Sheraton Grand Salzburg [In-Depth Hotel Review]

When staying in Salzburg, Austria, there’s 1 large hotel that nearly everyone recommends: the Sheraton Grand Salzburg. The Sheraton is one of the larger hotels in the city and doesn’t fit the typical Sheraton profile; it’s a step up. It’s a great place to stay and the perfect jumping-off point to explore the city.

I stayed at the Sheraton Grand Salzburg in December 2023 while on a tour of the major Christmas markets around Europe. Arriving in Salzburg by train, I booked the Sheraton Grand Salzburg for my first night and the Hotel Goldener Hirsch, the Marriott Luxury Collection property in the city, for my next night. The properties are very different, and the Sheraton Grand is more of a cookie-cutter American-style hotel. However, it does have some upgraded perks that set it apart from other Sheratons worldwide.

The Sheraton Grand Salzburg is one of the city’s busiest hotels, home to various tour groups during the busy tourist seasons. If you don’t like busy hotels, this property isn’t for you, though it seems to be the first choice among many tour operators.

Given the chance, I’d return to this hotel, so read on to see my stay at this cut-above Sheraton property.

Location

The Sheraton Grand Salzburg is located in the Neustadt (newer) part of the city. Unlike its sister property across the river, the Hotel Goldener Hirsch is not located within a historic area. It will take about a 15-minute walk to reach the Altstadt area, where you’ll find most attractions, shops, and Christmas markets if you visit that time of year.

From the main Salzburg train station, it’s an approximately 15-minute walk to the hotel, which is very easy with rolling luggage. This hotel is excellent if you have a train departure the next day, as it’s incredibly easy to walk to the station.

As far as attractions are concerned, there’s still plenty to see even though the hotel is located on the newer side of the city. Mere steps away from the hotel, you’ll find the famed Mirabell Palace and gardens, and about a 5-minute walk away, you’ll find Mozart’s residence, now an excellent museum of where Mozart lived during his professional years in Salzburg.

If you plan on doing any “Sound of Music” tours that visit locations featured in the film, you’ll find the bus departure point for those tours just steps away from the hotel. Follow the signs for “Panorama Tours.”

Booking

I used a free night certificate, valued at 35,000 points, thanks to my Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® card. Adding in 15,000 top-up points, I could pay 50,000 points for the 1-night stay, a steal considering the rates were north of $400.

I then applied for a Suite Night Award (SNA) (now a Nightly Upgrade Award), which I received with my Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status. I get 5 coupons for a 1-night upgrade to a better room each year. At this hotel, you could upgrade to a junior or 1-bedroom suite, so I applied for the upgrade to the 1-bedroom suite. Thankfully, before arrival, this was upgraded into a “Sky Suite ETAGE7 Access, 1-Bedroom Suite, 1 King, Top floor, Terrace” room.

Now, there’s something very, very important you should know about lounge access and Nightly Upgrade Award at this property. The hotel has 2 types of lounges: a normal Sheraton Club on the bottom level for Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite and Titanium Elite members and a more exclusive lounge on the seventh floor called ETAGE7. You only get access to ETAGE7 if you pay for it or use a Nightly Upgrade Award, and that award clears into a room that usually comes with ETAGE7 access. You don’t receive ETAGE7 access simply by being a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite or Titanium Elite member.

Interestingly, the Marriott Bonvoy app showed a room different from the 1-bedroom suite I had checked into before arrival. After chatting with the front desk through the in-app chat, they recognized there was some mistake in their system and quickly upgraded me to the best room in the hotel without any extra fee, the “Penthouse ETAGE7 Access, 1-Bedroom Penthouse Suite, 1 King, Fortress view, Top floor, Terrace” room. This room came with ETAGE7 access, which I was thrilled about.

According to reports online, the regular Sheraton Club on the ground floor offers far inferior food and drink, so you’ll want access to the ETAGE7 club, if possible. To guarantee this, make sure you apply a Nightly Upgrade Award and that the award clears.

