Lienz Hotels

Haidenhof Gasthof Hotel

A number of quaint hotels can be found right in the town center; however, some of the most appealing establishments are located on the north side of the Isel River. This is one example.

The Kreissl family has run the Haidenhof since 1919. It is located a five-minute walk from the base of the Zettersfeld cable car and close to St. Andrews church. Despite its 1970s decor bright orange drapes and bold, patterned wall paper in orange, green, and red, the Haidenhof is a find for its scenic, remote location, and its quality service.

Our first floor room was already comfortably heated when we arrived, and an extra door between the foyer and the main room insured a quiet night’s sleep. All rooms five singles, 11 doubles, and six suites have balconies. Those on the east side are flooded with morning sunshine and offer sweeping views of a lush field with the town center and the rugged, snow-capped Dolomites beyond.

Other amenities include modern phones, televisions, and rental bikes.

All of the Haidenhof's bathrooms are small, but feature deep tubs. Towels are predictably thin.

Breakfast is standard Austrian fare cold cuts, cheese, yogurt, cereal, soft boiled eggs certainly adequate, though hardly a highlight of the hotel.

A modern recreation room decorated in bright red and natural wood fixtures occupies the top floor. It features several exercise machines, a sauna, solarium, massage therapy by appointment, and a small whirlpool.

We especially liked the Haidenhof's common spaces every corner of the main floors public rooms offers a cozy nook for sitting, reading, or sipping a nightcap.

In warm weather, the Kreissls move several dining tables outside to a spacious deck. And inside, at a stylish, curving bar, a handful of guests can sit comfortably and chat with Herr Kreissl while enjoying a glass of one of the locally produced wines.

• Daily Rates: Singles €42-74, doubles €42-68
• Contact: Haidenhof Gasthof Hotel, Grafendorferstrasse 12, A-9900 Lienz, tel. +43/04852/62440 fax 62440-6, email: info@haidenhof.at, web: www.haidenhof.at,  Proprietor: Kreissl family
• Rating: Quality 14/20, Value 16/20

Hotel Sonne

At this modern, Best Western affiliate, management caters to guests who return regularly, summer after summer, and also to business travelers who use the 1,000-person conference room and four smaller meeting rooms.

The Sonne has 124 beds in 62 rooms and apartments, all with television, telephone, radio, minibar, and separate toilet and shower facilities. Most rooms have tubs, although a few have standing showers.

Lighting in the bathrooms is dim; towel racks are abundant. Though the hotels corridors and some of the older rooms leave one with a stale, institutional feeling, the newer rooms on the fourth floor are more tastefully decorated and have larger windows that make them much brighter.

For entertainment, guests can partake in wine tasting ceremonies in the Sonne’s vaulted cellar, listen and dance to Tirolean music, or enjoy specially scheduled fondue dinners. There is ample parking underground, plus a sauna, recreation room, and a sunny rooftop garden with a patio.

• Daily Rates: Singles, €84, doubles: €138
• Contact: Hotel Sonne, Best Western RT-Conference Hotels, Südtirolerplatz 8, A-9900 Lienz, tel. +43/04852/63311, fax 63314, e-mail: info@hotelsonneliernz.at, web: www.hotelsonnelienz.at 
• Rating: Quality 13/20, Value 11/20

Gastehaus Masnata

Maria Masnata runs a comfortable guest house with a couple of spacious, modern double rooms and three small but functional apartments with kitchen. The latter can accommodate two to three guests each. 

The house is located within walking distance of the Hochstein cable car. Each room and apartment has a balcony, but none have phones. There is plenty of room for parking. The apartment on the first floor has a smaller kitchen, but a nicer bathroom than the others.

Frau Masnata is a lively host who has owned the house since 1969. She lived previously in Africa and Italy and speaks excellent English, as well as Italian. She says her house is frequently full in the summertime, so prospective visitors are advised to call ahead.

• Daily Rates: Doubles around €50
• Contact: Gastehaus Masnata, Drahtzugasse 4, A-9900 Lienz, tel. +43/04852/65336. Proprietor: Maria Masnata
  
• Rating: Quality 13/20, Value 16/20

Altstadthotel Eck

This centrally located hotel has been run by the same family for more than 500 years. Its newly renovated rooms are large with high ceilings, dramatic drapery, and comfortable sofas and chairs. It offers one single room, five doubles, and three suites. All include shower/WC, telephones, and satellite TV. The hotel's corridors are attractively decorated, and breakfast is hearty.

The Eck's Terrassencafe, on the second level, provides a great place from which to observe activities on the Hauptplatz below. The menu includes five different beers on tap and snacks such as Gulasch soup, bruschetta, and apple strudel.

• Daily Rates: Doubles around $100
  
• Contact: Altstadthotel Eck, Hauptplatz 20, A-9900 Lienz, tel. +43/04852/64785, fax 64785-3. email: alstadhotel.eck@utanet.at,  Proprietor: Grausgruber family
• Rating: Quality 14/20, Value 12/20

Romantik Hotel Traube

The most stylish hotel in Lienz is the Traube, a member of the Romantik hotel chain. Founded in 1586, the place exudes a strong sense of history that parallels that of the town as a whole. Its large rooms16 singles and 37 doubles have all the amenities expected of a four-star establishment, and the management is friendly and helpful.

First-time visitors shouldn’t be discouraged by the plain side of the building that faces the parking area. On the Hauptplatz side, the hotel looks quaint and lures its guests into a bygone era with an impressive collection of antiques.

In warm weather, the Traube runs an outdoor sidewalk cafe, and guests can linger for hours by the rooftop swimming pool. The hotel also offers two high quality restaurants; one serves traditional Austrian cuisine and the other offers Italian specialties (see below).

• Daily Rates: Single (standard) €98 ($129) , doubles (standard) €129€ ($174).

• Contact: Romantik Hotel Traube, Hauptplatz 14, A-9900 Lienz, tel. +43/04852/64444, fax: 64 1 84, email: vergeiners-traube@romantikhotels.com, web: www.romantikhotels.com, Proprietor: Willi family

• Rating: Quality 15/20, Value 11/20

  
  

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