Accommodations in Innsbruck, Austria
Good Sleeps
All of the listings in this section come with breakfast and have a shower and toilet in the room, excluding hostels (i.e. the first three entries). Additionally they are all cost-effective with the best bang for your buck in mind.
Outlining this Good Sleeps section: Nepomuk’s Bed & Breakfast offers Innsbruck’s best hostel/budget-type digs; Pension Paula is that cute alpine chalet you dreamed about, flowered balconies and all; Hotel ibis is modern and über-handy for Railers; Hotel Schwarzer Bär chalks up 3 stars on the riverbank facing the Old Town; Mozart once stayed at the rustic Weisses Kreuz; the Hilton is especially worthwhile when using reward points/miles; and for a bit more salt, the Grauer Bär affords 4-star service and amenities while the Schwarzer Adler adds a romantic touch.
Note: Ask at your accommodations for the Club Innsbruck Card; it’s complimentary for all overnight guests and provides various benefits such as a free welcome drink at the casino, free guided hikes into the Tyrolean Alps and discounted ski passes in winter; ask TI or staff at your digs for details. Railers, the Hotel ibis is conveniently located next to the main train station. But to reach another of the below-listed accommodations in Innsbruck won’t be difficult. Drivers, Pension Paula is free to park and fairly straightforward to reach. Otherwise, when considering the below-listed digs, Hotel Schwarzer Bär has the lowest parking rate (6€/day) in addition to pleasing rooms.
To help you better steer through this section, I’ve rated each accommodations entry with a dollar symbol based on the price of double occupancy. For example, one $ symbol means the price of a double (twin) at the respective property is 60€ or less; two $$ symbols mean the price of a double (twin) is generally between 60€ and 100€; three $$$ symbols mean the price is generally between 100€ and 170€; four $$$$ symbols mean the price exceeds 180€.
$ — pocket-friendly, 60€ or less.
$$ — moderately priced, generally between 60€ and 100€.
$$$ — upper end, generally between 100€ and 170€.
$$$$ — superior, from 180€.
Note: To beat down the listed room rack-rates for the accommodations on this page, comparison shop the recommended wholesalers here.
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$ (hostel) Nepomuk’s Bed & Breakfast, (Kiebachgasse 16,tel. 0512/584-118, mobile 0664/787-9197, no Internet on premises but access is nearby). Keenly run by sisters Almut and Anja, Nepomuk’s is a pair of renovated apartments on the first floor (one level) above Tyrol’s oldest pastry shop (Cafe Munding, since 1803) in the heart of the Old Town, a 90-second walk from the Golden Roof. Nepomuk’s is a new venture for Almut and Anja, whose family has run Cafe Munding for six generations. I liked what I saw at Nepomuk’s and my hat is off to the two aspiring gals busting onto the hospitality scene. Book early ’cause they only have 18 beds (4 dbl, 10 dorm). Guests with a sweet tooth will relish the complimentary pastry complementing an otherwise thin breakfast. All pies and cakes and sweets sold in the café-pastry shop are freshly prepared upstairs, even the various jams, and lowered to waitstaff via the dumbwaiter behind the counter. Nepomuk’s has a laundry service, as well as a small common kitchen and fridge (which often has plenty of free foodstuff, e.g. tea, pasta, rice). Check-in at Cafe Munding. Check-out by 11:00. Note: The only downside here are the shared facilities, i.e. they only have one toilet and shower per nine guests, thus you may have to wait a short while to do your thing. PRICE, cash only; 6-bed dorm 22€, 4-bed dorm 24€, dbl 54€. GPS: N47 16.031 E11 23.571. Drivers, park in public garage (10€/24hr) or ask Nepomuk’s for cheaper options. Railers, from the train station, either walk into the Old Town (see Main Train Station for directions), catch a cab (around 9€), or take tram 3 direction Anichstrasse and get off at Maria-Theresien-Strasse (7-min ride, tram typically departs from bay C about every 7 min, and every 15 min after 19:30 Mon-Sat and all day Sun). Exit tram left; cross the crosswalk into Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse (cobbled pedestrian drag leading to Golden Roof) and make the first left (Schlossergasse) to Cafe Munding some 50 meters in front of you.
