Vienna accomodation for 1st timers

The airport is quite a bit out of city center so I would prearrange a taxi (ask your hotel) to get to the airport.

If it’s your first time in Vienna, stay in the historic center, the prime spot being between St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Opera. You can walk to pretty much everything, there’s plenty of public transport if you need it, and the streets and architecture are gorgeous. I stayed a couple of blocks outside the center and that was a mistake.

I stayed a couple of blocks outside the center and that was a mistake.

The mistake was that you obviously didn't get acquainted with public transport well enough. In Vienna good access to public transport is essential, not so much staying right in the center, as a lot of sights are not in walking distance.

Which area of hotels should I consider so that I can easily access all the places of interest by public transport, and yet have convenient access to the main train station (when I arrive) and the airport (when I leave)?

Together with the opening of Vienna's new main train station (Hauptbahnhof) a whole gentrified area around it evolved, including a lot of new hotels. Maybe you try one of these.

Staying near Hauptbahnhof gives you the opportunity to catch easily an express train to the airport (a ride of 15 minutes), or if earlier than 5:40am is required, the airport bus (a ride of 25 minutes).

Also this is a major public transport hub (subway, tram, bus, city commuters) which allows you to reach all parts of the city in short time, e.g., Stephansplatz (the very center) by subway U1 (a ride of 6 minutes).

You can look at Pension Suzanne for budget hotel. I stayed there in 2023. It is close to everything. Literally around the corner from the Opera House. 1/2 block to tram, 1 block to subway.
Depending on your dates they may be booked. Instead of a room for 3 adults, consider a double and a single. They have a family apartment but it books quickly.
https://www.pension-suzanne.at/
FYI It’s a good idea to book as soon as dates are open. I book at least 9+ months in advance, choose refundable rooms, then confirm the room 1-2 months prior to leaving home.

Thank you for all the quick suggestions!
Yeah I agree with @KD that it may be better for me to pre-arrange a taxi to the airport, as my flight out is at 8am. I presume I would have to be at the airport 2 or 3 hours before that? Does the airport bus run so early @wmt1?

I was reading this travel website that recommended Wieden and the Innere Stadt to be the best areas to stay for 1st timers. I think hotels in the Innere Stadt area will be pricey, and will probably blow my budget! Haha

I considered Pension Suzanne too. The location and reviews look good. Thanks @TheOtherKathy!
Anyone has any other hotel recommendations?
How about Holiday Inn Vienna City by IHG?
Or Hotel Kaiserhof Wien?
Or NH Collection Wien Zentrum?
Or Adina Apartment Hotel Vienna Belvedere? Is this too far off?

Sorry for all the questions. It's mind-boggling just looking at all the hotels, the location, the price & the reviews!!
Any help with hotel recommendations would be great.

Thank you all!
June.

This 732 ft apartment has availability throughout October, is within your budget, has pretty good reviews and the location is perfect. I would stay there.

https://www.booking.com/Share-8I9tB1

my flight out is at 8am. I presume I would have to be at the airport 2 or 3 hours before that? Does the airport bus run so early?

There is no need to be very early at the airport. I would take the RailJet (express) train at 5:40am, if you want to be at 6am at the airport. Two hours in advance is more than enough.

The airport bus runs around the clock, every 30 minutes, e.g., from Hauptbahnhof at 4:15am, 4:45am, 5:15am, and so on.

Thank you @Marco. Will check it out.

Thank you @wmt1 for the information.

I have been to Vienna many dozens of times. I have never made a particular effort to stay to stay in the old city center, and it occurs to me, I have never stayed there at all. Transportation in Vienna is very easy. Find a hotel that meets your needs and price range and then consider the logistics. This will save you money and have next to no effect on your stay.
The only consideration (as far as I am concerned,) is in the ring or not?
The airport tends to be a slow starter. I remember the first time I went there. Nothing, not even a coffee shop was open. I learned to regret my choice to be there so early.

Thanks @Mack for your response! Great to know that I don't have to stress about getting to the airport way ahead of time, like other international airports.
You mentioned that the only consideration for the location of hotels is whether they are in the ring or not. I suppose you are referring to The Ringstrasse which encircles District 1. So if I stay within the ring, it will be within the city centre, no? Or is it better to stay just outside the ring, like at Wieden?

I can tell you about the Adina Hotel Belvedere as I have stayed there a few times the last being this spring.

I rarely mention the hotel because it is near the Hauptbanhoff and most people want to stay nearer to the center.

I like this hotel. It's very clean and very quiet. Every room has a small kitchen. They also have a small combo washer/dryer. The hotel supplies soap tablets for both the w/d and the dishwasher.

There are two full size supermarkets on the lower level of the train station and smaller versions on street level. Also numerous shops and restaurants.

