I chose the Penz Hotel as our first hotel in Innsbruck at the start of our trip because it was centrally located to the old town. Although it might looked cramped on the map, it is quite accessible by car, with a small drop-off in the front and a parking lot attached to the shopping mall making it easy to park if you have a car. The hotel itself is quite compact, with a small lobby to check in and little else. The folks at the front desk were friendly in getting us set up with our room, although not allowing us into our room despite showing up 20 minutes early was a bit stingy. The glass exterior doesn't hide much - the Penz is pretty much a hotel that is minimalist in every sense of the word. The elevator ride up is fun - seeing the mountains rise up above the buildings - but the hallways are plain, with a generic hallway filled with rooms.
Aside from being put at the very end of the hallway, the room still had a nice view out on the mountains. However, with the room being above the entryway for loading, we had a truck wake us up one morning with unloading - an pleasant way to be woken up before the sun rises. Without ventilation that can be controlled in-room, though, one had little choice but to open the window to let in some cool air. The room is nice and compact, with the typical European comforter (one per person on the bed), and the bed is a bit on the hard side. The bathroom has the same issue as a lot of European showers - only a half-door covering the bathtub. Amenities are a bit light as well (no bath soap and no conditioner).
In short - the room is nice enough, but the hotel is quite vanilla given it is one of the more expensive spots in town. With no gym and a room that doesn't really go above and beyond, it's hard to say that this is worth the extra cost. The parking is convenient and is relatively cheap, but the convenience of the location isn't necessarily worth the premium. read more
