Dukey1

Cowboy1968, thank you very much for the info including the Christmas market stuff. This upcoming trip has turned out to be one in which we will see those markets in all three of our overnight locations and in Munich our hotel requires a two-night minimum because of that. Certainly not our main or even secondary reason for the the trip but we will, I am sure enjoy all of that.

In terms of the hotel's interior design it sounds as if it is somewhat of a direct opposite to the Grand Hyatt in Berlin. Bit there's no telling since that establishment is what i continue to describe as "minimalist" and with all the blond wood and stones/wooden sculptures in the floor elevator lobbies I guess one might consider it to be "Scandinavian" in a stereotypical way.

Regardless, someone wrote that the room furnishings are not "modern" in a Trip Advisor review so I gather I am perhaps an uneducated traveler who simply throws my money away on tipping people.

Best regards to you.

fourfortravel

The two markets in front of the hotel are very nice, at least I think, and both open this weekend. The AltWienerMarkt is one of the city's oldest, and more traditional (less commercial); the market across the street at Freyung is organic and offers excellent sausages and cheeses should you need a snack in the hotel room.

Within Palais Ferstel (at Freyung) is Beaulieu, a wonderfully pleasant French bistro. Even if you can not find a table, the "Baguette Parisienne" is rather substantial and would make a good takeaway lunch (or even light dinner) for two. The Pinot Gris is excellent, too.

Steps from the hotel is Babettes, a heavily-scented "spice and cookbook store" that also serves very light lunches, but you have to be okay with the aroma of the store.

Less than a 5 minute walk away from the hotel, if you've not overdosed on Central European food, is Piotrowski's (Schwertgasse 2), offering savory Polish pierogies, though they are only open weekdays.

Dukey1

Fourfortravel,

sounds as if we picked the "right" hotel and for more than one reason. Thanks for that information which is much appreciated.

Bedar

Should you get to the Cafe Demel on Kohlmarkt, go across the street to the various jewelers for some wonderful window shopping - very elegant items.

Dukey1

Bedar, thank you for that rec. I was a bit concerned we wouldn't quite know how to spend the time in but this kind of stuff is going to make spending time much simpler.

Cowboy1968

I doubt you will have troubles spending your time.
Aside from the major (pedestrian) streets, the 1st district is just perfect to get "lost" in the smaller streets that suddenly lead to one of the dozens of imperial buildings that Vienna has to offer that it will be very hard to get bored...
If you get a sticker shock from the patisserie at the "must see" coffee houses, try any of the ubiquitous cafes of the local Aida chain (the next one is 100 yards from the hotel).. a typical Vienesse coffee like a Melange or Grosser Brauner plus one of their signature pink Punschkrapfen comes for around 5 euro altogether.
For a typical snack, you have a Würstelstand (sausage stand) also right next to the hotel (turn left at main door) and you'll see it).

By the way... one of guys of our party needed to take a cab to meet with us at a restaurant, and the hotel concierge (or door man) told him to take one of their black limos as it was same price as taking a taxi.
Later, we all took a regular taxi back to the hotel - same route.
He paid 20 euros, we paid 15 euros. This may be the "same price" for some people but I thought it was a bit dishonest.
So if you need a taxi, there is an official rank just 30 yards from the hotel's main door, at the square which the hotel is facing.
Official taxis all have a taxi light on top of the roof.

Dukey1

Thank you for that info. I rarely use any sort of hotel-arranged transport although I did do it a couple of times when arriving in and leaving from Prague and its potentially crooked taxis (although hashing out the price with the driver usually works even there). How anyone can say with a straight face that a limo will cost "the same" as a taxi...well, they did now didn't they!!!!!

We are not big "coffee" people and I am already mentally prepared for "imperial" Vienna to be just as "imperial" as it was when I was first there many years ago. But we knew that going in and your very thoughtful recommendations are appreciated.

GinnyJo

bookmark

scrb11

Christmas markets are everywhere. Wondering who these merchants are. Do they have shops and restaurants to run the rest of the year? Or do they do something else and then in November and December they sell various kinds of food?

I'm not big on the various kinds of Wursts but did wonder if the food was good. Looks like street vendor fare, like frankfurter and bratwurst for 4€ each.

Dukey1

I suspect these people probably RENT these spaces to sell whatever it is they sell and if you have read my currently and ongoing report, "what they sell" is varied and sometimes has little to do with Christmas such as soaps on a rope.

Is the food "good?" There are plenty of people over here who are EATING it (and drinking it). As to being "street vendors" I can remember when so-called "food trucks" had yet another name and it had to do with a common household pest but these days some of them are written up as being close to deserving a Michelin star.

scrb11

Was at the Rathaus this morning and the back of my neck was burning from the cold.

One market vendor was selling neck warmers and I checked and it was marked for 15€, made in China.

Later I popped into and H&M and they had a wide selection, all for less. Picked one up for 7.99€


Guess the markets are not for bargains, more for the festive atmosphere.

fourfortravel

This is only our third year experiencing the holiday markets, so I offer my impressions with that caveat. The market at Rathaus is exceptionally full of made-elsewhere tchotchke; even the Glühwien mugs have been the same mass-produced souvenirs for the last three years. We go on the first evening to watch the tree lighting and have a Punsch, but for shopping we go elsewhere.

As for bargains, I like that the markets are not mini Targets or Wal-Marts or flea markets. At the smaller, mostly off-the-tourist-path markets in and around Vienna there are local, handmade gifts to be found, well worth the extra Euros for their quality and unique character. The same applies to the food. The food offerings at Rathaus, in our opinion, are dreadful; but just a short walk away there is wild goulash (deer or boar) and other delicious, and more authentic, dishes at the trio of markets at Freyung.

Visiting the Christmas markets, to me, is like visiting a city for the first time. It really pays to do your homework. Hope the rest of your time in Vienna is pleasant!

scrb11

Well I'm moving on to Prague so I'll have to research it in the future.

Maybe people will start posting reviews of the different markets in different parts of the city.

fourfortravel

I can write that we visited the market in Stare Mesto Prague over Christmas 2012, and found lots of smoked meat offerings (and hamburgers); tredelnik (baumkuchen); and several stalls selling paper and amber jewelry. And of course, a few stalls selling made-elsewhere stuff. Looking forward to your impressions.

We're heading to Innsbruck tomorrow for the weekend; I'll report out on the tourism-website promised Tirolean "modern," "traditional," and "artsy" Christmas markets.

WeisserTee

I will be at the markets in Baden-Baden, Leipzig, Dresden and Berlin next month. And Basel of course, whose market opens today

Of all the markets I've been to, Baden-Baden's and Muenster's are my clear favorites.