Checking In

Upon arrival at the hotel, you’ll find the front desk immediately to your right. One thing that makes this Sheraton hotel seem more refined than other Sheraton properties is that the front desk is divided into individual desks with chairs. It almost feels like you’re checking into some exclusive club, and it equally feels awkward if you decide to stand and not sit while the formalities are sorted out.

I was quickly checked in by an associate who emphasized that I was upgraded to the best room in the hotel and apologized for any confusion. He reiterated my lounge access and showed me the elevators directly across the lobby.

Elite Benefits

As a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite member, I was entitled to several perks:

• Welcome amenity; I chose 1,000 bonus points since breakfast was already provided with my lounge access
• Free in-room premium Wi-Fi
• 4 p.m. checkout, which was granted without any pushback
• Lounge access; normally, I would have been provided access to the Sheraton Club for free, but since I was upgraded, I received access to the more exclusive ETAGE7 lounge
• Enhanced room upgrade, though I took advantage of using 1 of my Suite Night Award certificates to guarantee a suite for my 1-night stay

Amenities

This is a full-service Sheraton property, and you’ll find many of the major amenities you’d expect at a city hotel.

Fitness Center, Sauna, and Massage Room

The Sheraton Grand Salzburg offers a 24-hour fitness center, complete with various cardio and weight-lifting machines.

You’ll also find a spa and steam bath in the same location. Upon request, the spa is open from 3 to 10 p.m. on the second floor.

There’s also a massage room; you can book a local vendor to provide this service who comes to the hotel. This is by reservation only and can be arranged with the front desk.

Sheraton Club

On the hotel’s ground floor is the Sheraton Club, the primary club for Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite and Platinum Elite members. There’s a variety of small snacks and beverages available. While I didn’t personally get to visit this space as I didn’t have access (oddly enough, when you have ETAGE7 access, you do not get access to the “lower” Sheraton Club), online reports indicate a far inferior service offering.

ETAGE7

ETAGE7 is the hotel’s premium lounge, located on the seventh floor. This was the same floor as my suite, which appears to be where most other luxury suites are.

While there was a host stand at the front of the lounge, I never really saw anyone checking anyone in or verifying. However, it’s worth noting that your key card had to be programmed for the seventh floor, so you couldn’t get onto the floor without eligibility.

Inside were various tables and couches, and at the far end was a large buffet area where beverages and food were presented.

The lounge’s drink selection was quite impressive. Every still and sparkling beverage imaginable was offered, including plenty of juices and water. One of the refrigerators featured a beer selection, with several local varieties available.

There was a self-service coffee and espresso machine and a large selection of teas.

A small selection of liquors was also available for those who fancy a stiffer drink.

The food buffet was in the corner of the lounge, though admittedly, I found the selection relatively meager for a lounge that touts itself as luxury compared to the more basic Sheraton Club on the ground floor.

Each day, you’d find a salad and some small cold dishes, a rotation of hot dishes such as pasta or croquettes, and then a small selection of cheeses, meats, soup, and desserts. It seemed something you’d find in a somewhat basic airline lounge, but certainly not one of the more impressive hotel lounges I’ve been in. I’m not sure you’d want to make dinner with what was available, though it was certainly fine enough for an afternoon snack or before-dinner pick-me-up.

On one of the occasions I visited, there were used plates and silverware on nearly every table, and it was impossible to find a place to sit without having a companion of dirty dishes. It seemed like no one had been in the lounge in a long while to clean up, though the hotel did respond quickly to clean everything up when the issue was brought to their attention through the in-app chat.

Hot Tip:

The food didn’t seem to be replaced regularly, so keep this in mind when visiting.

The Room

For my stay, I was upgraded to the penthouse suite, the largest room in the hotel. This was located on the seventh floor, the same floor as the ETAGE7 lounge. My room was located at the far end of the corridor, and I was pleased that it was a corner room, which allowed for additional privacy.

Upon entry into the room, there was a large luggage storage area with several large cabinets that stored laundry supplies, a shoe-shining kit, hangers, and other room essentials.

