I have narrowed our choice of pensions down to two:

Pension Riedl
http://www.pensionriedl.at/english.htm

Schweizer Pension
http://www.schweizerpension.com/

Both seem to be in similarly good spots in the center city. The price for both is identical, although the Schweizer includes breakfast and the Riedl does not, but suggests you take it at a restaurant next door.

I have read some good things about the Schweizer on TripAdvisor.com, but found some recent comments on Rick Steves forums suggesting there was problems with bathroom odors, etc. and that the management is very unfriendly.

There is startlingly little comment about the Riedl other than on Eurocheapo.com, but I think ownership may have changed since their review. I have come to regard TripAdvisor.com as the bible, and only one comment from several years ago can be found about the Riedl on that website.

Can any Fodor readers make personal reccomendations about either pension?

Thanks!

hi, dwzemens,

You are researching the same things as me, fo our trip next year [I hope!]

the obvious thing is to take the one with breakfast, unless you are worried about parknig in which case the 2nd one looks a better deal.

I'd be surprised if the management of either were unfriendly - I've found Austrians almost invariably friendly helpful folk, and their web-site demonstrates people who have taken a lot of care, and attention to detail.

in the end, you just have to go with your instinct. nowhere is perfect!

regards, ann

PS - do let us know when you come back, whether your choice worked out well.

I will certainly report my final choice and my experience. We will be in Vienna in late November.

I am looking forward to other replies.

dw--We will be in Vienna in early November and researched several of the hotels mentioned in guidebooks. We decided to bid on Priceline. We got the Vienna Marriott Hotel (****) for $120 night plus taxes. It has a regular price of around $300 night and also has a pool and fitness center. I found it hard to book a room that was described as looking well worn and noisy if you were not at least four stories up. Good luck with your selection.

Thanks for the advice, nini. We have always preferred smaller hotels or pensions to the larger chain hotels. We always feel that in the larger hotels it is often hard to remember where you are waking up at --- Iowa or Istanbul.

We stayed at Pension Suzanne near the Opera & it was fine. Great location & reasonable price.