I've done tons of searching, and have narrowed my hotels to a few. My big concerns are safety of the neighborhood, room cleanliness, comfort, and location. Warmth is also a big factor, as I'll be going in December.

1) Graf Stadion - 53 E per night as part of package that includes 1 sachertorte and 1 24 Hour Vienna ticket. This is probably my number 1; I wish it were a little cheaper, but I like the location, and it gets good tripadvisor reviews.

2) Pension Lerner - 45 E with no toilet, 55 with private toilet/WC. The location is great, but this place might be a little shabby? I can get a rate of 45 E with private toilet/shower in WC on bookings.de, but it doesn't include VAT.

3) Pension Bosch - 46 Euros private WC/shower. Location very near Belevedere and close to South train station. I fear this might be seedy (near both a park and train station) and a bit out of the center. Hotel looks nice, and I've heard it's a peaceful location.

4) Pension Kraml - 30 E shared WC and shared shower. Don't like to share, but good price.

5) Hotel Cryston - 54 E per night privaate Wc/shower. Looks nice, but location is in between inner ring and Sch. Palace. I think this is too far from center.

6) Baronesse - quoted me a price of 62 E, but found a rate of 45 on bookings.de (without VAT). When I e-mailed them to see if they would match, they said the 45 E wasn't valid. Location is close to where Graf Stadion is, but I like this location a bit less. Hotel seems a bit nicer (4 stars rather than 3) but there are some just okay reviews.

7) Hotel Kugel - can anyone comment on this?

I'm wondering if anyone can help me choose between these, or have stayed in any of them. Other places I considered were: Austria, Pension city, Anna, Quisana, Hagrita, Astra and Mozart, but for one reason or another they just didn't fit.

I'd ideally like something in the 40s, but this basically means sharing some facilities. I wouldn't mind sharing a toilet so much, but my fear is that this means having a shower in a really strange place in the room that could cause the room to get wet. Can anyone comment on what it's like being in a room with just a shower in Austria?

Or ... should I try for a 3 or 4 star on Priceline? Some have been going for in the 60s US dollars, which could be pretty close to these prices.

Any other places I should consider?

Thanks for your help!!

One more place I'd forgot to ask about: Wein Wein (3 rooms from Ildiko Budai that all share facilities):

The price is good (39 Euros) and the photos like nice, but I've heard a few so-so reviews. They don't include breakfast.

wein-wein.de

Found out that Hotel Kugel has a good rate for 35 E per night, a shared bathroom with only one other room. The location is very near Spittleberg, but it still seems a bit too far out from the ring for my liking.

ttt

topping again.

I only know Pension Lerner on this list. It is not a little shabby -it's a lot shabby.

Thanks; I'm not so into shabby.

topping

We stayed from July 6-11 of this year in one of Pension Lerner's apartments, 60 euro per night for 2 people. Did not find it shabby in the least bit. Rather, we were very impressed with our apartment and loved it! Very safe, clean, centrally located, and comfortable. Cannot comment, however, what it would be like in December.

Zoe, I am glad that you had a good experience with the Pension Lerner apartments. Frankly, I did not know that they had apartments. Are they in the same building as the single rooms? I was referring to the single rooms. We were two couples traveling together in October. Our rooms had very worn and stained carpets, well worn old furniture, and matresses that were also well worn to the point where the supports underneath could be felt. Our room had a strong musty odor and lots of mold in the shower area. We paid an in season price of about 90 Euro. At that price we could have, and later did, do much better. Hence my comments.

The perfect Pension for you is Pension Pertschy ---- right in the center of Vienna, a few steps from Graben and St. Stephen's Cathedral.

In December you can also get a special "stay 4 nights and pay for 3".

Top quality at a bargin price for Vienna.

Thanks, I hadn't noticed the specials at Pertschy and its sister places. Unfortunately, I'd really like to stay 1 night Bratislava and 3 in Vienna, so that I can attend a concert late in Bratislava and have a place to put my bags for the day. Maybe I should reconsider to take advantage of the offer? I could also just stay there on Sunday to earn the 35% off. Thanks for the comments about Lerner; I'd be staying in the pension, not the apartments. Any more thoughts?

has anyone stayed in the private rooms' recommended by Rick Steves; there are two places, the names are escaping me now.