Pre-cruise stay in Vienna - need advice

[bobalink]

We are booked on the AMA AmaLyra Budapest to Prague "Blue Danube Discovery" in August 2013. Included in the itinerary is a port stop in Vienna.

 

My husband would like to spend more time in Vienna than just the port stop.

 

We are just starting to research the possibility of a pre-cruise stay in Vienna. We would fly from LAX into Vienna, stay 2 or 3 days, then take the train to Budapest and stay for 3 days prior to boarding the ship.

 

My questions:

1. Do you have a recommendation for a hotel in Vienna?

I have looked on Trip Advisor, but I always like suggestions from the folks here on Cruise Critic.

 

2. Is it easy to travel by train from Vienna to Budapest?

 

3. Do you have suggestions for a private guide?

 

4. Any general tips on visiting Vienna?

 

Thanks!

[YoungDubFan]

For hotel recommendations, it usually helps to give a budget. I was in Vienna in Sept 2009. We stayed at Pension Nossek. (http://www.pension-nossek.at/) use Google Translate. It is located just 5 min from St. Stephens and 5 min from the Hofburg Palace and is also very close to two separate metro lines. Vienna is very navigable, both via walking and the metro system. I was there for 3 days and we did not use a guide at all. Just purchase a good guide book (Eyewitness has a great one) and you can explore all you want on your own.

[Neliska]

Hi, I can recommend the Das Tyrol a small luxury hotel in Vienna. We spent 3 nights there back in July.:)

[sanibel]

We stayed at the Hilton across from Studtpark in May. It was a great location for transportation and the hotel itself was great. Its one of the rare no smoking hotels in Vienna!

 

We loved the tram that circles the city and also the underground subway. We had a bad experience with the Hop on Hof off tour bus and we wouldn't use it again. I've since heard others complain about it.

 

We didn't have a guide, just a tour book and did fine. We felt the practice session of the Lipinzzaner horses was overpriced and not worth our time. Do watch the calendar as we happened to be there on Ascension Day and everything was closed other than restaurants. I've been told that's true of other religious holidays.

[caviargal]

Last visit we stayed at Marriott Vienna. Great location, large and comfortable rooms and overall a very good experience.

[SOShrink]

I agree with Sanibel about the Hilton Vienna. It's like staying next to Central Park in NYC, yet within walking distance of the city center. It's nice to leave the hotel, walk across a footbridge to the Stadtpark, and mingle with Viennese walking their dogs, pushing ornate strollers or jogging, etc. It is very close to 2 metro lines as well as the Bahnhof Wien-Mitte with direct speed rail service to and from the airport on the CAT (City Airport Train). It is also next to a little shopping mall with a pharmacy, bookstore, cafe, and other useful stores. This Hilton will not win any awards for charm or appearance, but it's location makes up for that especially if you can snag a good Internet deal....

[pully8]

Hi, I can recommend the Das Tyrol a small luxury hotel in Vienna. We spent 3 nights there back in July.:)

we also have stayed there and enjoyed it. staff were attentive and we liked the location. the breakfast was cooked to order and was very good.

 

we booked months ahead to see a full performance of the spanish riding school horses and it was very enjoyable. if you have equestrian interests it is wonderful but need to book ahead to get best seats.

 

we will be there again soon cannot wait. enjoy your trip.

[KCcruisin07]

We saw many of the downtown sites with our group, but rain was a problem part of the time.

I recommend the Schonbrunn Palace if your cruise isn't going there. You can make a reservation before you get there, but they go strictly by the designated time. If you are early be sure to go for strudel! I enjoyed the history of the Hapsburgs. I wish we had had more time to enjoy the gardens.

With more time I would also have gone to the Belvedere Art Museum to see the Klimt exhibit and to the Spanish Riding School.

[bobalink]

Thank you to everyone for all of the suggestions!

[SOShrink]

Bobalink, while reading up on the Schonbrunn Palace, I stumbled upon the Urban Resort Hotel Vienna, which Frommer's Vienna guidebook thinks is a steal and "oozes chic, savvy design and sophistication". You can walk to the Palace, and will be a 15 min U-bahn ride from downtown. 65 euros or so a night in Vienna sounds unbeatable! Check it out in FROMMER'S and TripAdvisor. Good luck, Steve

[bobalink]

Bobalink, while reading up on the Schonbrunn Palace, I stumbled upon the Urban Resort Hotel Vienna, which Frommer's Vienna guidebook thinks is a steal and "oozes chic, savvy design and sophistication". You can walk to the Palace, and will be a 15 min U-bahn ride from downtown. 65 euros or so a night in Vienna sounds unbeatable! Check it out in FROMMER'S and TripAdvisor. Good luck, Steve

 

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the tip! I checked it out on TripAdvisor and it is listed under Specialty Lodging, and has good reviews!

