Motel One Salzburg-Mirabell
by the TopOfHotel team
Motel One Mirabell is a good-value riverside design hotel — not fancy, but stylish and superbly located.
Motel One Mirabell is a good-value riverside design hotel — not fancy, but stylish and superbly located.
In-Depth Review
Motel One Salzburg-Mirabell is part of a well-known European design-hotel chain with branches across the big cities of Germany, Austria and the UK. The brand's pitch is good looks, good locations and prices most people can actually afford — and this Mirabell branch landed the most striking riverside spot in the whole chain. A combined 8.6/10 review score on both Booking and Agoda says travelers feel they got more than they paid for.
Rooms and decor
Rooms follow the Motel One template — compact, clean and modern, with a big soft bed, several pillows and a headboard styled as the room's design highlight. Pale walls, warm lighting and a tidy walk-in shower round it out. Guests consistently praise the design and the cleanliness, but they also concede the rooms are not big — fine for two, though working at a desk or unpacking several bags can feel tight.
One thing many people notice: there is no kettle or coffee in the room, unlike a typical 4-star. The ground-floor bar serves coffee and tea all day instead, the Wi-Fi is fast throughout the building, and the front desk is open 24 hours.
Food and amenities
The ground-floor bar opens onto a terrace right on the Salzach. In the evening you can sit with a drink and look across at the Altstadt and the floodlit Hohensalzburg Fortress — a favorite with guests and locals who drop in after dark, and a far better atmosphere than most hotel bars. Breakfast is not part of the room rate, but you can add it at the bar for a reasonable price.
The hotel will also hold your luggage before check-in or after checkout, which is great if you want to keep sightseeing on your last day without dragging your bags around.
Location and getting there
It stands on the New Town bank of the Salzach, a 5-minute walk from Mirabell Palace and its gardens — the filming location for the garden scene in The Sound of Music. Cross the Staatsbrücke bridge and you are in the Old Town in another 5 to 7 minutes, within reach of Getreidegasse, Mozart's birthplace, and the Festspielhaus.
Main bus lines run right past the door, the central train station is about 10 minutes away, and the SZG airport bus passes nearby too — easy in and out of the city. The riverside position also makes a good base for exploring both the New Town and the Old Town.
Our take
Motel One Salzburg-Mirabell suits couples and solo travelers on a mid-range budget who want a riverside design hotel at $126 to $243 a night and a terrace bar to enjoy the river at dusk. It is not the place for families who need a large room, or for anyone who wants breakfast included and a full slate of amenities.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Riverside location on the Salzach, with lovely views and a bar terrace right on the water — one of the better places in Salzburg for an evening drink.
- Clean, modern Motel One design-hotel style that costs less than most design hotels at this level.
- A 5-minute walk to Mirabell Palace and its gardens, the filming spot for the garden scene in The Sound of Music; cross the bridge to the Old Town in about 10 minutes.
- Fast Wi-Fi throughout the building and a 24-hour front desk, so late or early arrivals are no problem.
- Luggage storage before check-in and after checkout, handy if you want to keep exploring without dragging your bags around.
- Rooms are small. Every Motel One is built with compact rooms, so it is not ideal for long stays or several people sharing.
- No kettle or coffee in the room — you have to go down to the ground-floor bar for it, which is a step down from a typical 4-star.
- Breakfast is not included in the room rate. You can add it at the bar or walk to a nearby bakery, but it is an extra cost to plan for.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Salzburg
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Insider Tips
- The riverside terrace bar is open to non-guests too, but hotel guests get first dibs on seats — check in late afternoon and head down early to grab a spot on the water before the Altstadt view lights up at dusk.
- Breakfast is not included, but you can buy it at the ground-floor bar, or walk a few minutes along the river to a bakery for something fresher and cheaper.
- Ask the front desk to hold your bags before check-in or after checkout so you can sightsee hands-free on your arrival or departure day.