arte Hotel Salzburg

A nice perk was the panoramic view from upstairs, and the cocktail bar had a similar view at night. We recommend trying breakfast at least once, or going up in the elevator just for the view. Check-in and checkout were smooth, and they even let us leave late. The hotel is right by the train station, with lots of food nearby. It’s about a 20-minute walk to the Old Town, past Mirabell Palace, which makes for a pleasant route. Our room was on the mid-level floor I’d booked, with a pretty nice view. It was modern, clean, and very well soundproofed, though the mattress wasn’t especially comfortable. One thing to know: the bathroom is separated only by glass and a curtain. That might be romantic for couples, but less ideal for others.

The room looked nicely designed at first, but the cleanliness was unacceptable. Brown stains marked the curtains, amenities left by the previous guest were still there and hadn’t been replaced, and nothing fresh had been topped up. The towels seemed clean, but the bathrobes had clearly been used. That felt unhygienic and unacceptable. The reception staff were unfriendly from the start. We dealt with three different people, two women and one man, and none showed warmth, hospitality, or professionalism. We felt unwelcome for the whole stay. I’ve travelled widely, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Japan, Korea, France, Italy, Iceland, Finland, Norway, and London, staying in everything from Airbnbs and homestays to 3-, 4-, and 5-star hotels. This was one of my worst hotel experiences. The location is excellent, about a five-minute walk from the train station, so we arrived with some excitement. That quickly turned into a nightmare once we entered arte Hotel Sulzberg. Fellow travellers, think twice before booking. Don’t waste your money here. You’ll feel as if you owe them something instead of being treated like a paying guest.

The location is the only thing this hotel has going for it. During our two-night stay, we dealt with several people at reception, and none was friendly or welcoming. I don’t expect anyone to be cheerful, but basic service was missing. They came across cold and disengaged. The towels were another problem. One was hung neatly, while the other was damp, crumpled, and looked used. When I called to ask for fresh ones and reported it, reception told me to come downstairs and collect them myself. The room key card also stopped working. I went down for help, but the staff seemed confused about our room number and even argued with us. Two employees chatted and laughed behind the counter while dealing with us, turning a quick fix into a delay. At first we wondered if we were the issue, but we saw other guests get the same unfriendly treatment. I honestly and thoughtfully recommend avoiding this place. I’m not a difficult customer, as my past reviews show, but this was my worst hotel experience in Europe. Management needs to invest seriously in training for everyone who deals with guests, or the hotel’s long-term future looks questionable.

The new room on the seventh floor was much nicer and more spacious, which made a big difference. I was moved there because the whole sixth floor had a charging power issue. The breakfast was good with plenty of variety, and the upper-floor restaurant was excellent for its atmosphere and view. Thanks especially to Tuana at reception for being supportive and professional. At first, the front desk wouldn’t let me see the room before checking in, which seemed strange. I was short on time, so I accepted it, but it turned out to be very small and uncomfortable. Luckily 😅, the room change improved my stay.