$ (hostel-pension) Glockenhaus, (Weiherburggasse 3, tel. 0512/286-515, no Internet on premises but access is within a 10-min walk). If you can’t get into Nepomuk’s, these minimal but historic digs are the next best option for budget-minded travelers (only a 10-min walk from the Old Town). Your hosts, Reinhard and his wife Traudl, previously owned the Saint Nikolaus hostel around the corner on Innstrasse until they closed it to cash in on the land’s commercial value. Besides their business savvy, Reinhard and Traudl are bohemians who favor pocket-friendly digs to wallet-busting accommodations for their guests. Wear your earplugs, though; nearby church bells ring efficiently well into dream time. Note: No breakfast served here; no communal kitchen or laundry facilities. Check-out by 10:00. Late check-in; notify staff if arriving before 18:00. PRICE (includes sheets; private rooms have shower-toilet), 8-bed dorm bed 19€, sgl 35€, dbl 54€, trpl 69€, quad 84€. CC: VC, MC. GPS: N47 16.550 E11 23.595. Drivers, follow signs to Alpenzoo. From Innstrasse turn onto Schmelzergasse then first right on Weiherburggasse. When you reach the rich-yellow villa at the top of the hill, your digs are left over your shoulder. Pull over to unload. Street parking 1€/hr or free between the hours 19:00-09:00 and all day on weekends. Railers, from the main train station, either walk (25 min) to the Glockenhaus, take a taxi (roughly 10€), or ride bus W direction Alpenzoo and get off at Schloss Büchsenhausen meters from your digs—notify the driver that you’re headed to the Glockenhaus so he/she can point you the way off the bus—(10-min ride, bus departs daily twice per hour typically from bay B :12 and :42 past the hour until last bus at 22:42).
$ Hostel Innsbruck, [HI] (Reichenauer Strasse 147, tel. 0512/346-179, use of desktop/Wi-Fi Internet for purchase). Located roughly 2 km from the Old Town and main train station; I am only mentioning this hostel (locally Jugendherberge) because it is economical and belongs to the traditional HI association, in which some of you are members. Although staff are friendly, the building is outdated (a concrete block built in 1976 that looks like it was designed by a Communist hardliner) and the dorms are shoeboxes with beds. On a positive note, the hostel does offer bike rental, 11€/day, and the room price includes a hearty breakfast. PRICE (includes sheets and breakfast), cash only; 6-bed dorm 20.50€ (second night 18.10€), 4-bed dorm 22.60€ (second night 20.20€), sgl 36€, dbl 56€. Note: Must be a member or an extra charge (3€/night) will apply. Check-out by 10:00. Main door is locked from around noon. Check-in (summer 15:00 but normally) 17:00-22:00. If arriving earlier, store your bag in the “Left-Luggage” room. GPS: N47 16.445 E11 25.619. Railers, from the main train station, either walk (30 min) to the hostel or ride the bus. Whichever way, first exit the station right and a distance ahead go right again (beneath rail tracks) at the next street. This is Sillpark; from here you can either catch bus O direction Josef-Kerschb.-Strasse and get off at Jugendherberge (7-min ride, bus departs daily every 5-15 min until last bus around 22:45), or continue walking via König-Laurin-Strasse to Drei-Heiligen-Strasse which turns into Reichenauer Strasse (leading to the hostel at the far end of the street).
