Where to stay in Vienna?

Nowhere. :-)

Vienna is a city having a population of 2 million. It is bigger than you might guess. Therefore it has a system of public transport that is available everywhere, easy to use, safe even in the night, which will carry you from A to B easily. You need to get acquainted with it, having a public transport pass which grants you unlimited use of it.

Not all sights are close together. Of course, in the very city center there are more in a relatively smaller area. You may try to walk everything, but you will loose precious time.

When choosing an accomodation it is most important to have good access, i.e. within 4 minutes of walking, to public transport, preferably subway or tram.

If it helps, I have Hotel Motel One Wien-Staatsoper and Boutique Hotel am Stephansplatz booked for my upcoming trip.

There are some clusters of sights certain visitors might want to be near; it depends on each traveler's personal interests.

• The Hofburg and related museums (with the Albertina a bit to the east)
• The Museums Quartier
• Karlsplatz

The first two areas are very close together. The Kunsthistorisches Museum lies between them.

However, there are many sights, including significant museums like the Belvedere, scattered elsewhere around the city. Vienna has a stunning number of museums. Most are within the Ring or just outside it, so a hotel within the Ring is likely to be convenient. However, that's expensive real estate, which will be reflected in the hotel rates.

My gut instinct is to be within walking distance of that or other things more likly to be done after dark and use transit more during the daylight hours.

Vienna is a very safe city. It is no problem to walk on the streets or use public transport during the evening or the night.

Some time ago Emily posted some excellent information on convenient lodging locations. I'm hoping she sees this thread and provides a link--or maybe someone else has the thread bookmarked.

I found it! Look for Emily's long post with her comments on each of the city's districts.

Where to stay in Vienna

We just returned from Vienna -- our 2nd visit in 3 years -- and I cannot emphasize enough how easy and efficient (and safe!) their public transportation is. You can move around the city so easily. Still, it's nice to be close to things and walk when you'd like. Both times, we've stayed in the Mariahilf/Neubau neighborhoods. Close enough to walk to many sites and the old town when the weather is nice, or a <10 min trip on the U-bahn, bus, etc. when it's not (or you're just tired).

I’ve always found staying inside the “Ringstrasse” or Inner Ring Road in Vienna to be the most convenient and time-effective area to stay. You’ll be able to walk to almost any attraction—other than Schonbrunn.

I’ve always found staying inside the “Ringstrasse” or Inner Ring Road in Vienna to be the most convenient ...

True, but much more expensive than other areas.

@ wmt1: One might think that accommodations inside the Ringstrasse are much more expensive, but that is not always the case. The Hotel Post— the property which has hosted the likes of Mozart, Chopin, and Richard Wagner— has rooms this week for less than €95 for one guest and less than €140 for two guests.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I ended up booking the The Harmonie Vienna. It's actually a Best Western hotel. I've never stayed in an American chain hotel in Europe before -- never even considered one anywhere I've been in Europe -- but it had the best mix of price, availability, location and reviews. It's in the 9th district, I believe. It has really good reviews, but I wonder if that's all from Americans who value its familiarity.

Also looked at the MOOONS Hotel in the 4th district, but it had some reviews reporting thefts that they hotel didn't seem to deny and the Rathaus Wein & Design, but the price was higher.

If anyone has any good or bad experience with this place, please let me know! I can still cancel.

I have stayed at a few Best Western properties in Europe, and they were just fine. I'm glad that you considered the Rathaus Wein & Design. We stayed there in 2015 and absolutely loved it. Perfect location.

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

I'm glad that you considered the Rathaus Wein & Design. We stayed there in 2015 and absolutely loved it. Perfect location.

can you describe how the location perfect? i might still switch to it

To me, it was perfect because it was an easy walk to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which is across the street from the Hofburg complex - Spanish Riding School, Treasury Museum, Sisi Museum, and the Opera House was in the same area. We bought the Vienna Pass, which included a HOHO for every day that the pass was valid. So we used the HOHO to get to the places we couldn't walk to - Schonbrunn, Belvedere, Military History Museum. After our night at the Opera - Don Giovanni - we were comfortable walking back to the hotel.

