Hotels in Bad Ischl, St. Wolfgang or Hallstat
 

We will be staying in this area for 3 nights in early July. I understand that all are beautiful. Would be greatful for recommendations on lodging -- looking for 4 star or equiv. I've read about Goldeners Schiff in Bad Iscle, Landhaus zu Appesbach in St. Wolfgang and Seehotel Gruner Baum in Hallstatt. Does anyone have personal recommendations/comments about these or other hotels in these locations?

anyone?

We have twice stayed at the White Horse Inn (Im Weissen Rossl) in St Wolfgang and thororghly enjoyed both the hotel and the area. (It one of few hotels that has a related entry in the Encyclopedia Britannica.) We stayed in their premium rooms, so I am not sure what the standard rooms are like. Their web site is http://www.weissesroessl.at/.

thanks so much!<BR>

Barbara:<BR><BR>Search out posts on &quot;Hallstat&quot;. I believe it was &quot;bob the navigator' that recommends places in and around St. Wolfgang. Try and make a trip up to Gossau and Gossausee in the Dachstein Mts. Another beautiful spot in this beautiful part of Austria!<BR>JOHN

Barbara<BR>We highly recommend the Landhaus zu Appesbach in St. Wolfgang. We found the Appesbach thru their website - http://www.schlosshotels.co.at We first stayed there for 5 nights during a visit in 1998; again for 5 nights in 2001; and we now have reservations for 6 nights next September. The hotel's location right on lake St. Wolfgang is great for a short walk to the center of town or easy daytrips by car to Salzburg, Hallstatt, and Bad Ischl - all of which have become our absolute favorite places to be in Europe. The Appesbach's rate includes breakfast (with typical European meats, cheeses, fruits, yogurts, and breads or a proper English breakfast with eggs cooked to order) and a fixed menu dinner (see menu examples and wine list on the website), which are all excellent and make the stay a great value. Each panoramic double room or junior suite has a balcony with a great view of the lake and mountains and typical beds with down comforters. Maximillian, the host, and his staff are eager to please and most attentive to every detail and make our stays all the more memorable.

We stayed at Seehotel Gruener Baum last year. The 2nd floor room (no lift) had a small balconey looking out over an absolutely beautiful lake. It's pretty much the only hotel in Halstatt. The dinner was &quot;OK.&quot; But the setting was enchanting, especially in the morning and evening without the day-trippers. The hotel itself is suffering some lack of maintenance, as detailed in my report here (search: Halstatt)<BR>We stopped for lunch at the White Horse Inn at St Wolfgang, and found it much busier in general, but very nice. From our brief visit to this lake area, you probably can't go wrong. Be sure to visit Traunkirchen, a quaint little village on Traunsee. My wife and I often think of our stay in Halstatt. Enjoy!

Thanks so much for all your comments. As I sit here in Maryland watching the first half of our 26 inches of snow fall (having shoveled 3 times already), I am dreaming of our summer vacation to Austria and the Czech Republic!

As much as I love Hallstatt, I feel that the Wolfgangsee is a better location for 3 nites. You have some great tips above. I would add the Parkhotel Billroth in St. Gilgen. It is truly hard to go wrong.

Thank you, Bob the Navigator. I relied heavily on your suggestions when we planned our summer 2001 trip to Italy, and everything was so great, then.

I forgot to add that as much as we loved it, I didn't think Halstatt was a place i'd stay for 3 nights. Thanks bobthenavigator, i agree.

Here's another big vote for the Appesbach. We stayed there last summer and consider it one of the best, if not the best hotel we have stayed at. The price also includes free cakes (and I mean real good cakes like Sacher Torte and the like)and fruit all day and the dinner is a gourmet 4-5 course meal. The setting by the lake,the service of the staff and the manor house atmosphere, make for a really meorable stay. Our suite also included a small kitchenette.