Is Gries a good area to stay in Graz?

It works well for travelers who want to be close to the old town for less money and don't mind a district that feels like a real, working part of the city rather than a polished tourist quarter — especially if you pick a hotel on or near the riverside close to the Hauptbrücke.

Is Gries safe to stay in?

Generally yes, especially near the riverside and Griesplatz, though a few streets around Griesgasse have a lingering red-light-district reputation and can feel rougher at night — worth factoring in when picking a specific hotel.

Where to Stay in Gries, Graz

What it's actually like to stay here

Gries has long been Graz's most multicultural district — Griesgasse in particular has been a center of the city's Bosnian and Turkish communities for decades — and today that shows up mainly in its food scene, with Thai, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern, and African restaurants alongside traditional Austrian ones. It's grittier and less polished than the old town or even Lend, with some streets feeling worn rather than curated, and parts of the district, especially around Griesgasse, have historically been associated with the city's red-light trade — a legacy that's fading but still visible on a few blocks. Annenstraße itself was one of Austria's busiest shopping streets in the 1970s and has quieted considerably since, though a 2012-13 redevelopment (wider sidewalks, largely one-way traffic) has helped revive it.

Stay here if

Good for budget-conscious travelers and couples who want to be a short walk from the old town without old-town prices, and who don't mind a neighborhood that feels lived-in and unpolished rather than postcard-pretty. Its riverside edge near the Hauptbrücke, in particular, puts you close to both the old town and the Kunsthaus in Lend.

Stay elsewhere if

First-time visitors who want to be surrounded by sights rather than everyday city life should look at Altstadt or Lend instead — Gries is a real, working residential and commercial district first, not a curated tourist quarter. Travelers who want a purely quiet, tidy streetscape should also know that some blocks, particularly around Griesgasse, can feel rougher after dark, and it's worth choosing a hotel on or near the riverside rather than deeper into the district if that matters to you.

Walkability: Walkable, though less compact and polished underfoot than the old town. The riverside stretch along Grieskai is a few minutes from the Hauptbrücke and the old town; Griesplatz and the district's core sit a little further in, roughly a 10-15 minute walk from Hauptplatz.
Noise at night: Mixed. The riverside and the streets around Griesplatz carry steady daytime and evening foot traffic, restaurant activity, and some traffic noise from Annenstraße; quieter residential streets are close by but not always predictable block to block, so it's worth checking a specific hotel's exact street.

Best Hotels in Gries, Graz

🏛️ Best for architecture & design

Our take The Art Nouveau facade and riverside setting make this one of Graz's more architecturally distinctive addresses, and its spot at the foot of the Hauptbrücke puts you close to the Kunsthaus while still being an easy walk to the old town.

Good for

Couples
Architecture lovers

Good for couples and architecture fans who want a historic Art Nouveau building right on the river, close to both the old town and the Kunsthaus.

Why we like it

An original early-20th-century Art Nouveau facade on the Mur riverfront, a landmark building in its own right.
A short walk from the Kunsthaus across the river in Lend.
The old town's Hauptplatz is reachable on foot across the Hauptbrücke in around 10-15 minutes.
Generally quieter at night than hotels directly on the old town's busiest lanes.

What to know

Being on the Gries side of the river means the old town's main sights are a short walk or tram ride away rather than immediately outside, though this stretch of riverfront is right at the Hauptbrücke and closer than most of the district.
Room styles can vary between the historic and renovated sections of the building.

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Transportation & practical information

Trams and buses along Grieskai and Annenstraße connect Gries to the old town, the train station, and the rest of the city cheaply. Graz Hauptbahnhof is roughly a 15-20 minute walk or about a 7 minute bus ride from Griesplatz, and Graz Airport is about 20 minutes by taxi, or roughly 30-40 minutes by public bus (line 630, with a transfer to the tram).

A car isn't necessary for staying in Gries — trams, buses, and walking cover the old town and the rest of the city easily, and street parking is limited. It only becomes worth considering for day trips outside Graz.

Frequently asked questions

Is Gries a good area to stay in Graz?: It works well for travelers who want to be close to the old town for less money and don't mind a district that feels like a real, working part of the city rather than a polished tourist quarter — especially if you pick a hotel on or near the riverside close to the Hauptbrücke.
Is Gries safe to stay in?: Generally yes, especially near the riverside and Griesplatz, though a few streets around Griesgasse have a lingering red-light-district reputation and can feel rougher at night — worth factoring in when picking a specific hotel.