The most Austrian of cities, Salzburg is an instant heart-stealer. It’s backdropped by the Mönchsberg, a mount rising like a gentle giant above the old town’s alleys and abbeys, plazas and palaces. Topping it is a 900-year-old fortress straight out of a kids’ story, while the mountains on the horizon remind you that the Alps are but a yodel away. The hotel scene mirrors the city itself: petite, characterful and surprisingly varied, skipping from revamped medieval inns to affordable palace stays. If you’re visiting, book now: in 2025, Salzburg will celebrate 60 years of The Sound of Music with performances, exhibitions and tours of filming locations.

Best for romantics
This 16th-century castle hotel is so romantic, you half expect a Disney princess to waft out of the door. Perched atop Mönchsberg, it surveys Salzburg from on high, the baroque city unfurling below and the snow-dusted Alps etched on the horizon. The building is powder-puff pink and whimsically turreted, and rooms are modern-classic, with parquet floors, champagne and cream tones, chandeliers, re-upholstered antiques and the occasional hint of ruby red. There’s a sense of leaving the city behind here, whether you’re drifting in the spa’s outdoor infinity pool or wandering the castle’s prettily wooded parkland. The clincher is the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Glass Garden. Centred around a hand-blown glass sculpture by American artist Dale Chihuly and topped by a striking glass-vaulted ceiling, it serves season-led tasting menus featuring the likes of dove breast with pumpkin and Périgord truffle. Rooms: From €414 (£345), B&B.

Best for The Sound of Music nostalgia
This rococo palace is spread across 17 acres of parkland, with knockout views of the mountains and 900-year-old Hohensalzburg fortress on Mönchsberg. If you love The Sound of Music, you might recognise the setting — the rowboat scene, where the von Trapp kids tumble into the lake, was filmed here. Pick between 12 suites in the main palace, with high ceilings, antique furniture and the finest views of the gardens; or smart, modern — and cheaper — rooms in a revamped 300-year-old annex. The perks are the same: lavish breakfasts, walks in the grounds and access to a magnificent baroque library — plus free bike rental and entry to the adjacent public lido. Rooms: From €162 (£135), B&B.

Best for old-school luxury
Think Sacher and you might picture the namesake torte, believed to have been invented by confectioner Franz Sacher in 1832 for Viennese royalty. This grand hotel, part of an Austrian hospitality group founded by Franz’s son, hits the sweet spot, too. Every cream-panelled, chandelier-lit room comes with the trimmings expected of five-star digs — gilt-framed oil paintings, antiques and sparkling marble bathrooms — but blow the budget on a signature suite for fortress views. You’re in good company: Julie Andrews, the Dalai Lama and Tom Hanks top the list of famous past guests. A smart grill restaurant, opulent cafe and health club with sauna, fitness centre and treatments are the icing on the rich chocolate cake. Rooms: From €315 (£260).

Best for restful breaks
Birds twitter and fountains splash in the vine-draped gardens of this villa hotel. It’s just a 10-minute toddle from baroque Schloss Mirabell, where Maria teaches the von Trapp kids to sing Do-Re-Mi in The Sound of Music, and the banks of the Salzach, the fast-flowing river that cuts through the city. Yet, it feels like an escape. If the weather’s fine, breakfast is served on the terrace — and what a breakfast it is. With honey from the hotel’s own hives, homemade spreads and preserves, flavourful porridge (with raisins and spices like cardamom and cinnamon) and fresh-pressed juices, it’s how every day should begin. The mood is mellow here, from the warm-toned, wood-floored rooms to the spa, offering a Finnish sauna, massages, morning yoga and a terrace peeking above the rooftops and wooded hills. Rooms: From €150 (£125).

Best for river & city views
On the banks of the Salzach, this adults-only address has dress-circle views of the UNESCO-listed Altstadt (old town) and Hohensalzburg fortress — the sort of panorama you often pay handsomely for. Dodge high season, however, and it comes with a budget price tag. It’s one of Salzburg’s oldest inns, but the late 14th-century bones underpin chic, modern rooms. Crisp white bedding and clean lines are enlivened by pops of cobalt blue, Venetian glass chandeliers and large-scale, black-and-white murals of historic landmarks. There’s also a bijou spa and a city-facing rooftop restaurant and bar, Steinterrasse, for dishes from dim sum to pasta with truffle. Rooms: From €128 (£105).

Best for urban vibes
Most Salzburg hotels have historic settings, but this 15-floor option is refreshingly modern — one of few high-rises in a low-lying city. The rooms reference Scandi-style minimalism, from the monochrome tones to the clever backlighting, and the glass walls frame a panorama that reaches the Alps — executive ones have freestanding tubs to enjoy it while relaxing with Rituals toiletries. Even better, head to the top-floor Sky Bar restaurant or the roof terrace, which opens in the summer and has 360-degree views. Rooms: From €108 (£90).

Best for art & design
Set inside a building that’s operated as an inn since 1350, this boutique hotel has stepped from historic to cool without missing a beat. The 34 rooms are big on character, with hardwood floors, one-of-a-kind art on stone walls and bathrooms with souvenir bath ducks. There’s a library for browsing design books, a terrace to sip summer aperitifs and a glass atrium overlooking the kitchen herb garden. The restaurant riffs on regional produce in dishes like saddle of venison with spruce crust and buckthorn jus. Rooms: From €179 (£150).

Best for medieval history
In the historic heart, Goldgasse is a lane where gold and silversmiths plied their trade in the Middle Ages. Here, a minute’s walk from the Residenz palace and domed cathedral, you’ll find this hotel inside a 14th-century townhouse. It preserves original features, including thick, limewashed walls and heavy wood beams, which are given pride of place in 15 pared-back rooms. Street-facing ones are within earshot of church bells but may come with evening noise; for more peace, opt for the courtyard side. Rooms: From €199 (£165), B&B.

Best for Mozart fans
Wedged in among the townhouses on Linzer Gasse, Salzburg’s main pedestrian thoroughfare, this boutique hotel pays tribute to the city’s prodigal son. It’s right next to St Sebastian’s Cemetery, where Mozart’s father, Leopold, and wife, Constanze, are buried, and less than a 10-minute walk from both his birthplace and later residence, now popular museums. The river and Schloss Mirabell are just a stroll away, too. It’s set in a restored 500-year-old building, and the interiors combine stone vaults and reupholstered antiques with pops of crisp colour, like velvet armchairs in sapphire blue or emerald. The large-scale prints on the walls were created by artists from the Brera Fine Arts Academy in Milan, where Mozart stayed during his first trip to Italy in the 18th century. Rooms: From €113 (£95).

Best for opera enthusiasts
Duck down a back alley in Salzburg’s medieval core to find this 700-year-old building, which interweaves historic flair with contemporary style. Its 16 rooms and suites contrast original stucco, beams and flagstones with flamboyant, hand-blown glass chandeliers and SMEG fridges stocked with free drinks. Each room has giant prints of operas from the Salzburg Festival, on for five weeks each summer; to experience the real thing, the Great Festival Hall, host to many performances, is but a five-minute walk away. Downstairs, Gasthof Goldgasse is an inn in the traditional Austrian mould: vaulted, pine-clad and full of chatter. Snag a table for a multi-tiered breakfast feast of homemade bircher muesli, fresh-baked pastries, Alpine ham and cheeses. You can also book dinner for classics from schnitzel to a perfectly flaky strudel. Rooms: From €160 (£135).