Since I covered the location and service in my previous post (link to my previous post can be found here), this post will only review the Superior Room in Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna.
Hotel Am Konzerthaus facade
The Room
The Superior Room at Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna has a total floor area of 23㎡. It comprises the bathroom and a sleeping area, with most of the real estate set aside for the sleeping area. The Superior Room adopts a contemporary decor, and with the wooden flooring coupled with the warm lighting, the room exudes a cosy vibe.
The layout of the Superior Room at Hotel Am Konzerthaus
Entryway
The entryway of the Superior Room houses the wardrobe and the entrance to the bathroom. The spacious two-panelled wardrobe provides occupants with ample space to stow their clothing. The storage space in the wardrobe is expanded by the shelf space on top of the hanging rack and the four-tiered open shelf, which occupants can use to put away smaller clothing items. The in-room safe sits high on the shelving space on top of the hanging rack.
Bathroom
The bathroom entrance in the Superior Room is in the entryway, opposite the wardrobe. The sink sits in the centre of the bathroom and is the first thing that welcomes the occupants of the Superior Room. I found the countertop space was large enough to place our toiletries on. Like the Masetro Suite, Hotel Am Konzerthaus provides most bathroom amenities except dental kits and shavers. The walk-in shower is on the right of the sink, fitted with a rain shower and regular shower heads. I like the small hole carved out of the wall, creating space for us to place our toiletries on. The toilet is situated to the left of the sink with a heating rack, which is very useful for drying our towels in winter.
Sleeping Area
The sleeping area sits at the end of the entryway and occupies a bulk of the space in the Superior Room. The minibar is the first thing that caught our eyes in the sleeping area. Housed in a black standalone cabinet next to the wardrobe, Hotel Am Konzerthaus equipped the minibar with a small Nespresso machine and an electric kettle so guests could enjoy the coffee and tea in the minibar area. The mini fridge is tucked inside the cabinet below the Nespresso machine. I thought it was generous of the hotel to provide complementary items inside the fridge for guests to enjoy, which are replenished daily.
Further into the sleeping area, the king bed sits in the middle of the sleeping area. Resting against a charcoal coloured velvet headboard, the king bed provided excellent sleep quality. The sleep quality is further enhanced by the pillow menu that the hotel provides to match guests’ preferences on the pillow’s firmness. A mix of floral paintings and mirrors on some diamond-shaped panels on the wall next to the king bed tastefully decorated an otherwise dull wall. The use of lighting behind the headboard and the floor lighting next to the window gave the sleeping area its cosy characteristic. I like how Hotel Am Konzerthaus eliminated bedside lamps to free more space on the two stool-like bedside tables on both sides of the bed. The power outlets and switches are found on the side of the bed.
A large flat screen TV is mounted onto the wall in a circular metal decorative piece opposite the king bed. There is a lot of entertainment on the TV, but the entertainment options are limited unless one can understand German. A work desk is furnished in a corner next to the TV. The work desk is rather sizeable, and power outlets allow one to keep their laptops powered up while working at the desk. A small round table with a single chair is furnished between the bed and the windows. I thought the table was a good addition, as it not only did not take up too much space but also allowed us to dine in the room.
Overall
I thought the Superior Room in Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna was very well appointed, with the various spaces well designed. The room is very comfortable, and the quality of sleep in the bed is superb. There are just sufficient furnishings in the room to make one feel comfortable.
Hotel Am Konzerthause is situated in a good location. Located in 3rd District – Landstraße, Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna is near the sights in the Historic City Centre of Innere Stadt of Vienna. The hotel is also very well connected with tram lines that ply through part of the Ringstraße, where most landmarks such as Belvedere Palace, St Charles’s Chuch, the Vienna State Opera and Parliament Opera are situated. There is a subway (U-bahn) station about a 3-minute walk from the hotel, allowing us to visit further away sites (such as Schönbrunn Palace and Stephansplatz). In terms of amenities around the hotel, the nearest supermarket is about a 7-minute walk from Hotel Am Konzerthaus. Other than the in-house restaurant, we found some restaurants near the hotel.
The Suite
We stayed in the 56㎡ Maestro Suite, the highest-category room in the hotel. At the time of booking, we found the rate of the Maestro Suite cheaper than the smaller standard Suite, so we figured it made sense to book the Maestro Suite. There is only one Maestro Suite in the hotel.
Layout of the Maestro Suite at Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna
Entryway
The entryway to the Maestro Suite does not have any furnishings; it merely acts as a pathway from the main entrance to the rest of the suite. Here is where the door to the powder room is located. It is a pity that the entryway was not fitted with hooks allowing us to hang our winter jackets.
Powder Room
Nestled at the entryway is the powder room. Fitted with a toilet bowl and a small sink, the powder room is brightly lit with the ceiling light and the two other lightings at the mirror. This powder room not only provided us with an alternate place to use the toilet if we were too lazy to walk into the bedroom to use the toilet in the bathroom from the living room, but it also allowed the other guest to use the toilet if the main toilet in the bathroom was occupied.
