Augarten Hotel - Graz, Austria 

This was one of the most pleasant stays I've had on my travels throughout Europe on business. As other reviews point out, the Augarten is not located in the centre of Graz, but if you're tired and travel-weary, you might not want to go strolling around the town anyway. And if you're lucky enough to be staying at the Augarten, you wouldn't need to. You've got everything you need here. I was given room 160 if I remember correctly - on the top floor of the second building, and walked across there by the delightful receptionist. This second building seems to have just one apartment on each floor and has a private lift. My room had a kitchenette and was extremely large and comfortable, with all the facilities you could ask for, including its own wireless router (admittedly an iron and board would have been nice, but I mean, the bathroom even had a duck-shaped sponge. How can I complain when I get one of those?) Other nice touches included a complimentary apple and a handwritten note welcoming me to my room. The standout feature though has to be the award-winning on-site restaurant, Magnolia. It's small, and not cheap by any means, but the food and service is Michelin-star standard. There was an interesting seasonal menu - the bison steak, asparagus and morel main went down pretty well! At ?80 via Expedia, this has to be one of the best value stays I've had. If you're going to Graz, stay here.

After several years of visiting the German Xmas markets, this year we opted to visit Graz in Austria on 14th December for a 'get you in the Xmas mood' weekend trip. We could not have chosen a better hotel to stay in. It was a pleasant 10 min stroll into the heart of the old town, so a great location. Graz is a bit like Cambridge or York, where you can walk everywhere- so no need for public transport. The hotel itself was immaculatey clean, with a very freindley reception team to greet you on arrival. They could not have done more for us, making us feel 'wanted' as visitors in their country. The rooms were light, spacious, modern and comfortable, with all mod cons and a balcony. The hotel has a roof terrace (and bar) which was not open in december, but would make an ideal spot for a drink in the summer months. The hotel also boasts a small heated indoor pool, with sauna and solarium - all free of charge. The breakfast was excellent, with a wide selection of hot cold, modern and traditional fayre. At weekends this is served up until 11am, so nice and relaxing. However the best bit about this hotel and the deal was that by booking through the Graz tourism board, this hotel (amongst a large number of others) offer 3 nights for the price of 2 at selected times of year. A great deal to entice you to stay, one which was very welcome as it meant that we were able to enjoy the fine service, facilities and food for just one more night!