Steigenberger Hotel & Spa Krems

“Hotel worth its money”

Exellent lacation for exploring Wachau Valley and surrounding attractions.

“Be careful which room you book as air conditioning isn’t standard”

We visited very briefly during a heatwave, the room allocated was absolutely roasting hot and we decided not to stay. We had been on holiday travelling round Austria and had checked the websites of all our hotels to make sure they had air conditioning as soon as it was apparent that heat would be a… more

We visited very briefly during a heatwave, the room allocated was absolutely roasting hot and we decided not to stay. We had been on holiday travelling round Austria and had checked the websites of all our hotels to make sure they had air conditioning as soon as it was apparent that heat would be an issue, and on the steinberger website, air conditioning is clearly advertised on the hotel features page, with a symbol depicting a/c. On enquiring at reception, the loophole is that only certain categories of room have a/c, but you only know this if you click on all the categories before you book to find out what rooms have a/c or not. If you’re booking it on a phone with small screen, if you click on the dates you want then select a picture of a room, it goes to the payment stage without giving you the full room amenities, so it’s not clear at all. What is clear is that in all the areas we visited, hallways, lobby and reception area - there is no a/c. Looking at reviews (albeit too late!) it seems that a/c is only in the newer bit of the hotel. I’m writing this review in the hope that someone at steinberger reads it and sorts out the terrible website. All they have to do is remove the a/c symbol on the hotel homepage… doesn’t seem that difficult. I’m also giving 4 stars on here as to not ruin their rating due to this annoyance, apart from the roasting temperature in June 2026, the room was modern, clean and the public areas looked fine, parking outside on the road free or underground car park for a charge. In retrospect, if we had booked via booking.com and not the hotel’s own website, it’s clearly stated whether a/c is in the room type, why it can’t be clear on their own website, I don’t know.

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“A Curate's Egg of a hotel - Good in parts !”

The service and food are excellent. A should iut to the barman in the Sky bar and the restaurant tea. Breakfast is excellent and the dinner we had in the restaurant was very good too. We were recommended the local Buchecker Zweigelt Exclusiv red wine and we were impressed. There is no air-condition… more

The service and food are excellent. A should iut to the barman in the Sky bar and the restaurant tea. Breakfast is excellent and the dinner we had in the restaurant was very good too. We were recommended the local Buchecker Zweigelt Exclusiv red wine and we were impressed. There is no air-conditioning in this hotel. The Wachau Valley is always hot in the summer and this August it was in excess of 30C /90F and humid. The rooms are looking tired too. Previously I have stayed at this hotel in the winter and this has not mattered but with climate change (is that ironic?), this needs to be addressed.

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“Beautiful grounds and spa, but the service and room comfort were underwhelming”

My wife and I stayed at the Steigenberger Hotel & Spa Krems during our honeymoon. Overall, the property has some genuinely beautiful elements, but the experience was uneven and fell short in several important areas. When we arrived, our room was not yet ready. Reception was polite and kind, though… more

My wife and I stayed at the Steigenberger Hotel & Spa Krems during our honeymoon. Overall, the property has some genuinely beautiful elements, but the experience was uneven and fell short in several important areas. When we arrived, our room was not yet ready. Reception was polite and kind, though fairly reserved, and there was no verbal acknowledgment of our honeymoon at check-in. The lobby itself felt noticeably dated, which was a surprising contrast to the newer Goldberg wing and the hotel grounds. The grounds are easily the strongest feature of the property. The setting above Krems is breathtaking, with landscaped outdoor areas, vineyards on the hillside, views over the town, and the Danube visible in the distance. The pool area is gorgeous, and the sanctuary-style garden with loungers was especially peaceful. The spa facilities were also very well done. There is an indoor pool, outdoor pool, several saunas, relaxation areas, and a hot tub, although the water was not particularly hot by American standards. The spa staff were on holiday during our stay, which I knew in advance, so treatments were unavailable, but the facilities themselves were excellent. Our room in the Goldberg wing was beautiful and looked exactly as depicted in the photographs. We had a lovely view of the hillside and vines, and the hotel provided champagne and cookies as a honeymoon welcome, which we appreciated. The biggest problem was the air conditioning. Despite adjusting the reservation specifically to ensure that we had an air-conditioned room, the system cooled very poorly. My wife and I slept uncomfortably hot both nights, and it often seemed that opening the balcony doors would have been more effective than using the AC. This was a significant disappointment, particularly during a summer stay. Breakfast was very good, with a generous spread of meats, cheeses, breads, pastries, and a dedicated egg and omelet station. We also dined at the hotel restaurant one evening. Service was quite slow. We were initially told that outdoor seating was unavailable due to capacity, yet another couple arriving after us was asked to wait and was later moved outside. That inconsistency was frustrating. Our server eventually helped us move to the terrace, where the views and atmosphere were very enjoyable. The food was good, though not especially memorable, and the evening became a long, leisurely dinner. Overall, the hotel has an exceptional setting, beautiful grounds, attractive newer rooms, and excellent spa facilities. The weaker points were the underwhelming service, inconsistent restaurant handling, dated lobby, and ineffective air conditioning. Would I stay again? Possibly, but I would also explore other upscale spa options in the Wachau region before returning.

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