Living Room
The living room is where we first saw tributes to the Capital of Music dotted in the ornaments around the suite. From the entrance, the bright red high-back armchair in the living room corner immediately caught our eyes. Despite the weird location (the chair is positioned to face the rest of the living room), I thought this chair was a great place for us to place our backpacks and to sit while looking out of the window at the street scenes of Vienna. I thought the decor of the suite looked beautiful. The charcoal colour walls painted with blue flowers and the diamond-shaped mirrors sparsely occupying parts of the wall were tastefully done. The floral theme is not limited to the mural on the wall, we also spotted flowers on the coffee table, the work desk and the small table at the far end of the living room. The living room is also furnished with a light grey armchair, large enough to sit three comfortably, and can be converted into a sofa bed to house another two guests in the suite. Between the red chair and the sofa are two coffee tables, one larger than the other. Other than a vase of flowers on this coffee table, the hotel also placed a bottle of wine in a saxophone-shaped wine holder, paying tribute to the musical theme in the suite. A large flat screen TV is mounted onto the wall inside a metallic ring opposite the sofa. Despite the many channels on TV, only a handful are in English, limiting the entertainment we can enjoy.
A work desk is placed behind the sofa. Topped with a black marble top, the spacious work desk gave us lots of space to do our work on. Besides the electric kettle, Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna also equipped the Masestro Suite with a small Nespresso machine. I like the musical note teaspoons at the mini bar, yet another way the hotel reminds us that Vienna is the capital of music. A mini fridge with complementary drinks and snacks is hidden in the cabinet beneath the work desk. Behind the work desk is a small round table accompanied by two chairs. We used this dining table as an alternate place to stow our smaller items. It is interesting to find a functional vinyl player placed on top of a small table sitting in this corner of the living room of the Maestro Suite. Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna placed some vinyl records on the two racks mounted on the wall beside the vinyl player. These additional classical music records are playable, besides being ornaments.
Walk-in wardrobe
The Maestro Suite has a walk-in wardrobe next to the bedroom entrance. Fitted with three large panels, the wardrobe space in the suite is very generous. The two wardrobe panels on the left gave us ample space to hang up to one week’s clothing, but the number of hangers the hotel provides limits the amount of clothing we can hang here. The in-room safe is found on one of these shelves, which I find a little too high to access. The inside-most wardrobe has a five-tier shelf design that vastly increases the number of things we can put away in this part of the wardrobe. The three sliding wardrobe door panels are fitted with full-length mirrors, which not only allowed us to check our dressing but also made the walk-in wardrobe appear larger than it is.
Bedroom
The bedroom felt rather spacious as there was no unnecessary furniture that swallowed up precious space in this part of the suite. The king bed, placed against the wall with a dark grey leather cushion headboard, provided excellent sleep quality on the firm mattress. The pillows on the king bed are a tad too soft for my liking. Fortunately, Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna has an extensive pillow menu, and I was able to select a firm neck support pillow that left me feeling refreshed every morning. The two stool-like bedside tables provide a small area for us to place our lifestyle devices to be charged overnight. Not installing a bedside lamp and mounting the reading light on the headboard was a great decision made by the hotel, as it meant more space for us to place our stuff. I find that installing the light switches and power outlets on the side of the headboard was a great idea as it made the headboard look clean.
The bedroom is also fitted with a TV mounted onto the wall facing the king bed, which allows us to lie on our beds and watch TV programmes. However, like the TV in the living room, we can watch very limited English channels on the TV. I like how the hotel tastefully placed a music sheet stand with a music score in the corner of the bedroom next to the TV, reinforcing the suite’s music theme. I also like how the hotel designed the lighting in the bedroom. Instead of having lighting hanging from the wall, the hotel has lighting fitted onto the headboard of the king bed and behind the ring panel surrounding the TV. Surprisingly, these lights were sufficient to illuminate the bedroom.
Bathroom
The Maestro Suite at Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna has a huge, well-designed bathroom. Using black tiles for most of the bathroom gives a classy and luxurious feel. A black door that leads into the toilet cubicle is sitting immediately after the entrance to the bathroom. Despite housing only a toilet bowl, I thought the cubicle was sizeable. Another glass door to the right of the toilet leads to the walk-in shower. Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna also allocated a good amount of space in this walk-in shower, fitted with a rain and hand-held shower head. There is a ledge carved into the wall at the walk-in shower that gave us space to stow our facial washes and dental kits. The water pressure from the shower heads is good, and the hot water heats up pretty fast.
A relatively large area to the left of the toilet is occupied by the sink area, where the hotel fitted his and her sink with a generous amount of countertop space. Bathroom amenities are placed in the centre of the two sinks. However, dental kits and shavers are not provided by default. I am not too sure if they will be available upon request. The other weird thing I found in the bathroom is that only the right sink is equipped with hand soap, while the left sink only has body lotion. Despite predominantly using black in the bathroom, I found the sink area very well-lit. A large bathtub sits opposite the sink, by the wall with the toilet. The bathtub is perfect for soaking away the fatigue from exploring Vienna.
Service
I found the service in the hotel to be lacking. Staff does not seem to display interest in providing good service. It felt like they were merely doing their job, processing check-ins/check-outs and clearing tables. Despite walking past the reception area daily, none of the staff were interested in greeting guests. Despite staying at the hotel’s only highest-tiered suite and my friend being the highest-tiered member of the hotel group, the staff did not give any mention of my friend’s membership status. We even had to enquire about the complimentary breakfast on weekends (which was part of the benefit) as the staff checking us in did not seem interested in providing such information. A staff member we observed was very friendly towards Western guests but was cold when attending to Asian guests. The only saving grace was Sebastian, who was genuine and the only one we found providing any service. One of my friends commented about the toilet in her room. Sebastian patiently listened and even showed her the room before helping her swap her room. He also recommended places to dine and how we could get there. Sebastian was the only one at the reception who would always greet guests whenever we or other guests walked past the reception. Such greetings were absent when Sebastian was not working.
