Sheraton Salzburg Hotel – Review

In Salzburg for six days in May 2015, I spent my first night as a media guest at the Sheraton Salzburg .

First Impression

From the moment you walk in the door of the Sheraton Salzburg you feel pampered. The space welcomes you before you even check-in with the staff. Spacious and glamourous, the hotel is at the same time warm and inviting.

Lobby and Lounge Salzburg Sheraton
Lobby and Lounge

Location
Salzburg itself is a stunning location. Originally part of the Holy Roman Empire, Salzburg was once a part of Bavaria. It was incorporated into Austria in 1816. Set in a verdant valley surrounded by mountains it is teeming with history, culture and natural beauty.

The Sheraton Salzburg sits on the edge of the main tourist area of Salzburg and on the same street as Salzburg Congress, Salzburg’s convention center. When you step out the front door of the hotel you are steps away from the Congress.

Step out the back door and you are in the famous Mirabell Palace Gardens. Walking through the gardens you can exit into Salzburg’s historic old town.

Mirabell Gardens
Mirabell Gardens

These are the same gardens featured in the Sound of Music. From the gardens you can see the Hohensalzburg Fortress guarding the city as it has for centuries.

Mirabell Gardens and Hohensalzburg Fortress
Mirabell Gardens and Hohensalzburg Fortress

The hotel is approximately 1.0 km away from the central train station in Salzburg. Taxis are available in front of the station. Taxi charges between the train station and the Sheraton Salzburg are EUR 7.00.

The airport is 3.0 km from the Hotel. From the airport you can take a taxi or Public Bus Number 2 to the train station. I flew in and took the 20 minute bus ride to the train station. I chose to walk from the station to the Sheraton Salzburg using directions from Google and it was a pleasant walk even on a misty day.

If you drive to the hotel, covered parking is available for EUR 17.50 per day.

From the hotel I was able to walk to everything I wanted to see in the old city. It is only about a five minute walk to the river Salzach that flows through the center of the old town. There are walking and bike paths on both sides of the river.

Check In

I arrived a few hours before check-in and was warmly greeted by the staff. They invited me to have some tea in the lobby and wait for my room to be ready or to check my luggage with the bellman and explore Salzburg until check-in time. I chose to exit out the back door into the Mirabell Gardens and take a walk along the river Salzach, a pleasant way to relax after my journey from Nice to Salzburg.

My room was ready about 15 minutes after I returned to the hotel. During that 15 minutes I observed the staff greeting guests by name and handling a busy front desk with smiles and kindness.

I arrived in Salzburg at the end of the Whitsun Festival. Many performers and festival goers were staying at the Sheraton Salzburg. As I listened to their interactions with the staff it is was clear they had stayed here before and thought of the hotel as a home away from home.

When I checked in I was given a an Executive Room. Although I was staying as a media guest, because I am an SPG member I was also given access to the Club Lounge during my stay.

Rooms

The Sheraton Salzburg has 166 hotel rooms and suites, all remodeled with modern amenities. There are five classes of rooms (323 sq feet); Classic room, Superior room, Executive room, Deluxe room and Club room.

Classic Room - Photo by Salzburg Sheraton
Classic Room – Photo by Sheraton

Suites (398 to 915 sq feet) all include access to the Sheraton Club Lounge on the 7th floor. There are six classes of suites; Junior suite, King suite, Sky suite (City), Sky suite (Park), Presidential suite and the Penthouse suite, which includes an exercise bike, whirlpool and steam bath.

Penthouse Suite - Photo by Sheraton
Penthouse Suite – Photo by Sheraton
Penthouse Suite Salzburg Sheraton
Penthouse Suite

My room was comfortable and had the same warmth combined with elegance as the lobby. One item I noticed was lacking was a desk area. All rooms have Wi-Fi access but there is no desk in the rooms.

Interestingly when I asked management about this in my tour of the Sheraton Salzburg, I was told no one had ever mentioned this before. There is a small table with standard chairs in the rooms. However, I missed having a desk work space and an office chair when working.

In all other aspects my room was well equipped with a safe, an umbrella in the closet and a modern bathroom with the standards amenities plus a towel warmer.

