yk's trip report to Vienna (with a 24-hr stop in London) Nov 2006
Nov 30th, 2006, 12:06 AM
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<b>Day 4 - final
Die Zauberflöte at Staatsoper</b>
I bought these tickets exactly one month prior to the performance date - that's when the unsold tickets are released to the public. I bought the last 2 "full-view" seats online.
The opera starts a lot earlier in Vienna, at 7pm, instead of the usual 8pm here in the US.
We arrived about 30 minutes before curtain time, and basically we wandered into every room that we could. I'm pretty sure we stumbled into the <b>Mahler Room</b> where there are tapestries on the wall based on the story of The Magic Flute.
We made our way up the staircase until the very top. Yes, our seats (€25) are in the last row on the top level, aka nosebleed seats. We thought we were home free until we tried to get to our seats. We were stopped by the <b>coat nazi</b> again. What is up with these rules in Vienna???
Our seats turned out to be just ok - they're off to one side, so we could only see 2/3 of the stage. One nice touch about Staatsoper is the individual LCD screen (just like the Met in NYC). It even allows one to choose English or German subtitles!
Right behind us are the standing room crowd. Since our seats are off to the side, there aren't as many people as the area right in the center of the hall. Nonetheless, the first few minutes into the opera was very chaotic. A number of standing room people tried to stand in the stairway or sit on the stairs, and in come the <b>coat nazi</b> who pulled everyone back to the standing room section. During the first act, the guy would come check the aisles and stairs every so often to ensure no one returned to those areas. We actually saw some repeat offenders getting kicked out of the auditorium by him!
The acoustics of the hall was fabulous, as was the singing. Apparently, the orchestra is played by members of the Vienna Philharmonic as well. The <b>Queen of the Night</b> was excellent, unlike the one we saw at the Dallas Opera last year...
The number of standing room people was substantially smaller for the second half. I suppose some are tourists who just wanted a taste of it. The coat nazi still continued to check multiple times, but his job was much easier this time. The opera ended at 10pm.
For <b>dinner</b>, we decided to try the Viennese restaurant (Königsbacher) right across the street from our hotel.
DH had pork medallions with Spätzle and a beer. I started with a Frittatensuppe (consommé with strips of pancake), followed by weißwurst and a side of sauerkraut. I liked the soup and the sausages a lot, but the sauerkraut was way too salty for my taste. Dinner was €32.
Restaurant Königsbacher
Walfischgasse 5
Opens until 12 midnight
http://www.koenigsbacher.at/
Die Zauberflöte at Staatsoper</b>
I bought these tickets exactly one month prior to the performance date - that's when the unsold tickets are released to the public. I bought the last 2 "full-view" seats online.
The opera starts a lot earlier in Vienna, at 7pm, instead of the usual 8pm here in the US.
We arrived about 30 minutes before curtain time, and basically we wandered into every room that we could. I'm pretty sure we stumbled into the <b>Mahler Room</b> where there are tapestries on the wall based on the story of The Magic Flute.
We made our way up the staircase until the very top. Yes, our seats (€25) are in the last row on the top level, aka nosebleed seats. We thought we were home free until we tried to get to our seats. We were stopped by the <b>coat nazi</b> again. What is up with these rules in Vienna???
Our seats turned out to be just ok - they're off to one side, so we could only see 2/3 of the stage. One nice touch about Staatsoper is the individual LCD screen (just like the Met in NYC). It even allows one to choose English or German subtitles!
Right behind us are the standing room crowd. Since our seats are off to the side, there aren't as many people as the area right in the center of the hall. Nonetheless, the first few minutes into the opera was very chaotic. A number of standing room people tried to stand in the stairway or sit on the stairs, and in come the <b>coat nazi</b> who pulled everyone back to the standing room section. During the first act, the guy would come check the aisles and stairs every so often to ensure no one returned to those areas. We actually saw some repeat offenders getting kicked out of the auditorium by him!
The acoustics of the hall was fabulous, as was the singing. Apparently, the orchestra is played by members of the Vienna Philharmonic as well. The <b>Queen of the Night</b> was excellent, unlike the one we saw at the Dallas Opera last year...
The number of standing room people was substantially smaller for the second half. I suppose some are tourists who just wanted a taste of it. The coat nazi still continued to check multiple times, but his job was much easier this time. The opera ended at 10pm.
For <b>dinner</b>, we decided to try the Viennese restaurant (Königsbacher) right across the street from our hotel.
DH had pork medallions with Spätzle and a beer. I started with a Frittatensuppe (consommé with strips of pancake), followed by weißwurst and a side of sauerkraut. I liked the soup and the sausages a lot, but the sauerkraut was way too salty for my taste. Dinner was €32.
