein holds – and now builds the bridge into a modern design.

A hotel – and a Salzburg institution

Some details clearly bear the charm of the 1950s, from the preserved neon sign on the facade to the old “telephone” sign in a corner of the lobby that was meant to indicate the telephone booth for guests. How long ago was it that hotels had phone booths in the lobby instead of in-room phones?

Prices & availability at Hotel Stein in Salzburg*

The friendly receptionist wishes me a nice stay, and I am quite confident that his wish will come true. “Wait a minute, I have something else for you.” He ceremoniously slides a gift box across the table for each guest to receive. Contents: a greeting card and two Detox Good Night Smoothies in two versions. One light, one smoothie extra strong. I don’t know, I have the feeling that I definitely won’t need any help falling asleep here in this relaxed hotel, but I still have to smile: I guess they really want to make sure that no one goes home unrelaxed here.

I’m still happy about the smoothies, which are made from purely natural ingredients without additives! However, it should turn out that great importance is attached to high-quality products here, even when it comes to food.

➜ On my Salzburg blog you can find many more cool tips for a trip to Salzburg!

The roof terrace at Hotel Stein: The best view over Salzburg

I spent three nights at the Stein Hotel, and I got out of bed early every day despite a full schedule, just to fully enjoy the pleasant ambience at the breakfast at Seven Senses, the hotel’s own restaurant with a famous rooftop terrace. That means something as I’m not the early bird!

Homemade & high quality: The breakfast

Breakfast at Seven Senses is a pleasant change from overcrowded hotel buffets that lack charm. The buffet here is small, uncluttered and fits on two or three bar tables at the entrance. Some may find the breakfast meager for this price range – but after two decades of experience with hotel breakfast buffets, I can say: less is more. And more high quality. What good is the most enormous hotel buffet if the scrambled eggs, which have been laid out for hours, aren’t even freshly made? It’s the little things that make a hotel special, and it’s very pleasing to see that here, at breakfast, more emphasis is placed on class than on numbers.

From fresh, homemade banana bread to vegan energy balls, Hotel Stein also caters to every dining preference. Egg dishes as desired (of course in fresh and à la minute!) and a small breakfast platter is available fresh individually at the table. If I hadn’t already been convinced – the selection of Kusmi teas at the latest would have done it. Or the daily changing selection of homemade cakes, cookies and desserts.

Cocktails & Specialties

In the afternoon (or in the morning for those who like to have an early pint), Airone is served here, an Italian bitter similar to Aperol, which is only available in Salzburg at Seven Senses. Tastes good, like Italy and more. But this may also be due to the best hotel terrace view in Salzburg: From here you have the perfect postcard view with the old town, the fortress Hohensalzberg and the Mönchsberg together.

Speaking of Italy: This also plays a major role at Hotel Stein. The motto “Salzburg meets Venice” runs discreetly but consistently through the entire house. Lots of blue, lots of Venetian glassblowing art, lots of Italian design (hello Artemide bedside lamps!) and lots of Mediterranean lightness paired with Salzburg tradition.

Tip: The Seven Senses is of course also open for non-hotel guests. If you’re not staying at a hotel – I would definitely recommend a drink here for a visit to Salzburg. The location is really unique!

Staying at Hotel Stein in Salzburg

I really can’t think of anything that speaks against the Hotel Stein. And I’m really, really critical because of my job. But location, ambience and service really play on a high level here. My stay was very pleasant and therefore also recommendable for those who might feel rather intimidated by so much comfort.

Who will feel at home here:

• Couples on a romantic Salzburg trip on the weekend
• Design aficionados
• Art lovers (in the hotel lobby there is a sculpture by Sir Anish Kapoor hanging in the corner)
• Relaxation seekers
• Quality conscious foodies

➜ Book your stay at Hotel Stein in Salzburg*

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By the way, Salzburg is worth a trip all year round! What else to do in Salzburg:

• How to Spend One Day in Salzburg, Austria
• Salzburg Food Guide: The Best Restaurants and Cafés
• The Most Beautiful Churches in Salzburg
• Salzburg: Mozart Week and Mexican Mariachis
• The Best Locations about Mozart in Salzburg
• Review: Hotel Stein in Salzburg, Austria
• 12 Amazing Things to Do in Salzburg, Austria

I was invited by Tourism Salzburg invited on this trip.