Altstadthotel Kasererbräu

“Great location, great city, would definitely come again!”

Stayed here for the Krampus Run Festival, which usually happens on 5th and/or 6th December. It was the perfect location for seeing the Krampus Run, as well as visiting the Christmas Market and visiting the Old Town. Situated on a reasonably quiet side street, it was easy to get to and quiet at nig… more

Stayed here for the Krampus Run Festival, which usually happens on 5th and/or 6th December. It was the perfect location for seeing the Krampus Run, as well as visiting the Christmas Market and visiting the Old Town. Situated on a reasonably quiet side street, it was easy to get to and quiet at night. We stayed in a "cheap" room on the 4th floor which had the most beautiful view across the river and towards the mountains. The breakfast room was small for the size of the hotel, but we could always get a seat within a couple of minutes. Selection was good, including vegan milk and butter. Hot items were sausages, bacon and scrambled egg (which was delicious!). The room we were in was small, but we only needed it for sleeping. The room and the bathroom temperatures can be controlled by radiators, which was good for maintaining an ideal temperature. We used the sauna one night, which you need to give an hour notice for (to warm it up). The sauna seems to be new and in good condition, but the changing rooms and showers are in need of some TLC. The sauna is much cooler than a Finnish sauna, operating at 60 degrees! There is a cinema under the hotel, which was showing a current film. If you book direct via the hotel website, you get a free ticket each. If not, it's 7 Euros each. There are about three showings a day, with one in English. In terms of things to do, would recommend visiting the Fortress and St Peter's Church. Both are stunning. The views from the top of the Fortress are great! We saw a marionette puppet show one evening, which was ok, but probably quite expensive for what it is. Mirabell Palace was a little underwhelming. Maybe if you're a fan of The Sound of Music you'll enjoy it, but it wasn't that exciting. The Krampus Run reached the Old Town at about 19:00 on 5th December. Try and find a viewing spot, at least 30 minutes before hand, in front of the stage by the Cathedral. Failing that, people will form a route that the Krampus will follow. Prepare for it to get busy, people to push, and people to be generally rude! But embrace it, stand your ground, and enjoy it when about 50 Krampus parade past. The best thing we visited (in my eyes) was the Augustinerbräu-Kloster Mülln Brewery. As you enter, you grab a ceramic beer mug and clean it under taps. You then pay your money (about 3.5 Euros for 500ml) and a man fills your mug direct from a wooden barrel in just a few seconds. You can then take a seat in one of 4 amazing halls (Hall 2 was my favourite). Grab some food (good selection), bring your own food, play cards, have a chat, and grab more beer. Repeat until you are done. Excellent atmosphere, and unbelievably popular!

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