Restaurant Königsbacher
Walfischgasse 5
Opens until 12 midnight
http://www.koenigsbacher.at/
Nov 30th, 2006, 12:47 AM
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<b>Day 5 - last day in Vienna</b>
Our flight back to London was scheduled for 5:15pm, so I figured we have half a day for sightseeing.
After breakfast, we checked out of our room but left our luggage at the hotel to be picked up later. Even though I was trying to get to the <b>Hofburg Palace</b> by 9am (opening time), we didn't arrive until 10am.
We first went to see the <b>Imperial Apartments</b> (admission €8,90 audioguide included). To get to the Apartments, one must first go through the <b>Silver and porcelain</b> section. Very impressive, but we didn't have time for it. We passed through it quickly, with stopping once or twice for some huge centerpiece.
Following the route, we then headed upstairs to the new <b>Sisi Museum</b> which opened a year or 2 ago. It was quite interesting, detailing her life and her quest for beauty and what she did to stay thin.
Finally, we reached the <b>Imperial Apartments</b>. There were lots of tour groups, and soon enough, DH & I got separated. As we each had our audioguide, I figured he was probably just 1 or 2 rooms behind me. I spent the next 30 minutes or so listening to the audioguide for each room (quite informative yet succint). It was interesting to see the stark difference in style and opulence between Franz Josef's rooms (he was frugal) and his wife Sisi's rooms (much more ornate).
Finally, I got to the end of the tour and saw DH waiting for me! He actually thought I was in front of him, and he was rushing through the rooms to try to catch up with me. Moreover, he didn't even realize there is a "#" for the audioguide for each room. Basically, he just breezed through the rooms, while I was leisurely taking my time.
We spent approx 100 minutes there. One can easily spend 2-3 hours in that section, esp if one likes silverware and porcelain.
We emerged from the Palace, and went back inside the inner court. From there, we passed through the <b>Swiss Gate</b> and toured the <b>Treasury</b>.
Even though the Treasury is located inside the Hofburg Palace, it is under the umbrella of Kuntshistorisches Museum. Admission is €8, audioguide is extra, which we didn't get.
The Treasury is where the <b>Crown Jewels</b> are kept. One of them dates back to the 10th century, which is the Crown of the Holy Roman Empire.
We finished our speedy tour of Hofburg by 12 noon.
As we still haven't had <b>sachertorte</b> yet on this trip, we went to <b>Hotel Sacher</b> for lunch. Hotel Sacher has a formal restaurant, a formal cafe, and a informal cafe called <b>Sacher Eck'</b>. The latter was where we went, as we didn't feel dressed enough for the formal ones.
Of course it is another tourist attraction. We waited for about 10 minutes before seats opened up. We sat at the bar. Apart from their famous dessert, the Eck' also serves light fare.
DH ordered the <i>Sacher</i> sausage dish. It turned out to be frankfurter sausages. In fact, the dish looked exactly the same as the one he had at the KHM cafe. The only difference? The price of course. Sacher charged €7,50 vs €4 at KHM. I ordered a quiche which was ok. We then each had our own Sacher Torte (€4,80). Yes, like everyone says, it's <b>dry</b>! But again, it's one of those "been there, done that" thing. Next time, we'll go to Demel instead.
Anyway, our lunch (sausage, quiche, 2 sacher tortes, 2 lattes, 1 melange coffee, 1 water) = €46. Our most expensive meal so far (wait until I tell you about our dinner in London that night)!
We left at 1:30pm, and I stopped by the Sacher shop next store to buy some <b>hot chocolate mix</b> as a gift.
We had about 30 minutes to spare, so we walked to the Ringstrassen Galerien for some window shopping.
http://www.ringstrassen-galerien.at/
In the basement level is a small supermarket, which is where DH got his take-away lunch and juices for me on our first day.
At 2pm, we returned to the hotel to get our luggage. Since it is quite a distance to walk to the U-Bahn station with luggage, we decided to take a taxi back to the Mitte station for CAT. Our return taxi fare was cheaper, only €7,50 compared to €10.
We caught the 2:38pm CAT to the airport and arrived 2:55pm. We obviously were quite early for our 5:15pm flight, but given our experience with the lines at LHR, I decided it's better be safe than sorry.
At VIE, it was a completely different scene. There were no lines at all at check-in counters for Austrian Airlines, and the check-in process took no more than 3 minutes. There also are no lines for security. Security check takes place at each individual gate - there is a metal detector and X-ray machine at each gate. We basically had 2 hours to kill at the aiport.
The shops aren't particularly attractive at the airport, but we managed to spend our last few remaining € on chocolates and cookies to bring back as gifts.
