14 Best Hotels in Day Trips from Vienna, Austria

This sprawling three-story hotel complex is fairly close to the lake (about 15 minutes' walk away) and has more than standard amenities, whether you want to get a relaxing massage or to rent bicycles and set off on the path that begins at its doorstep. Don't expect the charm of a country inn: this is a modern resort hotel with a bit of a retro ’50s look. The comfortable rooms are of adequate size, and the balconies facing the lake make them feel more spacious. With the indoor pool, a good restaurant, and a pleasant garden terrace, you can even survive a rainy day.

Around the corner from Ars Electronica Center and just across the river from the Old Town, this avant-garde boutique hotel offers stylish and spacious bedrooms with quirky light fixtures and tailor-made artworks by local creatives. In fact, the whole hotel is unapologetically modern; a refreshing alternative in a city full of heritage accommodations. The superior rooms feature wooden floors, brightly-colored feature walls, open bathrooms with showers, and Segafredo coffee machines. Other hotel amenities include a small fitness center with a sauna and an appealing lobby and bar (although, considering the location, you're more likely to go out for a drink).

One of the most famous hotels in Austria, this 17th-century early-Baroque castle on a rocky terrace with exquisite views over the Danube was once the preserve of the princes of Starhemberg. Since then, many a regal visitor and a bevy of celebrities have enjoyed its classic elegance and comfort. The best rooms face the river and all are elegantly decorated, in grand style. Biedermeier armoires and country antiques grace the public rooms. The restaurant is nestled under coved ceilings; tables on the outside terrace overlook the lovely Danube.

Located a little out of the center but very convenient for a host of art galleries including the Kunsthalle Krems, the Landesgalerie Niederösterreich, and the Karikaturmuseum, this hip, youthful hotel offers spacious, comfortable rooms with funky and colorful design elements. The highlight of any stay is the breakfast buffet, which serves delicious croissants, tasty homemade bircher muesli, and fresh traubensaft (grape juice) from a local winemaker. There's no lunch or dinner available, but there's a good bar-restaurant (2Stein) located just next door.

Adjacent to the historic Kulturfabrik (once the Imperial Royal Tobacco Factory) and just around the corner from where little Joseph Haydn used to have his music lessons, this 17th-century monastery retains all its historic serenity in the sleepy, romantic town of Hainburg. Each room features a vaulted ceiling, which makes the place wonderfully airy. Large windows bring in considerable natural light and offer views of either the grand old Kulturfabrik or the village proper. Guests on higher floors can even get a peek at the Danube. Indoor golf is offered, and there are saunas and steambaths on the ground floor exclusively for guests.

Personal service is the hallmark of this family-run hotel and restaurant close to the town center, with a selection of "comfort" rooms attractively furnished in natural woods and whites with pastel accents, along with some slightly older (and smaller) "standard" rooms. The rustic wood-panel restaurant has a menu that changes seasonally—lamb and fresh herbs in the spring, wild mushrooms and berries in the summer, and game and goose in the fall—while the wine comes from the family vineyards. In pleasant weather the canopied outdoor dining terrace is a green oasis.

Built up around the former church of a vast 700-year-old convent, this noted inn overlooks the Danube. The beautifully furnished interior, with antiques, open fire, grandfather clock, and bowls of fresh roses makes this one of the most romantic hotels in the Wachau Valley. Though all rooms are spacious and comfortable, the balconied guest rooms in the newer part of the house have more modern furnishings. Wander through the grounds among the roses, oleanders, and fig trees, all set against the dramatic backdrop of ancient stone walls.

This typical village hotel in the center of town combines the traditional friendliness of family management with spacious, comfortable, and pleasantly furnished rooms. Some afford views of the abbey, which can be easily reached on foot, but because of its close vicinity, the bell ringing can be a bit of a nuisance. The restaurant offers solid, standard Austrian fare—including giant schnitzels and, in summer, tasty marillenknödel (apricot dumplings)—and a hearty breakfast.

Located about 7 km (4 miles) outside Baden in a beautiful wooded area is this typical Alpine house with sleek, modern rooms (think lots of balconies and natural wood). The on-site restaurant offers a choice of cozy dining rooms or an outdoor terrace, with a menu of national and international dishes, along with fish and game from the hotel's own reserves.

The town of Langenlois, about 10 km (6 miles) north of Krems, is home to one of the region's most luxurious accommodation options; a luxury hotel and wellness spa set within a sleek, ultramodern complex. LOISIUM offers a comprehensive selection of wines, sparkling wines, and other delectables from the area (the labyrinthian wine cellar takes more than an hour to tour and has 15 stops) while the spa offers a variety of indulgent treatments and massages. There's also an excellent restaurant featuring international cuisine.

Nearly under the shadow of the Baroque spire of Dürnstein's parish church, this popular hotel-restaurant welcomes you with a lovely, sunny-yellow, flower-bedecked facade. Owned by the same family since 1729, the inn—named after the minstrel famous for tracking down Richard the Lionheart—has a large garden, which is quite the treat in the heart of town. The simply furnished, country-style rooms are of medium size. The hotel's restaurant offers hearty Austrian food, and in summer, meals are served in the pretty courtyard under a huge chestnut tree.

The birthplace of the renowned Mozart tenor Richard Tauber (1891–1948), the "Black Bear" is a traditional house filled with memorabilia on a side street in the center of the Old Town, a block from the pedestrian zone. The floors and walls are of gleaming wood, sprightly drapes decorate the windows, and the low, modern beds have fluffy white comforters. Rooms differ considerably in size, and some of the more modern ones contain imaginative bathrooms with freestanding brick-and-gray-tile tubs. The hotel's Rooftop 7 bar and restaurant offers tasty food with lovely views of the Neuer Dom and Pöstlingberg.

Located in the heart of Rust, yet with private access to a delightful swimming lake, this large wellness-focused hotel is a convenient and comfortable base to explore the region. The rooms are clean and spacious (if a little sterile), with many including small balconies. However, it's the wellness facilities that really make this place a Rust favorite, from the aforementioned lake—surrounded by extensive gardens with sun loungers galore—to the large indoor pool, gym, saunas, and steam room. Guests here also get free rental bikes, Nordic walking sticks, and access to the carpeted indoor tennis courts, or they can pay for extras like massages and weekend yoga.

Set within a 500-year-old former nunnery, the centrally located Wolfinger has been a hostelry since the late 1700s, and that gives the interior some real charm. A few rooms feature vaulted ceilings and antique headboards; others are furnished with a mixture of kitsch and modern pieces. Those in the front on the busy square are less quiet but offer a view of city activities. The breakfast room entices with flowing curtains and Baroque-style chandeliers—a lovely way to greet the day.