Are you wondering where to stay in Innsbruck? Let us help you to figure out which neighborhood is best for you! Some of the best areas to stay in Innsbruck are the Old Town, Axams, Hotting, Pradl, Patsch, Lans, Seefeld or even the Zillertal Valley.
The Tyrol region of Austria is known to be beautiful, and the city of Innsbruck, capital of the Tyrolean Bundesland (federal state or province) is no exception. The buildings are charmingly painted with soft pastel or neutral colours, and the Alps provide a dramatic and ever changing background to counterpoint the carefully planned cityscape.
The name ‘Innsbruck’ means Bridge over the Inn, Inn in this case referring to the river that flows here, rather than to a hostel or tavern as might otherwise be surmised.
The city sprang up near the bridge, as it was a natural gathering place for travellers who could then be persuaded to spend the night in a hotel room, spend some of their hard-earned money on food or refreshment and generally enable the residents to make a small living from catering to the needs of those passing through.
So important is this bridge that a birds’ eye view of it is featured on the city’s coat of arms.
Today the city still relies on visitors for a substantial part of its income, although they no longer need to arrive via the bridge! The city is well known for offering access to excellent snow slopes for skiiers and snowboarders year round thanks to the proximity of the Stubai Valley which is home to a glacier.
Innsbruck has been continuously inhabited for over two thousand years, and is bursting with historical buildings and beautiful old architecture, despite the heavy damage it sustained during the Second World War.
If you are wondering where to stay in Innsbruck in order to see the most beautiful buildings and historical sites, you could stay almost anywhere and be happy with your decision!
Where to Stay in Innsbruck: Best Areas to stay in Innsbruck
Innsbruck is divided into a number of areas and suburbs, each unique and worth exploring on their own merit. Let’s have a look at some of these areas to stay in Innsbruck:
1. Old Town
Also called Aldstadt, is an eight-hundred-year-old part of the city where historic architecture rests side-by-side with sympathetically designed modern retail sites.
Its most famous landmark is the ‘Little Golden Roof’, an ornate buttress roof that offers shade and protection to a rather gorgeous balcony, set on an oriel (oriel meaning a feature similar to a bay window that does not reach the ground).
The balcony was used by the Emperor Maximilian I who lived in Innsbruck in the 1400s and 1500s. Maximilian ordered the roof to be gilded to commemorate the occasion of his marriage, which had taken place some twenty-three years earlier.
The small but ornate façade under the golden roof looks out into a square which is the heart of this part of Innsbruck, being the place where all the notable events were held: from concerts to festivals and tournaments. These days, the square throngs with outdoor seating and tourists flock to the area to see and be seen.
There is high population of students in Innsbruck, all needing accommodation, so there are plenty of options for economy-minded travellers such as hostels or basic rooms designed for the use of snow visitors who will spend much of their time on the slopes or out exploring the city.
But there are also some luxury bijou hotels for those looking for a little indulge in their visit. Old Town offers some of the best places to stay in Innsbruck, being very central, with good links to snow slopes, the nearby glacier, and also offering plenty of restaurants, pubs and clubs for a lively night out near your accommodation.
2. Axams
Just ten short kilometres from Innsbruck, Axams is a small village with a fixed population of around five and a half thousand people. The name of the village means ‘village at a height’ or ‘elevated village’, and it certainly offers wonderful views over the nearby valleys and mountain peaks at all times of the year.
Formerly important for growing flax (used in weaving) the village is now better known as a holiday destination, offering proximity to excellent ski slopes in winter, and boasting beautiful summertime hikes, an enormous leisure centre with indoor and outdoor pools (the latter being heated, of course!) and plenty of sporting activities, including skating, curling, and even horse-riding.
Spending time in Axams is no burden, and there are accommodations to suit every pocket, from €10 for a spot at a camp site all the way up to several hundred euros for a luxury hotel complete with full board and access to all the facilities. This can be a huge relief to those travelling on a strict budget as some of the best places to stay in Innsbruck can be out of range.
If you are looking for fine dining and nightclubs to party the night away, you are better off hopping the bus or calling an Uber to get to Innsbruck city. Axams is geared to its seasonal population which is made up of sportsmen, families and outdoorsy folk more than die-hard clubbers and ravers.
It is a short twenty-minute bus ride and it does not cost a lot to buy a ticket – and it is an even shorter drive in a taxi or Uber, taking a mere ten minutes or so to hit the bright lights of the big city.
3. Hotting
This predominantly residential suburb lies to the north and west of Innsbruck city centre, sandwiched between the beautiful Botanical Gardens and the university and overlooked by the Nordkette mountain and valley system.
It is just a couple of miles from the heart of Innsbruck and has good public transport access, so you can stay in Hotting and be in the heart of the action in mere minutes – or even walk it in twenty if you want to save your money for more exciting pursuits!
Heading in the opposite direction will bring you to the university, to beautiful riverside walks and to the tourist developments at the foot of the mountains, which include an Alpine Zoo. There is also a church, Hottinger Church, which is often a destination or waystation for Christian pilgrims following the routes taken by saints and other holy figures in days gone by.
Axams is one of the more reasonably priced areas to stay in Innsbruck with accommodations ranging from relatively inexpensive bed-and-breakfast type hotels (costing around fifty euros per night) to slightly more upmarket ones, with rentable apartments available for those looking for stay for more than a week or ten days.
Prices of these apartments can vary quite a lot, depending on whether it is catered with a cleaning service, or a more basic offering, with just the bare minimum provided.
Most of the nightlife in Hotting revolves around hotels: restaurants and pubs attached to the hotels provide entertainment and sustenance to visitors and locals alike. For more cosmopolitan pleasures, the heart of Innsbruck beckons.
