I'm hoping that some kind person will be able to recommend a Vienna hotel that offers real twin beds-- that is, beds that can be separated by a night stand, so that two friends can share a room without sleeping nose to nose.

We would be very happy at the Kaiserine Elisabeth or the Royal, for example (163 euros for a double at the first). We want to be centrally located, as this is our first visit. But all the photos and communications with the hotels we've tried show a double bed with separate duvets, "as is the Vienna way."

Lots of gratitude to anyone who can advise.

Email any hotel that looks enticing to you and ask for:

"Ein Doppelzimmer mit zwei völlig getrennten Einzelbetten"

Even if the rest of your email is in English, this wording in German will unmistakably make clear that this is what you want. There will be no room for a misunderstanding.

Doppelzimmer means double room as in "room for two", Einzelbett means single bed, völlig getrennt means completely separated.

This will not be considered an unusual request, but if a hotel cannot set hat up for you, then you'll soon know and look elsewhere.

Sorry - Fodors allows for no edits - "hat up for you" was "<i>that</i> up for you" of course.

Thank you! We'll give it a try.

the "vienna" way is the way of most of that part of the world (CR, Poland, Germany, etc.). It's because they don't like to sleep in the same bed when married for some odd reason, so they have twin beds but put them right next to each other. Hotels do it because it saves on room space, of course.

oh, I do have a 3* pension to recommend, not sure if that is up to the level you want. I stayed there and loved it, it's a great location, convenient to the museums (right across from a metro stop) but not in the most hectic area. It's the Pension Muzeum
http://www.hotelmuseum.at/en/zimmer.html

Their rooms are very large -- you can see from the photos they have a twin room with a nightstand between the beds.

We loved the Kaiserin Elisabeth's quad room for our family. In one area is the 'marriage bed', as you describe. Did you ask the hotel if they could separate it into two twin beds?

The quad room will cost you more, but it does have two twin beds in the other area of the room. They were not especially good beds, though, like pull-out type sofa beds.

Breakfast at the KE is wonderful. We loved the hotel.

More thanks-- I will check out the Muzeum. The Kaiserin looks really lovely-- we are hoping not to be all 3 in the same room, though. They were pretty clear about not being able to space the beds.

The KE is lovely. Perfect location, really gorgeous Viennese style decorations. Picture perfect.

If there are there of you, you could do the quad room as I describe above. It's just the twin beds weren't all that comfy.

Pension Suzanne (1 block from Staatsoper) has twin rooms with separate twin beds. http://www.pension-suzanne.at/english/preise.htm

DH & I stayed here in 2006 and I booked a twin room because it was cheaper than a "double". There is a 3-foot gap between the 2 beds. Here's a photo I took then (posted on tripadvisor): http://www.tripadvisor.com/ReviewPho....html#17754807

Look at the Hotel Austria. When you search your dates, you'll see the results will indicate the number of beds. The hotel's in a good location for the U-Bahn and the major sights.

http://www.hotelaustria-wien.at/en/h...ria/index.html

No need to ask in german for your twin bed request.

The suggestions of pension Suzanne and Hotel Austria are very good in my opinion.
Both are well located for sightseeing and access to transport services.

Hotel Austria look for their " Classic Twin " room - photos will confirm the twin separate beds.
This location near many restaurants - walking distance to airport transfer bus at Mozinplatz/ Schwedenplatz.
Easy walking to many sightseeing opportunities

Pension Suzanne - very near Opera and the famous Ringstrasse in city center . perfect location.

they have " double room with separated beds " even listed in their price list.