Vienna hotels

... so we are not accustomed to cold weather. Therefore we would like to be close to sights and places to visit.

You seem to assume that you have to walk all the time. This may be true for parts of the very center of the city, but generally you should use the excellent public transport system as a lot of sights are not so close together. And should you really feel cold, there are numerous cafés around.

Anyway, the weather has become more and more unpredictable. The average maximum temperature in Vienna for your time frame is about 60°F. Vienna is rather windy; be prepared for that.

Well, you aren't getting much help ... yet, so while Vienna isn't a place I am terribly familiar with, I've been often enough to offer this. Much, a lot, of what most tourists go to see is located in, or just outside the inner ring road. Mostly towards the southwest corner. Mostly very walkable and not requiring public transportation. So if your wish is to be close, that's where I would start. You wont get terribly close but you will be able to find choices in the center of the loop. Here is a map https://maps-vienna.com/img/0/ringstrasse-vienna-map.jpg that shows the tourist destinations in the area. But it's also going to be a fairly expensive place to stay.

Yup it will be cool to cold. Two things I discovered when I moved out here from South Texas: long underwear bottoms (they don't have to be heavy or fancy silk, cheap works good) and a light scarf (not thick, nothing fancy) properly tied around the neck. Those two things do more to make me comfortable on a cold day than anything else.

The only two hotels I have stayed at in Vienna in recent years have been the Imperial and the Astoria. Both in the area I discussed, both nice. Both very different. Both not too cheap these days.

I can share what I have booked for my upcoming March trip, but I’m not sure there is availability. I usually book 10-11 months out.

Hotel Motel One Wien-Staatsoper

https://www.motel-one.com/de/hotels/wien/hotel-wien-staatsoper

Boutique Hotel am Stephansplatz

https://www.hotelamstephansplatz.at/

Good luck!!!

We appreciate your responses! I am encouraged that the public transportation is excellent and love heads up about wind/ clothes to keep warm. The inner ring road map helps me get more familiar with what i have been reading in Rick Steve's book, Vienna City Center. I will check out the hotels you all have noted. MAHALO (thank you in Hawaiian)!

https://bit.ly/Vienna_in_3_days

This is a little folder, targeted at short-time visitors. It gives you a good overview of the main sights in Vienna, suggesting two walks in the city center which might appeal to you. (Ignore the very last page which is not up to date, as this folder has not be renewed since 2020 due to Corona times without tourists in Vienna.)

Hi Karen, we also stayed at the Boutique Hotel am Stephansplatz. What a lovely hotel, and it’s just across the lane from St. Stephens Cathedral. Have a great time!

Jean, I have to go to Vienna later this year so I have been watching the Austria forum. What a sweet hotel. And at about 325 euro a night in March, a bargain for Vienna. Love the location too. Thank you.

Without knowing your budget or the number of nights you plan to stay in Vienna, I had a look at booking.com to see what is available. As has been mentioned, the weather really doesn't need to be a factor in your decision making - being close to public transportation and sights is more of an issue.

There are many hotels available on these dates in the First District (Innere Stadt), which is really where you want to be. At the top end would be the Imperial, Sacher, Park Hyatt, Leo Grand. I would also recommend Hollmann Beletage Design & Boutique Hotel and Hotel König von Ungarn in the First District.

Assuming that you want something a bit more affordable, I can recommend:

1. Hotel Indigo (great location right at a stop of the U4 subway line which means 5 minutes to the city center, many of my work guests stay here, near the Naschmarkt and a cool area of restaurants)
2. Imperial Riding School (again, many work guests use this hotel; good location especially for the train to the airport; city center is a 5 minute tram ride)
3. Hotel MOTTO (cool new hotel on the major shopping streets with excellent transportation connections getting you to the center in 5-7 minutes)

Generally, I would stick to districts 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8. I would avoid districts 10, 11, 12, 15, 16 and 21.

And at about 325 euro a night in March, a bargain for Vienna.

You can get more reasonably priced rooms in decent hotels in Vienna easily.
Because of excellent public transport there is no need to stay in the very center paying premium prices.

I will add that the public transportation is excellent. We stayed outside the ring in the Mariahilfer area next to a metro stop and traveled throughout the area on the subway and trams in December (in our 60’s).
Inside the ring is certainly a better location but given it was the week before Christmas the price difference was substantial.
My sister stayed at https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/vienna/vieha/hoteldetail over New Years. They liked it and had a rate of about 200e.

They liked it and had a rate of about 200e.

