AUSTRIA - Best of Europe 2014 - page 196

Nightlife in Hallstatt
Locals would laugh at the thought. But if you want some action after dinner, you do have
a few options: Gasthaus zur Mühle is a youth hostel with a rustic sports-bar ambience in
its restaurant when drinks replace the food (open late, closed Tue Sept-mid-May, run by
Ferdinand). Or, for your late-night drink, savor the Market Square from the trendy little pub
called Ruth Zimmermann, where locals congregate with soft music, a good selection of
drinks, two small rooms, and tables on the square (daily May-Sept 10:00-2:00 in the morn-
ing, Oct-April 11:00-2:00, mobile [phone]). From late July to late August, candlelit
boat rides leave at 20:30 on Thursday evenings (€13.50, €16 combo-ticket with Hallstatt
Museum).
Sleeping in Hallstatt
Hallstatt'sTIcanalmostalwaysfindyouaroom(eitherintownoratB&Bsandsmallhotels
outside of town—which are more likely to have rooms available and come with easy park-
ing). If you are arriving by car and have a reservation for a place in the old town, head dir-
ectly to parking lot P1, where you'll catch a shuttle to your hotel (see here ) .
Mid-July and August can be tight. Early August is worst. Hallstatt is not the place to
splurge—some of the best rooms are in Gästezimmer, just as nice and modern as rooms in
bigger hotels, at half the cost. In summer, a double bed in a private home costs about €50
with breakfast. It's hard to get a one-night advance reservation (try calling the TI for help).
But if you drop in and they have a spot, one-nighters are welcome. Prices include breakfast,
lotsofstairs,andasilentnight. “ZimmermitAussicht?” (TSIM-mermitOWS-zeekt)means
“Room with view?”—worth asking for. Unlike many businesses in town, the cheaper places
don't take credit cards.
As most rooms here are in old buildings with well-cared-for wooden interiors, dripping
laundry is a no-no at Hallstatt pensions. Be especially considerate when hanging laundry
over anything but tile—if you must wash larger clothing items here, ask your host about us-
ing their clothesline.
$$$ Heritage Hotel, next to the main boat dock, is the town's fanciest place to stay. It
has 34 rooms with modern furnishings in a lakeside main building with an elevator; uphill
are another 20 rooms in two separate buildings for those willing to climb stairs for better
views (Sb-€150, Db-€209, free sauna, free cable Internet in rooms and Wi-Fi in lobby, laun-
dry service-€13, Landungsplatz 120, tel. [phone], fax [phone], www.hotel-hall-
statt.com , [e-mail] ).
$$$HotelGrünerBaum, ontheothersideofthechurchfromthemainboatdock,hasa
greatlocation,frontingMarketSquareandoverlookingthelakeinback.Theowner,Monika,