We stayed for 5 nights. The restaurants the staff suggested were our mainstays - delicious and affordable. We opted for the "continental" breakfast at the hotel, and it was more than enough. The wine bar in the evening included free snacks - like really good pizza. The building was old, but the rooms were extremely modern. My brother died while we were there, which caused us to forget a day trip that we had scheduled with Vienna Explorer. The hotel staff stepped up and worked with the tour provider to connect us, and find a way to make the day work. The hotel didn't know what happened, but they helped to fix a situation so things worked out for their guests.

People confuse Best Western as a chain. It really isn't. Each BW property is owned and operated under license to use the name Best Western. They get to use the reservation system and must keep up the standards expected.

I've stayed in a few Best Westerns and each was completely different in look and what amenities were offered. But they were all clean.

Is this different than how, for example, most Marriott-brand hotels in the US (Ritz-Carlton, Courtyard, Delta, Fairfield etc) are franchises?

We stayed in a Best Western in Paris once and it was in an old historic building. They can’t be compared to the Best Westerns in the U.S.

We have been to Vienna quite a few times and really like the Rathaus area. We stay on Buchfeldgasse where you can find vacation apartments and small hotels on the blocks near the Rathaus. The location puts you within walking distance of the center of Vienna and gives the advantages of being in a neighborhood with access to markets and lots of small restaurants. There is a large lovey church square two blocks away from Buchfeldgasse that serves as the outdoor dining area for a Viennese cafe and a Pizzeria. The location is also close to the major subway and trams lines for easy access to anywhere in Vienna. With the WienMobil app you can buy a single or multi day transportation pass that gives unlimited access to the buses, trams and subway.

Is this different than how, for example, most Marriott-brand hotels in the US (Ritz-Carlton, Courtyard, Delta, Fairfield etc) are franchises?

Yes, let me explain how it is different.

Let's take a major chain hotel like the Hyatt in Manchester. It is owned by a Singapore based investment company. It operates under a Hyatt Franchise. That company owns numerous hotels around the world.

Best Western is different. Each of its hotels are owned and operated by local business people. Usually, the owner is actually operating the hotel. They align with Best Western for a few reasons including the reservation system and marketing/advertising.

As stated the Best Westerns in Europe are a lot different, and better, than the ones in the US. It won't be cookie cutter. Not all amenities will be the same from hotel to hotel.

I've stayed in one in the center of Carcassone, and I could watch the tourists walking through the town from my window. It was an old building.

I stayed at a a Best Western in Innsbruck. A hotel had been on the sight since the 1200's. (The rooms were somewhat modernized) It was in the center of town.

On my second trip to Paris over 30 years ago, I stayed in one in the 7th and was given a room on the top floor with vaulted ceilings.

We just checked into the Boutique Hotel am Stephansplatz, which I booked based on the recommendation in the RS guide. Haven’t had breakfast yet, but the location can’t be beat. Our room is quiet, clean, has a spacious beautiful bathroom, and a nice coffee maker. We were offered a glass of sparkling wine upon check-in. Also nicely air-conditioned, which matters in August if not when you visit. Based on my experience so far, I would say that this property is in the top tier of places listed in RS guides that I’ve stayed in.

If you want a bit of historical luxury and money is not too much of a problem, I would suggest going out to the Hietzing area, ie tram # 62 and stay in Hotel Park Schoenbrunn. Elegant, and genteel.

It is close to Schloss Schoenbrunn.

Re hotel for Christmas Market: during an RS Munich, Salzburg, Vienna tour we stayed at the K&K Maria Theresia in Spittelberg - right in the middle of this small, intimate neighborhood Christmas market, and yet within easy walking of the larger center markets and sights. I would definitely stay in that area again, especially at Christmas. The market was so much more enjoyable than the larger ones, IMO. Small, intimate restaurants in the area, too.

PS, Best Western: I have stayed in a Best Western brand hotel in Innsbruck, the Hotel Goldener Adler. it is a very old and historic hotel, I believe. I have not researched this, but I get the impression that hotels in Europe join the Best Western group (or similar) in order to take advantage of group opportunities, say availability of the latest software, for example. This hotel is NOT an american-version Best Western. Note, however, as a guest, you can join whatever rewards options BW offers, just like Marriott, etc. Also, I was able to phone an 800 number from the US regarding reservations, questions, etc.

... ie tram # 62 and stay in Hotel Park Schoenbrunn.

It is tram #60 or subway U4 (green line).

Yes, I stand corrected. U-4 stops at Hietzinger U-Bahn station , across the street, diagonally located from the Hotel