Finally, it was time to board. I made it through the flight without vomiting. In fact, I even ate the snack that was served!
Our flight back to London was scheduled for 5:15pm, so I figured we have half a day for sightseeing.
After breakfast, we checked out of our room but left our luggage at the hotel to be picked up later. Even though I was trying to get to the <b>Hofburg Palace</b> by 9am (opening time), we didn't arrive until 10am.
We first went to see the <b>Imperial Apartments</b> (admission €8,90 audioguide included). To get to the Apartments, one must first go through the <b>Silver and porcelain</b> section. Very impressive, but we didn't have time for it. We passed through it quickly, with stopping once or twice for some huge centerpiece.
Following the route, we then headed upstairs to the new <b>Sisi Museum</b> which opened a year or 2 ago. It was quite interesting, detailing her life and her quest for beauty and what she did to stay thin.
Finally, we reached the <b>Imperial Apartments</b>. There were lots of tour groups, and soon enough, DH & I got separated. As we each had our audioguide, I figured he was probably just 1 or 2 rooms behind me. I spent the next 30 minutes or so listening to the audioguide for each room (quite informative yet succint). It was interesting to see the stark difference in style and opulence between Franz Josef's rooms (he was frugal) and his wife Sisi's rooms (much more ornate).
Finally, I got to the end of the tour and saw DH waiting for me! He actually thought I was in front of him, and he was rushing through the rooms to try to catch up with me. Moreover, he didn't even realize there is a "#" for the audioguide for each room. Basically, he just breezed through the rooms, while I was leisurely taking my time.
We spent approx 100 minutes there. One can easily spend 2-3 hours in that section, esp if one likes silverware and porcelain.
We emerged from the Palace, and went back inside the inner court. From there, we passed through the <b>Swiss Gate</b> and toured the <b>Treasury</b>.
Even though the Treasury is located inside the Hofburg Palace, it is under the umbrella of Kuntshistorisches Museum. Admission is €8, audioguide is extra, which we didn't get.
The Treasury is where the <b>Crown Jewels</b> are kept. One of them dates back to the 10th century, which is the Crown of the Holy Roman Empire.
We finished our speedy tour of Hofburg by 12 noon.
As we still haven't had <b>sachertorte</b> yet on this trip, we went to <b>Hotel Sacher</b> for lunch. Hotel Sacher has a formal restaurant, a formal cafe, and a informal cafe called <b>Sacher Eck'</b>. The latter was where we went, as we didn't feel dressed enough for the formal ones.
Of course it is another tourist attraction. We waited for about 10 minutes before seats opened up. We sat at the bar. Apart from their famous dessert, the Eck' also serves light fare.
DH ordered the <i>Sacher</i> sausage dish. It turned out to be frankfurter sausages. In fact, the dish looked exactly the same as the one he had at the KHM cafe. The only difference? The price of course. Sacher charged €7,50 vs €4 at KHM. I ordered a quiche which was ok. We then each had our own Sacher Torte (€4,80). Yes, like everyone says, it's <b>dry</b>! But again, it's one of those "been there, done that" thing. Next time, we'll go to Demel instead.
Anyway, our lunch (sausage, quiche, 2 sacher tortes, 2 lattes, 1 melange coffee, 1 water) = €46. Our most expensive meal so far (wait until I tell you about our dinner in London that night)!
We left at 1:30pm, and I stopped by the Sacher shop next store to buy some <b>hot chocolate mix</b> as a gift.
We had about 30 minutes to spare, so we walked to the Ringstrassen Galerien for some window shopping.
http://www.ringstrassen-galerien.at/
In the basement level is a small supermarket, which is where DH got his take-away lunch and juices for me on our first day.
At 2pm, we returned to the hotel to get our luggage. Since it is quite a distance to walk to the U-Bahn station with luggage, we decided to take a taxi back to the Mitte station for CAT. Our return taxi fare was cheaper, only €7,50 compared to €10.
We caught the 2:38pm CAT to the airport and arrived 2:55pm. We obviously were quite early for our 5:15pm flight, but given our experience with the lines at LHR, I decided it's better be safe than sorry.
At VIE, it was a completely different scene. There were no lines at all at check-in counters for Austrian Airlines, and the check-in process took no more than 3 minutes. There also are no lines for security. Security check takes place at each individual gate - there is a metal detector and X-ray machine at each gate. We basically had 2 hours to kill at the aiport.
The shops aren't particularly attractive at the airport, but we managed to spend our last few remaining € on chocolates and cookies to bring back as gifts.
Finally, it was time to board. I made it through the flight without vomiting. In fact, I even ate the snack that was served!
