PRICE:
Frommer's Very Highly Recommended

This Teutonic-style manor house, really a small castle, stands on top of a hill above the center of Salzburg. Be warned in advance that the hotel is glacially snobby, attracting a so-called "exclusive" clientele that is socially secure, many of whom return year after year. From its elegant salons, guests can enjoy panoramic views of the city. The site was constructed as a fortified tower in 1350 and wasn't transformed into a hotel until 1950. In late 2002 and early 2003, it underwent a complete transformation. It is easy to see why the hotel has claimed the motto "urban sanctuary of the world." On the premises are a wedding chapel and a garden terrace overlooking a statue of Apollo in the private park. Rooms come in varying sizes and styles, but are all uniformly comfortable, with roomy closets. Some are rather elegant, with oriental rugs resting on parquet floors, king-size beds, and CD players. Average-size bathrooms contain tub/shower combinations; some even have antique stoves. The suites are some of the most spectacularly decorated rooms in Salzburg. The restaurant and bar, Paris Lodron, serves first-rate Austrian and international dishes at elegant, candlelit tables. Harp concerts are regularly featured. The hotel also has a garden terrace, Apollo, and a cocktail bar, P. L. There is also a restaurant called "The Smallest Restaurant in the World" for up to four people, located in the castle tower with a panoramic view.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Austria, 13th Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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