The D tram stops across from the hotel and that will get you into the center of Vienna in less than 10 minutes.

The neighborhood has been gentrified and is now hotels, newer office buildings and some apartments.

When you arrive at the Huaptbanhoff, if staying at the Adina, don't walk into the main part of the train station. Instead, walk east and take the lift down to street level. The Adina is across the street. Much closer than going through the main station building.

There is a new Adina in the northeast section of the city across the river but I know nothing about it.

The Ring contains much of what a tourist would expect to visit, so it will make much of your stay convenient for walking. But being inside the ring is far from essential. Public transportation is good and also safe.
When I first started to visit there, it was my habit to ride the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn and randomly exit to wander around different areas. This was pre-internet so precise planning was not as practical as it is now. I found some amazing places to enjoy by doing that. I know that Heurigen and Grinzing get long looks from locals and frequent visitors, but do not let that interfere with the experience. You can also find good establishments to enjoy first rate food and drink in other areas. I would say that missing this experience would be as disappointing as failing to enjoy chili crab, food courts or barbequed stingray in Singapore. Even if it comes off as touristy, it will be fun....and coming from Salzburg, you should already be in full tourist mode anyway.

Thank you @Frank II for your suggestion & comments on Adina, including details on how to access it! Much appreciated. This hotel popped up in Booking.com when I was searching for hotels, and I noticed the good reviews it received.

And thank you @Mack for your comments. I see you are familiar with all the "Must-do" things when in Singapore! :D Hope you are speaking from good, positive experience and enjoyed your stint here as a tourist. I will make sure I will enjoy likewise in Vienna!

Thank you everyone for all the responses!

As someone who lives in Vienna, I question some of the advice above.

But anyway, can you share your exact dates? I’m happy to go on booking.com to see what’s available and make some recommendations.

Oh that'll be great, Emily. We will be in Vienna from 29 Oct till 2 Nov (4 nights). We will need a room for 3 adults.
Thank you in advance!

Hi June, yes, all with good intent.
I did not mention several of my favorite things to do in Singapore..... I always go to Mustaffa to explore and shop for spices and I always enjoy durian when it is in season. I also did not mention chicken rice or pepper crab. I seek these out.
I have planned a trip to SE Asia with my wife. Our first stop will be Singapore, then on to Penang before we travel to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. I think Singapore is a perfect starting place for her. She will most definitely love it there as much as I do.
Enjoy Vienna. Where else can you see Paganini's violin and Liszt's piano? If you can enjoy a performance at the opera while you are there, it will be worthy of the effort.

First listen to the locals like Emily, then those who show some experience on their profile page. Then the rest of us.

Hi Mack, you should come to Singapore right now!! We're enjoying a bumper crop of durians here this year. Well, by here, I mean from Malaysia, where all the good durians come from! :P
Glad to hear you enjoy Singapore and will be making a return trip here with your wife. Agree that Singapore is a good base to start from to visit other countries in this region. I'm sure a wonderful holiday awaits you here.

Yes, will definitely try to book a concert or an opera to watch while we're in Vienna & Salzburg, two of the famous music cities in the world.

And yes, will definitely wait to hear Emily's recommendations on hotels too!

June.....Red Prawn. That is the one I crave, and the (a) reason to visit Penang.
Most of the great places to eat and many of the nice places I have stayed at in Vienna were from my friends and colleagues' recommendations. Emily's suggestions will save you a great deal of trial and effort, a thing best avoided on a short trip.

I wear ear plugs for shooting sports. I have experimented with all different types and have decided that the best brand (for me) are the Radian moldable plugs. The major advantage they offer over most other types are good DB ratings and a perfect fit. You can put them in and never worry about them falling out. Custom fitted ear plugs generally cost hundreds of dollars, but the Radians cost a fraction of that. I must have at least 3 pair in use at present. I leave them where I need them. I do not benefit in any way from a recommendation to use them....I am sharing my experience from many years of trial and error.

Hi Emily,

Just wondering if you managed to find any hotels to recommend for my dates in Vienna, 29 Oct to 2 Nov?

Thank you!

Unlike me, Emily has a life, so sometimes it takes her a few days LOL. But she is out only native (sort of) Vienna contact, I think only native Austrian. And she is always helpful.

That's why you should skip the rest of the trip and come to Budapest. We have several here with way too much experience and way too much free time to help.

I think only native Austrian

I have the impression that Emily is an American.

Like Frank II and I suggested in previous replies it is convenient to stay near Hauptbahnhof in one of the new hotels (Adina, Motel One, Leonardo, Novotel, Radisson), especially because you want to go to the airport early. Public transport connections to all parts of the city are excellent and only a few minutes away.

This new gentrified part of Vienna is in the 10th city borough, which Emily does not like, although this area is only about a quarter mile away from the 3rd and the 4th city borough. The 10th city borough is large and the most populous, and there are older parts which are not so appealing, though.

