Autumn 2021. In theory we could travel to other continents, but destinations we had in mind such as Japan or the United Kingdom were impossible to plan ahead. Instead we organised a rail trip to Eastern Europe, travelling to Berlin, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Karlovy Vary, Pilsen, Bratislava, Poprad, Vienna, Linz and Salzburg. By travelling to Germany, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Austria, we explore an area which was in the (not too distant) past bonded together by the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and by Austria-Hungary.

Located on the Hauptplatz, the Motel One in Linz couldn’t have found a better location, everything in the city can be easily reached from this point. It is situated in some old buildings and is much bigger inside than it looks like from outside. Getting to the room is a bit of a maze. Check-in was very friendly and straight forward, we even already got our room at 10:30 am, which is really early.

The room itself was nice and spacious, with a big bed centrally in the room. What struck us was that it was boiling hot in the room, even when turning the temperature down the air-conditioning didn’t cool the room down so it was probably broken.

We managed to open up some windows to cool the room down but this was still far from ideal. As it was a new-ish hotel there were plenty of PowerPoints and even USB points next to the bed. Hanging away your clothes is on an open wardrobe in the corner. Another corner features a small desk. There is no tea or coffee making facilities nor minibar.

The bathroom is also small but functional, using multiple use dispensers for soap.

In the morning there was a continental breakfast buffet in the lobby. It didn’t have any hot items but the rest of the spread was big enough to still be able to select something to your taste.

MY first stay in a Motel One property was on the first trip together with Timothy in Edinburgh. I really liked their style, and always said I wouldn’t mind staying there again.

Usually we stay at more upscale 4 to 5 star properties, so it is rare e stay on 3 star property, but when we do we like them just the way Motel Ones are. Clean, modern and up to date.

2021 Rail Tour of Imperial Europe

1. POTSDAM 2021 | Schloss Sanssouci.
2. 1945 Potsdam Conference’s Cecilienhof Palace.
3. Potsdam 2021.
4. REVIEW | InterContinental Berlin.
5. BERLIN 2021 | Pergamon, ‘Das Panorama’.
6. BERLIN 2021 | Humboldt Forum in the Berlin Palace.
7. BERLIN 2021 | The Bundestag in the Reichstag.
8. Berlin 2021.
9. By train from Berlin to Gdansk via Szczecin.
10. Stopover in Szczecin.
11. REVIEW | Restauracja Ritz in Gdańsk.
12. REVIEW | Holiday Inn Gdansk.
13. GDAŃSK | Museum of the Second World War.
14. GDAŃSK | European Solidarity Centre or Europejskie Centrum Solidarności.
15. A walk through Gdańsk.
16. Gdańsk 2021.
17. POLAND | PKP Intercity Gdansk to Wroclaw via Warsaw.
18. Wrocław Museum of Architecture.
19. The Dwarfs of Wrocław.
20. Wrocław.
21. Poland 2021.
22. By train from Wroclaw to Karlovy Vary.
23. Karlovy Vary.
24. REVIEW | Hotel Imperial Karlovy Vary.
25. Czechia’s Great Spa Town of Europe Františkovy Lázně.
26. CZECHIA | Pilsen Historical Underground Tunnels.
27. CZECHIA | Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour.
28. CZECHIA | Pilsen.
29. CZECHIA 2021 | Cheb and its castle.
30. Hotel room for one.
31. By train from Karlovy Vary to Prague via Pilsen.
32. Czechia 2021.
33. RegioJet from Prague to Bratislava.
34. Bratislava Castle.
35. REVIEW | Crowne Plaza Bratislava.
36. Bratislava on a rainy Monday.
37. ZSSK Fast Train Tatran from Bratislava to Strba.
38. The Tatra rack and electric Railway from Strba via Strbske Pleso to Poprad tatry.
39. SLOVAKIA | AquaCity Poprad.
40. REVIEW | Hotel Seasons AquaCity Poprad.
41. Slovakia 2021.
42. Poprad – Bratislava – Vienna with ZSSK’s intercity train.
43. VIENNA | Restaurant Steirereck.
44. REVIEW | InterContinental Wien.
45. VIENNA | Luxury Sisi’s in Schönbrunn Palace.
46. The Hofburg in Vienna.
47. Vienna’s Furniture Museum.
48. Vienna 2021.
49. Pöstlingberg & Grottenbahn in Linz.