This room features 2 bathrooms, and at the entryway is a powder room with a sink and toilet. This is a great feature to have in a room this size since it allows you to travel with multiple people and have a separate bathroom from the master bath.

Further into the room was a dining room table with 4 chairs, and a small fresh fruit amenity was presented for me on my arrival.

Living Room

On the opposite end of this room was a living room with a loveseat and armchairs.

The seating was arranged next to the desk space, which held the TV, and cabinetry with a minibar.

The room’s minibar was complimentary, which appears to be the case for all suites on this level.

Balcony

A large sliding door near this living room allowed access to a large deck. While my visit was during cold December, I did open the door to see what was outside and found a small table with chairs and a lounge-type chair available for use, though these were covered with snow during my stay. A retractable awning was available by pushing one of the switches on the wall, though I didn’t want to extend this out due to the heavy snow outside.

The views from this balcony included the historic Salzburg fortress at the other end of the city. I can certainly see this room going for a pretty penny during the summer months when the weather is beautiful and you can see outside without issue.

Hot Tip:

Suites with balconies aren’t in demand over the winter months since it’s too cold to use them, so you may find a deal on some of these rooms.

Bedroom

The main bedroom, complete with a king bed, was to the right of the dining room table. Nightstands were located on either end, and charging ports were readily accessible.

The ceiling featured an angled window that you could cover with an electronic shade.

Bathroom

The bathroom in this suite was enormous and could have been its own bedroom if it were in a typical hotel. As you walked in, a large soaking tub was located to the left.

2 vanity sinks were to the right.

On the far end of the bathroom was a separate toilet room, and on the opposite side was a shower that also served as a sauna.

A button outside the shower would trigger the sauna, and within a few moments, the entire bathroom would steam up heavily. That was certainly a nice feature, considering the cold temperatures outside.

Food and Beverage

Hungry? You don’t have to go far, as the Sheraton Grand Salzburg has a few dining options on-site.

Restaurant Mirabell

Restaurant Mirabell is the main restaurant at the hotel, open for breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. daily and then for dinner service from 6 to 9.30 p.m. If you do not receive breakfast through your elite benefits or room rate, the price of the breakfast buffet is €37 (~$40).

If you’re up for a hearty breakfast, this is the restaurant to check out. With a buffet just after entering, you can choose from various options.

There’s a bakery and bread buffet and a selection of fruits, cheeses, yogurts, and meats.

There’s also a hot food line, where you can help yourself to eggs, sausages, potatoes and more. A chef is also stationed in this area for custom egg orders.

While the breakfast certainly wasn’t disappointing, I think the food could have been fresher. I arrived around 10 a.m., a half hour before closing, and found some items looking like they had been sitting out for quite a while. In a hotel like this, a refresh or replenishment would be expected.

Hot Tip:

For the freshest food, arrive earlier during breakfast hours.

Piano Bar

Piano Bar is next to Restaurant Mirabell and is open from 8 to 1 a.m. daily. This was a popular spot for tourists to gather after sightseeing in the afternoons, though it was completely empty during the morning hours.

Service

I found the service at this hotel to be delightfully helpful. The front desk clerk was responsive in fixing my upgrade issues and welcomed me warmly when I arrived. The front desk staff also served as the concierge, and they pointed me in the right direction when I asked for help accessing several nearby museums and attractions.

That said, I found the lounge staff not as proactive as they should have been in clearing plates, though they responded almost immediately when they were made aware of the problem.

Final Thoughts

Without a doubt, I would definitely stay at the Sheraton Grand Salzburg again. While I don’t think the ETAGE7 lounge was as exclusive as it was made out to be, the hotel does seem to be one step above an average Sheraton property, and it made for an inviting place to return to after exploring the city. If you’re in the market for a Marriott property in Salzburg, you’ll also see the Hotel Goldener Hirsch as an option. That property is more refined and in a better location, though the Sheraton Grand certainly isn’t too far away from the historic sites or city center.