$ Pension Paula, (Weiherburggasse 15, tel. 0512/292-262, free Wi-Fi). Located in a scenic neighborhood on the hill approaching the zoo, this traditional alpine-style pension run by the Gunsch family affords its guests 
dynamite views of Innsbruck in addition to a cozy stay for a well-within-the-budget price. An easy 15-min walk from the Old Town, adorable Pension Paula has 14 rooms (12 dbl, 2 sgl). If you book early enough, you may get a room with a flowered balcony. Greeting guests, Flecky (the family Bernese mountain dog) sits dutifully before the door. Give him a friendly pat on the way in. PRICE (includes breakfast), cash only; sgl 33-40€—cheaper price means shower-toilet 
in hallway—dbl 55-65€, trpl 84€, quad 95€. GPS: N47 16.622 E11 23.681. Drivers, follow signs to Alpenzoo. From Innstrasse turn onto Schmelzergasse then first right on Weiherburggasse. At the top of the hill, just past the rich-yellow villa complex, pull up the driveway to your Tyrolean chalet and free parking. Railers, from the main train station, either take a taxi (roughly 10€) to Pension Paula or ride bus W direction Alpenzoo and get off at Schloss Büchsenhausen meters from your digs—exit bus left, cross the road when clear and waddle up the driveway to your charming Tyrolean home and Flecky the dog—(10-min ride, bus departs daily twice per hour typically from bay B :12 and :42 past the hour until last bus at 22:42).
$$ Hotel ibis, (Sterzinger Strasse 1, *hotel code 5174, tel. 0512/570-3000, free Internet terminal in lobby as well as cable connection in room). Of all the ibis properties I’ve seen in Germany and Austria, this one rates the highest in my book with its new and bigger air-conditioned rooms atypical of the chain’s standard snug size. Propped above the Hauptbahnhof, the hotel’s top-floor (4th-floor) rooms have commanding views of the sprawling train station and of the picturesque Alps beyond. Don’t let the parched but harmless clique of vagabonds loitering outside the station discourage you. PRICE, sgl 68€, dbl 86€, breakfast buffet 10€/person. All major CCs accepted. Note: Check ibis website at least 30 days in advance for rates often generously discounted. *Hotel code is compatible with ibis website, creating a shortcut to the property—type hotel code in ‘Destination’ field then click Search button. GPS: N47 15.793 E11 24.000. Railers, exit front of main train station and roll left to your digs. Take elevator or escalator up to reception. Drivers, parking 12€/day.
$$ Hotel Schwarzer Bär, (Mariahilfstrasse 16, tel. 0512/294-900, free Wi-Fi). You’ll be just fine in these comfy digs, recently upgraded to 3 stars, warmly run by Werner and Christine Auer who also manage the scrumptious in-house restaurant. A third-generation family business, Hotel Schwarzer Bär is set within a historic row house, first mentioned in 1497, facing the river and Old Town. Although there is no elevator lifting you to your good-sized room, the stairs won’t be a problem now that you know. During warm spells in summer, street-facing rooms may disturb light sleepers. PRICE (includes breakfast), sgl 65€, dbl 95-105€, trpl 115-125€, 4-bed family room 135-145€. All major CCs accepted. GPS: N47 16.109 E11 23.362. Drivers, unload out front (dark-green facade) then have staff show you where to park, (some 200 meters from property) 8€/day. Railers, from the main train station, the Schwarzer Bär is a 20-min *walk, or by taxi around 8€, or take tram 3 direction Anichstrasse and get off at Maria-Theresien-Strasse (7-min ride, tram typically departs from bay C about every 7 min, and every 15 min after 19:30 Mon-Sat and all day Sun). Exit tram right and swing right to the river, cross the bridge then go left to your digs just ahead at the dark-green facade. *By foot, when you reach the Golden Roof, swing left to the river, cross the bridge and turn left to your digs just ahead at the dark-green facade.
$$ Hotel Weisses Kreuz, (Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse 31, tel. 0512/594-790, free Wi-Fi in lobby or use of Internet terminal for purchase). Dating from 1465, Hotel Weisses Kreuz, or White Cross, is arguably the most venerated hotel in town. Its name comes from the Knights of Malta, a Christian order derived from the Crusades in the 11th century. 
