NOVEL PRAGMATIC HOTEL IN GRAZ
LOCATION
The central train station in Graz represents the heart of sustainable mobility in the second-largest Austrian city. An increasing number of residents have been opting to travel to and fro, as well as around town, in an environment-friendly way. In this setting, adjacent to the Europaplatz, Radisson Hotel Graz found its home. Due to the strategic importance of the district, it is not the only hotel here, though. Across the road, guests will stumble across the Austria Trend Hotel, while the Intercity Hotel and the legendary Daniel Hotel, the pioneering hotel hipster, are within spitting distance. We can continue counting if you need further proof that location is crucial to hoteliers. In any case, the fact is that the hotel has a setting that allows travellers to explore the city sustainably. Perhaps this part of town won’t beguile hotel purists or view seekers, but the district’s colour palette and scenic appeal won’t leave them indifferent. Everything is within arm’s reach in the style of Europe’s united colours.
ACCESSIBILITY
We cannot omit the train and bus connections when discussing connectivity in Graz. The location is a jackpot if you decide to reach the hotel by bus or train. All roads in Graz lead to this neck of the woods. To boot, travelling sustainably is affordable. Consider all the sights you overlook when wheezing by with your car on the motorway. If there is no other way than to travel by car, you will find some parking options near the hotel. We found four spacious underground parking garages in the immediate vicinity. Alternatively, you can park in the hotel garage, but for a significant price. There, you will also find four electric charging stations. On each return visit to Graz, we are dumbfounded by how much the city is cyclist-friendly and pedestrian-welcoming. You can rent bicycles all across town and do something good for your wellbeing. Otherwise, Graz has been perpetually improving its air accessibility, slowly reaching numbers from 2019. The airport is only twenty minutes away. We advise you to try out the city’s public transport, one of the best in this part of Europe.
COLD STARTER - Architecture and aesthetics
The monolithic frame of the hotel has taken some glances away from the eye-catching, iridescent, eclectic facade of the Leiner shopping centre. The pure contact with the adjacent building and the thought-out design render this part of town further elegant. Not to cause misunderstanding – the hotel is no architectural milestone or achievement, yet it organically seeps into its surroundings. We were a bit more reserved in terms of the interior. The hotel promotes itself as Scandi minimalism, yet what we experienced reminded us more of generic fads in a local Ikea store, both in the reception area and in the hotel room. We were saddened by glancing at the artificial flowers in the hotel reception. The silver lining was black and white photos of Graz. This artistic intervention appears pleasant yet does not dwarf the mediocrity of the furniture. Once the permeating smell of fresh wallpaper dwindles, this will be another stopover hotel on your way to more authentic experiences. Such hotels are abundant in Graz. It all depends on what you search for.
WARM ENTRÉE - The staff and the culinary experience
Despite a crowd at the reception, our first impression of the reception was positive. Alas, filling out retro forms with all our GDPR data was unnerving to the degree we started wondering how they would process our information. Will they protect our data? Radisson, consider improving this, as we are in 2024. The hotel’s Restaurant Balustine in the hotel atrium is pleasantly lit, with a fresh Mediterranean menu, championing a less-is-more approach. The breakfast was solid, too, with a diverse selection of dishes living up to the four-star standard. The labelling of dishes is apt, too, and empty plates were promptly whisked away from our table. Although the youthful staff is somewhat cumbersome in this routine task, they still exude charmful diligence. We missed more emphasis on the incredibly diverse Styrian gastronomy. Ultimately, breakfast was suitable and classic for a business hotel of this category.
MAIN COURSE – The meetings offering at the hotel
Hotel rooms
The space in a standard room on one of the top floors is not the most lofty. The interior designers had to go the extra mile to squeeze all the necessary elements into such a tiny space. Not even the open furniture, typical of the category, helped them enlarge the space. The wooden flooring and furniture in oak hues are eye-catching, nonetheless. We must commend the spacious writing desk with a sea of amenities – remote work made easy. Managing the air condition was less charming, as we could not shut it down. No button we pressed helped. The slick bathroom features a well-functioning walk-in shower. We must praise the cosmetic line in shampoo dispensers, but we did miss a hanger for wet towels. You can forget about romantic views if you get a room overlooking the interior atrium. With some imagination and the help of black and white photos, you can envisage views of Graz’s architectural icons.
Meetings centre
The hotel was evidently not designed as a conference hotel. Hence, three boutique conference rooms were placed on the ground floor, adjoining the Balustine Restaurant. To enter the halls, you must pass through the restaurant. The foyer does not offer much space for activities. Regardless, the room and the technical equipment cater to the needs of smaller conferences and events for up to 80 attendees.
DESSERT – The extras
You can park your car in the underground parking garage. They also offer four electric charging stations.
FLOP – NEGATIVE SURPRISES
Radisson Hotel Graz is another hotel without a proper minibar. We understand the mini shop at the reception has replaced the obsolete minibar, but, dear hoteliers, doing so robs guests of joy upon seeing the selection of local drinks and snacks. Perhaps it is not financially viable yet… The TV guide resembles the ones from the eighties and should be replaced with something more visually appealing.
TOP – POSITIVE SURPRISES
Perhaps small in size, the fitness on the seventh floor still impresses with its views because it is not crammed in a corner or basement as in so many other hotels.
SUSTAINABLE ENDEAVOURS
The hotel stands out because it is energy efficient. In this segment, the hotel strives to acquire the DGNB Golden Standard. Their shampoo dispensers are noteworthy, too. The hotel also boasts electric energy from 100% renewable energy.
FINAL IMPRESSION AND CREDIBILITY
In terms of rooms, Radisson is the largest city hotel in Graz. At present, the prices are superb. If they keep them at this rate, the value for money will outweigh the generic design. Radisson Hotel Graz is a classic business hotel that morphs into a leisure accommodation for summer guests. It is designed for a high frequency of guests. We believe the staff will brilliantly assist you with their professionalism if you decide to host your event here. The functionalism is inspiring, and we have practically no remarks. Still, Graz has many alternatives.
FINAL GRADE: 4.71 TWO MEETING STARS⭐⭐ City Meeting Hotel
3 MEETING STARS⭐⭐⭐ final score from 4.81 to 5.00
2 MEETING STARS⭐⭐ final score from 4.61 to 4.80
1 MEETING STAR⭐ final score from 4.41 to 4.60
