Best Hotels in Graz for Every Budget — 49 Real Picks From £40 (2026)

Graz hotels in this guide start at about £40 a night at the a&o beside the main railway station, the single cheapest room in the whole post, and climb to just £254 at the Schlossberghotel — and that top figure is worth pausing on, because it belongs to the only hotel in the city that clears the five-star bar. This is the honest shape of Graz, and it is the opposite of the story in Austria's headline cities. There is no long row of grand luxury names here, no cluster of £400-a-night grande dames. Graz has one genuine standout at the top and then a deep, unusually strong field of mid-range and characterful budget hotels beneath it — and for most visitors that is very good news indeed.

Graz is Austria's second city, the capital of Styria, and above all a university town: some sixty thousand students give it a young, relaxed, faintly bohemian feel that is a world away from the imperial polish of Vienna or the festival crowds of Salzburg. It is also calmer and materially cheaper than either. The great bulk of the hotels below sit in a broad and honest middle band — most of the four-stars fall between about £55 and £110 a night — and the most affordable tier runs from roughly £40 to £115, which for a UNESCO World Heritage city centre is genuinely good value. Nobody is going to tell you Graz is dirt-cheap; the prices are moderate, not rock-bottom. But your money goes further here than almost anywhere else in Austria.

Because Graz does not have Salzburg's festival spike or Vienna's peaks, its prices also stay remarkably steady across the year. The figures below were sampled for a typical shoulder-season stay, and while they will move a little with your dates and how far ahead you book, they do not swing violently the way rates in the more touristed cities do. That makes Graz an easy city to plan and budget for: put your real dates into any hotel link and what comes back will usually be close to what you see here.

Jump to your budget: Luxury · Mid-range · Most affordable from £40 · FAQs

Scout's 3 picks: 🏰 Schlossberghotel — from ~£254, the one true five-star in Graz, a boutique art hotel tucked under the Schlossberg with a small pool and a rooftop terrace over the old-town roofs. 🏨 Radisson Hotel Graz — from ~£59, the most-reviewed four-star in the guide, with over seven thousand reviews, a dependable modern base near the centre. 💷 a&o Graz Hauptbahnhof — from ~£40, the cheapest room in the post, a big budget hotel right by the station. From-prices are live rates sampled for a shoulder-season stay — tap any hotel for today's price on your dates.

Some practical UK-departure basics before the hotels. Getting there takes a little thought. Graz Airport (GRZ) is a small regional airport with only a thin, mostly seasonal scattering of direct UK links, so the reliable route for most UK travellers is to fly to Vienna and take the train — Vienna to Graz is about 2 hours 30 minutes on a direct railjet service over the historic, UNESCO-listed Semmering mountain line, one of the prettiest rail journeys in the country. Others fly into Ljubljana in Slovenia, about two hours south by road, or connect through Frankfurt, Munich or Vienna on a through-ticket. Check live routes for your dates rather than assuming a direct flight exists.

On visas and the border, do not guess — check. UK passport holders do not need a visa for Austria: it is in the Schengen Area, and you can visit for up to 90 days in any 180-day period for tourism. But the EU border is changing. The Entry/Exit System (EES) replaces the passport stamp with fingerprints and a photo, and ETIAS, a paid online travel authorisation you apply for in advance, is due to follow. Both have had their start dates pushed back more than once, so rather than trust a date printed here, read the current UK Foreign Office travel advice for Austria before you book flights, and use the official Austria tourism site for opening hours and the current events calendar.

The currency is the euro — straightforward for most UK visitors, with one habit worth building. Cards and contactless work almost everywhere a tourist goes, but Austria is more cash-friendly than Britain: some small guesthouses, bakeries, market stalls and the Buschenschank wine taverns out in the countryside still prefer cash, so carry a little. The upside compared with North America is that VAT is already in the price on the shelf, so the number you see is broadly the number you pay, and tipping is modest — round up the bill or add 5 to 10 per cent for good service, no more.

The last thing to fix in your head before the hotels is where in Graz to sleep, because the choice is simpler here than in most cities. It comes down to three areas: the Altstadt, the compact UNESCO old town under the Schlossberg, where you are on the doorstep of everything and central rooms are broader and better value than in Salzburg or Vienna; the leafy university district of Geidorf just north-east, quiet and local and good for apartments and families; and the practical belt around the Hauptbahnhof to the west, where the Vienna trains arrive and the budget and mid-range chains cluster, a flat 15 to 20 minute walk or a few tram stops from the old town. That trade-off between being in the old town, feeling like a resident, or paying least by the station runs through the whole list below, and we have flagged it hotel by hotel.

Compare live Graz hotel prices or search UK flights to Graz (GRZ).

The Best-Rated Hotels in Graz

Eleven hotels open this guide: the single five-star first, then the ten strongest four-stars, ranked within that tier by review volume. Be clear-eyed about the shape of it. Graz has exactly one hotel that reaches five stars — the Schlossberghotel — and this post is not going to pad the top of the list to pretend otherwise. What sits below it is the real strength of the city: a deep, well-reviewed field of four-star hotels running from about £55 to £109 a night, most of them central or near-central, several with thousands of reviews behind them. This is where the majority of visitors should look, and the value is excellent. From-prices are live rates sampled for a shoulder-season stay and will move a little with your dates.

Luxury — the one five-star

1. Schlossberghotel — Graz · 5★ · 2,110 reviews · from ~£254/night. The one hotel in Graz that clears the five-star bar, and a genuinely special one. The Schlossberghotel is a boutique art hotel built into the rock at the foot of the Schlossberg, a couple of minutes' walk from Hauptplatz in the heart of the old town, and it is stuffed with a serious private collection of art and antiques — this is a hotel with real character, not a chain flagship. There is a small rooftop pool and terrace with a view over the old-town roofs, individually styled rooms, and the kind of personal service a family-run property does better than a corporate one. At £254 it is comfortably the priciest room in this guide, and the only one near that figure — but it is also the single most distinctive place to stay in the city. If you are going to splurge once in Graz, splurge here.

From-prices were sampled for a shoulder-season stay and will move with your dates. See all Graz stays or search flights to GRZ.

Mid-range — the four-star tier

Ten four-star hotels, ranked by review volume, and this is the real heart of Graz. They run from about £55 to £109 a night — a tight, sensible band with none of the wild spread you see in festival cities — and most are central or a short tram ride from the old town. Several carry thousands of reviews, which means you can research them properly before you book. If the Schlossberghotel is out of budget, and for most visitors it will be, this is the tier to shop in: dependable four-star comfort at prices that would buy you a basic room at best in Salzburg.

2. Radisson Hotel Graz — Graz · 4★ · 7,022 reviews · from ~£59/night. The most-reviewed hotel in this entire guide, with over seven thousand reviews, and at £59 one of the best value-for-evidence bookings in the post. A large, modern Radisson within easy reach of the centre, with the reliable rooms, gym and breakfast you expect from the brand and enough feedback that you can research it thoroughly before committing. Check the exact address on the live page, but on sheer weight of evidence and a keen price, this is one of the safest bookings in Graz.

3. IntercityHotel Graz — Graz · 4★ · 6,967 reviews · from ~£64/night. Nearly seven thousand reviews at £64, and the brand does exactly what its name promises: IntercityHotels sit beside main railway stations, so this one is a couple of minutes from Graz Hauptbahnhof — ideal if you are arriving on the Vienna railjet or catching an early train out. Rooms are contemporary and consistent, many guests get a free local transport pass with the stay, and the old town is a flat 15-minute walk or a short tram down Annenstraße. A practical, dependable base for rail travellers.

