Salzburg is compact, so almost every central hotel puts the old town within a ten or fifteen-minute walk. The real choice is between the two banks of the Salzach: the old town on the left bank, with its lanes, squares and the fortress above, and the right bank, with the Mirabell Gardens, the Steingasse, the Linzer Gasse and the main station. Here are the areas that work best, and the hotel we would pick in each.
The old town: for atmosphere
Staying on the left bank means stepping straight out into the Getreidegasse or the cathedral squares and walking home through quiet, lit lanes after a concert. It is the natural choice for first-timers, couples and music lovers. For a boutique stay, Hotel Goldgasse sits on a quiet lane between the cathedral and the Getreidegasse, with around sixteen rooms themed on Mozart operas and a traditional Austrian restaurant downstairs. For art and history, the Arthotel Blaue Gans has welcomed travellers on the Getreidegasse since 1350 and faces the Festival halls, with more than 300 artworks and one of the old town’s best restaurants. The trade-offs are that cars are largely kept out, so you park in a garage, and the church bells start early.
The right bank riverside: for views
Across the river, the embankment looks straight back at the domes and the fortress, and the bridges put the old town a few minutes away. The Hotel Sacher Salzburg, the city’s historic grand hotel since 1866, is our splurge pick, with river-view rooms, family suites, the Café Sacher and valet parking. A few steps upstream at the Staatsbrücke, Hotel Stein is an adults-only lifestyle hotel whose seventh-floor Steinterrasse is one of the best rooftop bars in town, ideal for couples and friends.
Near Mirabell and the station: for value
North of the Makartplatz, between the Mirabell Gardens, the Salzach and the main station, prices ease and transport links improve. Motel One Salzburg-Mirabell is the budget pick, a design-led hotel on Elisabethkai with a Mozart-themed lounge, a riverside terrace and compact rooms, and children up to 12 stay free. It suits rail travellers and anyone planning day trips, since the Sound of Music and Hallstatt tours leave from the kiosk near the Mirabell Gardens.
Matching base to trip
For a romantic weekend, choose Hotel Goldgasse or Hotel Stein. For a special occasion or a family trip with space and service, the Sacher is hard to beat. For art, food and the Festival, book the Blaue Gans. For a short, budget stay or a trip built around day tours, Motel One Salzburg-Mirabell makes the most sense.
Practical tips
Book early for the Salzburg Festival in July and August and for Advent weekends, when rates rise sharply and the best rooms go first. Check whether breakfast is included, because most of these hotels charge it separately. If you are driving, ask about parking before you arrive, as old town hotels rely on nearby garages. A local city tax is added per person per night.
