AreaStays
The Uhrturm clock tower atop Graz's Schlossberg hill, overlooking the old town's red rooftops

C.Stadler/Bwag / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Austria

Where to Stay in Graz

Graz is Austria's second-largest city, set in the southeast around a bend of the Mur River in Styria. Its old town, a dense grid of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque buildings below the Schlossberg hill, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. A large student population across several universities gives Graz a livelier, younger feel than its size might suggest, and a wave of contemporary architecture — most visibly the Kunsthaus Graz — sits directly against the historic core.

Quick facts

Best time to visit
Late spring through early autumn (May-September) brings the best weather for the Schlossberg's gardens and the city's many outdoor cafés, with long daylight hours for walking the old town. December draws visitors for the Christmas markets on Hauptplatz and around the Schlossberg. Winters are cold and grey but far less crowded, and hotel rates tend to be lower outside the summer and Advent peaks.
Renting a car
You don't need a car to see Graz's old town — it's compact, largely pedestrianized, and well served by trams that connect the center to the train station and outlying sights like Eggenberg Palace. Parking in the historic core is limited and restricted, so a car is more of a liability than a help unless you're using Graz as a base for day trips into the surrounding Styrian countryside or wine region.

Where to stay

Graz's Hauptplatz main square lined with pastel townhouses, with the Uhrturm clock tower visible on the Schlossberg hill behind

Michael Stiedl / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Altstadt

Best for: First-time visitors, Couples, Architecture lovers

The glass-and-steel Kunsthaus Graz, nicknamed the 'Friendly Alien,' rising above Lend's rooftops beside the Mur River

Georg Mittenecker / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5

Lend

Best for: Couples, Architecture lovers, Budget travelers

Compare neighborhoods

AreaBest forAdvantageTrade-off
AltstadtFirst-time visitorsThe cathedral, Landhaus, Hauptplatz, and Schlossberg are all within an easy walk of each other.Rooms directly on Hauptplatz or the busiest lanes can pick up evening bar and restaurant noise.
LendCouplesA short walk or tram ride from the old town, with generally better value than comparable old-town hotels.Puts most of the old town's headline sights a 10-15 minute walk away rather than right outside the door.

Our picks for Graz

A handful of editorial calls across every neighborhood above, not just the highest star rating — see each hotel's own card further down for the full case for and against it.

🏆 Our overall pickAiola Living Boutique Hotel GrazAltstadt💰 Best valueLendhotelLend✨ Best luxurySchlossberghotelAltstadt📍 Best locationPalais-Hotel Erzherzog JohannAltstadt

A couple of hotels in Altstadt

Altstadt is the top-recommended area to stay in Graz.

Palais-Hotel Erzherzog Johann

★★★★
  • 📍 Best location

Our take The location here is about as central as Graz's old town gets, and the glass-roofed atrium at the heart of the building gives it a grander feel than most hotels of its size. It suits travelers who want a heritage stay without leaving the old town's main streets.

Good for

  • Couples
  • First-time visitors
  • Architecture lovers

Good for couples and first-time visitors who want a historic building right in the middle of the old town, within a couple of minutes of Hauptplatz and the riverside.

Why we like it

  • Steps from Hauptplatz and the Mur riverside, in the heart of the old town.
  • Built around a glass-roofed atrium courtyard that houses the hotel's restaurant, a distinctive architectural feature.
  • Set in a 19th-century palace building with period details throughout.
  • Close enough to the Schlossberg funicular and the Kunsthaus to reach either on foot.

What to know

  • Being right on Sackstraße means some rooms can hear street activity, particularly on weekend evenings.
  • As a historic palace conversion, some rooms and bathrooms are more compact than in a modern build.
Check availability on Booking.com

Aiola Living Boutique Hotel Graz

★★★★
  • 🏆 Our overall pick
  • 🏛️ Best for architecture & design

Our take For a first stay in Graz's old town, this is a hard combination to beat — genuinely central, individually designed rooms rather than a single repeated layout, and consistently strong guest feedback without old-town prices at the very top of the market. If you're only booking one hotel in Altstadt, this is a reasonable place to start.

Good for

  • First-time visitors
  • Couples
  • Architecture lovers

Good for first-time visitors and couples who want a central, design-conscious stay a couple of minutes from Hauptplatz.

Why we like it

  • A few minutes' walk from Hauptplatz, the cathedral, and the Landhaus.
  • Each room is individually designed rather than following a single template, which gives the property more character than a standard business hotel.
  • A fitness center is available on site, useful for a longer stay.
  • Central without sitting directly on the busiest party lanes, so it's generally calmer than a Hauptplatz-facing room.

What to know

  • Room sizes and layouts vary given the individually designed concept — worth checking room details if a specific size matters to you.
  • Some room categories book up quickly in summer given the central location.
Check availability on Booking.com

Useful travel information

The currency is the euro and German is the local language, though English is widely understood in hotels and restaurants. Graz Airport sits about 10km south of the center, roughly a 20-25 minute bus or taxi ride, with fewer direct international connections than Vienna — many visitors arrive by train instead, into Graz Hauptbahnhof. Trams and buses cover the city cheaply, and the old town itself is best explored on foot.

Tips

  • The Schlossberg can be reached on foot up several stairways, by the funicular (Schlossbergbahn), or by a glass lift built into the hillside — worth timing for a clear day given the views over the old town's rooftops.
  • Hauptplatz and the surrounding lanes get genuinely busy with tour groups by mid-morning in summer; an early walk before breakfast is a quieter way to see the main sights.
  • The Kunsthaus Graz and the old town sit on opposite banks of the Mur, connected by the Hauptbrücke and the Murinsel, an artificial floating island with a café — a good link if you're splitting time between the two areas.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Graz?
One to two full days covers the old town, the Schlossberg, and the Kunsthaus comfortably. Add a day if you want to visit Eggenberg Palace or take a day trip into the Styrian wine country nearby.
Is Graz worth visiting?
Yes — it's a compact, walkable UNESCO World Heritage old town with a livelier, younger feel than Austria's more heavily touristed cities, plus a striking contrast between historic and contemporary architecture.
Do you need a car in Graz?
No. The old town is pedestrian-friendly and trams cover the rest of the city. A car mainly helps for day trips into the surrounding Styrian countryside.

Related destinations