Breakfast @ Apron Restaurant
Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna serves daily breakfast in the Apron restaurant, the only restaurant in the hotel, located on the ground floor. The selection during breakfast was rather simple. The hot food selection has five options with the usual eggs, bacon and beans in the buffet section, while the cold food selection has a good variety of greens and cold cuts. The bread is also served at the cold food selection. While thin in the variety of food available during breakfast, the delicious taste of these foods more than makes up for it. The croissants were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, and the bacon and eggs were well seasoned.
Overall
The hotel is in a good location, with public transport just a few minutes walk away. There are several reasonably priced restaurants around the hotel that open pretty late. The suite was very well appointed and tastefully decorated. The Maestro Suite paid tribute to Vienna being the music capital of the world by having small ornaments placed around the room. The bed is very comfortable, and the pillow options are excellent. The Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna staff seemed only interested in providing minimal service. I would have thought service was non-existent if not for Sebastian, the only employee interested in ensuring guests were taken care of.
Hotel Mercure Graz City is located in the Lend district, a trendy and artistic neighbourhood in Graz, west of the River Mur. It is on the same side of the river as Graz Hauptbahnhof, about a 15-minute walk from the train station. The hotel is also about a 12-minute walk from the sights in the Innere Stadt across the River Mur. There are several amenities in the vicinity of Hotel Mercure Graz City. There are four supermarkets near the hotel, with two just right below the hotel and another two in a 5-minute radius from the hotel. There is no lack of restaurants near the hotel where one can find a restaurant that matches one’s budget. In the morning, a market on the square next to the hotel sells fresh produce sourced locally. There are also two bus stops, with one directly in front of the hotel, making the hotel very accessible via public transportation. One of the bus stops serves buses heading to the train station.
The Suite
Hotel Mercure Graz City offers its guests two suites: the Junior Suite and the Executive Suite. The difference in price between the two suites is less than $50, so we booked the larger 46㎡ Executive Suite.
Layout of the Executive Suite at Hotel Mercure Graz City
Entryway
The entryway to the Executive Suite revealed the contemporary decor of the suite. Here, we found a set of five hooks mounted onto a wooden feature wall, which made it very convenient for us to hang our winter jackets. A full-length mirror is installed at the entryway so we can check our appearance before heading out. Also in the entryway is a tall cabinet with a glass panel section revealing the coffee cups and glasses. The other cabinet sections are mainly empty, which we use to stow our stuff. We found one of the two mini fridges stocked with chargeable beverages in one of the cabinets on this shelf. Beside the tall cabinet is another waist-high cabinet that gave us more storage space.
Living Room
The living room of the Executive Suite has rather simple furnishings. The first thing that caught our eye was the two fabric armchairs, which were capable of being converted into single beds. There are no sofas furnished in the living room of the Executive Suite. These oversized armchairs are very comfortable to laze on while watching TV mounted onto the wall opposite it. Despite having over 70 channels on TV, most of these channels are in German. We only found a handful of English channels, limiting the entertainment we could receive from the TV. A large table with two chairs can be used as a dining table and a work desk. As a work desk, Hotel Mercure Graz City fitted a power outlet at the table enabling us to keep our laptops charged while working. The standing lamp at one corner of the living room provides additional lighting and an ornamental piece to make the living room feel less empty.
There is a small pantry in the living room of the Executive Suite at Hotel Mercure Graz City. The pantry is equipped with a microwave oven, a Nespresso machine, an electric kettle, and two induction cookers. A kitchen sink is also fitted in the pantry, but the hotel does not provide dishwashing detergents. We thought that having the sink next to the Nespresso machine gave us the convenience of topping up the machine’s water tank. We also found a set of china and cutlery and some cookware stowed in the drawers under the cooker. Hidden in the cabinet beneath the Nespresso machine is another functional empty mini fridge, where we used to stow the drinks we bought from the supermarket below the hotel.
Bedroom
The simple contemporary decor is also seen in the bedroom, consistent with the design language in the living room. I like the way Hotel Mercure Graz City fitted a row of lighting at the headboard that is bright enough to illuminate the bedroom without the need to fit any ceiling lights. The king bed is fitted by the wall facing the entrance to the bedroom. The Graz city skyline motif hanging above the headboard of the bed not only gave an artistic flare to the bedroom but also constantly reminded us of the landmarks we can visit in Graz. The sleep quality of the king bed was excellent, and despite the soft pillows (I usually prefer firmer pillows), I got a great night’s sleep. A couple of bedside tables are mounted onto the wall on both sides of the bed, with limited space for us to place our lifestyle devices. Even with the reading light mounted onto the headboard and the absence of bedside lamps, we still find the space a tad tight. European power outlets are fitted onto the wall on both bedside tables.
Sitting next to the king bed is a luggage rack, which is large enough for only one luggage. The hotel does not provide an additional luggage rack, meaning one of us has to lay our luggage on the floor. A large two-panelled wardrobe is fitted next to the luggage rack. The left panel of the wardrobe has a shorter hanger space due to shelving where the hotel places the in-room safe, while the right panel has a longer hanger space. I thought the amount of space offered by the wardrobe was rather limited, as there is little shelving to put on smaller clothing.
The TV in the bedrooms is slightly bigger than that in the living room, having the same channel options. Mounted on the wooden feature wall in the bedroom facing the king bed, the position of the TV allows us to watch TV whilst lying on the bed. A long table is mounted to the wall underneath the TV and has two chairs. This versatile table can be used as an alternate workplace for guests as the hotel fitted power outlets at the table. We mainly used this table to place our smaller items and things we bought from the city.