4. Hotel Weitzer Graz - Centre of Graz — Graz · 4★ · 6,837 reviews · from ~£84/night. A large, long-established Graz institution on the Grieskai, the west bank of the Mur directly across the river from the old town — a two-minute walk over the bridge to Hauptplatz. Nearly seven thousand reviews, a good in-house restaurant and bar, and a genuinely central position make it one of the strongest four-stars in the guide at £84. If you want a proper full-service hotel a stone's throw from the centre without the Schlossberghotel's price, this is a natural pick.

5. NH Graz City — Graz · 4★ · 5,709 reviews · from ~£73/night. The reliable NH brand in a central "City" position, at £73 with over five thousand reviews. Rooms are business-standard and predictable, which is precisely what a lot of travellers want from a walkable central base — no surprises, a good breakfast, and a location you can confirm on the live page. A safe, low-drama four-star at a fair price, and a sensible family or business booking.

6. PLAZA INN Graz City — Graz · 4★ · 5,659 reviews · from ~£73/night. A modern four-star from the German-Austrian PLAZA chain at £73, with over five thousand reviews behind it. Functional, comfortable rooms and consistent standards, with the "City" tag pointing to a central or near-central position you should confirm on the live page. At the same price as the NH above, worth comparing the two side by side on exact location before you choose — both are safe, both are keenly priced.

7. Palais-Hotel Erzherzog Johann — Graz · 4★ · 4,827 reviews · from ~£102/night. The most characterful four-star in this tier and one of the loveliest addresses in the city: a historic palais hotel on Sackstraße, in the very heart of the old town, built around a glass-roofed inner courtyard where breakfast and drinks are served. Nearly five thousand reviews, period grandeur, and a location you cannot better for the old town. At £102 it is near the top of the four-star band, but you are paying for genuine history and a bang-central position — for atmosphere on a mid-range budget, this is the one.

8. Austria Trend Hotel Europa Graz Hauptbahnhof — Graz · 4★ · 3,869 reviews · from ~£55/night. The cheapest four-star in the guide at £55, and a genuine bargain for the star rating: a large, dependable Austria Trend hotel right by the main station, with nearly four thousand reviews. The name tells you the trade — you are at the Hauptbahnhof rather than in the old town — but that is a flat 15 to 20 minute walk or a couple of tram stops away, and for four-star comfort at this price it is hard to argue with. A strong value pick for rail arrivals and budget-minded families.

9. Hotel Mercure Graz City — Graz · 4★ · 3,145 reviews · from ~£59/night. An Accor Mercure four-star at £59 with over three thousand reviews — dependable chain standards, a central-ish "City" position to confirm on the live page, and the reassurance of a known brand for a family booking. At the same price as the far more heavily reviewed Radisson, it is worth weighing the two on exact location, but the Mercure is a perfectly solid, well-priced central four-star in its own right.

10. Blackhome Graz I contactless check-in — Graz · 4★ · 3,131 reviews · from ~£109/night. A modern apartment-hotel with contactless self-check-in at £109, the priciest four-star in this tier, with over three thousand reviews. The format is the draw: serviced apartments with kitchenettes and keyless entry, aimed at independent travellers, couples and small families who want space and self-catering over a reception desk. Good for longer stays where a kitchen quietly cuts the eating-out bill; check the exact location and the apartment size on the live page.

11. Lendhotel — Graz · 4★ · 2,953 reviews · from ~£96/night. A smart, design-led four-star in the hip Lend district on the west bank, the arty, bar-lined quarter around the Kunsthaus and Lendplatz market — the coolest part of Graz to base yourself if you want cafés and nightlife over old-town postcards. Nearly three thousand reviews, contemporary rooms, and a short walk over the river to the centre. At £96 it is a stylish, well-placed booking for a younger crowd; confirm the exact street on the live page.

From-prices were sampled for a shoulder-season stay and will move with your dates. See all Graz stays or search flights to GRZ.

Cheap Hotels in Graz — 49 Real, Bookable Options From £40

Thirty-eight properties, from about £40 to £115 a night, listed cheapest first — and this is where Graz really earns its reputation as one of the best-value city breaks in Austria. Unlike Salzburg or Vienna, where the cheapest rooms start well above £100, Graz gives you a real budget floor: the a&o by the station opens the tier at £40, and there is a deep spread of chain budget hotels, apartments, hostels and characterful family-run houses through the £50 to £115 band. The prices are moderate rather than rock-bottom — this is a prosperous UNESCO city, not a backpacker bargain bin — but pound for pound it is excellent.

Three honest structural notes before you scan, because they decide whether a low number below is actually good news.

First, the cheapest entries are cheapest because of where they are. The budget floor clusters around the Hauptbahnhof to the west and out along the tram lines — towards the Messe exhibition grounds in the south-east, the suburb of Hart bei Graz to the east, and the outer ring generally. The station area is the one genuinely useful budget base for a visitor without a car: it is a flat 15 to 20 minute walk or a few tram stops into the old town, and it is where the Vienna trains arrive. The outer hotels are cheaper again but assume you will ride the tram or drive in — though in calm, tram-friendly Graz that is a far smaller chore than the equivalent in a bigger city. We have flagged the trade hotel by hotel.

Second, review depth varies enormously here. Some entries below carry many thousands of reviews — one has over nine thousand — and a handful carry only a few dozen. A thin review base is a real risk you should price in, not a detail to skim, and we have said so for each. It matters most among the apartment and self-check-in stays at the cheaper end.

Third, star ratings in this tier are supplier-declared, not a formal grading, so read a two-star entry as "basic but real" rather than as a graded classification. Several of the strongest entries carry no star rating at all — including some of the best-reviewed hotels in the whole post, like the B&B Hotel Graz City-Süd and the B&B Hotel Graz-Hbf — because they are modern budget-chain, apartment or self-check-in stays that have not sought a classification. Unrated here does not mean bad; it means unclassified. From-prices are live rates sampled for a shoulder-season stay and will move a little with your dates.

12. a&o Graz Hauptbahnhof — Graz · 2★ · 9,160 reviews · from ~£40/night. The cheapest room in the whole guide at about £40, and with over nine thousand reviews the most-reviewed budget hotel in the post — an enormous evidence base for a booking this cheap. The a&o brand runs big, functional hostel-hotels with private rooms as well as dorms, right by main stations, and this one is on the doorstep of Graz Hauptbahnhof. Rooms are basic and the vibe is young and busy, but for the price and the station location it is unbeatable value. Check the room type on the live page — private double or shared — before you book.

13. harry's home Hart bei Graz hotel & apartments — Graz · 4★ · 2,395 reviews · from ~£52/night. A four-star apartment-hotel at just £52 with nearly two and a half thousand reviews — remarkable value for the rating, with the catch in the name: it is in Hart bei Graz, a suburb east of the city rather than in the centre. The harry's home brand does smart, modern rooms and apartments with kitchenettes, aimed at self-catering travellers and families, usually with easy parking. You will drive or tram in for the sights; check the transport time on the live page, but for a car-borne family this is a lot of hotel for the money.

