Hotel Esplanade

The location is unbeatable, but the price feels far too high for what’s provided. The rooms are spacious, though the beds were much too soft for my taste, and there’s no way to adjust the high room temperature. Bring earplugs if you have a city view, which means a back alley view, since it can get quite noisy at night. The reception desk was hardly ever staffed and wasn’t available at either check-in or check-out. For check-in, we could get the key from a box at the back door. I’d recommend paying and filling out the digital guest sheet in advance.

This is a very old building in the heart of Gmunden on Lake Traunsee, within walking distance of shops and restaurants. There’s also a grocery store right by the elevator. We stayed two nights in a city view room. It rained the whole time, so we didn’t get much chance to enjoy the view, though I can imagine breakfast on the balcony overlooking the lake would be beautiful. The rooms were clean, but the bathroom arrangement is odd. The toilet is in one room, with the sink and shower in another, so there’s no sink next to the toilet to encourage handwashing. Reception is only there until 3 PM, and parking in the public garage under the hotel costs an extra 14 euros a day. The glass elevator at the lakeside entrance takes you to the lobby but closes at 10 PM. After that, you have to use the back door by the garage, which is confusing and easy to miss. You need to take the stairs or an elevator from there to reach the hotel.

When friends visit us, we’re lucky to live in this city, this is the place we like to book for them. It’s right in town and right beside the lake, with breakfast and a view.

The hosts made us feel so welcome, and the rooms are gorgeous. It’s a beautiful hotel right on the Traunsee waterfront, with a stunning view. We’re looking forward to coming back.