Bathroom
The bathroom is perhaps the weakest part of the suite. I found the bathroom a tad small for the suite, but I liked that the bathroom floor was heated. The toilet bowl was the first thing that caught my eye the moment I opened the bathroom door. It is fitted on the left side of the bathroom next to the entrance, while the sink is fitted opposite the toilet bowl, occupying the space to the right of the bathroom entrance. Due to the limited space, there is little countertop space at the sink. It does not help that the hotel fitted a rather large sink in the bathroom. Situated at the end of the bathroom and occupying about half the space is the walk-in shower, which is only fitted with a regular shower head. I did not quite like the design of the semi-open walk-in shower, as we found water splashing out of the shower cubicle. Regarding amenities in the bathroom, Hotel Mercure Graz City only supplies shower amenities. The other bathroom amenities, like dental kits, vanity kits and shavers, are available upon request. Nonetheless, I quite like the “Elemental Herbology” branded shower gel and shampoo provided by the hotel. It has a nice woody smell and feels refreshing after use.
Service
My first impression of the service at the hotel was mediocre. The staff processing our check-in seemed more task-focused than taking the initiative to build a relationship with the guests. There were no smiles or greetings from the staff, who we felt just wanted to quickly get the check-in process over with and send us to our rooms. She only briefed us on the breakfast timing and cost but not the rest of the facilities or services the hotel provides. However, she warmed up when we approached her after settling into our rooms to ask for in-room slippers (yes, the hotel did not even put these in the room, and we had to ask for them). Most of the time, we did not see the reception being manned, even when we headed out in the mornings to see the city. We met another staff member who seemed to multitask while manning the reception and the bar at the same time. He was friendly and made an effort to engage in small talk with us. Unlike most Accor hotels, Hotel Mercure Graz City did not offer us welcome amenities.
Hotel Facilities
Gym
Hotel Mercure Graz City has a small gym on Level 1 with limited workout equipment. The gym has only one treadmill, one elliptical machine, and two stationary bikes for cardio exercises. There is only one strength-building machine and some free weights for guests who want to do strengthening exercises. However, I was surprised to find a sauna room and a separate infrared sauna room, together with three benches, in the space at the back of the gym.
Overall
I thought the Executive Suite in Hotel Mercure Graz City was large and comfortable, but the furnishing of two armchairs in the living room rather than a sofa does not seem to invite guests to relax in the living room. The table in the living room took up a good amount of space, and might be the reason behind the absence of a coffee table. The bed has great sleep quality, but the bathroom is a tad small. The service we received was a mixed bag, with one staff who seemed more task-oriented and the other a little more people-orientated.
The House Zell am See is about a 2-minute walk from Postplatz, the centre of the alpine town of Zell am See. The apartment was also close to the main transportation system, about a 4-minute walk from Zell am See Bahnhof. There are numerous restaurants and three supermarkets within a stone’s throw from the serviced apartment. As the town of Zell am See is relatively small, the shops and attractions are no more than a 15-minute walk from the apartment.
The Suite
The House Zell am See has a good variety of apartment types, ranging from Studio to 4-bedroom suites. We stayed in the 60㎡ 2-bedroom suite that is fitted with the amenities of an apartment.
The layout of the 2-bedroom Suite at The House Zell am See
Entryway
The entryway to the 2-bedroom Suite at The House Zell am See immediately shows its alpine interior design through the use of natural wood seen throughout the entire suite, from the flooring to some of the furniture in the bedroom. The House Zell am See has incorporated industrial design into the apartment decor, mainly seen in the interesting choice of lighting. The entire apartment exudes a cosy vibe, which is especially pronounced in this cold winter. The entryway is furnished with a shoe bench with racks to place our shoes at its bottom. Here, we find two sets of hooks mounted onto the wall to hang our winter jackets. The bedrooms are immediately in sight at the end of the entryway.
Bedroom 1
The bedrooms are a little confusing, but I would consider Bedroom 1 as the master bedroom as it comes with an ensuite bathroom. The nature-themed interior decor flows into Bedroom 1. This bedroom is furnished with two single beds pushed together to form a king bed with a black velvet headboard. The bed provides us with great sleep quality, and surprisingly, despite the soft pillows, I slept pretty well on them. On both sides of the bed are a couple of bedside tables furnished with an industrial-designed bedside lamp. The space on the bedside tables is a little tight, but we find sufficient space to place our lifestyle devices for charging. The lower open tier on the bedside table gave us additional space to stow our stuff. I like that The House Zell am See installed two power outlets on each side of the bedside tables, although one is meant to power up the bedside lamp.
The rest of the furnishings in Bedroom 1 are rather simple. A large wooden wardrobe sits in one corner of the bedroom next to the floor-to-ceiling window panels that can be opened into a French balcony. The wardrobe has sufficient space (and hangers) for us to hang our clothing on one side, and the other side is fitted with shelves to place our smaller items on. Sandwiched between the wardrobe and the door to Bedroom 1 is a dresser fitted with two shallow but long drawers. It seems like this dresser was supposed to be a TV cabinet, as we found some TV cable ports mounted onto the wall at the dresser. However, there is no TV installed in this bedroom.
