Hello, Is there any particular are in Vienna that is the best for being in walking distance of everything? Any suggestions on 4/5 start hotels? Thanks....<BR><BR>

Anything within the Ringstrasse (or just outside of it) should be fine. However, remember Vienna is a big city and what I consider walking distance might not be the same to everyone. The trams run along the Ring and are easy to use to get around any place that you don't want to walk. I stayed in a Mom and Pop pension but the nicest hotel in town seems to be the Sacher (home of the famous Sacher Torte chocolate cake), next to the opera house (and near everything). <BR><BR>Auf wiesdersehen

Do you like big hotels? Like the ones you'd get in the US? If so ignore this suggestion. Otherwise look at the very charming and beautiful Konig von Ungarn (King of Hungary) right around the corner from the cathedral and Mozart's house. Great location, a covered atrium, beautiful little restaurant with great breakfasts, and huge, beautiful and individually furnished rooms with wonderful baths. We even had a walk-in closet you could have put an extra bed in! Been there twice and wouldn't stay anywhere else.

By the way, next time you'd be wise to post a title like &quot;Area and Hotels of Vienna?&quot;. There are so many posts here that people who know Vienna are more likely to skip over your post with such a meaningless title.

Vienna is about 1.4ml people. The first district is the centre - it covers everything in the ring and just outside (literally one block) it. It takes an easy 40 minute walk to cross centre - it is not huge! Takes me 15 minutes to work from just off dead centre to the ring to go to work. For me as a 18mth resident I would not touch outside ring as wandering around the centre is one of the delights. Schonbrunn and Belvedere Palaces and Naschmarkt are three sights outside centre of which first you will need public transport. Bettyk I am sure will recommend the Admiral - which is also very close, but its just outside ring (good for museums though)<BR>I have just checked out about 15 hotels in past month as my mum has just stayed.<BR>For quality of room with no price consideration, I would go (prices are approx - internet so variable): 1. Ambassador (E280) or Grand (E370) Both 5 star. 3. KAiserin Elizabeth (190 - 215) or Konig Von Hungarn (185 - 225)(similar old style 4 star hotels, KVH has unique rooms as Patrick mentioned-some are really nice, others not so, depends on taste). KE has some very newly renovated rooms for 215 euro - very nice -great bathrooms. 5. Starlight Suites (100 -165)- bedroom and living room with microwave, 3 locations, go for Renngasse. 6. K &amp; K Palais (100-150)Good quality 3 star with standard K &amp; K chain bright yellow walls, Or Europa Hotel (140-200) New nicely done rooms, tiny bathrooms (mediocre value). 8 Pension Pertschy (100-120). 9. Wiener Staats Oper (110-120)(identical wall paper to Pertschy in more impressive building, but rooms are defintely smaller)10 Hotel de France (180-250). Overpriced. Some good rooms, generally over priced and undergoing renovation this year. Also Astoria - OK rooms, horrendous corridors. 11 Pension Nossek (100-120) thought this was smelly.Does not deserve its good rep in my view at least from room quality perspective. 12 Hotel Regina. Great building, desperately needing renovation inside or Royal - same chain, same comments 13. Pension Neu MArkt - really ugly corridors (formica type panels form walls) and dated rooms. Yuck<BR>The pensions a la Pertschy etc often have quite twee decor - pink textured wallpaper with little rose buds, big floral/swirly carpet. Your taste is big issue on this style. KE is a little like this, but just much better quality. Of this type for pensions Pertschy was easily best with some good rooms and very clean.<BR><BR>Value for money: 1. Starlight - where Mum stayed, bit Ikea style rooms (bright and modern) but for E100 for the space (2 seater couch, + 2 seats, TV in lounge and bedroom, simply unbeatable value. 2. Kaiserin Elizabeth - Konig v H can be good value in summer as no high/low season prices, but winter, no discount at all available, internet or otherwise, whereas KE can get cheaper - 190 (30 discount) was offered for new big room. Both very central 3. Ambassador - for very high quality at OK value.Really nice bar and restaurant, dead centre of town .<BR><BR>4 other big hotels that my wife knows - Sacher (my wife says this has best rooms in Vienna, including Imperial which she has also seen, she did a photo shoot there using suites); Imperial (super grand, suites are most expensive in Vienna) and Bristol - I always think reception there has a bit musty smell for a 5 star. Schwarzenberg Palais - fantastic setting, beautiful grounds, rooms need a bit of doing up and outside needs renovation, but go for afternoon tea or in summer, dinner. Also forgot Intercon where I have stayed twice - overpriced compared to Ambassador, rooms are good but would still stay at Starlight as more space even compared to Intercon's club rooms.