So you want a nice hotel in Vienna?

Vienna has a massive range of hotels – everything from the basic pension style through to the most opulent offerings in the fine Austrian style and I was lucky enough to stay in three city hotels, all very different but all with a common focus on guest comfort.

The Hotel Arcotel Kaiserwasser is located a little way out from the centre of town in Wagaramer Str, but it’s easily connected to the city centre by the underground which is very user-friendly.

Six short stops and you’re at St Stephen’s, smack in the centre of town. The distance from the city centre is not an issue for the F.I.T passenger as the underground is quick, cheap and reliable with speedy trains running every five or six minutes.

Unusual for a city hotel, particularly in Vienna, the Kaiserwasser sits in parkland next to the Danube and has access to a beach.

It?s a modern 4 star property with a good restaurant, reasonable rates and free internet in the comfortable rooms. Its ability to handle group movements and a generous covered bus entrance is a feature not shared by all Viennese properties.

In the centre of the classy part of town, on Parkring, is the Radisson SAS Palais Hotel.

A converted palace as the name would suggest, the Radisson is a five star property with all the bells and whistles, perfectly located and particularly well dressed, it is opulent and comfortable in a true Viennese style.

The rooms are large rooms with high ceilings and comfortable furniture and the appointments in the guest rooms and common areas are highly polished. The rooms boast free wireless internet and even the minibar is free!

On the ground level, a palatial atmosphere is complimented with very friendly staff, all attentive and more than willing to speak English.

The ground floor features a stately Royal Club lounge with leather chesterfields, large mahogany bookcases and ornate plasterwork reaching to the enormously high ceilings. Staying at the Radisson gives a true sense of Vienna.

With a totally different focus, the Altstadt Vienna has ditched the lush and plush for a funky individualism while still maintaining hints of the building?s history. A boutique hotel situated in the one of Vienna’s oldest districts, the Spittelberg, near the Museum Quarter, the Altstadt is a converted Patrician house with 42 rooms and suites.

Each room is individually decorated with a contemporary eye for detail and it?s owner has an obvious appreciation for art, as the brightly painted walls testify. If you love contemporary art, you’ll love the Altstadt.

But the hotel’s more than just a residential art gallery. The Red Salon on the first floor serves breakfast and guests tuck into complimentary tea and cakes during the afternoon. There’s a snug bar in the same room which is heated by an open fire with marble mantle in the corner.

The hotel’s owner, Otto E. Wiesenthal created his hotel after travelling for more than 20 years. His appreciation for the finer details of guest comfort and amenities is manifested in every inch of the property. Again, complimentary wireless internet in the rooms seems to be a feature of most good hotels in Vienna.

The Altstadt provides an alternative to formal Viennese accommodation but sacrifices nothing when it comes to comfort.

Vienna is well serviced with an abundance of hotels of varying standards. From the majestic converted palaces to the small boutique properties, each taste and budget is adequately serviced.

For more information:

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An on location in Austria and Central Europe Report for TravelMole by international travel writer, Kevin Molone