When choosing accommodation, the main deciding factor is whether you have a car. We arrived by car, so I quickly ruled out accommodation in Hallstatt itself.

I also needed two separate rooms in August, and at relatively short notice. In the end, the Landhotel Agathawirt in St. Agatha worked out best for us.

What to look for in accommodation	Where to stay
The atmosphere in Hallstatt early in the morning and in the evening	Hallstatt
Good accessibility without a car and lower prices	Obertraun
Best value for money and location if travelling by car	Bad Goisern andGosau
Trips to Lake Gosausee and hiking	Gosau
Apartment for a family or group	Obertraunor Bad Goisern

Accommodation right in Hallstatt

Stay right in Hallstatt to soak up the atmosphere. Early in the morning and in the evening, the number of day-trippers drops significantly, and you’ll have the historic centre almost to yourselves.

Hallstatt is also the most convenient option if you’re travelling without a car. The ferry from the railway station docks right in the centre, and you can walk to most of the attractions.

With a car, the advantages quickly diminish. The historic centre is closed to general traffic; you’ll have to park in paid car parks on the outskirts of town and then continue on foot or by hotel transfer to your hotel. Accommodation in Hallstatt also generally costs significantly more than in the surrounding villages.

In Hallstatt itself, I’d choose from these hotels:

• Seehotel Grüner Baum – an iconic hotel right on the square by the lake. Choose it for its location and views, but when booking, make sure to select a room with a lake view
  • the downside is the very high prices
• Heritage Hotel Hallstatt – the best choice if you’re arriving by train and ferry. The hotel comprises several historic buildings, so be sure to check the location of your specific room
  • It’s brilliant, but it tends to be very expensive
• Fenix Hall Boutique Hotel – a more convenient location in the southern part of Hallstatt, near car park P1, the bus stop and the cable car to the salt mines and the Skywalk viewpoint
  • A reasonable compromise in terms of price, location and quality for Hallstatt
• Im Echerntal – quieter accommodation with on-site parking, from where you can walk to the centre in about 20 minutes

Are you looking for the cheapest possible accommodation right in Hallstatt? Whenever I’ve searched, I’ve always found the lowest price on 120 eur (on weekdays in June or September) atthe small, privately-runGasthof Simony Hallstatt B&B.

💬 Have you found a cheaper hotel? Share your tip with other travellers in the comments below the article – thanks!

I’d choose Hallstatt if:

• You’re travelling without a car
• You’re staying for one or two nights
• You want to enjoy a quieter town centre in the mornings and evenings
• You’re willing to pay a bit extra for the location or the view of the lake

Stay elsewhere if:

• You’re travelling by car
• You’re only planning to visit Hallstatt as one of several day trips
• You need several separate rooms
• You’re looking for the best value for money

View all hotels in Hallstatt

Obertraun – the best alternative if you don’t have a car

Obertraun lies at the southern end of Lake Hallstatt. You can reach Hallstatt by direct bus in about 10 minutes, and there is also a railway station in the village.

I would choose this location for a car-free trip if the hotels in Hallstatt are too expensive. Obertraun is also well situated for a trip to Dachstein-Krippenstein.

It is true, however, that during the peak summer holiday season, hotels in Obertraun can be just as expensive as those in Hallstatt itself.

Best options:

• Landhaus Lilly – a small, family-run guesthouse with free parking near the Krippenstein cable car
• Dormio Resort Obertraun – the best choice for families and groups, offering self-catering apartments and large chalets with a kitchen, swimming pool and spa facilities
• Seehotel am Hallstättersee – a convenient hotel by the lake and near the railway station, particularly suitable for those without a car

I’d also choose Obertraun if combining a visit to Hallstatt with the caves, the 5 Fingers viewpoint and other attractions on Krippenstein. It saves you the daily journey from Hallstatt to the cable car’s lower station.

