Hostels & budget hotels

The line between modern budget hotels and hostels has increasingly become blurred. Small chains of private hostels offer single, double and sometimes family rooms with ensuite facilities to meet demand for lower-cost accommodation. A buffet breakfast is usually part of the offer. Hostels run by national hostelling organisations offer a very similar facilities in many cities, often at even lower cost.

But it’s important to keep in mind small traditional hotels, including hotel pensions, that have long met the needs of travellers on a budget.

Hotels garnis & pensions

A hotel garni is a small hotel offering breakfast only. A pension offers a room, usually with breakfast, though further meals might be offered. Sometimes the term hotel pension is used for establishments with more than about 10 rooms. Service is limited. Often the lodgings will use an adapted or redeveloped private home.

A hotel garni offers accommodation, breakfast, drinks, perhaps snacks but looks like a hotel. The term is common in France and German-speaking countries, comes from the French and literally means "an inn provided (with guest facilities)". Hotels garnis generally offer single rooms including breakfast in the €60-80 range. Families can sometimes stay for €80-120 a night. Some of the more successful enterprises have managed to expand further without losing their two or 2½-star status. Older-style buildings are the norm, sometimes quaint, but others have been renovated and modernised.

At pensions, expect private rooms on the terms offered. Half-pension (Halbpension) is sometimes available, that is, one meal in addition to breakfast. But do not take the use of the term pension as a guarantee of breakfast.

Parking tends to be limited or non-existent. Some of these establishments now offer internet or WLAN access. It’s best to ask what is included when booking or when choosing at the tourist office.

Hostels

The national non-profit hostel organisation Österreichischer Jugendherbergsverband is affiliated with Hostelling International and has more than 60 member or partner hostels. HI or ÖJHV member travellers save 10% on bookings. ÖJHV annual membership is free for guests 15 or under, costs €15 for ages 16 to 26 and €25 for guests aged 27 or over. For families with children up to 15, memberships are available for €25. Memberships apply from October to the end of December on the year of membership.

A range of dormitory beds or single, double and family rooms is available, depending on the hostel. Some are set up as ski hostels.

The ÖJHV Vienna national service centre is at Zelinkagasse 12, where memberships are available.

Private hostels: This is a grey area of classification, but most Austrian properties offer a mix of single, double and multibed rooms with private or shared facilities. General articles and a listed count of more than 90 hostels are at the Hostelz comparison portal Austria page, although the hostel status of some properties seems questionable. For Vienna there are 30 listings, Salzburg 11, Innsbruck seven and Graz two. The A&O Hostels group has Vienna and Salzburg hostels, a Wombat’s Hostel is in Vienna, Meininger Hotels has two properties in Vienna as well as Innsbruck and Salzburg sites, and St Christopher’s Inns has a Vienna site.