Ensuite Bathroom
The ensuite bathroom in Bedroom 1 is laid with sand-coloured tiles on the floor and part of the walls, which does not seem to contrast the nature theme in the suite. A sink with limited countertop space was the first thing we saw upon entering the bathroom. The ledge above the sink expanded the countertop space where we could stow our toiletries. A walk-in shower stall is tucked in a bathroom corner next to the sink. The shower is fitted with both regular and rain shower heads. I find the space in the walk-in shower a little tight. I like how The House Zell am See fitted a soap dish at the shower head, which we mainly used to stow our facial wash. The toilet is fitted next to the walk-in shower. The only thing I dislike about the ensuite bathroom is the lack of hooks to hang our clothing. Other than the shower gel cum shampoo, hand soap and body lotion, The House Zell am See did not provide any other bathroom amenities.
Bedroom 2
Bedroom 2 has the same design and layout as Bedroom 1, except for the missing ensuite bathroom. Similar to Bedroom 1, in the centre of this bedroom is a king bed, which is also two single beds pushed together to form a king bed. The sleep quality is also great on this bed, but the gap between the two beds can be felt when occupied by a single person. On either side of the bed are a couple of bedside tables, identical to those in Bedroom 1. Similar to that in Bedroom 1, we found two power outlets on each side of the bedside table.
Opposite the bed is a wooden table with a single long drawer, which also seemed to be a TV console, as the TV ports are also visible on the walls at this table. A wardrobe sits in the corner of the bedroom next to the wooden table by the floor-to-ceiling window. For single occupants, this wardrobe has generous space to hang up at least one week of clothing on the right side of the wardrobe. We found the only in-room safe on the bottom of the wardrobe of this bedroom. On the left portion of the wardrobe is a set of five shelving spaces for guests to stow small clothing items.
Bathroom
The bathroom is situated opposite Bedroom 2. This bathroom also uses sand-coloured tiling, creating consistency with the natural vibe seen throughout the suite. I thought the size of the bathroom was quite large. On the left side of the bathroom sits a shower/tub combination. Only a regular shower head is installed in this tub/shower combination. The sink sits next to the bathtub, directly facing the entrance to the bathroom, with limited countertop space. The toilet is situated next to the sink. The right side of the bathroom is a large unused space. Like the ensuite bathroom in Bedroom 1, we did not find any bathroom amenities other than the shower gel cum shampoo, hand soap and body lotion in the bathroom.
Living Room
The living room, which comprises a lounging area and a kitchenette, occupies the most real estate in the 2-bedroom suite.
Lounging Area
The lounging area has a cosy feel, mainly due to a combination of the lighting and the natural wood theme throughout the entire suite. There are two sofas furnished in the lounging area. A grey leather sofa was placed by the wall facing the TV and the floor-to-ceiling window panels. This sofa is large enough to accommodate three adults and can convert into a bed, which explains why we found extra bedding in the wardrobe in Bedroom 2. Another blue velvet sofa sits in front of the floor-to-ceiling window panels that can also be opened into a French balcony. This sofa is slightly smaller and can seat only two adults comfortably. The velvet material of this sofa is especially cosy in the cold winter. I was delighted to find a rocking chair in the corner of the lounging area next to the blue sofa. Another single-seater armchair is in the lounging area opposite the grey sofa, which increases the sitting capacity. A couple of metallic coffee tables are in the middle of the lounging area. The TV sits in a corner tilted to face the two sofas, resting on a blue wooden cabinet that has numerous small drawers designed into it. Despite being able to use these drawers, I felt they were more for decorative purposes. Besides the local Austrian channels (in German), we also found many more English channels playing on the TV.
The living room in the 2-Bedroom apartment of The House
Dining Area and Kitchenette
The dining area is sandwiched between the lounging area and the kitchenette in the 2-bedroom suite at The House Zell am See. It is furnished with a large black glass-topped round table and five dining chairs. I find the table a little too large for the size of the dining area, as we always bump into it when we open the door to the balcony.
The dining table in the kitchenette areaI thought the dining table was a little too big for the area
The 2-bedroom suite at The House Zell am See is fitted with full kitchen facilities, housed in a natural wood set of cabinets sitting on the wall in this part of the living room. We found an oven cum microwave sitting on the open shelf above a full-size fridge hidden inside the wooden finished cabinet. The fridge is large enough for the suite’s occupants to store one week’s food. A large sink, electric hub, and hood can be found on the kitchen countertop. The House Zell am See also furnished the kitchenette with a Nespresso coffee machine, toaster and kettle on the kitchen countertop. I was surprised to find a dishwasher in the kitchenette, which The House Zell am See has thoughtfully provided dishwashing detergent and capsules for its occupants to use with the dishwasher. We also found a full set of china and cutlery for six and some cookware in the kitchenette cabinets.
Balcony
Other than the French balconies in the bedrooms and the lounge area, the 2-bedroom suite has a balcony next to the dining area. The balcony is furnished with a metal table and four chairs, allowing the suite’s occupants to enjoy the fresh alpine air from the comfort of the suite. From the balcony, we can see the ski slopes behind the service apartment.
Service
Our interaction with the staff was rather minimal at The House Zell am See. We only met staff at The House during check-in and check-out, and in the mornings, we headed out to explore Zell am See. The reception is only manned from 8 am to 8 pm daily. The staff we interacted with during check-in and check-out were welcoming and warm. The staff who checked us in gave us a very detailed brief of the facilities, how things work around the accommodation, and the cost of things like the self-served drinks, breakfast and laundry pods. He also briefed us on the ski shops and restaurants around town and the discounts we could receive by showing the accommodation card. I was surprised to receive an email about registering the Zell am See guest card, which offered us some discounts in Zell am See, thanks to the diligent staff at the accommodation who registered our arrival with the town’s app. However, I find it weird that the House charges €30 per housekeeping service during our stay.
