Pension Suzanne Review: What To REALLY Expect If You Stay

Pros

Convenient Innere Stadt location near the State Opera House
Within walking distance of many top tourist attractions
Classic accommodations with flat-screen TVs and kitchenettes (in some)
Spacious Family Apartment can sleep up to seven people
Genteel breakfast room overlooking the street
Free internet station in the lobby and free Wi-Fi throughout

Cons

Decor may be too old fashioned for some tastes
Rooms lack AC and not all have coffee/tea facilities
Buffet breakfast costs extra
No gym, business center or on-site parking

Bottom Line

Located in the heart of Vienna's historic center, just around the corner from the State Opera House, this family-run, lower-middle-range property is a solid choice for vacationers who are willing to sacrifice some amenities to be close to major attractions. The pension occupies part of a commercial/residential building with 19th-century roots; and, in a nod to the past, its 25 comfortable rooms and apartments have a distinct "fin de siècle" look, which sets them apart from generic chain hotels. However, they lack air-conditioning and have few in-room amenities aside from flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi. Public features are also in short supply: there’s an elegant breakfast room, for instance, but no gym. Another affordable and independently owned option travelers could consider is theArt Hotel Vienna.

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Hotel & Amenities Photos

Superior Double Room

Family Apartment

The Hotel

Twin Room

Restaurants and Bars

Double Apartment

Amenities

Cribs
Internet
Pets Allowed

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Scene

Friendly, family-run choice with Old World ambiance

Pension Suzanne’s city-center rooms are housed inside an eight-level, mixed-used building that was originally erected in the 19th century. Having been rebuilt after World War II, it now has a nondescript facade. Yet the family-run facility definitely takes pride in its storied past. Back in the late 1800's, Miss Suzanne (the entrepreneurial woman for whom the place is named) ran a guesthouse here while selling hats from a ground-floor boutique to some of the city's greatest cultural icons -- Sigmund Freud, painter Gustav Klimt, and composer Gustav Mahler, among them. Today, the owners keep Miss Suzanne's spirit alive by using details like period furniture, plush fabrics, and reproduction oil paintings to create an atmosphere of Old World charm in both common areas and guest quarters. The result may be a bit stuffy and old fashioned, but it's quaint and cozy nonetheless, which helps account for the consistently enthusiastic reviews this pension earns from a range of vacationing guests.

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Location

In the historic 1st District, close to Kaertnerstrasse and the State Opera House

This hotel is conveniently situated on a lively side street in Vienna's tourist core, just off the popular Kaertnerstrasse (a pedestrian street lined with shops and restaurants). The gorgeous State Opera House is around the corner, and many other must-see sites -- including St. Stephen's Cathedral and Hofburg Palace -- are either within walking distance or easily accessible via subway. (Karlsplatz Station is mere minutes away on foot.) The airport can be reached using public transport, too, but you'll save some time by grabbing a cab or having Pension Suzanne arrange transfers.

Two-minute walk to Kaertnerstrasse
Three-minute walk to the Vienna State Opera House
Four-minute walk to Karlsplatz Station
Four-minute walk to the Albertina Museum
Eight-minute walk to St. Stephen's Cathedral
Nine-minute walk to Hofburg Palace
Nine-minute walk to the Naschmarkt
11-minute walk to Mozarthaus Museum
12-minute walk to Kunsthistorisches Museum
13-minute walk to Natural History Museum
20-minute walk to Belvedere Palace
32 minutes to Vienna International Airport by public transit (25-minute drive, depending on traffic)

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Rooms

A wide range of options with tasteful decor but few in-room amenities

Ranging from wee single rooms to a family-oriented apartment that covers 860-square feet, the guest rooms here are spotlessly clean and -- since most face an interior courtyard -- quite quiet. Their uniform decorating scheme relies on many of the same Old World elements evident in the public areas: creamy tone-on-tone wallpaper, scarlet carpeting, antique-style furniture, and gilt accents. Original architectural features, such as high ceilings with ornamental moldings and casement windows with lace curtains, further help to evoke Vienna’s golden age. To some guests however, the decor simply seems dated. That combined with a shortage of 21st-century conveniences, may make some travelers feel like they're trapped in a time warp (though rooms do come equipped with phones, safes, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi). The functional tiled bathrooms -- all fitted with showers or shower/tub combos -- fare better in staying up to date. Though they have a no-nonsense look, they do come equipped with hairdryers, magnifying mirrors, wall-mounted soap dispensers and towel warmers. Note that upper-category accommodations add seating areas or separate living rooms and, in some cases, basic kitchenettes. Guest visiting during the summer months should also bear in mind that no units have air-conditioning.

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Features

Expect a homey atmosphere, not hotel-like amenities

Aside from the little lobby and street-view breakfast room, Pension Suzanne has no real common areas. The former includes an internet-connected computer station (free Wi-Fi is available throughout); while the latter provides an elegant space to enjoy the reasonably priced, continental-style morning buffet, which features a tempting selection of baked goods plus the usual cold dishes (guests requiring lactose- or gluten-free items should inform the hotel when booking.) In keeping with the family-run atmosphere, friendly multilingual staffers are on hand to offer tourist tips or restaurant recommendations and to assist with booking tickets and airport transfers.

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