Nov 30th, 2006, 07:57 AM
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yk - It sounds like you had a good time in Vienna and I'm enjoying your report! Sorry to hear about you being sick. When I did the backpacking thing for a month in 1997, I caught something that made me miserable and my visit to Budapest and Prague were a bit hazy. As for the food you ate over there, if you liked the food then you might want to try Jörg's Cafe Vienna in downtown Plano (http://www.cafevienna.us/ or his new 2nd site www.jorgscafevienna.com) since you're in the Dallas area.
Nov 30th, 2006, 10:23 AM
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Okay, I found the receipt of the restaurant where we had lunch on <b>Day 4</b>. It is not the one that <b>bettyk</b> mentioned - I think that's the famous one. Instead, we ate at:
Restaurant Marhold Erdinger Weißbierstüberl
Fleischmarkt 9
trafaelwyr- Thanks for the heads up. We rarely venture north to Plano, except for the occasional sushi at Simon's Sushi. But we'll definitely try out Jörg's Cafe Vienna!
Restaurant Marhold Erdinger Weißbierstüberl
Fleischmarkt 9
trafaelwyr- Thanks for the heads up. We rarely venture north to Plano, except for the occasional sushi at Simon's Sushi. But we'll definitely try out Jörg's Cafe Vienna!
Nov 30th, 2006, 11:16 AM
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<b>Day 5 - final
Back in London</b>
Our flight back to LHR left on time, but due to air traffic control in LHR, we had to circle for 15 minutes before given a slot to land. By the time we retrieved our luggage and got to the tube station, it was 7:40pm.
After a 40-min ride on the tube, we arrived back to where we were 4 days earlier, the <b>Millennium Gloucester</b>. This is booked via a separate bid on Priceline.
By the time we checked-in (again, no double bed available, only twin rooms for Priceline customers) and settled into our room, it was past 8:30pm.
Initially, I had planned for us to go to <b>Tate Modern</b> to ride the slides, but since Tate closes at 10pm on Saturdays, by the time we get there, it'll be rather late.
Instead, I suggested we take a walk towards Harrods to see the lights, and look for a place for dinner on the way. I read from the hotel magazines about <b>Beauchamp Place</b> where there are a selection of restaurants.
<b>The Hunt for Dinner</b>
We set off at 9pm, walked along <b>Cromwell Road</b> passing by the <b>Natural History Museum</b> and the <b>V&A</b>. Outside of the Natural History Museum is a Christmas Market and ice-skating ring. We reached <b>Brompton Road</b> and arrived at Beauchamp Place.
We checked out the menus outside numerous restaurants on the way as well as on Beauchamp Place, then made our way to Harrods. The window display wasn't that exciting, just a theme based on the current James Bond movie.
Then we turned around and decided to have dinner at a Pub on Brompton Road. But when we got in, we found it very smoky and loud, so we left. Next we tried a casual restaurant on Beauchamp Place, but we were told the kitchen has alread closed (it was only 9:30pm). Getting frustrated, we finally went to a Thai place on Beauchamp Place called <b>Patara</b>.
The restaurant looks promising from the outside - it was quite packed, but we got a table nonetheless. The food smelled good from other tables. The restaurant called itself as serving <i>Fine Thai Cuisine</i>, yet the food came out as mediocre. It was just as greasy and salty as the mediocre Thai food we can get here in Dallas, for a fraction of the price! Worse still, despite the upscale and chic appearance of the restaurant, I saw no less than half a dozen of fruit flies on the wall next to our table (we were already eating our meals by the time I spotted them).
Anyway, this is what we ordered: DH had lamb shank with curry, I had duck confit with tamarind sauce. We shared a plate of fried watercress. For dessert, we shared a coconut sticky rice with fresh mango. The dessert is absolutely the best I've had, and way better than the entrees. We also had 1 beer and 1 lemonade. Total came out to £57! That's over $100 for mediocre Thai food. We can get the same food for 1/3 of the price here.
I know, I'm paying for London prices, as well as the rent given its proximity to Harrods. I wouldn't have complained if the food was better quality, as I'm happy to pay for good food. But not for mediocrity.
Patara
9 Beauchamp Place
020 7581 8820
Back in London</b>
Our flight back to LHR left on time, but due to air traffic control in LHR, we had to circle for 15 minutes before given a slot to land. By the time we retrieved our luggage and got to the tube station, it was 7:40pm.
After a 40-min ride on the tube, we arrived back to where we were 4 days earlier, the <b>Millennium Gloucester</b>. This is booked via a separate bid on Priceline.
By the time we checked-in (again, no double bed available, only twin rooms for Priceline customers) and settled into our room, it was past 8:30pm.
