Trip to Vienna mid/late September -- Hotel District/Location?

Two years ago, I stayed for six nights just outside the ring, near the Museum of Natural History. The location was good, but not great. If I had to do it again and money was no issue, I would stay within the ring, somewhere between the Opera and St. Stephen’s.

Here are a couple of links to recent forum discussions:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/austria/vienna-8c3b3304-67a3-4406-a43e-4a4ea12091d1

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/austria/vienna-hotels-9f27b4b8-13cd-460c-bbd9-06c9181a9973

https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=6m&filter=Travel+Forum&query=Vienna+hotel&utf8=%E2%9C%93

Staying a bit outside the Ring will give you a better taste of Vienna beyond its imperial roots. One way to check a location is to navigate to it in Google Maps and then switch on restaurant display to see the offerings in the immediate area. Or switch to street view and virtually stroll the neighborhood. Vienna is quite compact and walkable, and the public transportation is amazing, even for short jaunts. Just install the WienMobil app on you phone and buy a multi-day pass so you can just hop on as needed.

The Hotel Erzherzog Rainer is a fine property. You might also take a look at the Hotel Josefshof am Rathaus in Josefstadt just outside the Ringstrasse— and the Henrietta Stadthotel Vienna in Leopoldstadt.

The Hotel Domizil is another possibility if you are want to be in the thick of things just a stone’s throw from St. Stephen’s Cathedral. All three properties currently have comparably-priced rooms for your dates in Vienna.

This is really about what you are going for. If it's a traditional tourist look see of Vienna, you have a tad more than 3 days and for that, for me, the Hotel Erzherzog Rainer is too far away at a 30 min walk to the center (Stephansplatz).
Sure, there is public transportation that would nock that down to 15 min, but when there are options in the heart of things, that's where I would look. Now, on visit 3, then I look further out and learn and discover more.

for me, the Hotel Erzherzog Rainer is too far away at a 30 min walk to the center (Stephansplatz).

There is no need to walk, not to talk about that you can make this distance in about 20 minutes. A tram stop is right around the corner of the hotel, a subway stop is reachable by 3 minutes walking. Using the subway you can reduce the travel time to 10 minutes.

Anyway, the be-all and end-all of saving time when exploring Vienna is making efficient use of its public transport. It is available everywhere, easy to use, and safe in the night.

As said before, unfortunately a lot of US tourists come to Vienna with the perception that walking is the only alternative when having no car.

wmt1 missed the point. Coming from an American tourist, that does not own a car and lives in a European city where he and everyone else get around on a daily bais using public transportation; 3.5 days is about the minimum to hit what is within the Ring and thats a large percentage of the traditional tourist sights, so thats where I would stay on a first trip (if i could afford it). For me this would be the best use of my time. Also for a first visit the area inside the ring is the atmophere that I and most would be expecting fronm Vienna and would be happy that they found. Sure, I would move further away from the ring on a short trip if cost forced me to, but thats a compromise, a second choice, not a first choice.

If I went tomorrow it would not be my first trip to Vienna. So, me personally, traveling alone, I would stay someplace new. But I am going this summer and I am taking a friend who has never been to Vienna and I am staying inside the ring so she can experience what I described above. By the way, she also lives in a European city, has no car and relies on public transportation every day and still would prefer not to have to use it if not necessary in Vienna

... to hit what is within the Ring and thats a large percentage of the traditional tourist sights ...

Here you miss the point. Inside the Ring you have the Opera, St. Stephen's Cathedral, other churches, the Hofburg and the Spanish Riding School, and mostly shops, cafés and restaurants (i.e. tourist traps in the pedestrian zone).

I wonder if you will walk to the Belvedere, Schönbrunn Palace, Prater, the famous Steinhof church, the Central Cemetary, Kahlenberg, Spittelberg area, the lively 7th city borough, etc.

This hotel, in my opinion, is in an excellent neighborhood that is very close to the Ring. I would not hesitate to stay here, especially as it will get you slightly outside of the madness of the first district (I went for a bike ride around the first district yesterday and it was a mob scene and it is only March). There is a major tram stop just in front of the hotel where you can get to the Ring in two stops. Trams come about every two minutes. It is less than a 5 minute ride. Or just walk. It is not far.

I also really like this area for restaurants. You've got the best place for schnitzel nearby at Anzengruber. Schleifmuhlgasse is a hot street now with lots of good restaurants and bars (I really like Mani and of course Vollpension cafe). Operngasse is also super cool now (Eulennest Vinothek & Weinbar). The Naschmarkt is also a couple of blocks away. Trip Advisor loves the Wiener Wiazhaus and Zur Herknerin is special - both are very close.

This location is also very near Karlskirche, the most beautiful of all the churches in Vienna, and the newly remodeled and free Wien Museum - my favorite museum in the city.

Hope that helps.

Emily, I am interested in the hotel you talk about in your previous post. I don't see the name of the hotel? Please share.

Hotel Erzherzog Rainer - it is mentioned in the original question above.

Hotel Erzherzog Rainer at about $200 a night in September is priced well for a 4-star in Vienna and Booking.com rates is 9, Google 4.6. Looks nice, the area looks nice. I wish it were closer to the ring then I could use if for my purposes. But the OP has a little more time than I do ... so .... (sorry MrBJones I am watching your thread for answers to my next trip)

Emily, I am arriving about noon on a Friday and departing about noon on a Sunday. My 3rd trip, but my S.O.'s first so with little time we need to be in the madness. Any comment on the House of Ble? Nothing much “classic” about it, but I live in a classic flat in a classic city, so I sort appreciate modern from time to time. The street doesn’t look “interesting” but its next to the Maria-Theresien-Platz (good for someone from Hungary) and the ring is only a block away and there is a Thai Restaurant on the way and under 10-minute walk to the Hofburg. Right at $250 a night refundable or $220 nonrefundable for June weekend rates on Booking.com. I looked at the Ops dates and oddly enough, closer to $300 a night in September. Strange.

I think this must be a newer hotel. Never heard of it. I can only comment on the location. Getreidemarkt is a very busy street so I would be sure to stay on the quiet side. Cafe Sperl, my favorite coffeehouse, is nearby. Gumpendorferstrasse (the first two blocks nearest to the hotel) has good restaurants. Location is good but not quiet.

I noticed it was a busy street. Yes, I think the hotel is about a year old. The google street views show it being renovated in 2023.

We just have so little time this trip that the Innere Stadt is where I want to spend it. Typical tourist stuff.

I keep forgetting that for a typical American that doesnt often travel, even the neighborhoods can be very special. I saw a small group here the other day and as I walked past one woman was looking up at the buildings of the inner city and asking .... "are these all hotels or offices?" I stopped, "no, thats where we live" They were shocked. We live in ancient office / hotel buildings.
Thats how foreign that stuff can be to some.

But that being said, myself and the S.O. live in a city very much like the areas that surround the Innere Stadt so for new, especially with so little time, my S.O. will need the shine, polish and excesses of the Innere Stadt

Thanks everyone, for all of your thoughtful replies! Very helpful!