Favorite place to stay in Hallstatt?

Oh my, this is very late to be planning. I would suggest making a hotel reservation immediately. There are only 4 hotels in Hallstatt and 3 are already booked up for the time of your visit. Fortunately our favorite hotel still has rooms available (but for how long?!). It is Seehotel Gruener Baum and is a pretty hotel in a nice location with great views, comfortable views, good food, and a fantastic staff. www.gruenerbaum.cc/nc/en/home.html Even the bed & breakfast inns look full for this time.

Are there pensions or privatezimmers that anyone would recommend?

In 2009, I was going to stay here. The hostess wrote to me and asked is I would stay in a single room across the street in her mothers farmhouse because she had someone who wanted the double room in her house. (I did, and it was an interesting experience staying with an 80 yo woman who got up at 5 AM to milk the cow.) But I think this would be a very nice place if you want to have the Privatzimmer experience.

Bergblick is not in Hallstatt. It's a ½ km up the river from Lahn, which is a ½ km from downtown Hallstatt, at the end of the road along the lake that goes to the saltmine Funicular, also at the end of the tunnel that bypasses Hallstatt. If you come in on the train from Bad Ischl, stay on the train to Obertraun and take the bus around the end of the lake to Lahn.

I don't know if this email (bergblick@hallstatt.net) still works. It did in 2009. The husband, at least, speaks English.

I don't think you will have any luck getting a room in Hallstatt at this late date. You might want to reconsider and go to either St. Gilgen or St. Wolfgang on Wolfgangsee instead if indeed there are any rooms left there either.

For the last three years I have been booking 10 months ahead,even in places with lots of rooms because I want to stay in the place that I want.There are alot of people traveling in recent years and this year will be worse due to the drop in the Euro.We have stayed at the Gasthoff Zauner right above the Square,very nice.
Mike

Ann,

If you don't mind an older hotel (but still very comfortable), you might have a look at Gasthof Simony, which is right beside Grüner Baum. At this late date, you'll probably have to take what you can find. Check the guidebook for other lodging suggestions.

Also try Obertraun. It's right around the south end of the Lake and its station is just a few minutes from the Hallstatt station across the lake. The Dachstein cable car starts in Obertraun. Actually, the Hallstatt website might show accommodations in Obertraun, as well as Gosau.