Threy

Both the De France and the Marriott are on the Ring, albeit 2-3 km apart from each other on different sections.

The Ring is a circling street around the city centre and has a tram operating the whole distance, so you would have easy access.Parking at the Marriott is expensive and spaces are tough to find, so the tram is your best bet.

jahason

Thanks Threy.

How far are one of the Rens from De France?

USFreak

Hey all:
I will be making my first international trip as a state government employee in August to Vienna. Has anyone booked the rate at any chain and run into problems? I have my ID but I am always worried that they wont honor it since it is a state supported university ID. I am going to take something on letterhead but just wanted to see if anyone had experience specifically in Vienna. Thanks!

alfahund

Dear all,

I tried to book a room at one of the Marriott properties (Marriott, Courtyard and the 2 Renaissance) and can't get hold of anything, even though I have Platinum status. I talked to the front-desk of the Renaissance Penta and they told me that there is a cardiologist's congress. So I checked all other hotels and can't find any availability at all for hotels in Vienna.

Any tips on how to squeeze in a Marriott in such a situation? I am waitlisted, but is there a way to get a room with cancelling flights for a few cardiologists

Danny

crazygrow

Are you saying that they are not allowing you to use the Platinum override?

jwchef1975

Stayed at the Penta Vienna in a CLub Suite. It is nice but really not worth the points involved. Far from main area in Vienna too.
Maybe says its your honeymoon and you'd get a bumb up the list?

alfahund

Correct, they have blacked out the dates from Sunday to Tuesday.

SkiAdcock

Evidently Vienna gets a lot of medical conferences that fill up the city. I think a hotel if it's a "CityWide or Special Event" can black out dates for a Plat override, although I'm not totally positive. You might want to call the hotels directly & see if they'll open up space for you.

Otherwise, all the other chains (Hilton, *Wood, IC) have properties in Vienna. The Vienna Hilton (the one that overlooks the Stadtpark & is a 5-minute walk from the Marriott) is the other hotel I stay at if Marriott isn't available or is too expensive.

Cheers.

alfahund

I called all of them and all are booked out, but I am on the waiting list. All the other chains (I tried Hilton, Interconti, SAS Radisson) are booked out too, for that date, including most of the smaller hotels.

wonderbret

each hotel is given something like 5 to 7 days a year that they are allowed to blackout. Lame

alfahund

Very lame, but just received a call and a confirmation e-mail. They got me a room at the Courtyard Schönbrunn! So problem solved, but I would prefer the platinum override, so that I can plan better... ;-)

SkiAdcock

Glad it worked out. Don't forget to do a 'trip report' on the property in this forum when you come back (w/ property in the title of course). Cheers.

hhoope01

I have never heard of a given number of days for this. My understanding has been that if a hotel feels that they have an "area-wide" event that warrants a blackout of the Plat override, they have to submit a request to Marriott corporate. Only if Marriott corporate approves the dates, can the hotel then black out the Plat override.

Now while it may seem 'lame' to allow this, I do believe the other hotel chains have the same restrictions in their rules as well (SPG does at least, I would bet Hilton does as well). So it isn't just a Marriott thing. Also, think about it. From the emails here, if the hotel were forced to walk another person because of a Plat Override, where would the hotel put up that person? All the other hotels are now booked as well. As long as the hotels and Marriott Corporate are smart in how/when they use the blackouts, it really does make sense.

Now if you feel they allow the blackouts more than they should, well, that is a different beast. But in this situation where it looks like virtually all the other hotels are booked is a valid situation.

alfahund

Okay, will do. I've been to the two Renaissance and the Marriott in Vienna, but never to the Courtyard, so I am looking forward to it

Danny

alfahund

It was a surprise to me, I've been to the Renaissance Penta now virtually every week and never had an issue with a booking... but your statement is valid, as I said in my first post, no hotel was available in Vienna...