Hotel Kaerntnerhof

Hotel Karntnerhof is a smart little hotel in a historic Art Nouveau building. It's been sympathetically updated over the years, keeping many original features, like beautiful parquet flooring and a traditional elevator in the center of a wrought-iron staircase. Decor is stylish, and despite the hotel's ultimately humble offerings, it still has a whiff of old European grandeur. Arched wooden doorways lead off the tiled entrance hall, and gilt-framed paintings line the hallways. The lobby feels like an elegant sitting room -- complete with a roaring fire -- and the dining room has a similar homey feel, with shelves of ornaments and comfy sofa seating. There's a classy, yet friendly, atmosphere throughout the hotel. That combined with the location in the heart of the city, means it's a popular choice for tourists, especially young couples and small families .

Hotel Karntnerhof is situated in the middle of Vienna's historic city center, which is known as the First District. It's on a quiet side street just a couple of blocks from the riverfront, and is literally surrounded by top restaurants, shops, and attractions. St. Stephen's Cathedral is only a five-minute walk from the hotel, and it takes the same amount of time to reach Schwedenplatz for the Ubahn and trams. Hofburg Palace is 10 minutes away on foot, and the main railway station -- Wien Mitte -- is a 15-minute walk way. It's around a 20-minute trip to Prater and 30 minutes to Schonbrunn Palace by train. Shuttle buses depart for the airport from the main station, or from Wien Morzinplatz -- a 10-minute walk -- and take around 30 to 40 minutes. Alternatively, the airport can be reached in 20 minutes, depending on traffic.

Rooms have an elegant style, and even the smaller rooms feel spacious because of their high ceilings. Decor is attractive, and includes original parquet flooring and muted gray accents with eye-catching art hung on the papered walls. There are a variety of configurations, including Single, Twin, and Triple Rooms. The three grand suites are like small apartments, with bedrooms and separate sitting rooms. Amenities are fairly minimal, really -- flat-screen TVs, safes, and free Wi-Fi are all you'll get in most rooms. There are no electric kettles, and air-conditioning is only available in the Madame Rosa Suite and Dom-Suite. The marble bathrooms in the suites echo the upgraded elegance of those units, while the standard bathrooms have a simple white tiled finish. All have shower-tub combos, hairdryers, and extremely limited pump products.

Features are limited at Hotel Karntnerhof. A buffet breakfast is included in the room rates and features both hot and cold options. There's a nice sitting room in the lobby, and an internet/reading room on the fifth floor with a selection of books and free printing. Adjacent to the reading room is a pretty rooftop terrace that has table seating. Wi-Fi is free, and the front desk is manned 24 hours a day. There's laundry service, and guests are offered deals at a local health club, Holmes Place.