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After twenty-four hours of travel from Chicago, Frankfurt and Munchen, I finally arrived at the Hotel Renaissance in Salzburg. The staff was friendly from the start. The facility is modern and relatively new. The rooms are clean, cozy, and uncluttered with all the expected amenities. There is a gym, pool, and spa, although I did use any of these.
I cannot disconnect the nature of Salzburgerland people from the hotel, they are the friendliest people that I met in Österreich. When I arrive at Haufbahnhof, I was unsure of the hotel location. I asked a taxi driver for a ride, and he pointed me to the hotel. It was 3 blocks from the station. How wonderful! In Prag or elsewhere, the driver would have driven for 20 minutes.
As a note, the main autobus terminal is directly outside the train station. Electronic signs tell passengers the approximate wait time for their autobus. Perhaps they are using RFID, as this sign was consistently accurate.
In the evenings, I was able to walk with my full pack of photo gear and tripod bag with no fear of crime. There are two local Irish bars owned by Austrians. The staff and patrons were friendly too! In such close confines, I was able to find other english speakers from the UK and also from the local university.
In the morning, Frühstücke was served in the main dining hall. Aufschnitt, Brots, Eier, Kaffee, and Säfte was offered. In Wien, this was a 15€ experience. In Hotel Renaissance Salzburg as a Platinum Member, the breakfast was free. How wonderous.
While this city is not on the central travel routes of Europe, Salzburgerland is a fantastic experience and a relative value for Österreich. The city, the landscape, and the people are positively charming. It is these things that man cannot build, and it is the gemütlich nature of the people that will bring me back. My Hotel Renaissance Salzburg experience certainly influences my opinion.
One note, the hotel is not very well connected to the internet. There is a phone modem based computer available for use. Payment is on an hourly rate, although it is reasonable. There is a small shopping center across the street with an internet cafe/laundromat. Leute rauchten in der Wäscherei, also erwarten Sie einige Geruche in Ihrer Kleidung!