AUSTRIA - Best of Europe 2014 - page 94

Sleeping in Vienna
As you move out from the middle of the city, hotel prices drop. My listings are in the old
center(figureatleast€100foradecentdouble),alongthelikeableMariahilferStrasse(about
€90), and near the Westbahnhof (about €70).
Book ahead for Vienna if you can, particularly for holidays. Business hotels have their
highestratesinSeptember andOctober,whenit'speakconvention time. Pricesarealsohigh
right around New Year's Eve.
While few accommodations in Vienna are air-conditioned, you can generally get fans on
request. Places with elevators often have a few stairs to climb, too. Viennese elevators can
beconfusing:InmostofEurope,0isthegroundfloor,and1isthefirstfloorup(our“second
floor”). But in Vienna, elevators can also have floors P, U, M, and A before getting to 1—so
floor 1 can actually be what we'd call the fifth floor.
For more tips on accommodations, see the “Sleeping” section in the Introduction.
Within the Ring, in the Old City Center
You'll pay extra to sleep in the atmospheric old center, but if you can afford it, staying here
gives you the best classy Vienna experience.
$$$ Hotel am Stephansplatz is a four-star business hotel with 56 rooms. It's plush but
not over-the-top, and reasonably priced for its sleek comfort and incredible location facing
the cathedral. Every detail is modern and quality; breakfast is superb, with a view of the
city waking up around the cathedral; and the staff is always ready with a friendly welcome
(Sb-€180, Db-€210-250, prices vary with season and room size, prices shoot up during con-
ventions—most often in Sept-Oct; generally less Fri-Sun, July-Aug, and in winter; extra
bed-€50, children stay for free or very cheap, air-con, elevator, free Internet access and Wi-
Fi, gym and sauna, Stephansplatz 9, U-1 or U-3: Stephansplatz, tel. [phone], fax 01/
5340-5710, www.hotelamstephansplatz.at , [e-mail] ) .
Sleep Code
(€1 = about $1.30, country code: 43, area code: 01)
S =Single, D =Double/Twin, T =Triple, Q =Quad, b =bathroom, s =showeronly, t
= toilet only. English is spoken at each place. Unless otherwise noted, credit cards are
accepted, rooms have no air conditioning, and breakfast is included.