 

We are looking forward to visiting Schonbrunn Palace, especially the gardens.

[KCcruisin07]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the tip! I checked it out on TripAdvisor and it is listed under Specialty Lodging, and has good reviews!

 

We are looking forward to visiting Schonbrunn Palace, especially the gardens.

 

Have a great time there!

[Pugwash123]

We so loved Vienna when we visited on our two river cruises that we went back this year for a long weekend. We stayed at the Hotel Am Stephansplatz which overlooks St Stephens Cathedral and is handy for the shops, restaurants and a lot of the city centre attractions. There is a local Metro station outside the hotel but we found that the taxies were relatively cheap to use. We pre-booked our taxi transfers from the Airport which were 39 Euros each way although you can take use the airport train which is a lot less expensive. If you are interested in pre booking a concert or excursion we used a company called Vienna Classic who can be found on the internet.

 

Hope you have a great time on your cruise and enjoy your stay in Vienna.

[bobalink]

We so loved Vienna when we visited on our two river cruises that we went back this year for a long weekend. We stayed at the Hotel Am Stephansplatz which overlooks St Stephens Cathedral and is handy for the shops, restaurants and a lot of the city centre attractions. There is a local Metro station outside the hotel but we found that the taxies were relatively cheap to use. We pre-booked our taxi transfers from the Airport which were 39 Euros each way although you can take use the airport train which is a lot less expensive. If you are interested in pre booking a concert or excursion we used a company called Vienna Classic who can be found on the internet.

 

Hope you have a great time on your cruise and enjoy your stay in Vienna.

 

Thanks so much for the helpful tips and resources.

I am taking notes and compiling a binder with all of the information.

[tarheel423]

We just returned yesterday from Vienna where we stayed 3 extra days after our Uniworld cruise ended. We also stayed at Das Tyrol and were very pleased with our accommodations. The staff were friendly and very helpful with making recommendations and reservations for dinner. We had a room facing the street, but I never heard any street noise (and I am a light sleeper). The hotel is about 100 yds south of the Museum Quarter U Bahn station, but we walked everywhere except to Schonbrunn Palace. It was probably plus or minus 1/2 mile to Stephansplatz, the Opera area, and Hofburg. If you plan on visiting the Hofburg Palace, I would suggest buying a "Sisi ticket." This will get you into the Palace, the silver collection, the Sisi apartments (but not the Treasury), and, most importantly, the Grand Tour of Schonbrunn without a time-specific entry (there is a special line for holders of the Sisi ticket). The ticket also covers the Funiture Museum, but that's one of the few places we never visited. I would also suggest a tour of the Opera House. The times and days seem to change so you have to check out the posted sheet on the side of the building to be sure. You show up 20 minutes before tour time (there seemed to be 2 in the afternoon when we were there, 2pm and 3pm) to buy your ticket. The door you use is the first door on the left side as you face the building. The tours are split into language groups and the English group was split again into at least 2 groups (we were in the first 40, don't know what happened behind us). Yes, the group is large, and yes, it's hard to hear, but you get to go into the theatre and to go backstage. We purchased an 8-strip "Climate Ticket" which covers all forms of public transportation. Our ship was in Vienna for 2 days and we used the ticket 1 day then and on the day we went to Schonbrunn. One person can use the ticket for 8 days, 2 people for 4 days, etc. You fold the strip back so just the "one" strip shows and stick it in the blue box to validate. Then fold back so "one" and "two" show, and validate again, and so on. Each strip is good for 1 day of travel (up to 1 am the following day) for 1 person and the ticket doesn't have to be used on consecutive days. We wound up not using 2-day's worth since we walked everywhere. (We'll keep the ticket and our Sisi tickets - good for one year - in case we go back.) The public transportation system in Vienna seems to work on the honor system. At the entrance to the turnstyles in the U Bahn Station is an elbow-height blue box with a slot (the blue boxes are also on the trams). You stick your ticket in to stamp it ("validate"). No one ever asked to see our ticket, but we were given to understand that we would be in really big trouble (read BIG fines) if we were asked and could not produce a validated ticket. My last comment concerns private guides. We hired a guide through Vienna Explorer for a day trip through the Wachau Valley (including some wine tasting) to Melk Abbey (extraordinary!!!). I have written way too much, but if you have any other questions, please ask.