View all hotels in Obertraun

Bad Goisern and St. Agatha – our choice if travelling by car

I recommend Bad Goisern and neighbouring St. Agatha if you’re travelling by car. Hallstatt is about a 15-minute drive away, parking at the hotels is usually free, and for the same price you’ll get a better room or breakfast.

This location is also ideal for day trips to Bad Ischl, Gosau or Loser.

Landhotel Agathawirt – where we stayed

We travelled to Hallstatt with Dad in August and booked relatively at the last minute. I was looking for two available rooms in the same hotel, which rather limited the options. With smaller hotels, there was often just one room left, or the prices were already too high.

In the end, I chose the Landhotel Agathawirt in St. Agatha. We paid about 133 eur per room per night, including breakfast, which was a very reasonable price for August and given the late booking.

As we were travelling by car, the location suited us perfectly. We parked for free at the hotel and reached Hallstatt in about 15 minutes.

The hotel feels as though time stood still somewhere between the late 1990s and the early 2000s. We had a similar impression of the service. However, we didn’t miss anything essential; the rooms were fine, the breakfast was decent and, all in all, our stay was fine.

For a similar price, I’d happily book the Agathawirt again.

I’d recommend the Agathawirt if:

• You’re travelling by car
• You need two or more rooms
• You’re looking for a reasonable price during the peak season
• You want breakfast and free parking
• Modern design isn’t important to you

HOMEBOUND Apartments Bad Goisern offer a more modern alternative. The apartments feature their own kitchen and free parking, and are particularly suitable for families, groups or longer stays.

I wouldn’t stay in Bad Goisern or St. Agatha without a car. Direct transport links to the individual hotels aren’t as convenient as those from Obertraun.

View accommodation in Bad Goisern

Gosau – the best location for hiking

Choose Gosau if you’re planning to spend more time at Lake Gosausee, on the Gosaukammbahn cable car or on the hiking trails around the Dachstein.

It takes about 30 minutes to drive to Hallstatt. If Hallstatt is the main destination of your trip, Obertraun or Bad Goisern would be better options.

• COOEE alpin Hotel Dachstein – a modern hotel with free parking, a restaurant and a sauna, offering good value for money
• Gasthof Gosausee – accommodation right by Lake Gosausee with views of the Dachstein. The best choice for morning and evening walks around the lake when most of the visitors have gone

What to look out for when booking

• Lake view – this must be specified directly in the room name
• Parking – in the centre of Hallstatt, parking is usually in paid public car parks
• Railway station location – Hallstatt station is on the opposite shore of the lake and you’ll need to take a ferry to the centre
• Air conditioning – many traditional hotels do not have it
• Check-in – smaller guesthouses may only have the reception open until the evening
• Final price – for self-catering apartments, check for a cleaning fee; for all stays, check for local tax

Is it worth opting for cheaper accommodation further away?

That’s a tricky question.

During August, we only found cheap hotels at a considerable distance from Hallstatt – about 45 minutes by car or more than 60 minutes by public transport.

Generally speaking, accommodation throughout the Salzkammergut region is very expensive and ranks among the very most expensive in Austria.

We found the cheapest hotels in the area around the villages of Russbach am Pass, Gschütt and Abtenan.

However, you’ll definitely need a car there, and the journey to Hallstatt takes around 45 minutes.

Accommodation prices: when are they cheapest?

As I’ve already mentioned, Hallstatt is very expensive.

During the peak season, from mid-June to the end of August, you can expect prices to be roughly as follows:

• a hotel in the centre of Hallstatt at the weekend – from 275 eur
• a hotel in the centre of Hallstatt on a weekday – from 185 eur
• a hotel outside Hallstatt (Obertraun, Bad Goisern) – from 150 eur

The cheapest accommodation is available in the off-season, i.e. during the following months –March, April, mid-May, October and November.

However, this period is really only suitable for visiting the town itself, and there aren’t many other activities you can do here.

Check accommodation prices in Hallstatt