Double Sinks
Double Sinks
Roomy Bathroom with Towel Warmer
Roomy Bathroom with Towel Warmer
Safe and Mini-bar
Safe and Mini-bar
Umbrella Provided
Umbrella Provided

Dining and Bar

Restaurant Mirabell - photo by Sheraton
Restaurant Mirabell – photo by Sheraton

Restaurant Mirabell serves breakfast daily 6:30am to 11:00am with your choice of an extensive breakfast buffet or continental breakfast. Staff serve coffee, tea and water. You can also request a special dish that is not in the buffet and the chef will accommodate you if possible.

Breakfast Buffet Cold Selection
Breakfast Buffet Cold Selection
Salzburg Sheraton Breakfast
Salzburg Sheraton Breakfast

Lunch at Restaurant Mirabell is available on Sundays only. They are open for dinner every evening with a menu that features Austrian cuisine as well as other international dishes.

Restaurant Bistro is open Monday – Friday: 11:30 – 2:30 pm. They serve a daily lunch menu for EUR 10.50 per person that includes appetizer or soup, main dish and a drink or main dish, dessert and a drink.

The Piano Bar and Mirabell terrace serve drinks and food from 8:30am to 1:00am every day. When the Restaurant Mirabell is closed, the à la Carte menu is served at the Piano Bar. High Tea is served daily from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm.

Bar Salzburg Sheraton
Bar Salzburg Sheraton
Mirabell Terrace - photo by Sheraton
Mirabell Terrace – photo by Sheraton

Hotel Amenities
The Sheraton Salzburg Club Lounge is located on the 7th floor and is open from 6:30am to 10:30pm. There is a small terrace with views over the Mirabell Gardens. Seating includes sofas, easy chairs, and square tables with dining chairs.

Breakfast Yogurts and Fruit Club Lounge
Breakfast Yogurts and Fruit Club Lounge
Sheraton Salzburg Club Lounge Couches
Club Lounge Couches
Afternoon Snacks Club Lounge
Afternoon Snacks Club Lounge
View from Club Lounge
View from Club Lounge

The food was plentiful and of good quality. It was a relaxing place to have a drink or a cup of tea along with a light snack while working.

Complimentary Club Lounge services include:
• continental breakfast
• Wi-Fi
• wired Internet access
• snacks in the afternoon
• hors d’oeuvres and a choice of late night drinks
• newspapers and magazines

Guests residing in Sheraton Salzburg Suites and Club Rooms have free access to the Club Lounge. You can also pay to upgrade to the Club level for the length of your stay.

Link@Sheraton in the lobby is available to guests who are traveling without a computer or want to use other business services.

Link@Sheraton - photo by Sheraton
Link@Sheraton – photo by Sheraton

The Sheraton Salzburg Fitness Center is free of charge for all hotel and SPG guests.

Parking is available for a fee in the public parking garage directly connected to the Salzburg Sheraton.

The hotel also has four conference rooms, safety lockers and a hair styling salon.

Points and Rates
Rooms (323 sq feet) range in price from EUR 170, 12,000 Starwood Points, for a Classic Room to 261 Euros for a room with private terrace and a view of the park.

Suites (398 to 915 sq feet) cost from 441 Euros for the Junior Suite to 1100 Euros for the Penthouse Suite.

The rates were quoted at the time this article was written for rooms booked for stays in February 2016.

Summary
The location, ambience of the hotel and the service provided by the staff all made for an enjoyable stay at the Sheraton Salzburg .

I would have liked the convenience of a desk space and office chair in my room. However, I was able to work in various locations in the hotel.

The buffet breakfast was outstanding. Access to the Club Lounge provided a comfortable, quiet environment for working or just taking a break from exploring the city.

Club Lounge Seating
Club Lounge Seating

Probably the best endorsement of the Sheraton Salzburg is that while writing this review I am thinking about how soon I could get back to stay there again!

Kathy Stafford
Kathy Stafford

Kathy Stafford is a writer, publisher and editor. She was a contributing author to "Sasha Cohen Fire on Ice". She has been a contributing editor to several publications including, "Discover Balboa Park: A Complete Guide". Kathy was publisher and editor of "Skating Sketches", reporting on figure skating worldwide, for over ten years. She was a credentialed journalist as a figure skating specialist for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. She has covered international skating events in Switzerland, France, Finland, England, Canada and the United States with published articles in Canada, Japan, and the United States. Although she never accepted an assignment, she was on the list of approved Lonely Planet authors for three years. She is currently combining her love of travel, and her background as a writer and editor, as a publisher and author of travel related journalism. In addition, she blogs about her search for her family roots at www.cherokeerootsblog.com.

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