Initially, I had planned for us to go to <b>Tate Modern</b> to ride the slides, but since Tate closes at 10pm on Saturdays, by the time we get there, it'll be rather late.
Instead, I suggested we take a walk towards Harrods to see the lights, and look for a place for dinner on the way. I read from the hotel magazines about <b>Beauchamp Place</b> where there are a selection of restaurants.
<b>The Hunt for Dinner</b>
We set off at 9pm, walked along <b>Cromwell Road</b> passing by the <b>Natural History Museum</b> and the <b>V&A</b>. Outside of the Natural History Museum is a Christmas Market and ice-skating ring. We reached <b>Brompton Road</b> and arrived at Beauchamp Place.
We checked out the menus outside numerous restaurants on the way as well as on Beauchamp Place, then made our way to Harrods. The window display wasn't that exciting, just a theme based on the current James Bond movie.
Then we turned around and decided to have dinner at a Pub on Brompton Road. But when we got in, we found it very smoky and loud, so we left. Next we tried a casual restaurant on Beauchamp Place, but we were told the kitchen has alread closed (it was only 9:30pm). Getting frustrated, we finally went to a Thai place on Beauchamp Place called <b>Patara</b>.
The restaurant looks promising from the outside - it was quite packed, but we got a table nonetheless. The food smelled good from other tables. The restaurant called itself as serving <i>Fine Thai Cuisine</i>, yet the food came out as mediocre. It was just as greasy and salty as the mediocre Thai food we can get here in Dallas, for a fraction of the price! Worse still, despite the upscale and chic appearance of the restaurant, I saw no less than half a dozen of fruit flies on the wall next to our table (we were already eating our meals by the time I spotted them).
Anyway, this is what we ordered: DH had lamb shank with curry, I had duck confit with tamarind sauce. We shared a plate of fried watercress. For dessert, we shared a coconut sticky rice with fresh mango. The dessert is absolutely the best I've had, and way better than the entrees. We also had 1 beer and 1 lemonade. Total came out to £57! That's over $100 for mediocre Thai food. We can get the same food for 1/3 of the price here.
I know, I'm paying for London prices, as well as the rent given its proximity to Harrods. I wouldn't have complained if the food was better quality, as I'm happy to pay for good food. But not for mediocrity.
Patara
9 Beauchamp Place
020 7581 8820
Nov 30th, 2006, 11:37 AM
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<b>Day 6
Return to Dallas</b>
Our flight back home was scheduled for 10:25am leaving from LGW. We checked out of the hotel shortly after 7am.
Given now that the tube costs £3pp each way (we don't have the Oyster yet), we figured it's not much more expensive to take a black cab to Victoria Station. The ride cost £10.
[If I were traveling alone, I would most certainly have taken the tube. So having DH come along allows me to enjoy some luxury.]
Note: It is not unusual for the GEX to run every <b>30</b> minutes instead of 15 on Sundays. We got burned last year when we were leaving fom LGW and almost missed our flight.
We arrived just after 7:20am and got on the 7:30am GEX. Despite being early, the train was completely full. We finally found one empty seat which I sat on, and DH stood the entire way. And yes, the GEX was only operating every 30 minutes that day.
We got to Gatwick, took the connecting train to North Terminal, and checked-in at the AA desk. It was 8:15am (just a little over 2 hours before our flight) and were surprised we were the first few pax to check in.
It didn't take long to get our boarding pass, get through security. We found ourselves with plenty of time to spare. We went upstairs and had breakfast at EAT, then back downstairs for some shopping.
We weren't as lucky on our way back. The flight was completely full and no empty seats for me to stretch out. But given it's a daytime flight, it didn't matter as much. We finally arrived back in Dallas 10 hours later.
The immigration line at Terminal D wasn't bad at all, in contrary to what I've read/heard. But that was of no help because the luggage took forever to come out. Worse still, we got flagged by the immigration officer to have customs search our bag. So we had to line up for 15 minutes before it was our turn for the search. This is my very first time being flagged for customs and I'm not sure why. I always declare bringing back food (it's always chocolates or cookies; never anything remotely illegal) and never had to be searched because of that.
It took almost 2 hours from the time the plane landed to when we reached our car at the lot at the airport! And we haven't even left the perimeter of DFW!
That's all for the trip report. I'll post hotel reviews and a few thoughts on Vienna soon. [And hopefully a photo link.]
Return to Dallas</b>
Our flight back home was scheduled for 10:25am leaving from LGW. We checked out of the hotel shortly after 7am.
Given now that the tube costs £3pp each way (we don't have the Oyster yet), we figured it's not much more expensive to take a black cab to Victoria Station. The ride cost £10.
[If I were traveling alone, I would most certainly have taken the tube. So having DH come along allows me to enjoy some luxury.]