14. ibis Styles Graz Messe — Graz · 3★ · 3,498 reviews · from ~£53/night. A cheerful, design-led ibis Styles at £53 with nearly three and a half thousand reviews, by the Messe exhibition grounds in the south-east of the city. ibis Styles rooms are bright and modern and the rate almost always includes breakfast, which makes the real price even keener. It is a tram ride from the old town rather than a walk — check the line and the journey on the live page — but as a well-reviewed, breakfast-included budget base it is a dependable pick.

15. Hotel Daniel Graz — Graz · 4★ · 142 reviews · from ~£56/night. A genuinely stylish design hotel at £56 — the Daniel is a small cult brand (there is a sister in Vienna) doing smart, pared-back "smart luxury" rooms at budget prices, right by the main station on Europaplatz, with a rooftop, bike and Vespa hire and a good café. The one caveat is the thin review base here — just 142 — so read them closely, but the concept and the price are among the most interesting in the budget tier. A design-conscious traveller's bargain by the Hauptbahnhof.

16. harry's home Graz-Smart City hotel & apartments — Graz · unrated · 924 reviews · from ~£59/night. The second harry's home in the guide, this one in the new Smart City development near the station rather than out in the suburbs, at £59 with 924 reviews. Same formula: modern rooms and self-catering apartments with kitchenettes and contactless check-in, aimed at independent travellers and families who want space and a kitchen. Unrated for stars but a reliable modern chain; the central-west location is more useful than the Hart bei Graz sister for a car-free visitor. Confirm the exact spot on the live page.

17. Ibis Budget Graz City — Graz · 2★ · 6,970 reviews · from ~£60/night. The no-frills ibis budget line at £60, with a very large review base — nearly seven thousand — which tells you exactly what you are getting: compact, clean, functional rooms with a bed, a shower and little else, run efficiently. The "City" tag points to a reasonably central position you should confirm on the live page. Not characterful, entirely reliable, and one of the best-evidenced cheap bookings in the post for a traveller who just wants a tidy base at a fair price.

18. B&B Hotel Graz City-Süd I Exklusive B&me Benefits — Graz · unrated · 6,053 reviews · from ~£61/night. Part of the B&B Hotels budget chain, in the south of the city, at £61 with a big review base of over six thousand. These are modern, no-nonsense, self-check-in-friendly budget hotels with reliable rooms and easy parking, aimed at drivers and value-hunters. Unrated for stars but very well evidenced — six thousand reviews is a lot of reassurance at this price. You will tram or drive into the centre; check the links on the live page, but for a dependable cheap night it delivers.

19. JUFA Hotel Graz Süd - Self Check-in — Graz · 3★ · 52 reviews · from ~£64/night. A JUFA — the Austrian family-and-budget hotel group — in the south of the city, with self-check-in, at £64. The thin review base of just 52 is the honest caveat here, so read them, but JUFA is a well-run, family-friendly chain known for good-value rooms, parking and generous breakfasts. Better for drivers and families than for a car-free old-town visitor; check the exact location and the tram in on the live page before booking.

20. Hotel Mariahilf im Stadtzentrum — Graz · 3★ · 4,895 reviews · from ~£66/night. One of the best cheap bookings in the guide on the evidence: nearly five thousand reviews at £66, in the lively Mariahilf quarter on the west bank — the arty Lend side around the Kunsthaus, a short walk over the river to the old town. "Im Stadtzentrum" is fair: this is genuinely central for the price, in one of the most characterful parts of the city. A traditional three-star with a strong review base and a great location — confirm exactly where it sits on the live page, but this is a smart pick.

21. Albert Schweitzer Center Graz — Graz · unrated · 2,138 reviews · from ~£66/night. An apartment-and-rooms complex at £66 with over two thousand reviews, unrated for stars because it is a modern serviced-apartment operation rather than a classified hotel. The draw is space and self-catering — kitchenettes that cut the eating-out bill on a longer stay — and the review depth makes it a researchable, low-risk cheap booking. Check the exact location and the walk or tram into the centre on the live page; good for families and longer visits.

22. Hotel Drei Raben — Graz · 4★ · 2,520 reviews · from ~£70/night. A four-star at £70 with over two and a half thousand reviews, a traditional city hotel on Annenstraße, the main artery between the station and the old town — which puts it within easy walking or a couple of tram stops of both. Four-star comfort at this price on a central-ish street is good value; rooms are classic rather than designer. Check the exact spot on the live page, but for dependable comfort between the Hauptbahnhof and Hauptplatz, it is a sensible booking.

23. Motel Graz Ost I Free Parking I Self Check-in — Graz · unrated · 1,061 reviews · from ~£70/night. A modern self-check-in motel with free parking on the east side of the city, at £70 with over a thousand reviews. Unrated for stars, but the format is clear and useful: keyless entry, easy parking and a no-fuss room aimed squarely at drivers. You will drive or tram into the centre — check the journey on the live page — but for a car-borne traveller who wants a simple, cheap, reliable base with the car on the doorstep, it does the job.

24. Moderne und schöne Wohnung — Graz · unrated · 76 reviews · from ~£71/night. A private apartment rental — the name simply means "modern and lovely flat" — at £71, unrated for stars because it is a self-catering flat rather than a hotel. The thin review base of 76 is the honest caveat, so read them, but a whole apartment with a kitchen at this price suits couples, families and longer stays where self-catering cuts the food bill. Check the exact location, the check-in arrangement and what is included on the live page before booking.

25. Appartement in Graz-Geidorf — Graz · unrated · 37 reviews · from ~£71/night. A self-catering apartment in the leafy Geidorf university district north-east of the centre, at £71 — a lovely, calm, residential part of Graz, about a 15-minute walk or a couple of tram stops from Hauptplatz. Just 37 reviews means a thin evidence base, so read them carefully, but for a traveller who wants to feel like a local in a quiet, green neighbourhood, with a kitchen and space, it is an appealing option. Confirm the exact address and check-in on the live page.

26. Sishaus Hostel — Graz · unrated · 1,479 reviews · from ~£72/night. A hostel at £72 with a healthy review base of nearly fifteen hundred, unrated for stars as hostels usually are. At this price the £72 likely buys a private room rather than a dorm bed, but check exactly what you are booking on the live page — private or shared — because that is the whole question with a hostel. Simple, social and functional, it suits budget travellers and younger visitors who value the price and the atmosphere over comfort.

27. Lilians City Center Studio — Graz · 3★ · 24 reviews · from ~£73/night. A self-catering studio in the city centre at £73 — a good location for the price, with a kitchen and space to spread out. The catch is the very thin review base of just 24, the sort of number where you should read every review before committing. For a couple who want a central, independent, apartment-style base and are comfortable with a newer listing, it is worth a look; confirm the exact spot and the check-in process on the live page.

28. JUFA Hotel Graz City — Graz · 3★ · 4,777 reviews · from ~£74/night. The second JUFA in the guide and a much better-evidenced one — nearly five thousand reviews at £74 — carrying the "City" tag for a more central position than the Süd branch. JUFA is a well-run Austrian family-and-budget chain known for good-value rooms, big breakfasts and family facilities, which makes this a dependable, keenly priced pick for families in particular. Check the exact location and the walk or tram into the old town on the live page; on the numbers, a safe cheap booking.

29. B&B Hotel Graz-Hbf — Graz · unrated · 6,020 reviews · from ~£75/night. The second B&B Hotels property in the post, this one right by the Hauptbahnhof as the "Hbf" says, at £75 with a big review base of over six thousand. Modern, no-nonsense, self-check-in-friendly budget rooms with the Vienna trains and the airport bus on the doorstep and a flat walk or short tram into the old town. Unrated for stars but very well evidenced — for a rail-arriving budget traveller, one of the most dependable cheap bookings in the guide.