[bobalink]

Hello tarheel423,

 

THANKS so much for all the details and helpful advice.

 

Earlier this week I made our reservation for Das Tyrol Hotel, so I am glad to hear that you were pleased with your stay there!

 

Your tip for getting the Sisi and Climate tickets, sounds like a good idea.

 

We will have the opportunity while on our river cruise to visit Durnstein / Melk and visit wine taverns and the Melk Abbey.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post your experience. If I think of any questions, I will post them.

[BPCruiser]

We just returned from our cruise and 2 post cruise days in Vienna. The Intercontinental was beautiful, across the street from the Stadtpark Metro and had one of the best Breakfast Buffet's we have ever eaten at in Europe.

 

Their Concierge Services were wonderful with maps, directions and Restaurant Reservations. :)

[bobalink]

We just returned from our cruise and 2 post cruise days in Vienna. The Intercontinental was beautiful, across the street from the Stadtpark Metro and had one of the best Breakfast Buffet's we have ever eaten at in Europe.

 

Their Concierge Services were wonderful with maps, directions and Restaurant Reservations. :)

 

Hi BPCruiser,

We will have 3 nights and 2 full days in Vienna, on our own, before our river cruise. Then, we will have 1 full day in Vienna as part of our cruise.

 

I have looked at a few travel websites for "Suggested Itineraries" for 2 and 3 days.

 

Sounds like you have been to Vienna more than once. In your opinion, what are the "must see" sites that you would recommend?

 

THANKS!

[BPCruiser]

Hi BPCruiser,

We will have 3 nights and 2 full days in Vienna, on our own, before our river cruise. Then, we will have 1 full day in Vienna as part of our cruise.

 

I have looked at a few travel websites for "Suggested Itineraries" for 2 and 3 days.

 

Sounds like you have been to Vienna more than once. In your opinion, what are the "must see" sites that you would recommend?

 

THANKS!

 

Bobalink, Depending on how independent and mobile you are I would say that almost all of the big highlights could be done on your own via walking or using the very easy Metro system, saving you money from the price of the ship's excursions to the same places. We purchased a 48 hour Metro pass for like 11 euros/pp and it will take you to or near most places if you want to minimize your walking times or use of taxi's. You have 3 nights and 2 days so with enough time it would be fairly feasible.

Our priorties would be: 1. Schonbrunn Palace, Gardens and the Apple Struesel Demo. 2. St. Stephen's Cathedral and walking around the Stephensplatz area and surrounding interlinking streets of shops and wonderful Viennese Coffee shops 3. Hofburg Palace and the Imperial Jewels Collection of the Habsburgs Museum and if interested in Equestrian, we and others much enjoyed the morning training session from 10-12:30 of the Royal Lippizan Stallions at the Spanish Riding School. Friends we met on the cruise also enjoyed the Sisi Museum, but we did not have time to get there. 4. If you like beautiful Baroque churches, St. Peter's is in the Stephensplatz, just a very short walk from St. Stephens Cathedral which is very Gothic. Not nearly as big but just beautiful and very Baroque. We walked in before Mass was to begin, took pictures and was just in awe of the beauty. 5. Lastly a good evening Mozart Concert to us was a must for being in Vienna, however we were not as pleased with the Avalon evening Concert excursion this trip as we were in 2011. Next time, I will try to research and do the concert independently from the ship concert excursion.

 

If we are fortunate to get back to Vienna, I would like to tour the Vienna Opera House as we have been told it was beautiful and we have enjoyed previously other European Opera Houses such as the Paris and Budapest Opera and most offer English speaking tours. Lastly, we did not make it to the famous Vienna Giant Ferris wheel but it is on our list for next visit. There are many other wonderful sites I have not listed, the Parliament House, Museum of Natural History, Art Museums, Urania Observatory, Museum of Modern Art. The list is endless.... depending on your personal interest and time. As in most beautiful European cities, there is so much to see and do and never enough time.

 

Just choose what interests you most and enjoy this beautiful city!:)

[bobalink]

Good morning, BPCruiser,

THANK YOU very much for all of your helpful information.

I have copied several of your posts to my Vienna travel notes.

 

We are avid walkers and like to explore on our own, so we are really looking forward to our visit to Vienna. Palaces, cathedrals, coffee houses... all the things I like, so I am sure Vienna will be wonderful! The metro pass sounds like a great idea.

 

We are gardening enthusiasts, living in Southern California, where it is fairly easy to have year-round flowers and green grass. We always appreciate gardens and will surely enjoy the park at Schonbrunn and the Palace Garden of Belvedere.

 

Appreciate your willingness to share your experience!