Overall
The House Zell am See is situated in a very good location in Zell am See. It is close to Zell am See Bahnhof and Zell am See Postplatz, where we can catch buses to the sights outside Zell am See. The House is also very close to the sights and amenities in the town and town centre. The accommodation felt very cosy, comfortable, and very well-equipped. The sleep quality on the beds was excellent.
Since my previous post (click here for the post) shared the location and the service we experienced at AC Hotel Innsbruck, this post focuses on reviewing the room.
AC Hotel Innsbruck facade
The Deluxe Room
The Deluxe Room at AC Hotel Innsbruck has a floor area of 28㎡and is decorated in nature-coloured tones.
Layout of the Deluxe Room at AC Hotel Innsbruck
Entryway
The only wardrobe in the Deluxe Room is found in the entryway to the room. The hotel fitted an open wardrobe with the right panel fitted with hanging racks for guests to hang their clothing, while the left panel is fitted with a couple of shelves and two drawers. These shelves and drawers are deep enough to fit a number of things and/or clothing. The in-room safe is found in this wardrobe, sandwiched between the shelves and the drawers. I find it weird that the in-room safe is just next to the main entrance to the room.
Bathroom
The bathroom entrance is next to the wardrobe in the entryway. The white wall tiles and the natural wood flooring used in the bathroom gave it a clean look. A single sink is installed in the bathroom, providing ample space for occupants to stow their toiletries. The toilet is installed next to the sink, while the walk-in shower with a regular shower head sits at the extreme right end of the bathroom. AC Hotel Innsbruck allocated a good amount of space for the walk-in shower. I like the small soap holder installed at the shower head, which we mainly use to stow our facial wash.
Sleeping Area
A bulk of the real estate in the Deluxe Room at AC Hotel Innsbruck is assigned to the sleeping area. In the centre of the sleeping area, sitting by the wall, is the king bed. The king bed has a firm mattress that provides excellent sleep quality, but the pillows were too soft for our liking. The hotel provides a limited pillow menu (of three choices), and we found that even the foam pillow was too soft. A couple of bedside tables were installed on either side of the king bed. These bedside tables, fitted with two large drawers, gave us tons of space to stow our stuff and charge our lifestyle devices using the European head power outlets overnight. The bedside table nearer to the bathroom has two additional USB-A charging ports on top of the power outlet. It helps that the hotel thoughtfully mounted the bedside lamps and reading lights on both sides of the king bed onto the headboard, providing additional illumination and freeing up space on the bedside tables.
The TV is mounted on the wall opposite the king bed, allowing the Deluxe Room’s occupants to receive entertainment from the comfort of the king bed. There are numerous channels for us to choose from, but only a handful of English channels (mainly news channels). A table mounted to the wall beneath the TV houses the minibar. This is where we found the Nespresso machine and an electric kettle sitting on top of a wooden box housing the coffee pods and tea bags. The mini fridge with two bottles of water is installed below the mini bar table. A grey-coloured cushioned wooden ledge mounted onto the wall extends from the minibar table, which we used to stow our luggage.
Two chairs and a small round dining table are placed near the room’s window, which allows guests to look out into the mountain ranges that dominate the skyline of Innsbruck. This table is great for guests to use for dining or work, as we did not find any work desk in the room.
Overall
I thought the Deluxe Room at AC Hotel Innsbruck was very well designed. It gave the occupants space to move around and stow their stuff. However, the wardrobe might be a little tight for two occupants to hang one week’s clothing. The bathroom is bright and looks clean. The king bed has great sleep quality, but the pillows might be too soft for guests who prefer to sleep on firmer pillows. Overall, the room was very comfortable.
AC Hotel Innsbruck is located next to Innsbruck Casino
Location
The AC Hotel Innsbruck is situated in a very good location in the city of Innsbruck. The hotel sits next to the Triumphpforte, with a bus/tram stop in front. Both the Maria-Theresien-Straße, the main shopping area, and Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof are about 5 mins on foot from the hotel. Due to its proximity to the city centre and Innsbruck being a very walkable city, everything seems to be within a few minutes walk from the hotel. In terms of amenities around the hotel, there are a few supermarkets near the AC Hotel Innsbruck, one next to the St Anna’s Column, one inside the Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof, and another next to the train station. As the hotel is very close to the city centre, we had no problems finding food in the vicinity.
The Suite
The 1-Bedroom Suite at AC Hotel has a floor area of 53㎡, split across the living room, bedroom and bathroom. The suite perches on the top level of the hotel, giving us an excellent view of the city and the mountains.
Layout of the 1-bedroom Suite at AC Hotel Innsbruck
Entryway
The entryway in the 1-Bedroom Suite has simple furnishings, fitted with an open wardrobe and a full-length mirror. The wardrobe has a section with hanging rack and another with shelves fitted onto it. We mainly used the hanging rack to hang our jackets. The two-tiered drawers allowed us to put away souvenirs we bought in town. I find it weird that the only in-room safe is located in this wardrobe next to the main entrance to the suite.
Powder Room
The entrance to the powder room is located next to the wardrobe in the entryway. The powder room is fitted with a toilet and a sink, providing the suite’s occupants with an alternate toilet. I find the sink a little too small for the tap the hotel installed. I had water spilling out when I flicked the tap for water. The powder room also brings convenience for us to top up water for the coffee machine and wash our cups.
