The Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt Salzburg is ideal for travellers who need a clean and comfortable room to return to after exploring this beautiful Austrian city. It’s conveniently located close to everything and the substantial breakfast will keep you going for a long time. This honest review and overview will make it easier to decide whether the Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt Salzburg is a right fit for you.
Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt Salzburg Location
The location of the Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt Salzburg within walking distance of both the train station and the main tourist attractions is unbeatable.
Technically, the Hofwirt is not in the “altstadt” or old town of Salzburg but on the edge of the tourist area in Schallmoos. The Linzer Gasse, a pedestrian street that leads to the historic old town, starts across the street from the hotel.
If you walk down the Linzer Gasse, lined with shops and restaurants, you’ll reach the bridge over the Salzach River where you enter the old town within 7 minutes. From here, it’s only another 2 minutes before you stand in front of the house where Mozart was born in.
| Walking time to other nearby attractions | |
| Mozart Residence | 8 min (650 m) |
| Mirabell Gardens | 8 min (650 m) |
| Salzburg Cathedral | 13 min (1,1 km) |
| Mozart Square | 14 min (1,1 km) |
| Hohensalzburg Fortress cable car | 16 min (1,2 km) |
| St Peter’s Abbey | 17 min (1,2 km) |
Read more: The Altstadthotel Hofwirt is also an excellent base for a day trip to Hallstatt
Rooms
Firstly, let me remind you that the Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt Salzburg is a 3-star hotel. If you’re looking for luxury interiors and mini-bars, you won’t find them here.
However, if you’re looking for a clean and practical room (that doesn’t smell like stale smoke), you’ve come to the right place. Travellers who are in Salzburg to explore and sightsee need nothing more for the few waking hours they’ll be spending in their hotel.
Check availability at the Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt Salzburg
Although the hotel dates to 1878, it was refurbished for the last time in 2016. The simple interior feature pictures of old Salzburg above the beds.
The rooms aren’t big, but my friend and I could easily move around each other. We had a courtyard-facing room which we didn’t specifically ask for when we booked. However, we were thankful for it after reading reviews from people who complained that the street side can get noisy when sleeping with open windows. Courtyard-facing rooms generally cost €10 more per room per night.
What we did put a special request in for and didn’t get, was a twin-bed room. Fortunately, the big queen-sized beds consist of 2 mattresses anyway, so it didn’t matter to us that much.
The Hofwirt rooms are perfect for the purposes of showering, sleeping, and relaxing in a horizontal position for an hour or two between sightseeing and dinner. There are a few English channels on the TV, the WIFI worked fine while we were there, and each room now has a tablet with information about the hotel and Salzburg.
There’s a hairdryer in the bathroom, soap in the shower, a safe, and a fan in the bedroom for when it’s hot in summer. While there’s no mini-bar or coffee and tea making facilities, you can help yourself to free coffee and tea in the lobby behind reception.
Reception and service
We arrived at the Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt Salzburg in the late morning hoping we could check in early. This wasn’t possible because our room wasn’t ready yet. However, the receptionist prepared everything for the check-in so that we could only collect our room keys when we arrived back later.
In the meantime, we left our suitcases in the luggage storage room. You may be surprised that there is no lock on the door. Having lived in Austria for almost 8 years, I didn’t even question this in a country where theft isn’t a common occurrence. Our suitcases were right there where we left them when we arrived back in the late afternoon.
We conveniently bought the 48-hour Salzburg Card at reception (cash only) and set out to explore the historic old town without the hassle of luggage to look after.
I can’t complain about the service and attitude of the staff at reception. Although not overly friendly and particularly hearty, they were always helpful and efficient. The only other staff we dealt with, were the cleaners in the passages who were very polite. (Did I mention they did a great job of cleaning our room and bathroom every day?)
| Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt Basics | |
| Check-In | 14:00 to 18:00 |
| Check-Out | 07:00 to 11:00 |
| Parking | €15 per night in underground garage |
| Bar | Yes |
| Elevator/lift | Yes |
| Price | From just under €100 per room per night |
Sound like an option for you? Check out the latest prices here
Breakfast
Breakfast is included in the room price. Believe me, it’s so worth it. We helped ourselves to fresh bread and rolls, together with a variety of cold meats, cheeses, jams, and other spreads every morning.