30. Hotel Greenrooms — Graz · 3★ · 1,767 reviews · from ~£75/night. A modern, design-conscious three-star at £75 with over seventeen hundred reviews — the name points to a fresh, green, contemporary fit-out aimed at the city-break market. Check the exact location on the live page, but the review base is solid and the style a cut above the average budget room at this price. A good middle option for a traveller who wants something a little nicer than a bare chain room without paying four-star money.

31. Hotel Wasserpalast - breakfast for free!!! — Graz · 2★ · 1,564 reviews · from ~£75/night. A two-star at £75 with over fifteen hundred reviews and, as the exuberant name insists, free breakfast included — which sweetens the real price. Two stars means basic and no-frills rather than bad, and the review base is decent. Check the exact location and the transport into the centre on the live page; for a plain, cheap room with breakfast thrown in, it is honest value, though worth comparing against the better-placed three-stars at the same money.

32. Hotel AT HOME - late arrival self check in — Graz · unrated · 2,295 reviews · from ~£76/night. A self-check-in property built for late and flexible arrivals at £76, with over two thousand reviews, unrated for stars. The keyless, no-reception format suits travellers arriving on an odd flight or a late train who do not want to worry about front-desk hours. The review depth makes it a researchable, low-risk cheap booking; check the exact location and the check-in instructions on the live page before you travel.

33. Novapark Das Flugzeughotel — Graz · 3★ · 78 reviews · from ~£76/night. Easily the most unusual hotel in the guide: the "Aeroplane Hotel" has a real decommissioned airliner mounted on the roof, with novelty suites built inside the fuselage, on top of an ordinary three-star hotel on the northern edge of the city. Standard rooms are £76 and the plane suites cost more; the review base of 78 is thin, so read them. It is a gimmick, but a genuinely fun one for aviation-mad kids or a novelty night — check the exact location and what room type you are booking on the live page.

34. Augarten Art Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels — Graz · 4★ · 115 reviews · from ~£86/night. A four-star Design Hotels member at £86 — an art-focused boutique hotel with a rooftop pool and a contemporary-art collection, near the Augarten park just south of the centre. For a design-led four-star with a pool at this price, it is a genuine bargain; the one caveat is the thin review base of 115, so read them. A stylish, arty choice for a couple who want something with character a short walk or tram from the old town — confirm the exact spot on the live page.

35. Grand Hôtel Wiesler Graz — Graz · 4★ · 120 reviews · from ~£87/night. A Graz landmark at a startling price: the Wiesler is a grand Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) hotel on the Grieskai, directly opposite the Kunsthaus on the west bank of the Mur, a two-minute walk over the bridge to the old town — a genuine historic grande dame, and at £87 astonishing value for what it is. The review base of 120 is modest for such a well-known hotel, so read the recent ones, but for period grandeur and a bang-central riverside position at a budget-tier price, this is one of the most interesting bookings in the whole guide.

36. Rauchkuchl CenterCourt Hotel — Graz · 3★ · 769 reviews · from ~£89/night. A three-star with its own restaurant at £89 and over seven hundred reviews — the Rauchkuchl name points to a traditional Styrian kitchen, so the in-house dining is part of the draw. Usually with parking, it works well as a comfortable drivers' base; check the exact location and the tram into the centre on the live page. Honest, old-fashioned value with a good regional restaurant attached, better for a car-borne visitor than a car-free one.

37. Parkhotel Graz - Traditional Luxury — Graz · 4★ · 1,909 reviews · from ~£94/night. A grand, traditional four-star near the Stadtpark on the eastern edge of the old town, at £94 with nearly two thousand reviews — the "Traditional Luxury" tag is the hotel's own, and it points to a classic, full-service city hotel with period style, a restaurant and a central-east position within walking distance of everything. At £94 for a four-star this central and this well-reviewed, it is strong value; confirm the exact spot on the live page.

38. Stoffbauer GmbH — Graz · 3★ · 69 reviews · from ~£96/night. A small three-star guesthouse-hotel at £96 with a thin review base of 69, the sort of number where you should read every review before committing. Family-run Gasthof-style places like this are the Styrian budget staple — simple, clean, personal, usually with parking and a proper breakfast, and typically a little out from the centre. Check the exact location and the transport in on the live page; better for drivers and for anyone who values quiet over a central address.

39. Der Marienhof Hotel Garni — Graz · 4★ · 791 reviews · from ~£97/night. A four-star Hotel Garni — meaning a bed-and-breakfast hotel without a full restaurant — at £97 with nearly eight hundred reviews. Garni hotels are a good-value Austrian format: proper hotel rooms and a generous breakfast, without the overhead of a restaurant, usually family-run and quiet. Check the exact location and the walk or tram into the centre on the live page; a comfortable, personal four-star for a traveller who eats out anyway.

40. Zur Steirerstub'n — Graz · 3★ · 2,950 reviews · from ~£99/night. A traditional Styrian Gasthof — an inn with its own restaurant — at £99 with a strong review base of nearly three thousand, near the station side of the centre. The name means "the Styrian parlour", and the draw is exactly that: hearty regional cooking downstairs and comfortable, classic rooms above, run by a family. Well-placed for a walk or short tram into the old town; check the exact spot on the live page. A characterful, well-reviewed pick for a taste of local Graz.

41. Hotel Alter Telegraf — Graz · 3★ · 1,132 reviews · from ~£100/night. A traditional three-star with its own restaurant at £100 and over eleven hundred reviews, usually with parking — a comfortable, old-school Graz hotel. Check the exact location and the transport into the centre on the live page, because at the £100 mark it is competing with several better-placed options above it in this list. A dependable, unglamorous booking, best for drivers and for anyone who values a restaurant on site.

42. Steiermarkhof — Graz · 2★ · 24 reviews · from ~£101/night. An unusual entry: the Steiermarkhof is the Styrian Chamber of Agriculture's seminar hotel on the south side of the city, with a strong focus on regional Styrian food and produce, at £101. The two-star rating and thin review base of 24 undersell it — these institutional-but-comfortable seminar hotels are usually well-run and quiet, with parking and a good restaurant — but read the reviews, and note it is out from the centre and best for drivers. Check the exact location and the tram in on the live page.

43. Hotel Kern Buam — Graz · 3★ · 866 reviews · from ~£102/night. A family-run three-star with its own restaurant at £102 and over eight hundred reviews, on the outskirts of the city — the Kern Buam is a long-established local name with parking and a traditional kitchen. Better for drivers than for a car-free old-town visitor, and at £102 you are weighing it against more central options, so check the exact location and the transport in on the live page. Honest, comfortable, old-fashioned value with a good restaurant attached.

44. Boutique Hotel Dom - Rooms & Suites — Graz · 4★ · 2,396 reviews · from ~£104/night. A characterful four-star boutique hotel right in the old town, on Bürgergasse by the cathedral (the Dom of the name), at £104 with nearly two and a half thousand reviews. The rooms are individually styled — some quite lavishly — and the location could not be more central, a minute from the DomQuartier and Hauptplatz. For a boutique four-star inside the UNESCO core at this price, with this depth of reviews, it is one of the best old-town bookings in the guide. Confirm the room type on the live page.