And like the chivalrous brotherhood, the emblem chosen to represent the hotel is the iconic Maltese cross but white (pictured here in black). Located a stone’s throw from the Golden Roof bang in the center of the Old Town, these wood-beamed digs have hosted many illustrious guests, including a 13-year-old W. A. Mozart with his father on their way to Italy in 1769. Some 40 years later, Tyrolean hero *Andreas Hofer billeted here while marshaling a year-long campaign against Napoleon’s troops. (*You’ll learn more about Hofer when visiting the Court Church and Bergisel/Tirol Panorama by the Olympic ski jump.) Although the amenities have since been modernized from the days of epic freedom fighters and child composers, the Weisses Kreuz is still in original condition and a stay here is no less than desirably authentic. Note: Reception is on the 2nd floor. In the warm summer months, June-Aug, to request a room on the quiet side of the building (away from the street noise) wouldn’t be a bad idea. PRICE (includes breakfast), sgl 66-72€ (36-43€ with shower-toilet in hallway), dbl 100-110€ (69-73€ with shower-toilet in hallway), dbl comfort 114-124€, dbl comfort superior 122-132€, trpl/family room possible. CC: VC, MC, AE. GPS: N47 16.057 E11 23.613. Drivers, hotel parking (12€/day) is located in a garage a few streets away; reserve a spot when booking room. Railers,from the train station, either walk into the Old Town (see Main Train Station for directions), catch a cab (around 9€), or take tram 3 direction Anichstrasse and get off at Maria-Theresien-Strasse (7-min ride, tram typically departs from bay C about every 7 min, and every 15 min after 19:30 Mon-Sat and all day Sun). Exit tram left; cross the crosswalk into Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse (cobbled pedestrian drag leading to Golden Roof) and continue straight to your digs on the right, adjacent to McDonald’s.
$$$ Hotel Grauer Bär, (Universitätsstrasse 7, tel. 0512/59240, free Wi-Fi in lobby as well as cable connection in room). These popular (meaning ‘busy’) air-conditioned digs parked in the middle of the Old Town cater to a mixed bag of vacationers, tour groups, conference-goers, skiers, and white-collared professionals. The Grauer Bär, or Gray Bear, is a large cosmopolitan hotel outfitted within a historic facade rising five floors to a rooftop swimming pool, sun terrace and wellness center (book your full-body massage at reception). Covering the bald spots are two restaurants and 196 tastefully furnished rooms of decent size. Request an upper-floor room (4th/5th floor) for better views and the possibility of a balcony. Next to the Sightseer bus stop across the street, the blessed 17th-century Jesuit Church calls English-speaking Catholics to Mass every Saturday at 18:00. PRICE (includes breakfast), sgl 95-125€, dbl 135-175€, dbl superior 155-195€, trpl 200-215€, suite 200-220€. Dinner in the hotel restaurant can be added to your booking for 18€ per person. All major CCs accepted. GPS: N47 16.137 E11 23.876. Drivers, unload out front then have staff point you to the in-house parking garage, 12€/day. Railers, from the main train station, the Grauer Bär is a 10-min walk or via taxi around 7€. By foot; exit the station straight, cross at the traffic light and go right. At the corner (Brixner Strasse) turn left, then make the first right (Meinhardstrasse). Continue straight; through the upcoming traffic light the road will change to Sillgasse. At the next cross street (Universitätsstrasse), turn left to your digs ahead on the right (opposite church).
