Review Michael Mastarciyan
Imagine waking on a crisp winter morning to watch snow-white swans glide along the river beneath a towering ivory fortress once home to Holy Roman princes. It sounds like a fairytale, yet it is an everyday reality at Hotel Sacher Salzburg – one of Europe’s most luxurious five-star superior hotels and a proud member of The Leading Hotels of the World.
I spent two incredible days at this magnificent 110-room-and-suite 19th-century Grand Hotel on the banks of Austria’s gently meandering Salzach River. Perfectly positioned in the heart of romantic Salzburg, it sits just steps from Mozart’s birthplace and within easy reach of the city’s beautifully preserved Baroque Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Family-run by the Winkler and Gürtler families (who also own Hotel Sacher Vienna and Alpin Resort Sacher Seefeld-Tirol), the hotel’s mission is to create a setting where guests can ‘live like royalty and feel like family’. Based on my experience, they achieve this with ease. The staff and service are beyond top notch.
Salzburg may be Mozart’s home, but some of the hotel’s luxury suites pay homage to operatic masterpieces like Fidelio, La Bohème and Madame Butterfly, by composers such as Beethoven, Bizet and Puccini. Each room and suite is individually designed in collaboration with celebrated French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, with impeccable attention to detail.
When I wasn’t wandering Salzburg’s charming cobbled lanes, I spent hours on the panoramic balcony of the plush Carmen Suite, mesmerised by its otherworldly view of the city’s ancient skyline, dominated by the 950-year-old Hohensalzburg Fortress and majestic Salzburger Dom cathedral. The impressive living room, with its gallery-worthy floral oil paintings, 19th-century landscape prints, exquisite cloisonné vases and magnificent crystal chandelier that cast a soft honey-hued amber light at night, took my breath away every time I walked through the door.
The view from the hotel was incredible, but the hotel itself from the riverside was equally gorgeous. One of my favourite nocturnal rituals was spotting the glowing light inside my room from a distance while crossing the Makartsteg ‘Love Lock Bridge’, decorated with thousands of padlocks left by lovestruck visitors, into Salzburg’s Old Town. The stately Hotel Sacher is a stunning edifice by day, but even more glorious after sunset, when you realise this remarkable riverside palace is your home for the night.
Salzburg is rich in fine dining, and Hotel Sacher Salzburg has an abundance of outstanding in-house options. For refined cuisine, the chic, wood-panelled Zirbelzimmer, with its sophisticated fin-de-siècle 19th-century vibe, is an excellent choice. For a more relaxed experience, try the Sacher Grill, especially if in the mood for a perfectly cooked beef steak.
For a fancy a local beer or a classic cocktail, an hour or two in the famed Sacher Bar is a must. The cosy burgundy velvet armchairs, matching wall panelling, antique Persian rugs, mood lighting and spooky portraits give it the feel of a discreet private members’ club and the perfect spot to unwind after a day exploring Salzburg.
While the Zirbelzimmer and Sacher Grill will forever be on my must-dine list, my favourite place to indulge will always be the legendary Café Sacher Salzburg. In my mind, this wonderful café is Salzburg’s gastronomic ground zero, a place where gourmands with a sweet tooth can enjoy a vast array of delectable desserts, including the world-famous Original Sacher-Torte chocolate cake. The fact that it’s located inside the hotel is reason enough for me to book back into this magnificent Grand Hotel on my next visit to Salzburg.
Practical Information
Hotel Sacher Salzburg offers 110 elegantly appointed rooms and suites, each individually designed to reflect the hotel’s rich heritage and contemporary luxury. The hotel is ideally situated just a five-minute walk from Mozart’s birthplace and a short stroll from Salzburg’s main shopping streets and cultural landmarks, including the Hohensalzburg Fortress and Salzburger Dom. With multiple dining venues, a sophisticated bar and impeccable service, it provides an exceptional base for exploring one of Austria’s most beautiful cities.
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