45. Hotel Gollner — Graz · 4★ · 1,411 reviews · from ~£106/night. A traditional family-run four-star at £106 with over fourteen hundred reviews, on Schlögelgasse near the Stadtpark and the opera house — a genuinely central, quiet position on the eastern edge of the old town. A long-established Graz hotel with classic rooms and personal service, well-placed for walking to everything. At £106 you are near the top of the budget tier, but you are paying for a central old-town-edge address and four-star comfort; confirm the exact spot on the live page.

46. Hotel Römerstube — Graz · 3★ · 658 reviews · from ~£106/night. A traditional three-star with its own restaurant at £106 and over six hundred reviews, usually with parking — a comfortable, old-school Graz house. At this price it is competing with more central and better-reviewed options above it, so check the exact location and the transport into the centre on the live page before booking. Best suited to drivers and to travellers who value a restaurant on site and a quiet night over a bang-central address.

47. Hotel Strasser — Graz · 3★ · 3,295 reviews · from ~£109/night. A well-reviewed three-star at £109 with over three thousand reviews — a big, reassuring evidence base for a family-run hotel — near the station side of the city. The location is handy for the Hauptbahnhof and a walk or short tram from the old town; check the exact spot on the live page. At £109 it sits at the top of the budget tier, but the depth of reviews makes it one of the most researchable cheap bookings on this list, and a dependable pick for a rail arrival.

48. Hotel Aton — Graz · 3★ · 353 reviews · from ~£109/night. A modern three-star at £109 with a moderate review base of 353, on the outskirts of the city, usually with parking and good road access. At the top of the budget tier it is competing with more central options, so weigh it against them and check the exact location and the tram into the centre on the live page. Better for drivers and for a quieter stay than for a visitor who wants to step straight out into the old town.

49. sHome Self-Check-in Hotel Graz — Graz · 3★ · 33 reviews · from ~£115/night. The most expensive room in the budget tier at £115 and one of the thinnest review bases in it — just 33 — because it is a newer listing, so read every review before committing. It is a modern self-check-in three-star with keyless entry aimed at flexible, independent arrivals. The format is handy for odd-hour check-ins; check the exact location and the check-in instructions on the live page, and compare it against the far better-evidenced options below it in price before you book.

From-prices were sampled for a shoulder-season stay and will move a little with your dates, though Graz prices stay steadier through the year than Austria's more touristed cities. See all Graz stays or search flights to GRZ.

Where to Stay in Graz: Choosing Your Base

Graz makes this decision easy, because it is small and walkable and the choice really comes down to three areas. Here is the honest breakdown.

The Altstadt (the UNESCO old town) is where most first-time visitors should aim, and unlike Salzburg or Vienna you do not pay a punishing premium to be here. This is the compact historic core around Hauptplatz and Herrengasse, under the wooded Schlossberg, a dense and beautiful tangle of Renaissance courtyards, arcaded passages and red-tiled roofs — and, crucially, a real, lived-in student city rather than a preserved museum. Staying inside it means you walk out of your door into the best of Graz, early and late, when it is at its most atmospheric. The Schlossberghotel (the city's one five-star), the historic Palais-Hotel Erzherzog Johann, the boutique Hotel Dom by the cathedral, the central-edge Parkhotel and Hotel Gollner, and the riverside Hotel Weitzer and landmark Grand Hôtel Wiesler just across the Mur all sit in or beside this core.

The university district (Geidorf), just north-east of the centre, is the choice for a quieter, more local stay. This is a leafy, residential quarter of nineteenth-century apartment houses, student cafés and small parks around the main Karl-Franzens-University, about a 15-minute walk or a couple of tram stops from Hauptplatz. It is calm and green and full of everyday Graz life, and the apartment-style stays here — such as the Appartement in Graz-Geidorf — are good value for families and longer visits who want space, a kitchen and a neighbourhood feel over an on-the-doorstep old town.

The station district (Hauptbahnhof) to the west is where the affordable, practical hotels cluster, and in Graz it is a genuinely good budget base rather than a compromise. The station was handsomely renovated, the surrounding streets are ordinary and safe, and the old town is a flat 15 to 20 minute walk or a short tram down Annenstraße. This is where you find the cheapest room in the guide — the a&o — alongside the Austria Trend Hotel Europa, the B&B Hotel Graz-Hbf, the design-led Hotel Daniel, the IntercityHotel and several more. For a visitor arriving on the Vienna railjet or watching the budget, it is the sensible place to sleep.

The outer districts — towards the Messe exhibition grounds in the south-east, Hart bei Graz to the east, and the northern and southern fringes — are cheaper again and built around drivers. Rooms and apartments are larger, parking is easy, and the rates are the lowest in the guide, but you trade a walkable centre for a tram ride or a short drive in. The ibis Styles Graz Messe, the two harry's home properties, the JUFA hotels, the quirky Novapark aeroplane hotel and the traditional country-style Gasthöfe live out here. In tram-friendly Graz the commute is a small chore rather than a real one, but check the line and the journey on the live page before you book.

The short version: for a first trip, base yourself in the Altstadt and walk everywhere — the premium for it here is small. For a quieter, more local and often cheaper stay, take Geidorf near the university. For the lowest prices and an easy rail arrival, the station district is the practical answer. Only head to the outer districts if you are driving or chasing the very cheapest room, and check the tram time on the live page before you commit.

Beyond the Hotel: What to See in Graz

Start with the hill. The Schlossberg is the wooded outcrop that rises straight out of the middle of the city, and climbing it — or riding up — is the first thing to do in Graz. At the top stands the Uhrturm, the 16th-century clock tower that is the city's emblem, its giant clock faces famously oversized because they were designed to be read from far below (the large hand originally showed the hours). The fortress that once crowned the hill was demolished by Napoleon's troops, but the tower and the bell tower survived because the citizens bought them back, and the views over the red-roofed old town to the Styrian hills are the best in the city. Get up there by the Schlossbergbahn funicular, the glass Schlossberg lift driven up through the rock, or a zig-zag of stone steps — and inside the hill are wartime tunnels and, for children, a slide that runs down through the rock.

Below the hill, the Altstadt is one of the best-preserved historic centres in Central Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its heart is Hauptplatz, the main square with the grand Rathaus (town hall) and the Erzherzog-Johann fountain, from which Herrengasse — the arcaded main street — runs down to Jakominiplatz past the Landhaus, a superb arcaded Renaissance courtyard that is one of the finest north of Italy. Attached to it is the Landeszeughaus (Styrian Armoury), the largest historic armoury in the world, its four floors still stacked with some 32,000 pieces of armour and weaponry exactly as they were left — an extraordinary, atmospheric sight. Nearby stand the Cathedral (Dom) and, beside it, the flamboyant Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II, one of the most important Mannerist buildings in Austria.

Then cross the river for the modern Graz. On the west bank sits the Kunsthaus, the contemporary art museum built for the city's 2003 stint as European Capital of Culture — a great bulbous, biomorphic, blue blob of a building that locals affectionately call the "Friendly Alien", its skin studded with lights that animate at night. In the river beside it floats the Murinsel (Mur Island), an artificial shell-shaped island-platform of glass and steel, designed by Vito Acconci for the same year, holding a café and a small amphitheatre and linked to both banks by walkways. Around them, the Lend and Mariahilf districts are the arty, bar-and-café heart of young Graz, with the lively Lendplatz market — the best area in the city for an evening out.

