Choosing a hotel in Vienna. Any particular area we should be in?
Considering the Intercontinental or the Ritz Carlton, but are open to other suggestions. Only there 2 nights.
Thanks

Not seeing good reviews of the Intercontinental. Looking at the Bristol or the Ritz Carlton. Anyone know anything about these hotels, especially their locations? Thanks

benmia,

these aren't at my usual price point so I've never stayed there but they are both on the edge of the Ring [the road that runs round most of the centre of Vienna, which is bordered by parks on the outside and the imperial buildings of Vienna on the inside] so they will be in easy walking distance of most places that you want to see. They are top notch hotels so they should provide everything you might wish so far as service is concerned.

to see where they are, go to google maps, select Vienna, then press the "nearby" button and select "hotels" - they will all come up with their "rack rates" displayed next to them. You can then look at their websites via the menu on the left of the screen. The map also shows you the main sightseeing venues like the opera, the Hofburg Palace, the museums, etc. so you can use the directions function to see how long it will take you to walk there.

Hope that makes sense.

have you looked at TA or booking.com to see what else is available at the time you want to go?

annhig, Thanks for your input. Just starting to look at Vienna (booked Prague and Budapest) and I always start with Amex.
Thanks for the tip about google maps.

We stayed at the Intercontinental last September. It's a nice hotel. Much prettier inside than out. Its exterior is ugly, industrial-looking.

We also visited the Ritz, which is just around the corner.

The concierge at the Intercontinental was extremely snooty and rude. He insisted that the concert we wanted to attend that night was Sold Out. When I said it wasn't, according to the website, he said he absolutely refused to go on-line and look. He literally pointed to their business center, and told me to do it myself. WTH?!

That's why we went to the Ritz. The concierge there helped us in 5 minutes flat. We'd told him we were not guests at that Ritz on that visit, but we'd appreciate his help. It was absolutely no problem for him to go on-line and get the tickets for us.

That's how we got to see The Who in Vienna!

Based on that experience, I'd recommend the Ritz. Their customer service is always stellar.

... and you can get the Ritz with free breakfast, a $100 hotel credit, and more ... at the "best available" regular, flexible rate:

https://www.virtuoso.com/hotels/1201...a#.WMwgshjMwvo

Done deal!

We stayed in the Grand Hotel Wien. Great location. Wonderful service.

We like this hotel on a little side street behind the cathedral:

http://www.kvu.at/en/

I have not stayed in the rooms which have been re-done in a very modern style, I prefer the more traditional rooms, they now have a mix.

Tabernash - why do some supposedly top end hotels behave like that? The very best never do as your experience at the Ritz proved. Which are you likely to recommend? obvious, isn't it? Such poor business practice.

We stayed at the Hotel Austria. Though not in the same class as the Ritz etc., it was very pleasant, had a good breakfast and very friendly and helpful staff, and was very convenient for walking to everywhere within the Ring, which was all we wanted really.

You're right, annhig. The brand should be concerned about return customers. We don't stay a Ritz property on our own dime, but have stayed at several on business. They have all been outstanding. Especially the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel.

Back to Vienna-- we have stayed at the lovely boutique hotel, The Kaiserin Elisabeth. In a great location near the Stephansdom. Beautiful breakfast room. Old style Viennese elegance. But not overdone.

Tabernash - I think that there are a number of similar hotels of that ilk in Vienna - I much prefer them to the upper end of the market to be honest, though I wouldn't mind staying at the Ritz if someone else were paying.

I agree, ann. It's nice to get a hint of local flavor.
The Kaiserin Elisabeth is a slice of old Viennese elegance. We loved it.

I remember when we first checked in there (about 10 years ago), I asked the man at the hotel desk, if he needed our credit card number or to make an impression. He was slightly aghast at that American idea. He said, 'why, no, you are our guest'.

How's that for classy?

Our last rip to Vienna, we stayed at this hotel, just behind the Cathedral.

www.kvu.at/en

Very nice, Tabernash. I'll put it at the top of my list if/when we return to Vienna. Not likely to be any time soon, but I can dream....

The Intercontinental in Vienna was the worst five-star hotel I ever stayed in. My room was three-star at best. Dinged up furniture, carpet not clean, etc. Service was so-so, ranging from ok to rudely arrogant. The only thing I liked about it was the bar, which had an interesting, international vibe.

I like the Kaiserin Elisabeth, although they always seem to be painting something somewhere in the building. I've stayed there at least half a dozen times and we took my parents there for their 50th wedding anniversary. The staff really helped make the trip special. At the KE, not all rooms have airco (or maybe they've updated their system since my last stay), so if you're traveling in summer months and want airco, make sure you specify that in your reservation.

The Grand Hotel is probably my favorite of the 5-stars I've stayed at; I liked it better than the Meridien, Steigenberger Herrenhof, Bristol and Imperial (and it was so vastly superior to the Intercontinental I wouldn't even put them in the same category).

Of the four-stars I've stayed at, my choice is the K+K Maria Theresia. We stay in their larger rooms on a high floor with a balcony overlooking the little street in front of the hotel. We find their rooms very comfortable, the breakfast is good (better than the Kaiserin Elisabeth's), the staff welcoming and professional, and the location is our favorite in Vienna. However, its decor is more relaxed modern rather than classic Old World.

Haven't tried the Hyatt or Ritz yet...

"I like the Kaiserin Elisabeth, although they always seem to be painting something somewhere in the building"

That's funny, WeisserTee. I've heard others say the same thing. I remember a faint smell of fresh paint, too. I think they are so fastidious, that they paint over every single ding or mark on their walls.

We were noticing how remarkably clean the hotel is. If there was a smudge on the elevator mirror when we went to breakfast, it had been cleaned off by the time we left the breakfast room. haha.

FWIW, and I suspect given the audience not a hell of a lot, but on our last stay we were in the Park Hyatt, and very much ON our own dime, and we found it conveniently located for both walking and to reach the nearby Metro stop.

In terms of ANY concierge acting the way the above was described <B>and doing absolutely nothing about it</B> I cannot imagine on my dime, your dime, or anybody else's enabling dime.

"In terms of ANY concierge acting the way the above was described and doing absolutely nothing about it I cannot imagine on my dime, your dime, or anybody else's enabling dime."

What do you mean, Dukey1, "doing absolutely nothing about it"? What do you suggest should have been done? A tantrum, perhaps?

We were not interested in a confrontation with the concierge, who was clearly a jerk and would not have helped us anyway. We simply took care of it another way.

I wrote a complaint to management, after the fact. Wasn't going to spend good vacation time on the guy.