Some Questions On St Gilgen

As you note above, May 1 is a public holiday and, as it falls on a Friday, the masses will be out and about that weekend (not just for day trips). I think waiting until you arrive is very risky as your choices will be very slim at that point. I really don't see what you are so worried about - use booking.com, vrbo.com, read trip advisor reviews (skip the best and worst) and look at photos from both folks who have stayed there as well as from the hotels themselves. Even it you decide to come a week later, you will be much better off booking in advance, in my opinion. May 14 is also a holiday and kids are off school on the 15th as well, so the week of May 11 will be busier than normal too. St. Gilgen vs. St. Wolfgang - six of one, half a dozen of the other. You might also want to consider Fuschlsee and Strobl.

Just remember, when you just turn up in town what you get is what is left after everybody else has picked over the others and kept the best.

Especially when it is busy and national holidays.

Hi Emily and Nigel,
This is just a thought . In france where am staying for 3 days at each place - i will most certainly do online booking well in advance - besides i have the rick steves book on france and the hotels suggested by the book i crosscheck with trip advisor reviews , this really helps and makes things easy - unfortunately the rick steves book on austria does not have acccomodation details for St Gilgen, it only provides for Hallstadt - in the past i have relied on trip advisor reviews , in the review the photographs look good and even most of the reviews come good but when i land up at the place after having done the booking i have got nasty surprises - the room was nowhere close to what was portrayed on the trip advisor review - wherever i have had a long stay and i had time at my hand (like 6 or 7 days ) i have landed up at the place and taken the accommodation after seeing it personally - i have done this 3 times in Grindelwald switzerland and was happy each time with the accommodation i got .

Anyway, this St Gilgen must be a small place and must be getting filled up fast - so i get your point will do an advance booking.

By the way Nigel i didnt understand your last sentence it said the following " St. Gilgen vs. St. Wolfgang - six of one, half a dozen of the other." - what does this mean - does it mean both are equally good or one is better than the other.

I am very clear that am not too interested in Fuschlsee and Strobl.

Sanjay - there are other travel books out there aside from Rick Steves! Again, I suggest booking.com or vrbo.com.

I actually made the "six of one, half a dozen of the other" comment. It means they are basically equal.

Thanks a lot Emily - will certainly do an advance booking - i also have the frommers book on austria but its pretty silent on st gilgen accommodation - will look for some other travel book - thanks anyways, your insights are most helpful.

Have you posed your questions on Trip Advsior's Austria forum? It is very active with a lot of local expertise for the Wolfgangsee area.

My wife and I stayed in Pension Falkensteiner in St. Gilgen earlier this month. It was a clean, decent place with nice, helpful people, good size room, good breakfast; basically all you need.

We were there during the Advent market season and based how St. Gilgen and St. Wolfgang managed that enterprise, I would expect the event that you mention to be pretty well done also. There seemed to be more day trippers than people staying in the village but you should probably book ahead. It is not a big place.

Dear Richard - Thanks a lot for the information on Pension Falkensteiner in St. Gilgen - it appears to be a hotel - does this hotel have apartments - in the sense does it have a a microwave oven / cutlery etc - a few meals we may bring from a takeaway restaurant / supermarket and heat in the microwave in our room or sometimes we may cook also in the room (we like it this way - could you throw some light on this - thanks

Sanjay

First, understand that any property listed on TripAdvisor's booking websites is there because they make enough profit from you to pay the booking website's fee (usually around 15%). In my experience in Germany, I've usually been able to find at least as more many properties on the town's own website that aren't listed on TravelAdvisor because they don't pay a commission, are just as nice, and charge less. Don't use travel advisors unless you have exhausted other, more economical choices. The town accommodation at St. Gilgen is at www.st-gilgen.at/index.php/gastlichkeit-de/schlafen. For hotels in St. Wolfgang, go to www.protravel.at/en-hotels-wolfgangsee.shtml

Here is a link showing an apartment in the Pension Falkensteiner. I didn't stay in the apartment so can't comment on it. If you are interested maybe it is best to email directly to the hotel.

http://www.pension-falkensteiner.at/en/accomodation/holiday-flat--apartment/index.php

Thanks a lot Richard