The boiled and scrambled eggs are great if you like to pack in some protein to keep you going during the day. I found the coffee more than acceptable and the fruit juice the normal hotel version (where you can’t figure out whether it’s pure or not ?).
Of course, there are cereals and yogurts to choose from too.
The breakfast room is very big, so we never had a problem finding a table. Many people opt to sit in the courtyard, but we found it a little bit chilly in the mornings even in mid-June.
Getting to Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt Salzburg
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Physical address: Schallmooser Hauptstraße 1, 5020 Salzburg
On foot
We arrived by train and relied on my smartphone navigation system to get us to the hotel. Unfortunately, either I or the phone wasn’t as “smart” and we ended up walking an extra block. Even so, it took us only 20 minutes to reach the Hofwirt from the Salzburg train station.
By bus
Take bus line 2 from both the train station and airport and get off at the Wolf Dietrich Straße stop. From there, it’s a 5-minute walk to the hotel.
By taxi
There are almost always a few taxis parked outside the Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt. The fare to the train station is around €8 (you shouldn’t pay more than €10). Taking a taxi from the Salzburg Airport to the hotel could set you back between €17 and €21.
Tip: You can also ask the reception staff to arrange a taxi for you.
By car
Take the Salzburg Nord exit from the motorway. Drive to the end of Vogelweiderstraße before turning right into the Schallmooser Hauptstraße. The Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt Salzburg is on the righthand corner just before the pedestrian zone.
Where to eat and drink
There is a Spar supermarket on the opposite corner from the Hofwirt which is super convenient for buying water and snacks when you set off for a day of sightseeing. In my case, it came in very handy when I discovered I forgot my toothbrush!
We had a light supper at one of the Turkish restaurants/takeaways in the Linzer Gasse close to the hotel on our first evening. For something more substantial and a great atmosphere, head to the Cornelius Reitsamer Platz and Richard Mayr Gasse. They are a 5-minute walk from the hotel and lined with restaurants with outdoor seating.
We tried L’Osteria, an Italian restaurant, on the corner of Richard Mayr Gasse and Dreifaltigkeitsgasse on our last night. The pizza and pasta weren’t bad although I think the Innsbruck franchise does a better job.
Other restaurant suggestions in a 5-minute radius from the Alstadthotel Hofwirt:
- Restaurant Gablerbräu – Traditional Austrian cuisine in the Linzer Gasse
- BioBurgerMeister – A burger restaurant specialising in organic beef burgers but with vegetarian and vegan options too. It’s also in the Linzer Gasse.
- Das Stadtwirtshaus Alter Fuchs – Excellently rated traditional restaurant a stone’s throw away from the Hofwirt in the Linzer Gasse.
More nearby hotels
What if the Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt is booked out on your travel dates? Here are a few recommendations for similar hotels nearby. Or you can check out this Salzburg hotel guide.
Hotel NH Salzburg City – A 4-star hotel only 300 m away from Mirabell Palace and Gardens. It’s very similar to the Hofwirt, but with a few added luxuries such as a mini-bar, room service, sauna, and fitness equipment. Check availability here if you’d like to consider this hotel.
Hotel & Apartments Wolf Dietrich – At the Wolf-Dietrich you can opt to stay in the hotel, with breakfast included, or in one of the well-equipped apartments if you like more space and the option of preparing your own meals. The train station is a 12-minute walk away.
Hotel Amadeus – Situated closer to the Salzburg old town on the Linzer Gasse, this hotel’s classy traditional Salzburg interior gives it a special character. Click here to check availability.
Cityhotel Trumer Stube – For a taste of Salzburg in the 1950s, the Cityhotel Trumer Stube is a great choice. It’s also in a pedestrian zone very close to the Mozart Residence and Mirabell Gardens.
Read more: If you love Salzburg, you will love Innsbruck
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The Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt looks like a great option for Salzburg. I actually prefer staying a little out of the city center and I love that hearty breakfast too start the day.