I am looking into staying at the Rathauspark Hotel in Vienna and Grand Hotel in Zell am See, for a January waltz and ski trip. I'll be bringing my wife and 15 month old, plus 15 friends to Zell. I've heard some not-too-good stories about the Grand Hotel but these were from tour operators who promptly suggested ONE other hotel, so I'm a bit skeptical. Can anyone shed light on these? I'm looking for a Vienna Hotel for 2 nights, centrally located in the $100-$125 range.

Last year we stayed at the Hotel Admiral,Karl-Schweighofer-Gasse 7, <BR>Tel 43 1 521410, Fax: 43 1 5214116, in Vienna. It is on a side street off Mariahilferstrasse, a great shopping area, only a few blocks from the Ringstrasse. Our room with breakfast cost under AS 1200. The hotel is nice but not fancy, and it is very clean with a great location. Will definitely stay there again.

Izzy, <BR> <BR>I'm not familiar with the hotels you mentioned but a few years ago stayed at Hotel Nossek right on the Graben (the pedestrian area) right around the corner from the Hapsburg Palace and not far from an underground stop. It was about $100 at the time, maybe a bit less and I would definitely stay there again and would recommend it. The staff was very helpful with purchasing advanced tickets to Mass with the Vienna Choir Boys, extending our stay an extra night after I messed up and we had no hotel for our last night in Vienna, and made a couple of phone calls to Prague for us to book lodgings there. I think the hotel is on the 3rd and 4th floors of a building with an elevator and the room was spacious. The only drawback is they don't accept credit cards but there's a bank across the square. <BR>Phone: 01/533-7041-0 <BR>Fax: 01/535-3646 <BR> <BR>Adrienne <BR>

The Grand is, in my opinion, a tourist class hotel. Big, impersonal. We chose the Hotel Salzburgerhof. No lake view, but what a great place. Lovely rooms, bar, restaurant. Both hotels, incidentally, are owned by the same family. Frau Holleis runs the Salzburgerhof, her husband the other one. Stick with the wife. Their number is 43-6542-765. Fax: 43-6542-76566

Dennis, <BR>Is the Salzburgerhoff kid friendly? I'm bringing my 15 month old. Also, someone recommended the Metzgerwirt. Do you know anything about it?