Okay, we (family of four) will be traveling to Vienna as part of our Prague/Vienna/Budapest trip this April. I had booked us in a four bedded family room at the Kaiserin Elizabeth based on reviews here and on Tripadvisor. Now I am considering moving us to the Schubertring Hotel where I can get a two bedroom, 2 bath room for virtually the same money. Am I being shortsighted? We will only be in Vienna for 3 nights so I want to be sure that we are centrally located. Any advice? Also, how about must sees for us? My two teens are both lovers of history and art. My daughter loves wandering opulent palaces so I think she is in for a treat. Restaurant ideas as well? To make the picky teens and the adults happy?
Thanks! Susan

Can't advise on the hotels as I have stayed in neither. However, I believe the KE is the more central location.

You should defintely see Schoenbrunn Palace. Take the audio tour. And walk up to the Gloriette behind the gardens for a fantastic view of the city. The Hofburg Palace is right in the Altstadt and would surely be worth some time. This is also where the Spanish Riding School is located.

There are two major museums on the Ringstrasse -- the Natural History museum and the Fine Arts museum. Both are very worthwhile.

You should have no trouble filling several days with interesting and fun activities in Vienna.

Do a search on Fodor's for Restaurants Vienna and you will find plenty of ideas. There are also several MacDonalds in Vienna for the teens to get their "fix".

Regarding the hotels, I have stayed at the Kaiserin Elisabeth and loved it. It is located well inside the Ring (busy street around the historic city core, which has many pedestrian passageways). The other hotel is right on the Ringstrasse, so I would request an inner room if noise is any concern to you. Good luck.

We are also a family of four, who stayed at the Kaiserin Elisabeth last June in their family room. It was a nice size for us and we LOVED the K.E. Wonderful breakfast buffet, with all you will need to eat or drink to last you till into the afternoon. K.E's location can't be beat-- on a more quiet side street, yet just around the corner from Stephansdom, short walk to Hofburg complex and just about everything else, we even walked to the Belvedere from there, the university and the city building (the Rathaus?). Also, the K.E. is so close to shops, etc., so you can send your teens out to investigate and feel safe about them (of course, Vienna is pretty safe just about anywhere above ground).
Your decision will probably boil down to the luxury of having two bathrooms vs. the central location. We easily managed with one bath, because we ate breakfast while others showered, etc. The only downside to the KE is that my teens said the twin sized beds weren't very comfortable-- they were a type of roll-away, I think. Not a big deal for us, just thought I'd mention it in case you kids are picky about beds.

P.S. For opulent places, take a tour of the royal apartments in the Hofburg, or the Schonnbrunn. Can't beat the opulence of the Hapsburg dynasty! Also, the Winter Riding School at the Hofburg is a beautiful and unique indoor 'arena' with those fabulous Lippizzaner stalions.

Check out this thread that is going around about the Kaiserin, it's a great hotel and excellent location!

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...amp;dirtyBit=1

The Schubertring get good review too but I think the Kaiserin is more intimate. Read the reviews, check out tripadvisor.com and go with your gut feeling!

I loved the Kaiserin Elisabeth - I found it sedate in a good, reassuring way. Housekeeping was top-notch. The staff has that Austrian mix of formality and warmth which I find just right. There was a nice Italian restaurant right next door, good choice for a first-night meal. Lots of other dining options in the area. The Stephansdom metro station is a half-block away and the neighorhood feels safe at just about any hour. Hope you are in Austria during spargelzeit (asparagus season) - ham and spargel and potatoes, the perfect meal!

Schubertring is convenient but it is right on the main ring - so expect noise. Having said that lots of other 5 star hotels are also on the ring. Main thing is that Schubertring at least in 2003 when I lived there was one of quite a few 3 star hotels of similar ilk that are past their sell by date -bit sad and drab. KE has a lot of rooms done up quite well (in a bit of chintzy style) although some of their rooms are also a bit past sell by date - but I suspect fewer every year.