Note: It is not unusual for the GEX to run every <b>30</b> minutes instead of 15 on Sundays. We got burned last year when we were leaving fom LGW and almost missed our flight.
We arrived just after 7:20am and got on the 7:30am GEX. Despite being early, the train was completely full. We finally found one empty seat which I sat on, and DH stood the entire way. And yes, the GEX was only operating every 30 minutes that day.
We got to Gatwick, took the connecting train to North Terminal, and checked-in at the AA desk. It was 8:15am (just a little over 2 hours before our flight) and were surprised we were the first few pax to check in.
It didn't take long to get our boarding pass, get through security. We found ourselves with plenty of time to spare. We went upstairs and had breakfast at EAT, then back downstairs for some shopping.
We weren't as lucky on our way back. The flight was completely full and no empty seats for me to stretch out. But given it's a daytime flight, it didn't matter as much. We finally arrived back in Dallas 10 hours later.
The immigration line at Terminal D wasn't bad at all, in contrary to what I've read/heard. But that was of no help because the luggage took forever to come out. Worse still, we got flagged by the immigration officer to have customs search our bag. So we had to line up for 15 minutes before it was our turn for the search. This is my very first time being flagged for customs and I'm not sure why. I always declare bringing back food (it's always chocolates or cookies; never anything remotely illegal) and never had to be searched because of that.
It took almost 2 hours from the time the plane landed to when we reached our car at the lot at the airport! And we haven't even left the perimeter of DFW!
That's all for the trip report. I'll post hotel reviews and a few thoughts on Vienna soon. [And hopefully a photo link.]
Nov 30th, 2006, 01:15 PM
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<b>Thoughts on Vienna</b>
Both DH and I enjoyed our time in Vienna. What is it that we like?
We like the ambience. Depsite being the largest city in Austria with 2 million people, it feels very peaceful and quiet; unlike the crowds in London.
We like the ease in getting around and the layout of the city. Almost everything is within walking distance.
We like the majestic buildings. Though not as beautiful as Paris, it reminds us of Paris.
We like the lack of tourists. Yes, there were plenty of Japanese tourists, but nothing like what we encountered in Venice last year (the entire city is made up of tourists!)
We like the offerings of arts and culture.
We like the cleaniness of the city, and how safe we felt there.
There were many other tourist sights on my list that we didn't make it to - Schonbrunn, Leopold Museum, MAK, Ferris Wheel etc. Oh well. Like what my dad always says, "If you visit everything on your first trip, you won't have an excuse to go back!"
I was a bit sad that we didn't get to interact with any locals at all - of course except at museums or restaurants. But this is true to most big cities. It'll be nice to venture out to the countryside and Danube valley next time.
Both DH and I enjoyed our time in Vienna. What is it that we like?
We like the ambience. Depsite being the largest city in Austria with 2 million people, it feels very peaceful and quiet; unlike the crowds in London.
We like the ease in getting around and the layout of the city. Almost everything is within walking distance.
We like the majestic buildings. Though not as beautiful as Paris, it reminds us of Paris.
We like the lack of tourists. Yes, there were plenty of Japanese tourists, but nothing like what we encountered in Venice last year (the entire city is made up of tourists!)
We like the offerings of arts and culture.
We like the cleaniness of the city, and how safe we felt there.
There were many other tourist sights on my list that we didn't make it to - Schonbrunn, Leopold Museum, MAK, Ferris Wheel etc. Oh well. Like what my dad always says, "If you visit everything on your first trip, you won't have an excuse to go back!"
I was a bit sad that we didn't get to interact with any locals at all - of course except at museums or restaurants. But this is true to most big cities. It'll be nice to venture out to the countryside and Danube valley next time.
Nov 30th, 2006, 02:46 PM
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<b>Hotel Review
Vienna - Pension Suzanne</b>
Walfischgasse 4
http://www.pension-suzanne.at/index.htm
Okay. Let me say this one more time: the location of Pension Suzanne is <b>perfect</b>! It is half a block from Opera House/Hotel Sacher, 10 minutes to Stephensdom, 10 minutes to Hofburg, 15 minutes to KHM. 3 minutes to Tram station (at Opera).
The Pension actually is located inside a residential building. It is on the 1st floor (aka <b>2nd floor</b> for us folks in the US). The remaining floors of the building are apartments where locals live. I found that a bit odd.
There is a lift to get to the "1st" floor. We actually only used it once, on our arrival. We didn't bother when we left with our luggage.
When I emailed the Pension to request a room, I was offered the rate posted on their website. Later, I found a cheaper rate via the Vienna Tourist website: http://www.wien.info/
So, I emailed Pension Suzanne back and asked if they could match the rate, and they did.