Living Room
The living room in the 1-bedroom Suite at AC Hotel Innsbruck is very spacious, and I welcome the absence of unnecessary furniture that would otherwise clutter the space. The decor in the living room looks contemporary, with a touch of nature. The natural wooden colour is the main theme in the living room, as seen in the floor and the furniture the hotel chose. The presence of a large plant sitting in a corner of the living room reinforces the nature theme. In the centre of the living room is a three-seater sofa decked out in grey leather, with a single seater armchair by the side. The nature theme also manifests in the top of the large coffee table in the centre of the living room. The side table beside the sofa gave us additional space to place our stuff.
AC Hotel Innsbruck has a large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall opposite the sofa. Despite having many channels, we only found a handful of channels in English. Beneath the TV, a table with a natural wood finish is mounted on the wall. The hotel allocated this space as the minibar area. Other than the mini fridge stocked with two bottles of drinking water underneath the table, the hotel also equipped the minibar with a Nespresso machine. For those who prefer tea, AC Hotel Innsbruck placed an electric kettle with some tea in the minibar. A bench extends from the minibar table, and the grey cushioning suggests this could be used as an alternate sitting area. However, we used this bench as a luggage rack to stow our luggage.
A small wooden dining table and two chairs were placed by the window at the end of the living room. I thought this was a great idea, as we could look out into the snow-capped mountains from the large half-length windows next to the dining table. Since there are no work desks in the suite, we thought this table could be used as a work desk.
Bedroom
The entrance to the bedroom sits near the dining table in the living room. The nature-themed decor from the living room extends into the bedroom. A king bed sits in the middle of the room, placed by the headboard mounted onto the wall. The cushioned headboard uses the same colour as the sofa in the living room, creating consistency in the overall colour scheme of the suite. The king bed was very comfortable, with a firm mattress that provided excellent sleep quality. However, I find the pillows too soft for my liking. AC Hotel Innsbruck does provide a limited pillow menu, but even the foam pillow was too soft for my liking (it is a personal preference). A couple of bedside tables, fitted with two drawers, stood guard by the side of the king bed. I thought the space on these tables was generous, giving us ample space to charge our lifestyle devices overnight with the European power outlets. The drawers in these bedside tables also gave us additional space to store our things. The bedside lamps are mounted onto the headboard, freeing space on the bedside tables.
The flat-screen TV in the bedroom, the same size as that in the living room, is mounted on the wall facing the king bed. We were able to lie on the king bed and watch whatever English channel was on (mostly news channels). Similar to the living room, there is a table with an extended ledge with a cushion furnished beneath the TV. The hotel even fitted another mini fridge under this table. Like the living room bench, we used this ledge to stow our luggage.
The wardrobe is fitted next to the bathroom entrance at the end of the bedroom. It’s the same as in the entryway, with half the panel allocated for hanging clothing and the other half with three-tiered open shelving and two drawers at the bottom. This design has limited storage capacity for hanging clothes, but the deep shelves and drawers provide additional space for storing smaller clothing items.
Bathroom
My first impression of the bathroom was that it had poor illumination. The bathroom is only illuminated by three warm lights mounted on the ceiling above the sink, which is insufficient to light up the entire bathroom, especially the walk-in shower. The sink is fitted next to the entrance to the bathroom. Since the space allocated to the sink was limited, I thought it was a good idea that the hotel only installed one sink in the bathroom. This frees up more countertop space for us to stow our toiletries. A large deep bathtub is found at the wall, perfect for soaking away the fatigue we got from exploring Innsbruck. Between the sink and the bathtub is the porcelain throne. A separate walk-in shower is opposite the sink, fitted with a regular shower head. The space allocated to the walk-in shower was sufficiently large that I did not have to engage in an elbow war with the walls while showering. I like that the hotel installed a small holder at the shower head, which has sufficient space for us to place our dental kit and facial wash.
Service
The service at the AC Hotel Innsbruck was generally good. Despite arriving earlier than the set check-in time, we were still being checked in and given the keys to our rooms. The staff who checked us in was jovial and cheerful. She diligently ensured that our rooms were ready (by confirming with housekeeping) before handing us our keys. She even briefed us on the breakfast timing, the restaurant’s location, and the breakfast cost. Seeing that we have two reservations under the same name, I like how the hotel put extra effort into allocating our rooms next to each other, and we were assigned a connecting room. Despite being busy with housekeeping duties, the diligent housekeeping staff would greet us when we met along the corridor. We approached the reception the night before our check-out to see if we could have a late check-out. Instead of rejecting us outright, the staff checked on their system to see if rooms were available the next day and granted us a late check-out at 2 pm. She even volunteered to issue us new keycards to ensure that we would have access to our rooms after the standard check-out time at noon.
Overall
I enjoyed my stay at the AC Hotel Innsbruck. The hotel’s location made exploring the city ideal, as it was at the edge of the city centre and mere minutes from the train station. The suite was tastefully furnished with a natural wood finish and was very spacious. The bed was comfortable and provided excellent sleep quality. The staff at the hotel were super friendly and always wore their smiles. I would return to this hotel the next time I return to Innsbruck.
Hotel Mercure Salzburg City is situated in a quiet neighbourhood in Salzburg, east of the Salzach River. It is about 15 minutes from the Salzburg Hauptbahnhof and 20 minutes from Getreidegasse in Altstadt. Due to the quiet location, there weren’t many amenities around the hotel other than a Thai restaurant opposite the hotel and a small supermarket about 7 minutes away in the direction of the train station. There is a bus stop by the main road, about a 2-minute walk from the hotel, with buses running to the Altstadt and Salzburg Hauptbahnhof. Despite being a little far from sights and amenities, we liked the tranquillity of the hotel’s location.