On the western edge, Eggenberg Palace (Schloss Eggenberg) is Graz's grandest building and part of the same UNESCO listing as the old town. It is a magnificent Baroque palace built as a model of the cosmos — 365 windows for the days of the year, 24 state rooms for the hours, four towers for the seasons — with lavish painted halls and a large park where peacocks roam freely. It is a short tram ride out from the centre and well worth a half-day; the park alone is a lovely escape on a warm afternoon.

And then there is Styria beyond the city, which is a big part of why Graz rewards more than a flying visit. Styria calls itself the green heart of Austria, and the countryside around Graz is glorious. To the south, the Südsteirische Weinstraße (Southern Styrian Wine Road) begins under an hour away — a landscape of steep, vine-covered hills so lush it is regularly compared to Tuscany, dotted with Buschenschank taverns where growers serve their own crisp white wines, cold platters and the region's famous pumpkin seed oil. To the east, about an hour out, the medieval fortress of Riegersburg sits dramatically on a sheer volcanic crag, near the cult Zotter chocolate factory and the thermal spas of the Vulkanland. Both make superb day trips, and both are really car-or-tour outings rather than public-transport ones.

The food is a genuine pleasure here, and distinctly Styrian. Graz is a designated UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and the local table is fresher and greener than the schnitzel cliché. The signature is Steirisches Kürbiskernöl — Styrian pumpkin seed oil, a dark, almost black-green, intensely nutty oil drizzled over salads, soups, cheeses and even vanilla ice cream, and protected like a fine wine. Add the region's crisp whites, its Backhendl (fried chicken), its Vulcano ham, its apples and its pumpkin dishes, and eat your way round the wonderful farmers' markets on Kaiser-Josef-Platz and Lendplatz, and you have one of the best food regions in the country — at gentle Graz prices.

Getting Around Graz

Walking is the answer for the centre. Graz is a compact city and its old town is small and flat: you can cross the historic core on foot in 15 to 20 minutes, and Hauptplatz, Herrengasse, the cathedral, the Schlossberg, the Kunsthaus and the Murinsel all sit within it. Once you are based centrally you will barely use transport at all — good shoes and a light waterproof matter more than any ticket, and the only real climb is the Schlossberg, which has a funicular and a lift if you would rather not take the steps.

The trams (Straßenbahn) are the backbone of city transport, and they are what you use to reach anywhere the walk does not. The network fans out from Jakominiplatz, the central interchange a couple of minutes' walk from Hauptplatz, where nearly every line and many buses meet. Buy a single or 24-hour ticket from the machine at the stop or the Holding Graz app and validate it; a 24-hour ticket quickly pays for itself if you are staying out of the centre and riding in. The trams are the easy way to reach Eggenberg Palace, the Hauptbahnhof and the outer hotels.

Arriving and leaving, most UK visitors come via Vienna: direct railjet trains run from Vienna Hauptbahnhof to Graz roughly hourly, taking about 2 hours 30 minutes over the scenic, UNESCO-listed Semmering mountain line — a journey worth the window seat. Graz Airport (GRZ), about 10 kilometres south of the centre, has only a thin, mostly seasonal scattering of direct UK links, but when it is used it connects to the centre by the S-Bahn train (to the Hauptbahnhof in around 15 minutes) and by city bus. Some visitors also fly into Ljubljana in Slovenia, about two hours south by road, or connect through Frankfurt, Munich or Vienna.

Do not hire a car for the city itself — the centre is walkable, much of the old town is pedestrianised, and parking is pushed into paid garages. Hire a car only for the Styrian countryside — the wine road, Riegersburg, the wider region — remember that Austrian motorways require a toll vignette (buy it at the border or online), and consider picking the car up on the day you leave the city rather than paying to park it unused during your city days. Austria drives on the right.

Two money habits worth building. First, unlike North America, VAT is already in the price on menus and shelves, so the number you see is broadly the number you pay — the only extra on a hotel bill is a small per-person city tourist tax of a euro or two a night, which some hotels fold into the rate and others add at checkout. Second, tipping is modest: round up the bill or add 5 to 10 per cent for good service in restaurants, told to the server as you pay rather than left on the table, round up a taxi fare, and leave a euro or two for a porter. Nobody here works for tips the way they do in the United States.

Explore more of Austria

If you are building a wider trip, our other Austrian city guides follow the same format — every hotel verified, every price live and honestly labelled:

• Best Hotels in Vienna for Every Budget — the imperial capital, about 2 hours 30 from Graz on the direct railjet and the natural pairing on a first Austria trip.
• Best Hotels in Salzburg for Every Budget — Mozart's baroque city and the gateway to the Alps, a grander and pricier counterpoint to easy-going Graz.

Graz Hotels FAQs

How much do hotels cost in Graz? Less than you might fear for a UNESCO-listed European city. Across the 49 hotels in this guide the rates run from about £40 a night at the a&o by the main station to £254 at the Schlossberghotel, the single five-star in the city and the one genuine splurge in the post. The great bulk of Graz sits in between, in a broad and honest mid-range: most of the four-star hotels here fall between about £55 and £110, and the most affordable tier runs from roughly £40 to £115. Graz is Austria's second city and a student town, not a peak-season resort, so it prices calmly and fairly all year — noticeably below Vienna and Salzburg. These were sampled for a typical shoulder-season stay; put your own dates into any hotel link for the live figure.

What is the most expensive hotel in this guide? The Schlossberghotel, at about £254 a night — and it is the only hotel in the post that goes anywhere near that number. It is the one property in Graz that clears the five-star bar: a boutique art hotel tucked right under the Schlossberg in the old town, with a small pool, a rooftop terrace and a serious private art collection on the walls. After it, the price ladder drops away sharply — the next hotels down are four-stars in the £90 to £110 range. There is no cluster of £400 grande dames here the way there is in Salzburg or Vienna; Graz has one standout and then a deep, sensible middle.

What is the cheapest hotel in this guide? The a&o Graz Hauptbahnhof at about £40 a night, a large budget hostel-hotel beside the main railway station with over nine thousand reviews behind it — rooms are basic and functional, but the price and the location for anyone arriving by train are hard to argue with. Close behind it come the harry's home Hart bei Graz at about £52 and the ibis Styles Graz Messe at about £53. Below about £60 you are mostly looking at chain budget rooms and apartments a tram ride out from the old town, which for calm, cheap Graz is a perfectly reasonable trade.

Why does Graz have only one five-star hotel? Because that is simply the shape of the city, and this guide is not going to pad the top of the list to hide it. Graz is Austria's second city, a relaxed university town rather than an international luxury destination, so it has never developed the row of grand five-star hotels you find in Vienna or Salzburg. What it has instead is one genuine standout — the Schlossberghotel — sitting above an unusually strong and deep field of four-star and characterful three-star hotels. For most visitors that is good news: you get real quality in the £55 to £110 band without paying resort prices, and the money you save on the room goes further in Graz than almost anywhere else in Austria.

Do UK passport holders need a visa for Austria? No. Austria is in the Schengen Area and UK passport holders can visit for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa for tourism. Two things are changing at the EU border, though, and you should check the current position before you travel rather than trust a guide written months earlier: the Entry/Exit System (EES), which registers non-EU visitors with fingerprints and a photo instead of a passport stamp, and ETIAS, a paid online travel authorisation that will eventually be required in advance. Both have had their start dates moved more than once. Check the official UK government travel advice for Austria for the live rules before you book flights.

