Vienna hotels

Housing fit for a Hapsburg: Lodgings in Vienna, Austria

If you're on a shoestring, there's a concentration of cheap, plain hotels around Westbahnhof, a short tram ride from the center of town. This area is usually safe at night, except as you near Karlsplatz, a pretty plaza that junkies claim after dark.

Vienna's popularity booms in late spring and late summer, and rooms can get scarce, so reserve ahead or resign yourself to staying in the suburbs.

Recommended hotels

Hotel Astoria
€€€–€€€€. Near the Staatsoper.
This 1912 bastion recaptures the dying days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire with a frayed but cared-for elegance. The prime location places you on the main shopping promenade between the opera house and the cathedral. Steer clear of the dark and cramped interior rooms in favor of those in the front (Kärtnerstrasse is pedestrian-only, so the noise is not too bad). The large, light-filled "superior" corner rooms with their stucco wall decorations, marble fireplaces, and 19th century furnishings are hard to snag (as the reception laments "we only have so many corners."). The Jugendstil (art nouveau) restaurant serves exquisite Austrian fare.
Kärntnerstrasse 32-34 (entrance actually on side road Führichgasse, four blocks north of Kärtnerring). tel. +43-(0)1-51-577. www.austria-trend.at/hotel-astoria. U-Bahn: Stephansplatz.

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Hotel Kärntnerhof
€€–€€€. North of Stephansdom.
A few minutes' walk north of the cathedral, this friendly, cozy, old-fashioned hotel is modest but not spare, and the price is right for any bracket. Accommodations tend to be near-modern, a bit worn and frayed at the edges (the older baths could stand an overhaul) but sparkling clean. Some are roomy enough for families—especially the three apartments, which consist of two bedrooms off a short hall.
Grashofgasse 4 (near the corner of Kollnerhof and Fleischmarkt). +43-(0)1-512-1923. www.karntnerhof.com. U-Bahn: Stephansplatz.

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Hotel Royal
€€–€€€. Near Stephansdom.
At the intersection of two prestigious streets at the corner of the cathedral square, the modern Royal offers good value in the city's heart. There's a piano in the lobby that was once owned by Wagner, and some antiques in the rooms, but don't come here for history; it was built in 1960. The best accommodations are the corner rooms with spacious foyers and the ones whose balconies have views of Stephansdom. They also run two Italian restaurants: Firenze Enoteca on the ground floor, and a glassed-in dining room on the roof called Settimo Cielo ("seventh heaven" in Italian) with great panoramic views.
Singerstrasse 3 (at the corner with Kärntnerstrasse). tel. +43-(0)1-515-680. www.kremslehnerhotels.at/en/hotel-royal-vienna. U-Bahn: Stephansplatz.

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Hotel Wandl
€€€€. Near Stephansdom.
Run by the same family for generations, this good-value inn sits halfway between the cathedral and the Hofburg. Rooms are a decent size, each one differnt—some old fashioned, some with mod designer accents, some furnished with simple but pleasant enough functional pieces. Be sure to request a room with a view of St. Stephen's steeple.
Petersplatz 9. tel. +43-(0)1-534-550. www.hotel-wandl.com. U-Bahn: Stephansplatz.

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Pension Pertschy
€€€. Near Stephansdom.
About as central in town as you can get, this baroque palace (built in 1723) has been a family-run hotel for over 30 years. Rooms are done in old-fashioned Biedermeir style, including chandeliers; a few even have 200-year-old ceramic heaters. Many of the larger rooms have sofas or easy chairs, contributing to the overall homey feel. This is one of the most atmospheric hotels in town and is a bargain to boot.
Habsburgergasse 5 (just off the Graben). tel. +43-(0)1-534-490. www.pertschy.com U-Bahn: Stephansplatz.

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