They have 2 sizes for double rooms, and I chose the cheaper one. Our rates came out to €87 for first 2 nights (Wed/Thurs) and €96 for 3rd night (Fri).
[They initially quoted me €96 for all 3 nights.]
The smaller double comes with twin beds only. It is small, but not as small as some other European hotels I've stayed in. The bathroom only has a shower stall, no bathtub. The heat in our room doesn't work too well, but the duvets in the room are adequate. Our room faces the back, so it is extremely quiet.
Amenities are very basic: soap, hairdryer, and an in-room safe. There's also a TV (2 English channels: CNN & BBC) and telephone. [Fortunately, I had packed some travel-size shampoo and conditioner.]
Breakfast starts at 7:30am. Selection is ok: 2 kinds of cold cuts, 3 kinds of cheese. Various kinds of bread. OJ, water, milk. Coffee or tea. 3 kinds of cereal/museli. Hard-boiled eggs.
Staff is friendly and helpful, but not the kind that is overly friendly. There is a computer terminal in the office for guests to go online. DH used it once, I didn't at all.
All-in-all, I'd say it's more like a 2.5* instead of 3* (like they advertise on their website). I'm sure one can find a similar pension for lower rate elsewhere, but we're happy to pay their price for its prime location. It is just extremely convenient - especially for us to go to Staatsoper & Musikverein, and easy to go back for a nap.
Vienna - Pension Suzanne</b>
Walfischgasse 4
http://www.pension-suzanne.at/index.htm
Okay. Let me say this one more time: the location of Pension Suzanne is <b>perfect</b>! It is half a block from Opera House/Hotel Sacher, 10 minutes to Stephensdom, 10 minutes to Hofburg, 15 minutes to KHM. 3 minutes to Tram station (at Opera).
The Pension actually is located inside a residential building. It is on the 1st floor (aka <b>2nd floor</b> for us folks in the US). The remaining floors of the building are apartments where locals live. I found that a bit odd.
There is a lift to get to the "1st" floor. We actually only used it once, on our arrival. We didn't bother when we left with our luggage.
When I emailed the Pension to request a room, I was offered the rate posted on their website. Later, I found a cheaper rate via the Vienna Tourist website: http://www.wien.info/
So, I emailed Pension Suzanne back and asked if they could match the rate, and they did.
They have 2 sizes for double rooms, and I chose the cheaper one. Our rates came out to €87 for first 2 nights (Wed/Thurs) and €96 for 3rd night (Fri).
[They initially quoted me €96 for all 3 nights.]
The smaller double comes with twin beds only. It is small, but not as small as some other European hotels I've stayed in. The bathroom only has a shower stall, no bathtub. The heat in our room doesn't work too well, but the duvets in the room are adequate. Our room faces the back, so it is extremely quiet.
Amenities are very basic: soap, hairdryer, and an in-room safe. There's also a TV (2 English channels: CNN & BBC) and telephone. [Fortunately, I had packed some travel-size shampoo and conditioner.]
Breakfast starts at 7:30am. Selection is ok: 2 kinds of cold cuts, 3 kinds of cheese. Various kinds of bread. OJ, water, milk. Coffee or tea. 3 kinds of cereal/museli. Hard-boiled eggs.
Staff is friendly and helpful, but not the kind that is overly friendly. There is a computer terminal in the office for guests to go online. DH used it once, I didn't at all.
All-in-all, I'd say it's more like a 2.5* instead of 3* (like they advertise on their website). I'm sure one can find a similar pension for lower rate elsewhere, but we're happy to pay their price for its prime location. It is just extremely convenient - especially for us to go to Staatsoper & Musikverein, and easy to go back for a nap.
Nov 30th, 2006, 03:02 PM
#51
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<b>Hotel Review
London - Millennium Gloucester</b>
http://tinyurl.com/yd74y6
We actually stayed here both on our way to Vienna and on our way back. I got both stays via Priceline. The rate was $85/night, which came out to $108 after taxes and charges.
I initially didn't want to stay in the Kensington area as I'm not as familiar with it as I am with Bloomsbury/Covent Garden/Westminster. But I wasn't able to win any bids at those zones, so I accepted Kensington.
The location ended up working ok for us, esp with traveling back and forth to LHR/LGW. It's a little of a hike to get to Covent Garden, but at least there's no need to change lines.
The hotel location is good, just 1/2 block from Gloucester Road Station (served by Piccadilly, Circle and District lines). There is a Tesco across from the tube stop, as well as Starbucks.
Both nights we were only offered twin rooms. Double rooms were not available (not sure if not available at all, or not available to Priceline customers).