IMHO, even that is too much. There are so many smaller hotels not providing luxury but everything you need. I concede that searching for them can be cumbersome. A lot of hotels provide better rates if you book directly on their website.

Everything that I have read about the public transportation in Vienna is that it is among the best in Europe. So, that’s an excellent idea.

If someone’s notion of what they wanted to experience in Vienna was well defined by all that which borders or is within the Ring Strasse, then where, and which hotels, outside of the Innere Stadt, accessible on public transportation, can provide the same experience?

The same polished marble edifices reflecting the past glory of the Austrian monarchy, the same pedestrian zones full of cafes and bistros, the same access to the arts and culture of Vienna; even the same quality of accommodation in a structure that shouts, “you are in Vienna!”? For less than $200 a night.

I am absolutely certain such a place exists within a few minutes of the Innere Stadt, I just havent yet found it and so far none of the contributors have come to the resuce. But it is an excellent forum and they will.

“We stayed outside the ring in the Marionplatz area next to a metro stop and traveled throughout the area on the subway and trams in December (in our 60’s).”

There is no place in Vienna called Marionplatz. Perhaps you are thinking of Marienplatz in Munich?

Apologies— we stayed in the Mariahilfer area. I made the correction. Thank you for bringing to my attention.

For our first visit to Vienna pre-Covid we stayed in Mariahilfer and it was fine - many good dining options and also easy to reach the sights within the Ring.

I was just there in December and stayed at the Mercure Grand Hotel Biedermeier in Landstrasse, and it was excellent - both the hotel and the area. The primary reason for the choice was to have an easy connection to the airport for an early morning flight - the hotel is just 1 - 1/2 blocks from Wien Mitte, where you have your choice of the CAT or S7 airport trains.

But the pleasant surprise was how livable and non-touristy the area is, with a large number of bakeries, coffee houses and restaurants - where I seldom heard English spoken.

The hotel is midway between the Landstrasse and Rochusgasse U3 stations, offering a short trip to the city center. There is a cluster of stalls around the Rochusgasse station offering a number of choices for food and drink that I found rather charming.

I think you will find the prices at the Biedermeier quite reasonable compared to what's been quoted above. Far from feeling isolated from the touristic center, I found the neighborhood a welcome, more authentic environment.

Markcw, thank you. I looked up that hotel for my dates in May. A solid 8.1 score with Booking.com, nice clean very modern place, remarkable at about $240 a night

And you say it's close to the center? One tram or changes? Less than 10 minutes?

In April we stayed at the Hotel Sans Souci https://www.sanssouci-wien.com/en/ for 6 nights. We prefer hotels with more contemporary decor and we loved the hotel. The location is excellent, very accessible to museums and public transportation.

A solid 8.1 score with Booking.com, nice clean very modern place, remarkable at about $240 a night

I don't know where you got your price information from. I just looked on the hotel's website for 5 nights, starting at 3/23 (the date given by the OP), and got €590 in total.

Using the U3 subway the ride to Stephansplatz, i.e. the very center of Vienna, is 6 minutes.

I recommend to use this website for navigating in Vienna (and surroundings):
https://anachb.vor.at/webapp/index.html?language=en_GB

You enter a starting point and a destination, and you will be presented several choices of public transport including all details. If you click on the symbol for walking you will get the shortest route together with its duration. (The same holds for cycling and driving.)

For smartphones there is an app available with the same functionality.

Way back in 2015, we stayed here, and really liked it.

https://www.hotel-rathaus-wien.at/en

And you say it's close to the center? One tram or changes? Less than 10 minutes

Mr. E - as wmt1 indicates, it is a short ride on the U3 to Stephansplatz. In addition, if you ride to one stop before, Stubentor, you can transfer to the trams that circumnavigate the Ring, so easy to reach the opera and museums to the south.

The tram in the area near the hotel runs north/south, in front of Wien Mitte - I believe it's the 0 [zero] tram - which runs from Hauptbahnof - so easy to reach if you're arriving by train and prefer to travel above ground.

As suggested, look up dates at the Accor Hotels website - you may earn a slight discount by joining their loyalty program.

And note that a highlight of my stay was Museum Hundertwasser, which is nearby, and it is in close proximity to Hundertwasser House, which may be the most interesting building in Vienna.

Correction: It is the "O" [letter] tram that travels by Wien Mitte. I should not have relied on memory.

I live a few blocks area from the Mercure. The tram is O like the letter of the alphabet, not a zero. No need to ruin my neighborhood, please. And never, never use the CAT to go to/from the airport.