The Room
Mercure Salzburg has only three room types and no suites. We checked into the biggest room in the hotel, the Deluxe Room, which has a total floor area of 25㎡.
The layout of the Deluxe Room at Hotel Mercure Salzburg City
Entryway
The entryway of the Deluxe Room in Hotel Mercure Salzburg City is only furnished with a set of hooks on the wall and a small two-panel wardrobe with a full-length mirror mounted on its single-panel sliding door. The wardrobe space afforded by this wardrobe is very limited. On the left side of the wardrobe, we can only hang at most four sets of clothing in the designated hanging space. It didn’t help that the hotel only provided us with four hangers in the wardrobe. Despite having two shelves fitted on the top of the left side of the wardrobe, one of these spaces is occupied by bathrobes. The other half of the wardrobe has six open shelves but is equally packed with things like the mini fridge, the in-room safe and additional bedding, leaving only the bottom shelving for us to use. A shelving panel extends from the wardrobe, where the hotel places mini bar items like Nespresso coffee machines, kettles, glasses, and tea bags. We used the excess space here to place smaller items to maximise the limited storage space in the room. The entrance to the bathroom is also found in the entryway, opposite the wardrobe.
Bathroom
For the small space allocated to the bathroom, I thought the space utilisation in the bathroom was very designed. The bathroom looked bright and sizeable thanks to the use of white to deck the bathroom and the bright lighting. The use of black marble tiles and a strip of green light running under the semi-open walk-in shower gave it a modern look. Installing only one sink in the bathroom reduces clutter and gives us a good amount of space on the sink countertop to place our toiletries. The toilet bowl is tucked in the corner opposite the sink, which seems out of the way, reducing the feel of clutter in the limited space the hotel allocated to the bathroom. A large walk-in shower occupies the space next to the sink and is fitted only with one regular shower head. I like how Hotel Mercure Salzburg City mounted some ledges in the walk-in shower to provide users with additional space to stow their toiletries. Hotel Mercure Salzburg City supplies its Deluxe Room guests with elemental herbology branded shower amenities, which exude a natural and woody scent.
Sleeping Area
The main bulk of the Deluxe Room is allocated to the sleeping area that extends from the entryway to the balcony. The design of open-mount shelving that ran from the wardrobe to the glass doors to the balcony gave us a lot of space to put away small items. I like that Hotel Mercure Salzburg City did not furnish the Deluxe Room with unnecessary furniture and flushed everything to the side, resulting in a huge amount of space for us to move around in the sleeping area. A large flatscreen TV is mounted on the wall facing the King bed. However, we couldn’t get much entertainment from it as most channels were in German. A small work desk with a plastic chair placed beneath the TV gave us additional space to stow smaller items and also provided us with a space to do some work. The addition of the purple-coloured single-seater armchair in the corner of the room, which can be converted into a sofa bed, gives us additional sitting space and a place to put our backpacks.
The king bed sits by the wall opposite the TV in the sleeping area, with a large motif of Salzburg City on its headboard. This motif gave the hotel its city identity. The king bed had excellent sleep quality, but the pillows were too soft for my liking. It did not help that the hotel did not provide a pillow menu for us to choose from. The bedside table comes in the form of a small round wooden table on either side of the bed, which I found sufficient for us to stow our lifestyle devices at night. It is a shame that the hotel only fitted a power outlet on one side of the bed. I like how the hotel maximised the limited space afforded on these bedside tables by mounting bedside lighting onto the ceiling.
Balcony
I was surprised to find an indoor balcony attached to our Deluxe Room, which was not advertised on the hotel’s website. This balcony is perfect for us to hang out and enjoy the cold winter breeze on the two deck chairs that look out into the street.
Breakfast @ Le Sel
Breakfast was a simple affair in the hotel’s only restaurant, Le Sel, located on the hotel’s ground floor. The food selection for the buffet-style breakfast was rather limited. There is only one small counter in the centre of the restaurant with only three hot food options (ham, sausage and scrambled eggs) and some bread and cereal selection for breakfast. Despite the limited selection, we had a hearty breakfast at Le Sel. I particularly liked the croissants, which were crunchy on the outside and puffy on the inside. However, given the limited selection, I thought the €25 charged for breakfast was not worth the money.
Service
Despite being early, we were warmly welcomed by Rina, who was manning the reception desk. As we visited the hotel during the quiet low season, there wasn’t a queue at the reception. Rina was very efficient in processing our check-in, and we got our keys in under 5 minutes. Rina also informed us that as Diamond members with Accor, we were able to enjoy a complimentary breakfast on Saturday, the day we checked out. The staff checking us out was also friendly and jovial. He efficiently processed our checkout, checked with us during our stay at Hotel Mercure Salzburg City, and invited us to breakfast at Le Sel. He also got his colleague at Le Sel to take care of us. The staff at Le Sel was also very friendly. He took the time to orientate us to the food selection for breakfast. He jumped in to assist when he observed that we had difficulties operating the butter machine. Overall, I thought the service at the hotel was good. The staff are friendly and welcoming.
The welcome amenities provided by Hotel Mercure Salzburg City include famous local chocolate.
Overall
Before staying at the hotel, I had little expectations of the room as there were very few reviews on the hotel. I was pleasantly surprised at the spaciousness of the Deluxe Room, afforded by the practical design and the small balcony that came with the room. Despite being a tad far from the city centre, we liked the quiet neighbourhood where Hotel Mercure Salzburg City was located.