[BTW, I think the hotel has renovated 20% of the rooms; but I don't think PL customers will ever get those new rooms.]
Both of the our rooms have the same layout. Room is quite large for London standard. We could not get the heat to work in either room.
Our first room, on the 3rd floor, was quiet. No real complains.
Our second room, on the 2nd floor, is right next to the elevators. At night, the staff closes fire doors (swivel doors) next to the elevators. So, each time someone gets off the elevator to get to his/her room, the swivel door gets pushed open. I was sound asleep so I didn't notice, but it kept poor DH up most of the night. So if you're a light sleeper, make sure you ask for a room far from the elevators.
Our second room also has a funky (?moldy) smell in the bathroom. We didn't bother to change rooms.
Bottom line: Okay hotel. I can't be picky when the final bill is less than £60/night in central London!
London - Millennium Gloucester</b>
http://tinyurl.com/yd74y6
We actually stayed here both on our way to Vienna and on our way back. I got both stays via Priceline. The rate was $85/night, which came out to $108 after taxes and charges.
I initially didn't want to stay in the Kensington area as I'm not as familiar with it as I am with Bloomsbury/Covent Garden/Westminster. But I wasn't able to win any bids at those zones, so I accepted Kensington.
The location ended up working ok for us, esp with traveling back and forth to LHR/LGW. It's a little of a hike to get to Covent Garden, but at least there's no need to change lines.
The hotel location is good, just 1/2 block from Gloucester Road Station (served by Piccadilly, Circle and District lines). There is a Tesco across from the tube stop, as well as Starbucks.
Both nights we were only offered twin rooms. Double rooms were not available (not sure if not available at all, or not available to Priceline customers).
[BTW, I think the hotel has renovated 20% of the rooms; but I don't think PL customers will ever get those new rooms.]
Both of the our rooms have the same layout. Room is quite large for London standard. We could not get the heat to work in either room.
Our first room, on the 3rd floor, was quiet. No real complains.
Our second room, on the 2nd floor, is right next to the elevators. At night, the staff closes fire doors (swivel doors) next to the elevators. So, each time someone gets off the elevator to get to his/her room, the swivel door gets pushed open. I was sound asleep so I didn't notice, but it kept poor DH up most of the night. So if you're a light sleeper, make sure you ask for a room far from the elevators.
Our second room also has a funky (?moldy) smell in the bathroom. We didn't bother to change rooms.
Bottom line: Okay hotel. I can't be picky when the final bill is less than £60/night in central London!
Nov 30th, 2006, 03:11 PM
#52
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<b>Photo Link</b>
http://tinyurl.com/ua23r
You should be able to view the photos without having to sign in.
Photos include views inside Musikverein and Staatsoper, as well as pics of our hotel room at Pension Suzanne.
http://tinyurl.com/ua23r
You should be able to view the photos without having to sign in.
Photos include views inside Musikverein and Staatsoper, as well as pics of our hotel room at Pension Suzanne.
Nov 30th, 2006, 03:25 PM
#53
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<b>Trip Expenses</b>
It came out being not too far off than what I had anticipated.
Using €=$1.285 and £=$1.9
<b>Travel</b>
Airfare $1633 (AA $1205, Austrian $434)
Transport in London $181 (r/t GEX, Just Airports to LHR, 1 taxi, tube)
Transport in Vienna $71 (2 taxi, r/t CAT, tram)
<b>Hotel</b>
London $216 (2 nights)
Vienna $347 (3 nights)
<b>Food</b>
London $188 (1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 2 dinners)
Vienna $244 (3 lunches, 3 dinners)
<b>Sightseeing</b>
London $68
Vienna $150
<b>Concerts</b>
London $190
Vienna $120
<b>Grand Total</b>
$3408
It came out being not too far off than what I had anticipated.
Using €=$1.285 and £=$1.9
<b>Travel</b>
Airfare $1633 (AA $1205, Austrian $434)
Transport in London $181 (r/t GEX, Just Airports to LHR, 1 taxi, tube)
Transport in Vienna $71 (2 taxi, r/t CAT, tram)
<b>Hotel</b>
London $216 (2 nights)
Vienna $347 (3 nights)
<b>Food</b>
London $188 (1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 2 dinners)
Vienna $244 (3 lunches, 3 dinners)
<b>Sightseeing</b>
London $68
Vienna $150
<b>Concerts</b>
London $190
Vienna $120
<b>Grand Total</b>
$3408
Nov 30th, 2006, 04:37 PM
#55
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London always offers some scary price tags. On a recent trip 2 cab rides total 34 pounds, and on a trip more than 2 years ago, I had a casual Indian dinner for 50 pounds. It really makes the set lunch at Gordon Ramsay seem like a bargain.
