Vienna

I don't have any hotel suggestions but I'll comment on your train trip option. Vienna has great air connections so I'd be tempted to do that. If you really want to fly into somewhere and travel to Vienna I'll suggest Budapest. It's worth 4 days in it's on right but there are high speed ferries that run to Vienna. There are also river cuises that will take a few days but cost significantly more. Don't let any lack of German language skills limit your travels. As for speaking German, it's my best foreign language (still not very good) but I've found that almost everyone I meet speaks far better English than my German if they're under 60. The younger they are the better their English. My German usually brings an amused smile but they don't laugh immediately. The only time my German has ever come in useful was in the Czech Republic where my limited Czech vocabulary collapsed and the other person happened to speak excellent German. Even in the Czech Republic, the younger people in the larger cities seem to all speak English but there is also a large interest in speaking German.

We like flying into one city and out another. It gives us time to cover ground while not losing time to doubling back. As you are interested in Vienna and Salzburg, one good choice might be to fly into Munich before traveling onto Salzburg and Vienna. They are three very different cities, all highly regarded by most travel guides. We have visited Salzburg twice from Munich in recent years. This coming spring we are hopefully traveling to Vienna ourselves. We have visited the city years ago and definitely enjoyed the sights and atmosphere. Our plan is to fly into Frankfurt. We would travel by train (our norm) and stop in Würzburg, Coburg, Regensburg and Passau in Germany before ending in Vienna. We would then fly home from Vienna. We have traveled to Germany 6 times in recent years and prefer moderate sized cities like those that I mentioned. German Language. If you stick to popular destinations for English speaking tourists, you will almost always find someone that speaks the language as it relates to their trade. Train stations will have someone to help if that is how you will travel. I would carry a phrase book and a menu translator so that you might try some small restaurants that focus on local trade. English menus are often more confusing than helpful.

Amy, Have you got an idea where you will be before going to Vienna? I'm going to assume you're coming in from Germany. That means you are going to arrive at Westbahnhof (Wien Westbahnhof). To get to the city center take, you use the U-Bahn system, take U-3 subway at Westbahnhof to Stephansplatz. Can't recommend any hotel in city center area since I don't have personal experience with any. In Vienna I stay in the Westbahnhof area, where there are 3 hostels within walking distance from the station, also numerous hotels from 2-4 star range. If your train pulls in at Wien Meidling, you take the U-6 to Westbahnhof, just one stop, then take U-3 to Stephansplatz. The advantage to staying at Westbahnhof is that both U-6 and U-3 plus several tram lines stop there. As for the language, you should have no problems in Salzburg or Vienna with just English. Restaurants have separate menus in English or a separate English section. Train station personnel speak English well enough.

Staying on the Mariahilfer Strasse might be a good idea, as there are many, many pubs and restaurants there and it is a short U-Bahn ride or leisurely walk from the Westbahnhof AND the Ringstrasse. I highly suggest visiting Budapest, as another commenter suggested. It's only a 3 hour train ride away and I enjoyed it even more than Vienna.
Don't worry about not knowing German. A simple "Gruss Gott" will suffice, and the shopkeeper/waiter/guide almost immediately responds in English.

We had a great stay at the Best Western Kaiserhoff in Vienna. Elegant breakfast including champagne. Other potential cities in the area have been mentioned; I would add Prague. Suggest startng in either Munich or Prague/Budapest with Salzburg and Vienna between. Trains are convenient, but while German trains are timely, those in Austria certainly are not.

We loved Spiess and Spiess apartments in Vienna last December. They were large, clean, and provided a wonderful breakfast. They are in a residential part of Vienna, but about 50 yards from the underground. Two stops (5 min) and you are in Stephensplatz. It was perfect and we were traveling with an elderly person and a 4 year old. We would not consider anywhere else the next time we go. We looked at all hotels, this was by far the best B&B option. There wasn't any parking so we had to work that out but it was really no big deal. It sounds like you would be arriving by rail anyway. Good luck and have fun!

Thanks for all the advice. My husband is attending a conference in Vienna, so we have to head there first. Then to Salzburg. Probably will go from Salzburg to Munich in order to fly home. I guess we should consider a side trip to Prague? Sounds like it is a big hit. Other question after reading the RS book: will there be many spots closed (boat cruises, etc) still for winter the first of March?