$$$ Hilton Hotel, (Salurner Strasse 15, tel. 0512/59350, toll-free reservations from USA/Canada 1-800-445-8667 or within Europe 00800/4445-8667, use of desktop/Wi-Fi Internet for purchase). I stayed three nights here in room 1411 and really enjoyed my stay. Of course the HHonors points upgrade I received to a deluxe room on the top (14th) floor with sweeping vistas over Innsbruck likely inspired my bias. The “deluxe” category here doesn’t mean a bigger room, but one with a king-sized bed on an upper floor, i.e. the 13th or 14th boasting the aforesaid breathtaking views. Standard double rooms here have two “queen-sized” beds (that are more akin to a U.S.-sized double) and start on the 5th floor, but I suggest you request one from at least the 7th floor to guarantee an edge over neighboring buildings. No matter your room, Hilton guests are never denied the super alpine vistas Innsbruck is so famous for because every level of the hotel has an outdoor observation platform at either end of the floor. Shoot up to the top floor any time with your camera in hand and snap away (but make sure your own room isn’t next to one of these platforms otherwise you may find a pair of curious eyeballs trained through your window along with their cigarette smoke). Although these 176-room accommodations are well-located next to the casino and Triumphal Arch, less than a 10-min walk from the Old Town and 5 min from the main train station, the rooms (while good size) are dated, meaning they haven’t been fully renovated in some time. But now that I’ve aired the dirty laundry, your room may feel a tad fresher. PRICE (varies widely depending on season; book ahead online for best rate), sgl/dbl from 99€, breakfast may cost extra (depending on rate). Note: For the latest deals click Hotel Specials on the above-listed Innsbruck Hilton website. Although Casino Innsbruck is positioned within the same building as the Hilton, you likely wouldn’t have known it unless I just told you or you happened to see the casino’s logo upon your approach to the hotel. The casino is reasonably quiet, unassuming, and not commercially associated with the Hilton. Handy, there is a Sightseer bus stop around the corner from the hotel, next to the Triumphal Arch. Lastly, I should note at this Hilton property there is no concierge lounge, and no doorman or porter on regular duty. Drivers, unload out front then have staff point you to the in-house parking garage, 15€/day. Railers, from the main train station, your best bet is to walk the short 5 min to the hotel (because taxi drivers queued at the rank will scowl at the notion of a two-block fare). By foot, exit front of station straight, cross street at traffic light then go left to the next light (Salurner Strasse) and turn right. Continue straight and just past the second cross street (Wilhelm-Greil-Strasse) are your digs on the left.
$$$$ Romantik Hotel Schwarzer Adler, (Kaiserjägerstrasse 2, tel. 0512/587-109, free Internet: Wi-Fi plus desktop computer in lobby and cable connection in room). Having properties dotted across Europe, the Romantik Hotel group offers something unique at each of its locations. With no two rooms designed the same, these boutique 4-star digs with wellness center minutes from the Old Town are an alluring air-conditioned option. Here, the 15th century tastefully meets the 21st century with themed rooms from the Emperor Maximilian suite to the Versace business suite and the Swarovski crystal room. Slip into the hotel’s intimate restaurant and bar on the ground floor but if the weather is nice escape to the rooftop terrace for a glass of wine or a romantic dinner for two (in the alpine gondola) wrapped in an unforgettable snow-peaked panorama. But first check-in with the receptionist on the first floor waiting your arrival behind a polished and personal wooden table. Pull up a chair, sign into your room, and perhaps for a full-body massage (66€/50 min). PRICE (includes breakfast and use of the sauna/steam bath), sgl 110-159€, dbl 150-211€, suite 250-415€, extra bed 50€/adult. Dinner in the hotel restaurant can be added to your booking for 27-32€ per person. All major CCs accepted. GPS: N47 16.151 E11 23.957. Drivers, unload out front then have staff point you to the neighboring building to park, 12€/day. Railers, from the main train station, the Schwarzer Adler is a 10-min walk or via taxi around 7€. By foot; exit the station straight, cross at the traffic light and go right. At the corner (Brixner Strasse) turn left, then make the first right (Meinhardstrasse). Continue straight; through the upcoming traffic light the road will change to Sillgasse. At the next cross street (Universitätsstrasse), turn right to your digs in front of you on the corner.
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(This page was last updated June 2011.)
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