Graz
 

I'll be there in September. Any hotel or restaurant recommendations??

Thanks

It would help if you would tell us what price-range you're looking for. Also arriving by car or train, etc.

That said, we stayed at the Grazerhof in 2002. Not fancy, but located just off the pedestrian zone. Would stay there again:

http://li004vca.captain.inode.at/gra...ch/index_e.htm

I'm not quite sure how you can plan to be in a specific city at a known time without some potential plan for a place to stay. Are you going on business and they don't know where to have you stay? Are you on vacation? Although Graz isn't all that big a city, are there parts of town you'd prefer to be near?

How you arrive, as far as I'm concerned, has nothing to do with where you should stay. No matter what brings you to the city, you can take a taxi to wherever you stay, and you'll be OK as long as that's the area you want to be in. Graz is a nice and underrated city.

Having said all that, you can use this Fodor's site and click on "hotels" and "Austria," then "Graz," and you'll probably find some recommendations. If not, come back to this forum and I'll dig up a couple that I know are good. Good luck.

That seemed rather harsh, Wayne. We went to Graz last May, and despite being a rather obsessive planner, didn't really know a whole lot about how we would spend our one day there. We knew it was the Graz 2003 Culture Capital year, and we picked the city, largely for its cheap getaway via Ryanair.

It's six months away - - is it so wrong for "pep" to come here looking for resources for a place to stay or eat? Jeez.

We found it hard to find a place that was in the (low) budget range we had set for ourselves. I cannot believe that I am unable to come up with the name; it was near Eggenberg/UKH; we had a car, and so, this would not be a location I would recommend to anyone without a car.

But we really liked the city, in large part, perhaps because we were able to get there, make a plan, and spend an enjoyable day "on the fly".

My wife will be able to direct me to stufrf that will have the name later, so I will post it (though perhaps not all that relevant if you want a more central location) - - if you wish.

Despite moving five months ago, I find myself still grossly disorganized, with regard to all my travel "stuff".

Best wishes,

Rex

I should have mentioned the very useful Graz Web site:k

http://cms.graztourismus.at/EN/

Thanks Rex

I've traveled all over the world and do tons of research before I get somewhere. So I really don't need advice on how to plan a trip. Part of my planning has always been to seek out recommendations from other knowledgeable travelers who have been to the destination. That said, I think I'm fine. Will probably stay at the Weisler unless someone suggests a smaller, more boutique-like hotel in the center.

You're welcome.

Hello Rex - just wondering how you could call Wayne's reply to pep's message entitled simply Graz "rather harsh" when just a few hours earlier, on the very same day, you had rather harsh words for Tootie's Italy message?

You're entitled to your opinion of me, Marianna, but I see no similarity. I thought Wayne was berating "pep" for seekig this info - - for not having it figured out already, or something like that.

My intention with Tootie was to point out that she was going about the process of getting information here rather daftly. And not using (what seemed to me to be) "common sense" - - she had alrady responded to hr own post twice in less than 2 hours, but then posted a "correction" by starting a new thread.

But I now see that my wording was too harsh - - for the "crime" of what _I_ considered a lapse of common sense.

I thought I had clarified my motives. Evidently that was not enough.

Pep, I was born in Graz but have been in the States since 1952. We were last there in April 2003 and stayed at the Romantik Parkhotel in old town adjacent to the Stadtpark. It is a four star with a lovely courtyard, and within walking distance of practically everything. The breakfast buffet (included) was very nice with sliced meats and cheeses, breads, sweets, fresh squeezed juices and even a sparkling wine. We stayed there because my 90 year old aunt lives just around the corner on Schillerstrasse. But we would stay there even if that weren't the case. Here is a website you can look at: http://www.hiptravelguide.com/hotel-70153.html
Auf weidersehen!

Sorry, I forgot to mention a few places where to dine in Graz. One place my grandfather frequented 100 years ago was "Zum Krebsenkeller", and it is still doing great. It is a beer garden that serves food (try the potato goulash). I found a blog with wonderful pictures, that includes one of the Krebsenkeller (scroll down). It is: http://www.internettime.com/jayblog/...es/000901.html

Another place we really liked was the Altsteirische Schmankerlstube
http://www.schmankerlstube.at/new/ueber.html

You must go to the Cafe Sacher for coffee and cake. The famous Sacher Hotel (with it's even more famous all chocolate Sacher cake) opened a Cafe in Graz a little over a year ago to great success. The waitresses still wear quaint white hats, black uniforms and white aprons and are oh so polite. http://cafes.sacher.com/layout/dfltf...=inhalt_en.asp

The town landmark, the "Schlossberg" or clocktower, has a restaurant at the top with wonderful views of the city.

And, last but not least, to balance new with the old you should at least have a drink at the ultra modern bar/cafe "Insel in der Mur". An all glass/steel structure built right in the Mur river that is in strange juxtaposition to the ancient buildings lining the shores beside it.

There are photos of our room at the hotel and of the "Insel in der Mur" on my Webshots page. (Scroll down to "Graz, Austria") http://community.webshots.com/user/maggiwun

Thanks so much Maggi.