Hotel Carlton Opera

We stayed at this hotel three years ago in 2001. At the time, I had only been to Vienna once and had stayed at a hostel on that trip so I didn't really know what to look for in a hotel. The only downside to this hotel was the location. We are definitely taxi people and took taxis back and forth to the center, as it took us about 15 minutes to walk it. The rooms were clean, however, and about average size.

Unique Quality: There aren't really any amenities to this hotel, as it is basically a tourist class hotel, but I do recall that the breakfast was decent. The one thing that I came away with feeling strongly about was the helpfulness of the staff. They were great and even helped me and my travel partner book a day tour to Budapest that picked us up at the hotel.

All the rooms have private bath/WC, direct-dial-telephone, cable-TV, minibar, a kettle with free coffee and tea and airconditioning. Suites (with kitchenette) and family rooms available on request.

A friend and I booked two nights at the Lauria Apartments and were pleasantly surprised. We had our own bathroom and kitchen, and our bedroom was actually upstairs-you had to get to it by a ladder. We paid about $40 for the two of us. A tram stops right outside the door. The only complaint I have is that it’s a little far from the State opera house and everything else. I didn’t find the neighborhood to be particularly safe at night, either. Lots of sex shops and erotica places around. The apartments are run out of the same place that the Hostel Panda, is, too. They’re on the same street, Kaiserstrasse.