What currency is used in Graz? The euro (EUR). Every price in this guide is a rough sterling conversion because that is what UK readers compare against, and the exact figure moves with the exchange rate. Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere a visitor goes, though Austria is more cash-friendly than the UK — some smaller guesthouses, bakeries, market stalls and Buschenschank wine taverns still prefer cash, so carry a little. Prices on the shelf include VAT, so the number you see is broadly the number you pay, unlike North America.

Are there direct flights from the UK to Graz? Rarely, and you should not count on one. Graz Airport (GRZ) is a small regional airport with only a thin scattering of direct UK links, mostly seasonal, so the reliable route for most UK travellers is to fly to Vienna and take the train. Vienna to Graz is about 2 hours 30 minutes on a direct railjet service through the Semmering pass, one of the prettiest rail journeys in the country. Some visitors also fly into Ljubljana in Slovenia, about two hours south by road, or connect through Frankfurt, Munich or Vienna on a through-ticket. Check live routes for your dates rather than assuming a direct flight exists.

How do I get from Vienna to Graz? By train, and it is easy. Direct railjet services run from Vienna Hauptbahnhof to Graz Hauptbahnhof roughly hourly and take about 2 hours 30 minutes, climbing over the historic Semmering railway — a UNESCO-listed mountain line that is worth the window seat on its own. Book ahead on the ÖBB (Austrian Railways) site for the cheapest Sparschiene fares. Driving takes a similar time on the A2 autobahn, but remember Austrian motorways require a toll vignette, and you will not need a car once you are in walkable Graz, so the train is usually the better call.

Which area should I stay in for a first visit to Graz? The Altstadt, the UNESCO-listed old town, or its immediate edges. This is the compact historic core around Hauptplatz and Herrengasse, under the wooded Schlossberg hill with its famous clock tower, and staying inside it means you walk out of your hotel straight into the best of the city. Graz is small and its centre is wonderfully walkable, so being central matters more than in a bigger city. The Schlossberghotel, the Palais-Hotel Erzherzog Johann, Hotel Weitzer, Boutique Hotel Dom and the landmark Grand Hôtel Wiesler all sit in or beside the old town. For a first visit, base yourself here and you can leave the tram map in your pocket.

Is it worth staying in the Altstadt (old town)? For most visitors, yes. The Graz Altstadt is one of the best-preserved historic city centres in Central Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a dense, red-roofed tangle of Renaissance courtyards, baroque façades and arcaded passages under the Schlossberg — and unlike Salzburg or Venice it is a real, lived-in city rather than a museum piece. Being able to walk out into it in the early morning or late evening, when the students are out and the squares are lively, is the version of Graz people fall for. Central hotel stock is broader and better value here than in Austria's more touristed cities, so you do not pay a heavy premium for the location.

What is it like staying near the university? Quiet, green and pleasantly local. The main Karl-Franzens-University sits in the leafy Geidorf district, north-east of the centre — a calm residential quarter of nineteenth-century apartment houses, student cafés, bakeries and small parks, about a 15-minute walk or a couple of tram stops from Hauptplatz. It is a lovely base if you want to feel like a resident rather than a tourist, and the apartment-style stays around here (such as the Appartement in Graz-Geidorf) are good value for families and longer visits. You trade the on-the-doorstep old town for a bit of a stroll in, but in a city this walkable that is a small price.

Where are the cheaper hotels in Graz? Around the main railway station (Hauptbahnhof) west of the centre, and out in the surrounding districts along the tram lines. The station area is the most useful of these for a visitor without a car: it is where the Vienna trains arrive, it has the highest concentration of budget and mid-range chain hotels in the city, and it is a 15 to 20 minute walk or a few tram stops from the old town. Further out — towards the Messe exhibition grounds in the south-east, the suburb of Hart bei Graz to the east, and the outer ring generally — rooms are cheaper again but assume you will ride the tram or drive in. In calm, tram-friendly Graz none of these feel remote.

Is the area around Graz Hauptbahnhof a good place to stay? Yes, more so than the equivalent district in many cities. Graz Hauptbahnhof was handsomely renovated and the streets around it are ordinary and safe rather than seedy, with a strong cluster of dependable hotels — the a&o, the Austria Trend Hotel Europa, the B&B Hotel Graz-Hbf, the design-led Hotel Daniel and the IntercityHotel all sit here. The old town is a flat 15 to 20 minute walk or a short hop on the frequent trams down Annenstraße, and the station itself puts the Vienna railjet and the airport bus on your doorstep. For a budget-minded or rail-arriving visitor, it is the practical base.

How much does a budget hotel cost per night in Graz? Between about £40 and £115 a night for the 38 properties in the most affordable tier of this guide, with the middle of the tier sitting around £75 to £80. That is genuinely affordable for a UNESCO city and a world away from Salzburg or Vienna, where the cheapest rooms start far higher. The floor is set by the a&o by the station at about £40; from there the tier climbs steadily through chain budget hotels, apartments and characterful family-run houses. Not everything here is dirt-cheap — Graz is moderate rather than bargain-basement — but the value on offer is among the best in Austria.

Is Graz cheaper than Vienna or Salzburg? Noticeably, yes. Graz is Austria's second city and a student town rather than a tourist-magnet capital or a festival city, so its hotels price calmly all year and rarely spike. Where Salzburg in festival week and Vienna in its peaks push their cheapest rooms well above £100 a night, Graz starts at about £40 and keeps a deep, honest field of four-star hotels in the £55 to £110 band. Food, coffee and wine are gentler on the wallet here too. For a UK visitor watching the budget, Graz is one of the best-value city breaks in the whole country.

Is Graz walkable? Very. Graz is a compact city and its UNESCO old town is small, flat and made for walking — you can cross the historic centre on foot in 15 to 20 minutes, and most of the sights (Hauptplatz, Herrengasse, the cathedral, the Schlossberg, the Kunsthaus and the Murinsel) sit within that core. The one climb is up the Schlossberg itself, and even that has a funicular and a glass lift if you would rather not take the stairs. Once you are based centrally you will barely need transport at all; good shoes matter more than any ticket.

Do I need a car in Graz? No. The centre is walkable, the tram and bus network covers everywhere else a visitor goes, and much of the old town is pedestrianised, so a car is more nuisance than help for a city stay. Keep one only if you are touring the Southern Styrian wine road, Riegersburg or the wider Styrian countryside, where public transport thins out — and even then consider picking it up on the day you leave the city. Austria drives on the right, and its motorways require a toll vignette you buy at the border or online.

How do the trams work in Graz? Simply and cheaply. Graz has an extensive tram (Straßenbahn) network that fans out from Jakominiplatz, the central interchange a couple of minutes from Hauptplatz, and it is the backbone of city transport alongside the buses. Buy a single or 24-hour ticket from the machine at the stop or the Holding Graz app and validate it; a 24-hour ticket pays for itself quickly if you are staying out of the centre and riding in. The old town is small enough that many visitors barely use the trams, but they are the easy way to reach Eggenberg Palace, the station and the outer hotels.

How many days do I need in Graz? Two full days is a comfortable fit for the city itself. Day one for the Altstadt — Hauptplatz, Herrengasse and the Landhaus courtyard, the cathedral and mausoleum, the Styrian Armoury, then up the Schlossberg for the clock tower and the view. Day two for the modern and riverside side — the Kunsthaus, the Murinsel, the Lend district's bars and market, and a tram out to Eggenberg Palace and its park. A third day opens up the best day trips: the Southern Styrian wine road or the clifftop fortress at Riegersburg. Many people pair Graz with Vienna on a wider Austria trip, the two being about 2 hours 30 apart by train.

