Now that we've settled on our itinerary of Vienna-Prague-Munich/Salzburg, we're looking for lodging suggestions in Vienna, four or five nights starting June 6. We're a family of four, including two older teens. My husband's conference will be at the Austria Center in Vienna, so we'd like to stay near there, in a very nice place with enough room for four. Any ideas? Has anyone stayed at the Hotel Nordbahn, the Hotel Crowne Plaza or the Hotel Kaiserin Elisabeth? Thanks again!

Are you looking for one room? Then you'll be better with one of the chain hotels. If you are looking for 2 rooms, then the world -- errr Vienna -- is your oyster. One recommendation I would make is to stay on or inside the "Ringstrasse". If outside be sure it is an easy walk or tram ride to the central area.

Hotels that I have stayed at and would recommend are Hotel Wandel and SAS Radisson Palais. I have also stayed at the Marriott but it is seriously un-Vienna.

I stayed at the Nordbahn last year and absolutely love it. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Plus, the free breakfast in the morning is great and filling. It's located near the subway and you can get around very easily. However, the rooms are small. So you may want to get single rooms for your teens.

http://www.pertschy.com

We stayed at the Pension Perschy, and loved it! Very centrally located, and they have quad rooms (I thought they also had a family apt, but I don't see it on their website, so maybe I was recalling some other place). Very centrally located, large rooms, huge breakfast buffet, free internet, and wonderfully helpful staff. We arrived after a night train at 8 am, and asked to leave our luggage until our room was ready. They said that they knew we were coming in after all night on a train, so had our room ready for us already. It was wonderful to be able to shower and rest a bit before heading out.

I don't know where the Austria Center is, but this hotel is very central to all the touristy stuff, so I'd let him commute to work so you and the kids can be closer to where you will be wanting to go

Anne

This year I booked at the Hotel Konig von Ungarn following several posters suggestion. In the past we hav always stayed at pensions and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The only drawback [for me] is that none of them are air conditioned and it can get uncomfortably hot even during the early spring in Vienna. We have stayed at the Pertschy but preferred Pension Neue Markt and Pension Nossek. All centrally located. If anyone has any negative comments about the Konig von Ungarn I would appreciate knowing what they are.

We stayed at the Konig von Ungarn in October and found it to be very nice and convenient as other posters here have commented. The room was not small but it would probably not be adequate for four.

I just got back about an hour ago from 10 days in Vienna, part vacation and partly to attend a conference at the Austria Center Vienna. You should try to stay at a hotel as close to a stop on the number 1 line of the U-Bahn as possible (the stop for the conference center is on the #1 line). The Kaiserin Elisabeth would be a good choice--several of my colleagues at the conference stay there every year. It's a very short walk to the Stephansplatz u-bahn station, which will get your husband out to the Austria Center in about 10 minutes (plus a short walk to the center itself from the U-bahn). The KE does have air conditioning (that works quite well) in some rooms, but not all, so if you want AC, you must reserve it and get a confirmation in writing. The hotel is pleasant and a good base for Vienna (I've done 8 trips to Vienna in three years and the KE is probably my second favorite hotel; my favorite is the [ANA] Grand Hotel, but that is a true luxury hotel and a different category altogether). I suggest you choose a hotel that has AC just in case. We did an early June trip to Vienna during a very hot spell and the AC was definitely needed...and appreciated!!
BTilke (Brussels)

Thank you for your comments. Especially to BTilke for the detailed information about the Austria Center and the Kaiserin Elizabeth. I'll check into it.

By the way, I would suggest that you get adjoining doubles rather than an apartment in whichever hotel you choose. You get two bathrooms instead of one and a little more breathing space just in case (hopefully not!) you get on each other's nerves at some point in your trip. Plus your kids can watch Viva or German MTV on the TV (both are heavy on rap music these days) without giving you a headache.
I will be posting a Vienna trip report later today after I unpack and get some work done, but re the Austria Center...
to get there, take the #1 Ubahn line (direction Kagran). Get off at the Vienna International Center stop. Best bet is to ride in one of the end cars (not at the front) and sit on the right hand side so you get a view of the Donau Insel when the subway goes above ground (the stop before Vienna Intl. Center). When you get out of the subway, take the exit near the back. Do NOT follow the signs for Vienna Intl Center, that's a separate building complex and not the one your husband wants.
Inside the Austria Center, take some time to learn your way around. It's not a rectangular or square building, so it can be a bit confusing. It has a post office and cash machine on the ground floor near the main entrance(the post office is closed on Saturdays and Sundays; the PO is located to your left as you enter the building, just past the cafe). Next to the post office are some lockers for storage, although most conferences also provide their own free coat/baggage check areas. The self-service food hall is one floor up, near Room (Saal) A, as I recall. The food is not bad and not too overpriced, as conference center food halls go (their pastries are actually quite good). There are various cafes scattered around but IMHO the coffee at all of them is pretty lousy.
If you are there over a warm, sunny week-end day, you and your teens might enjoy going out to the Donau Insel stop and hanging out along the "beach" and cafes. The area's nickname is Copa Kagrana" for its emphasis on summer leisure activities.

Great, BTilke, can't wait for your report. We're going back to Vienna in Sept. after a fairly long absense and will be very interested to get your very experienced advice and information.

We just returned last night from our wonderful Eastern European trip. Loved Vienna's Hotel Kaiserin Elisabeth. It lives up to every bit of its four stars. The people were very helpful, in their formal Austrian way. The breakfast buffet is extensive, and they will prepare hot eggs if you request them. Very elegant boutique-type hotel, great location by the Stephansdom and the U-Bahn. Air conditioning on the upper floors, so request it if it's important to you. We did use it a couple of times in June. Otherwise we'd open the windows for air. The hotel is on a nice side street, so not especially loud, and the double windows keep noise to a minimum. Definitely happy with our stay there and would return next time.

Just be sure you get a hotel with a/c. Vienne can be hot and humid and very uncomfortable. We stayed at the SAS Radisson Palais and found it very comfortable; the breakfast was especially good, and our room was spacious.

We loved the Hotel Kaiserin Elisabeth. (Thanks BTilke for the referral.) We thought was an elegant little boutique hotel, and loved its central location. We walked everyday all day, took the U-Bahn to visit the Schonnbrun (I'm sure I've misspelled that one!), and it was so convenient to be close to everything. The breakfast buffet was very nice, and we especially appreciated having hot eggs prepared at our request. So thanks everyone for your comments.