You should not judge a city borough only by its number - there are 23 of them - as there are in every part of the city good and not so good areas (with the exception of the 1st city borough).

Hey sorry guys, didn't mean to rush Emily. I was booking my hotel for the other cities I'm visiting and logged in to check the forum for replies. My apologies, Emily,... it wasn't my intention to rush you.

You guys have been great with all your honest comments!
@Mr E, you're living in Budapest?? Actually I was debating whether to go east, north or west when I was doing the initial planning for my trip to Slovenia. In the end, I decided to go north to Austria. But every country around the region is just so beautiful and I certainly hope to be back to explore others. And now I know which forum to go to for advice!! :D

Emily (an American who has lived in Austria for 18 years) reporting for duty as she cares for her mother who had open heart surgery last week in the US.

Here would be my choices for your time in Vienna, which I all found on booking.com. I looked for hotels on your given dates that can accommodate 3 guests, preferably with actual beds (as opposed to a sleeper sofa) in a good location for a fair price. I would also be sure that you are aware that Nov. 1 is a major public Catholic holiday in Austria (All Saints Day) and the time you will visit will include a long school holiday. On Nov. 1, shops will be closed but attractions and restaurants will be open. Nov. 2 is a Sunday and stores are always closed on Sundays. Therefore, please prepare accordingly for shopping.

1. Appartement-Hotel an der Riemergasse
2. Hotel Josefine
3. Hotel König von Ungarn
4. Hollmann Beletage Design & Boutique Hotel
5. Austria Classic Hotel Wien
6. Hotel Beethoven Wien

I hope this helps!

Hello Emily!

I'm so sorry to hear that your mom needed an open heart surgery back in US. I pray that she is doing well and recuperating well. My apologies to have taken up your time while you are caring for your mom. Thank you so very much for making time to help me with my queries despite all that. Appreciate it. You can tell from all the comments in the forum that your views are regarded highly! :)

Thank you for the list of hotels to consider. Will certainly look through them. Yes, I am aware that 1 Nov is a major public holiday. I will hit another major holiday on 26 Oct, Austria's National Day, when in Salzburg. BUT I did not realise 27-31 Oct is the Autumn School Holidays!! Hope the crowds won't be too bad. Well, I guess we will just have to work around it, and try to book my train & entrance tickets early...

Thank you very much Emily for your help! Wishing your mom a speedy recovery and a time of rest for you too.

June.

Hi Emily,

Just a quick check with you on the hotels. Hope you don't mind. I looked through all the hotels in your list. I'm afraid Hotels 2. to 4. are a little out of my budget range. Both Austria Classic Hotel Wien and Hotel Beethoven Wien look good.

Just wondering if Austria Classic Hotel Wien will be a little far out over in district 2, Leopoldstadt?

While searching for it, I chanced upon a similar sounding hotel in Innere Stadt - Hotel Austria, Wien. Just wondering if you have any comments on this hotel?

Thank you!

The Austria Classic Hotel Wien is in a really good location on a very trendy street. You can easily get to Stephansplatz by subway in three stops in about 5 minutes. Balthasar is my favorite coffeeshop and just down the street. Cucina Itameshi is also amazing. Vienna is small.

Hotel Beethoven is a similar distance to Stephansplatz and just next to the Naschmarkt.

The Hotel Austria is directly in the city center off of Fleischmarkt, a very historic and Instagram famous lane. If that hotel is in your price range, then it is a great choice.

Thanks Emily for answering all my queries and helping me to understand the different locations in Vienna a little bit better. Sometimes it's hard to imagine despite reading all the information online, without actually having been there.
And thanks too for the recommendation on where to have my coffee fix and where to eat! Will certainly make a visit.

June.

June - if you let me know where you end up staying, I am happy to make some recommendations for food nearby.

Hi Emily, I just booked Austria Classic Hotel Wien! It was a hard choice between that and Hotel Beethoven. :D
Thanks so much for your help. If you have other food recommendations, either nearby or at the city centre, it'll be great!

I just booked Austria Classic Hotel Wien!

Then you have to take the S7 train to the airport, departing from Wien Praterstern station, just across the large square close to the hotel. The ride to the airport is 26 minutes, departures at 4:45am, 5:15am, 5:45am, and so on.

Or a taxi.

Unlike me, Emily has a life, so sometimes it takes her a few days LOL.
But she is our only native (sort of) Vienna contact, I think only
native Austrian. And she is always helpful.

First, Emily. You and your family are in our prayers.

Second, see June, was as i right or what. ;-)

Sorry for long silence... been away for awhile.

Thanks @wmt1 for the transport tip.

And yes, @Mr E, you are absolutely right! :D