Thursday, March 06, 2008

My Stay At Grand Hotel Europa

I recently visited Innsbruck Austria for a friend’s wedding.  The bride recommended staying at Grand Hotel Europa and I was sure glad she did.  This hotel was built in 1869 and is located in the heart of the city.  I felt it was an ideal location and it provided a wonderful Austrian atmosphere.  Innsbruck is the capital of the federal state Tyrol and the biggest city in the Western part of Austria.

We arrived at the hotel after a lengthy travel day and I was weary and really just wanted to get into my room to collapse.  Advertised as the only five star hotel in Innsbruck, I was hopeful that it would meet all our expectations.

Friendly front desk staff immediately greeted us.  They were quick and efficient in assigning our room and giving us a brief overview of the hotel’s amenities.  A bell captain assisted us with our luggage and escorted us to our room.  The room was decorated in a traditional style and had everything we needed.  And I didn’t collapse on the bed for a nice nap!! One disappointment was that the wireless Internet didn’t work in our room – not a big deal – but we were hoping to keep in touch with our laptop.

I definitely appreciated that the hotel was a non-smoking one since I’ve been in some European hotels that still allow smoking.  One downside was that we found the bar smoky.  In terms of food, we really enjoyed our breakfast at the hotel.  They had an immense, fresh and delicious breakfast buffet that gave us everything we could hope for.  It was a wonderful way to fuel up before doing some sightseeing. 

Speaking of sightseeing, the location of the hotel was ideal.  It is centrally located so it made it easy to get to everything we wanted to see in the old city.  Innsbruck is surrounded by tall mountains like Nordkette, Patscherkofel and Serles so it is easy to take in a day of skiing.  The ski bus stops right in front of the hotel door giving us the ultimate in convenience!

My stomach just rumbled so it reminded me to tell you that apparently the best restaurant in town is located right in the hotel.  If you stay at the hotel, you simply must make time to have a meal at this restaurant.  We did – and WOW – it was amazing.  The restaurant Europastüberl was won several awards – including one from Gault Millau.  You’ll have an opportunity to try delicious Tyrolean dishes and to enjoy the local produce prepared to perfection.

Another bonus of the hotel is that it is only a five-minute walk to the casino.  If you enjoy gambling then this is the place to be.  It is a wonderful way to enjoy lively gaming, charming entertainment and culinary wonders!  The casino offers 22 gaming tables, 199 slot machines and various event programs.  Ask the staff at the Grand Hotel Europa to let you know what’s happening at the casino because the entertainment changes regularly.
I hope to have another opportunity to visit the charming city of Innsbruck and to stay at the Grand Hotel Europa.  If you are interested in your own trip, check out Virgin Vacations Austria travel deals!

Posted by busybee203 on 03/06 at 05:34 PM
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