mrchipry

This may be dumb but where can I find a list of definitions about vienna's hotel room sizes. It seems a single is just big enough for 1 person. What is a good sized room for 2 adults?

It's very confusing.

mcnyc

Twin for 2 single beds, or a double for 1 bed cozy enough for 2.

I think the definition is the same throughout Europe. First trip?

rkkwan

Exactly. It has nothing to do with the actual size of the room. The room can be 2,000 sq ft, but if it's a single, then it's for one person.

janisj

seems to me room definitions are pretty similar world-wide -

single = one person room
double/twin = two person room
triple = three person room
family room = 3 or 4 person room (adults + children)

Nothing to do w/ the room's size, but the bed configuarations. (Though usually doubles/twins/triples are larger than singles.)

WillTravel

It's fair to note, though, that the reason a room is a single, is usually because it's too small to be anything else. I'm sure someone might have some exceptions out there, but that's a generally fair statement.

Cicerone

IMO a good-sized room for two adults with more than just small carry-on luggage would be 30 square meters or more. (i.e. 300 square feet). 32 is good, 35 is nice, anything beyond that is very good. You could do 28 square meters if you only were staying a night or two, but any smaller than that, IMO, is a tight squeeze with luggage and for more than one night (somehow rooms get smaller when you are unpacked and stuff is scattered around).

Room size in Europe tends to be on the small size, hence as WillTravel says, rooms that are stated as "singles" are often so because they are VERY small, like 18 square meters.

Hotels often list room size on their websites, if not you can call, fax or e-mail for this info, I have yet to find a hotel which will not provide it. In some cases, hotels will quote room size including bathrooms and balconies and even closets, so if you really want to get a better idea, you might ask about "net" room size as opposed to "gross" room size.

GSteed

Europe has two kinds of hotels; new construction and remodeled old ones. Hotels can also be divided into; business type and tourist type. Operators know that room size should be minimized in order to maximize capacity!
Without being facetious; a comfortable room for two underweight people will be uncomfortable for two much larger persons. I suggest that you request exact room floor space in square meters from your hotel of choice. Lay out this area in your living room or bedroom and decide if you can live a few days in it. You should also note that European family tourists rarely stay in city hotels.

m_kingdom2

"Lay out this area in your living room or bedroom and decide if you can live a few days in it."

Oh grow up. So you might have to stay in a small room for a few days...tragedy! Have a look at pictures on the hotel web-site, if they look like dreadful rooms, then don't stay there. If you have to stay somewhere like that because you are on a budget, then beggars can't be choosers!

A single is exactly what it says, as others have pointed out. It's not confusing at all. Americans always go on about how small everything is, perhaps it might be how large they are in comparison?

hopscotch

I have seen singles in one star hotels where the bed takes up 80% of the floor space. And even when there was room for two people, if it is a "single" two people are not allowed.

RufusTFirefly

Actually there are singles in 2, 3, and 4 star hotels where the bed takes up 80% of the floor space, too.

One of the interesting things about staying in European hotels converted from older buildings is that some rooms may be huge while others are microscopic--just due to the configuration of the old building (actually I've seen this in the USA as well, though not as often). It can just be the luck of the draw as to which you end up in--that's one reason you'll see such divergent reviews of the same hotel by different people.

nona1

What an odd question and some odd comments.

Anyway, I get the feeling that the OP feels that there is some kind of official room size/definition/regulation. Well there isn't. Single = 1 person, double or twin = 2 people, etc. It doesn't tell you anything about the actual size of the room apart from the fact that you can assume singles are tiny because if it had been possible to squeeze a double bed in, they would have. I've stayed in rooms with a bed up against the wall and barely room to walk round the other side, and I've stayed in rooms with stacks of space. You need to look at each hotel individually.

And by the way, lots of European families stay in city hotels.

nytraveler

These are 2 completely separate issues. One is bed configuration and the other is the actual size of the room. You will generally find rooms with all sorts of bed configurations in all classes and price ranges of hotels. You will generally find larger rooms only in more expensive hotels (esp in cities or large towns) - or as deluxe or superior rooms or suites in less expensive hotels.

So - which are you looking for? If you really want a large room (by european vs US standards) you will often need to go to a more expensive hotel - or get a superior or deluxe room or suite in a less expensive hotel.

If this matters to you that much - ask the hotel specifically how big the room is and how it is furnished (does it have a sofa and/or comfy chairs - or just a bed nightstand, TV and small chest?)