4. Pradl
This district lies to the east of Innsbruck and takes its name from the ‘little meadow’ that the area used to be about a thousand years ago. It is now built up and predominantly residential, although it is home to Innsbruck Cathedral, which is well worth a visit being a beautiful Baroque building that is nearly three-hundred years old.
For the sporty, there is a football stadium nearby, an outdoor pool, and a cemetery where you can stroll about and pay your respects.
As with most mainly residential areas, there is little in the way of nightclub-type offerings, but there are some cultural entertainments, such as theatre productions, and there are plenty of pubs and restaurants so you can eat out without straying too far from your residence.
Pradl is a little more upmarket than some of the other areas to stay in Innsbruck and finding a hotel room for much less than €100 will be a lucky find indeed. There are a number of youth hostels where accommodation is a little cheaper, but you are unlikely to find anything for under €50 per night, no matter how hard you try,
Don’t miss our ultimate guide on: The Best things to do Innsbruck
5. Patsch
Found to the south of Innsbruck, and some six kilometres from the city centre, this beautiful area is close to the foothills of the Patscherkofel.
The village has much to offer: having been the home to some events of the Winter Olympics (in 1964 and 1976 respectively), as well as lying next to a nature reserve that stretches all the way up to the Stubai Glacier, with many secret valleys and hidden spots to explore along the route.
Look out for the Europabrucke bridge, a modern addition but no less spectacular for all that.
This part of the Innsbruck area is stunningly beautiful and offers easy access to breath-taking natural scenery, snow slopes, and much more. As such it is very popular with visitors, both local and from abroad, so hotels abound. They tend to be high-quality accommodations, with prices to match, but you can find reasonable rooms or camp sites if you are prepared to shop around.
There are a couple of nightclubs where you can go to hook up, and there are pubs and restaurants. Some of these establishments are designed for strictly adult entertainments only, so do enquire before taking your children or young people along.
You can easily get to the heart of Innsbruck by hopping on a bus or tram. It’s a lengthy walk, but doable if you have a couple of hours to spare, otherwise taxis cover the area for quite reasonable prices.
6. Lans
For even more of a mountain idyll, Lans is a small village nestled in the Patscherkofel foothills, about eight kilometres away from Innsbruck. It is a lakeside community, with a large body of water that can be pleasantly warm in summer: ideal for swimming.
There is a small naturist area, and plenty of fun activities for everyone, whether they are children or adults or mixed families. As well as swimming and exploring the lake by pedalo, there is a 9-hole golf course and also an island in the middle that visitors are welcome to explore.
In winter, the lake freezes over and a skating rink is established, while skiing and snowboarding is never too far away. For a slight change of pace, there is also a holistic living centre where you can restore your health with a mixture of traditional and alternative healing. Religious pilgrims pass through the area too.
Accommodations in Lans range from around €35 for a camping site (overnight stay, no breakfast) to €85 and upwards for hotel rooms with some meals included. There is some entertainment available, but in general this area is about disconnecting, being mindful and simply enjoying the wonders of nature.
7. Seefeld
There is plenty to do in this exquisite area, but all you will feel like doing is staring out of the window at the landscape, which could have been designed and created by an artist. Snowy capped mountains, crystal clear lakes, wooden cabins, designed to withstand the winter chill and boasting warm fires, good company and plenty of good food and drink: Seefeld is something of a little piece of paradise.
There are plenty of family-friendly activities, hikes and snow trails as well as ski slopes and other sporting facilities, but there are also more grown-up establishments, such as a casino for when you are feeling lucky, shops and boutiques for a little retail therapy, and world-class restaurants.
This gorgeous spot is a twenty-minute drive from Innsbruck, and can be reached by train, bus or taxi. There is plenty of accommodation and you can find rooms for just over €40, some of which will include breakfast.
If you have a more generous travel budget than usual, this is a great area as you will be able to indulge yourself with all the wonderful things the village has to offer.
8. Zillertal Valley
Depending on what time of year you visit this superb valley, nestled between the lofty peaks, you can either channel your inner Sound of Music or Heidi (summertime, when the meadows are green and filled with fragrant flowers, warm sunshine and pure clean air) or become a speed demon on the slopes, aiming to whiz down the piste faster than James Bond with a platoon of villains behind him.
You can take a cable car to the summit, hike nearby your accommodation, or cycle a bit further afield. There are plenty of casual dining experiences along the way from snack bars to something offering more substantial meals, so you will not go hungry as you explore.
Then, exhausted from all the exercise and exploring, return to your temporary home, whether it is in a cheap and cheerful guest house or a superb luxury five-star hotel: this area has both, and everything in between so you are sure to find your perfect accommodation for your stay in this area.
There are some pubs and restaurants, even a few cocktail bars, but this part of the world is all about enjoying the great outdoors in daylight hours, not clubbing the night away.
Innsbruck is not far away if you fancy a night out partying: just over 45 minutes by car – but you might prefer to stay close to home and enjoy the camaraderie of a small warm community instead.
Hopefully this has given you some clues about where to stay in Innsbruck, along with features to look out for, and how to get around this exquisitely beautiful part of the Tyrol.
FIND ZILLERTAL VALLEY HOTEL DEALS
Many of the best places to stay in Innsbruck are surprisingly reasonable in price, and the people are warm, welcoming and will put themselves out to ensure that you enjoy your stay.
Austria has a microcosm of everything: vibrant nightlife in the big cities, tranquil peace, beautiful open green spaces, dotted about with wild flowers and local wildlife, even glaciers, ancient and majestic as they wend their way along valleys and down mountains.
You can ski, cycle, hike or walk, enjoying swimming both indoors and out: you can even take your clothes off and go completely au naturel with like-minded companions. And you can do all this on a reasonable budget, enjoying a complete break from your normal life as you explore, relax and rejuvenate!