Marriott Hotel Vienna

The Vienna Marriott Hotel is located right on the Ringstrasse in the Old Quarter of Vienna. It's location puts you within walking distance of all the major sites of downtown Vienna (Stephansdom, the Vienna Opera House, Museum Quarter, Hofburg Palace). Located directly across from the Stadtpark as well, many rooms offer excellent views overlooking the park.

The hotel blends a mix of Viennese flair and American traditionalism. As a Marriott the hotel seemed to cater more to business travllers than to tourists. The hotel has three restaurants and a bar, but I highly recommend looking for dining options elsewhere. A drink at the bar in the evening however is a different proposition and sitting in the elegant lobby with a drink and talking to fellow travellers is enjoyable.

I had a regular king bed room. The room was spacious and stately and about what one would expect from an upscale property. Large, comfortable bed, an upright chair, large desk, and of course the obligatory mini-bar (of which I did not partake). As a platinum rewards member (too many Marriott nights over the past few years), I had access to the club floor and lounge which allowed me to take advantage of a free breakfast and snacks and appertizers throughout the day.

The hotel has one of the few indoor swimming pools in the downtown Vienna area (per the hotel website) and a fitness center. I walked downstairs to see these but did not use them during my short stay.

As the hotel caters towards business travellers and other upscale patrons it is relatively expensive. Rooms run just under €200 per night as of 2006 at the time of this stay. For this reason I utilized Marriott Reward Points for the particular stay reviewed with this blog.

In summary, a very nice hotel, but pricey for many of the TravBuddy members who may be looking at this review. At the same time if the cost doesn't bother you, there are probably classier hotels with more European flair that you can find in the area. But the location is second to none and the services were great.