Estimated Prophet, good rates on that hotel. Carole, beautiful place but you broke the bank. Emily, I think your neighborhood will work well. Look for us in May. 17 of us in sandals, cargo shorts, matching slogan t-shirts and red gimmmie caps. Hope the beer is cheap?

wmt, sorry, I was looking for my trip in May. Prices are quite a bit higher in May. I double checked this morning and now it says 257 euro a night (booking.com: fully refundable with breakfast, classic double, two people). Location looks very "okay" and there is a McDonalds very near so the gang will appreciate it. The city card for the metro is only about 10 euro a day ... thats okay (I guess I dont get a discount for being an American old-fart?). The metro line to the center is under ground so you cant see anything, but its only 10 minutes ..... and as you suggest we can get off and board the tram or we could walk the distance at least once to see more of Vienna. Looks like its under a 30 minute walk and it does go right past the McDonalds ... which is also very near the tram, thats good too.

Karenlumlee, well, we drew out a lot of good information. Took a while.

This will not be my first trip to Vienna, so out of the center might be a bit disappointing but fine for me. If your vision of your trip is to have a holiday in Vienna like what you might see in the movies, then do stay in the center and as close to the tourist sights as you can. There is a certain atmosphere in the area that is unique to Vienna and it really is a beautiful environment. You are going in March and the rates are somewhat better than what I posted as those are for May and prices go up fairly sharply as summer approaches.

Enjoy your holiday.

@Mr. E, ”Jean, I have to go to Vienna later this year so I have been watching the Austria forum. What a sweet hotel. And at about 325 euro a night in March, a bargain for Vienna. Love the location too. Thank you.”

When we stayed there (Boutique Hotel am Stephansplatz) for four nights, I had reserved one of their least expensive rooms, but for some reason, they gave us one of their huge rooms on the top floor with the huge balcony looking directly at the gorgeous roof tile of St. Stephens! I remember noticing the bathroom of this room was about the size of our other small hotel rooms - LOL! We enjoyed it so much as a place to take a 30-minute break in the afternoon while sitting in the large room or taking in the view from the balcony. I would repeatedly peek at the memorable view of the church illuminated at night from my bed as I was drifting off to sleep at night. I really wanted to stay at that hotel and reserved and paid for it nine months ahead - even before buying our plane tickets. Maybe that’s why we were upgraded?

That sounds wonderful. That's a holiday, not a metro ride away in my book.

... there is a McDonalds very near so the gang will appreciate it.

Believe me, the Viennese cuisine is far superior.

The city card for the metro is only about 10 euro a day ... thats okay

This is not okay. You can get unlimited travel on public transport a whole week for less than €20.
You should buy a 7-days public transport pass, which has two variants having different prices: 7 Days VIENNA and 7 Days Digital VIENNA. The first one you can get at ticket vending machines, ticket counters or tobacco shops, the latter only online, which is cheaper, hence preferable.
See here: https://www.wienerlinien.at/web/wl-en/tickets/7-days-vienna

The city card offers you reduced entry fares at certain sights, but you must be very busy to have the premium price pay off.

I guess I dont get a discount for being an American old-fart?

There are no senior discounts on public transport (with the exception of the 1-year-pass), regardless of citizenship. But at museums and other sights you should always ask for a senior discount,

Look for us in May. 17 of us in sandals, cargo shorts, matching slogan t-shirts and red gimmmie caps. Hope the beer is cheap?

Locals love tourists behaving like that. :-)
There are numerous videos on YouTube about Dos and Don'ts in Vienna and Austria.

Hi Karen,
Just had to chime in because my family and I just returned from Vienna (from Honolulu) and stayed at Boutique Hotel Am Stephansplatz. Fantastic service and idea location. The metro is just outside your door and you can walk to most of the major attractions from there. As many stated, however, the metro is fantastic and very user friendly but we liked being able to just walk back to the hotel when we needed a break.

I'll also add that our two favorite restaurants there were Plachutta Wollzeile and Figimuller Wollzeile. We had to make reservations months in advance but we were there over Christmas. I imagine it will be less crowded in March.

My final comment...I would not fly Austrian Airlines if you can help it. I know others in this thread have had no problem with them but we had multiple problems, which I won't get into.

Mahalo to you all for chiming in with so much feedback! We are narrowing down our hotel choices with the info you have contributed...three are in the running for Vienna (including Boutique Hotel Am Stephensplatz. Some of our decision making is to choose more expensive places at the beginning of our trip to offset the transpacific and transatlantic flights conditions of our bodies vs spending more at the end in Paris. All said, I am so grateful to be able to go on this adventure!