What is there to see in Graz? More than its size suggests. The signature sight is the Schlossberg, the wooded hill in the middle of the city crowned by the Uhrturm, the 16th-century clock tower that is Graz's emblem, reached by funicular, glass lift or a zig-zag of steps. The UNESCO old town below holds Hauptplatz and its town hall, the arcaded Renaissance Landhaus, the cathedral and the imperial mausoleum, and the Styrian Armoury (Landeszeughaus) — the largest historic armoury in the world, with some 32,000 pieces. On the river sit two icons of Graz's 2003 Capital of Culture year: the biomorphic Kunsthaus art museum, nicknamed the Friendly Alien, and the floating Murinsel island. On the western edge, baroque Eggenberg Palace and its peacock park are UNESCO-listed too.

What is the Kunsthaus Friendly Alien? It is Graz's contemporary art museum, and one of the most striking modern buildings in Austria. Built for the city's 2003 turn as European Capital of Culture, the Kunsthaus is a great bulbous, blue, biomorphic blob of a building — locals affectionately call it the friendly alien — that squats on the west bank of the river Mur in the Lend district, its skin studded with lights that can display low-resolution animations at night. Inside it hosts changing exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. Even if you do not go in, it is worth walking over to see, and it pairs naturally with the nearby Murinsel and the bars of Lend and Mariahilf.

Can I do a day trip to the Southern Styrian wine road? Yes, and it is one of the best reasons to base yourself in Graz. The Südsteirische Weinstraße (Southern Styrian Wine Road) begins about 45 minutes to an hour south of the city, a landscape of steep vine-covered hills so lush it is often compared to Tuscany, dotted with Buschenschank taverns serving the growers' own wine, cold platters and Styrian pumpkin seed oil. The region is famous for crisp whites — Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling, Morillon — and for the klapotetz, the wooden wind-rattles that scare birds from the grapes. It is really a driving or organised-tour trip rather than a public-transport one; hire a car for the day or join a tour from the city.

Can I visit Riegersburg from Graz? Yes. Riegersburg is one of the most dramatic castles in Austria — a vast medieval fortress perched on a sheer volcanic crag about an hour east of Graz, towering over the rolling farmland of eastern Styria. It is a genuine cliff-top stronghold you climb up to, with museums on witches and weaponry inside and birds-of-prey displays in season. The same corner of Styria is home to the Zotter chocolate factory, a cult artisan chocolate-maker with a tasting tour, and the Vulkanland thermal spas, which makes for an easy full day out by car. Public transport is possible but slow, so a car or a tour is the practical way to go.

What food is Graz and Styria known for? Styria calls itself the green heart of Austria, and its food is fresher and more vegetable-forward than the schnitzel-and-dumplings cliché. The signature product is Steirisches Kürbiskernöl — Styrian pumpkin seed oil, a dark, almost black-green, intensely nutty oil drizzled over salads, soups, cheeses and even vanilla ice cream, and protected like a fine wine. Add to that the region's crisp white wines, its apples, its Vulcano ham, its pumpkin dishes and its Backhendl (fried chicken), and you have one of Austria's best food regions. Graz itself is a designated UNESCO City of Gastronomy, with a lively café scene and excellent farmers' markets at Kaiser-Josef-Platz and Lendplatz.

When is the best time to visit Graz? Late spring and early autumn are the sweet spot — May, June and September deliver warm, settled weather, open terraces and the wine country at its greenest or its harvest-busiest, without any real crowd pressure, because Graz never gets as busy as Austria's headline cities. Summer is warm and lively with the students away and plenty of outdoor events, though July and August can be hot. Autumn is wine and pumpkin-harvest season in Styria and arguably the tastiest time to come. Winter is quiet and cold with an atmospheric Advent market season; hotel prices stay gentle year-round, so the choice is really about weather rather than cost.

Is Graz good for families? It is an easy, manageable family city. The centre is compact and walkable, the Schlossberg is an adventure in itself — the glass lift, the funicular, the tunnels dug into the hill and the slide inside it are all a hit with children — and the floating Murinsel, the open squares and the parks give little legs room to roam. Museums like the Zeughaus armoury and the interactive exhibits at the Universalmuseum Joanneum keep older kids engaged. On the practical side, the apartment stays near the university and the family rooms in the station-area hotels give you space and self-catering at a gentle price, which is exactly what a family budget wants.

Is Graz safe for tourists? Yes. Graz is a prosperous, relaxed university city and one of the safer places you can visit in Europe, and the overwhelming majority of trips pass without any trouble at all. The realistic risks are the ordinary ones of any city: occasional pickpocketing in the busiest spots and around the station, and slips on the Schlossberg steps or on winter ice. Use normal sense with bags and phones in crowds, take care on the steep paths and stairs up the hill in the wet, and check the current UK Foreign Office travel advice for Austria before you go.

Do I need to speak German in Graz? No. German is the official language and the local Styrian accent is broad, but Graz is a university city with tens of thousands of students and English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants, shops and at the sights. A few words go a long way socially — Grüß Gott is the standard Austrian hello, danke is thank you — and using them is appreciated, but you will never be stuck. Menus and signs in the tourist core are very often bilingual, and younger Grazers in particular speak confident English.

How much should I tip in Graz? Modestly, and far less than in North America. In restaurants and cafés the convention is to round up the bill or add roughly 5 to 10 per cent for good service, told to the server as you pay rather than left on the table — you state the total you want as you hand over the money or card. Round up a taxi fare, leave a euro or two for a hotel porter, and a couple of euros a day for housekeeping if you wish. Service here is not run on tips the way it is in the United States, so there is no need to over-think it.

Is the tap water safe to drink in Graz? Yes — it is excellent, and you should drink it. Graz's tap water comes largely from protected alpine and groundwater sources in the surrounding hills and is high quality straight from the tap, so there is no need to buy bottled water for your room. Public drinking fountains around the city run clean water too in the warmer months. Carry a refillable bottle to save money and plastic; asking for tap water in a restaurant is fine, though it is more usual here to order a drink with a meal than in the UK.

Do Graz hotels add taxes and fees on top of the rate? Only a little. Austrian VAT is already included in the quoted room rate, so unlike North America the headline price is close to the real price. On top of it the city levies a small local tourist or accommodation tax per person per night — around a euro or two — which some hotels fold into the rate and others add at checkout. A few properties charge separately for parking or breakfast. It is minor compared with the taxes stacked onto a North American hotel bill, but check the total on the live page rather than the headline rate before you compare two hotels.

Are the star ratings in this guide official? Treat them as supplier-declared rather than a formal government grading. Austria does operate a hotel classification scheme, but the star figures shown here come from our accommodation data and are a rough guide, not an audited grade — which matters most at the budget end. Several strong entries in the affordable tier carry no star rating at all because they are apartment, hostel or design-led stays that have not sought a classification, and some of the best-reviewed budget options are unrated for exactly that reason. Review counts are a far better guide to reliability than stars, which is why every entry here shows both.

How do I book these exact hotels at the prices shown? Every hotel name in this guide links to its own live page on JetMeAway, where you set your dates and see the real rate for those nights. The from-prices here were sampled for a typical shoulder-season stay and will move with your dates and how far ahead you book, but because Graz prices calmly all year they tend to stay close to these figures rather than swinging wildly the way Salzburg or Vienna can. We take an affiliate commission from the provider — we never add a mark-up or a booking fee to your price.

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