Star Inn Hotel Premium Salzburg Gablerbräu

Star Inn Hotel Premium Salzburg Gablerbräu proves a historic hotel and a modern room can get along just fine. The building outside is centuries old and sits in the Old Town, but the inside has been redone in clean, simple, fully functional Scandinavian design. It scores 8.8/10 on both Booking.com and Agoda — higher than plenty of hotels in the same price bracket.

Rooms and decor

Guests say the same thing with one voice: the rooms are roomier than you would expect for a 4-star in the Old Town — high ceilings, a big soft bed, a desk and a walk-in shower in a generous bathroom. Every room has air-con, which matters a lot in summer when Salzburg can climb past 30°C. Coffee and a minibar, a flat-screen TV and fast Wi-Fi come as standard.

Rooms facing the back are quieter than the street-side ones, so if you are travelling with someone who needs silence at night, flag it when you book. Rooms in the Suite category give you proper space and suit anyone who wants to settle in fully.

Food and amenities

The breakfast buffet earns the line "so much better than the price" — several kinds of fresh-baked bread, cheese, ham, fresh fruit and eggs cooked to order, served in a dining room that still carries the feel of the old building. The front desk speaks good English and answers questions on restaurants and day plans well.

The Old Town address means restaurants, cafés and pastry shops surround the hotel — you rarely walk more than 5 minutes to a good option, from a proper Austrian Schnitzel spot to a boutique café pulling specialty coffee.

Location and getting there

It sits on Richard-Mayr-Gasse, a small street in the Old Town, about 5 minutes on foot from Getreidegasse and 10 minutes from the Festspielhaus. Cross the Staatsbrücke into the New Town in 10 minutes, or walk to Mirabell Palace in 15. The main train station is further out, but buses 3, 5 and 6 pass through the Old Town area, so getting around is easy.

For anyone who wants to use the Old Town as a base without paying Hotel Sacher prices, Star Inn Gablerbräu is the best-value answer in the area.

Things to know before booking

The catch is the street: Richard-Mayr-Gasse can get noisy during the day with foot traffic and shops, so book a room at the back if you are a light sleeper. There is no on-site parking — the Old Town restricts private cars, so you will rely on a nearby public car park, which the hotel can help arrange. And there is no pool or spa, so set your expectations accordingly.

Our take

Star Inn Hotel Premium Salzburg Gablerbräu suits couples and solo travellers who want a good Old Town location with roomy, modern rooms on a sensible 4-star budget. It is not the pick if you are arriving by car or counting on a pool and spa.