This is a small boutique hotel near the City Hall and the Parliament. More about the location below.
The hotel looks old from the outside, but it looks much newer and nicer on the inside, including the guest rooms.
Rooms (****)
Just like the lobby area, the guest rooms are nicely renovated. In particular, the bathroom is tastefully done. They have used stone for the bathroom floor and walls. The sleeping area is carpeted. The furniture and fixtures are simple and look nice.
I decided to take one star off because Room 014 was terrible. As you can see in my photos, this room looks out to the wall of next building and pidgins (and their poop!). I HAD to ask them to move me to a different room (Room 404). See below for a tip on how to choose a good room.
Staff (*****)
I have interacted with several staff members, but they are all friendly (enough) and nice. When you check in, they will give you a map of the area and a few restaurant recommendations in the neighborhood.
Location (*****)
This location worked out well for me. It's within an easy walking distance from the part of the University of Vienna campus. There are many restaurants and shops nearby (next few blocks). It only takes about 5 minutes to walk to the City Hall and the Parliament. Old Town is only 15 minutes walk away.
Breakfast (****)
Buffet breakfast is served in the bar. It's a very basic hotel breakfast buffet (yogurt, cold cuts, fruit, bread). You can also order egg dishes like scrambled eggs, but there's no other hot food. It costs 16 Euro (as of April 2023). It's not a great buffet, but you get what you pay for. If you're more for the quality and if you'd like to save a couple of Euro, you may want to skip the hotel buffet and go to Cafe Elies (next block). They have several breakfast combos including drinks for 10~14 Euro (inclusive of about 10% tip). See my review of Cafe Elies for more.
Pro Tip #1 (Room selection):
I would ask for a city view room on a higher floor (there are 5 floors above ground with 4th floor being the highest). The inner court does not look good at all. If your room is on a high floor, the noise from the road is not much of an issue. Don't expect a gorgeous city view; you will only see the buildings on the other side of the road, but it looks better than any other views.
Pro Tip #2 (Transportation to and from VIE):
It's about 30 minutes away from the airport. The cheapest way is, of course, using the trains. Uber is readily available in Vienna, including the airport. It costs about 35~40 Euro. The hotel can arrange an airport transfer, but it costs 55 Euro.
Recommendation
I may return here if the price is right. If I do decide to come back, I will definitely ask for a city view room on a high/the highest floor. read more