Vienna highlights
 

I have been able to get a flight to Vienna to meet up with long lost friends. I have always wanted to go and this will be the first stop on my way to France. I don't have a lot of time there. I have yet to get to do much research but I wanted to know where would be the best area to stay in.

Look at hotels in the area of the Sacher Wien and the Imperial… Don't know your budget, but this is the nicest area of the city.

We loved our stay at the Hotel Kaiserin Elisabeth. It is on a small side street, right near Stephensdom. There is a subway stop near the hotel, too.

I should know better and I will fill in the blanks - ok here is more precisely what I am looking for...I would like to find a hotel or b and b if those exist there that is clean and safe. I would like to try to keep it under 150 US dollars. I don't need anything fancy. I will be meeting up with friends who have relatives in Vienna.

Look for pensions, for that price there are quite a fee and many named in the Fodor's forums if you search.

I'll be in Vienna again in a month. We always stay at K&T Boardinghouse which is on Mariahilfer Strasse one subway stop west of The Ring. The rooms are nice, modern and 79 Euros.
They now have a second property a short distance away. It was always good enough for Rick Steves.
See KTBoardinghouse.AT

It's been a while since I've been to Vienna but I stayed at Pension Nossek which is right on the Graben (pedestrian area). The breakfast was good and the staff were very helpful. It's well under your price range.

http://pension-nossek.at/en/

adrienne, that's the pension I was thinking of. We didn't stay there, but walked by it a few times and thought it looked nice, and what a great location.

kelsey, if you like horses, the Lipizzaner stallions are something to see. Their winter riding school is next to the Hofburg Palace, which is also beautiful to tour the private apartments.

Best and most convenient area to stay in Vienna is the Innere Stadt/Inner City.
This area easily identified as it has the postal code 1010 for Vienna.
It is the area surrounded by the famous Ringstrasse. The Ring built on the area where the former city fortified walls stood until the 19th century.

Most major tourist sites are by this area-
The State Opera, Stephansdom St Stephens Church, Hofburg Palace, Spanish Riding School, Burggarten, Volksgarten Albertina

Hotels like the Kaiserin Elisabeth, Pension Nossek, pension Suzanne, Hotel Austria, Sacher and others here.
The sights within walking distance. best shopping area of Graben, Kohlmarkt etc . within this area too.

Hello - thanks for your replies. There is lots of good information there. I am definitely going to see the Lippizzaner horses. I have loved them since I was a child so this is really a dream come true.

Kelsey, look on-line to see if the Lipizzaners will be in Vienna at the riding school, or at the farm. They aren't in Vienna year-round, as I recall.

If you can't get tickets to a performance, you might be able to get them for their Morning Exercise. That's what we did. They aren't in full dress, and usually aren't leaping. It's more the younger horses in training. But it's still amazing to see.