Hilton Vienna Park {AUT}
Hilton Vienna Park {AUT}
Apr 2, 2000, 5:36 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 1999
Posts: 3,065
Sorry for the delay in replying to this, I must have missed it...
I have only ever stayed at the Vienna Hilton, never the Vienna Plaza, as my colleagues in Austria are not positive about the Plaza (that was as diplomatic as I get).
The Vienna Hilton is generally a fine hotel, there is a SMALL Club Room which can get crowded and uncomfortable and unusually the drinks are not generally help-yourself.
As a Diamond they have never failed to upgrade to a corner-suite and they stick a really cool "VIP" sticker on your guest-pass which can get some interesting looks at the bar!!
The bars and restaurants are pretty sterile and avoid Public Holidays as they close the majority of bars and restaurants.
The Terminal Pub (in the connected City Air Terminal) can be jolly, although I have to admit to feeling a little unsafe in the Air Terminal at night.
The biggest compaint I have about the hotel is that reception is split in 'check-in', 'check-out', 'cashier' etc. and never seems to be staffed properly, this can lead to big queues to check-out in the morning, whilst staff at the check-in desk do nothing. Last time I was there I dared to ask a check-in person (who was doing nothing) to check me out, the reply was a simple "no" and a nod towards the queue of 10 and the single check-out person.
Being the intolerant person I am, I of course walked off without checking out and phoned at 11.55 to tell them how poor this aspect of their service was and that I had left the hotel 5 hours earlier - normally I would expect a copy of the bill and an appology to follow shortly after, but on this occassion - nothing.
But don't get me wrong the hotel is fine and not excessively expensive. I can't tell you about the vicinity I'm affraid - I only do airport-taxi-hotel-taxi-office-airport on a trip. Sorry.
Nick
I have only ever stayed at the Vienna Hilton, never the Vienna Plaza, as my colleagues in Austria are not positive about the Plaza (that was as diplomatic as I get).
The Vienna Hilton is generally a fine hotel, there is a SMALL Club Room which can get crowded and uncomfortable and unusually the drinks are not generally help-yourself.
As a Diamond they have never failed to upgrade to a corner-suite and they stick a really cool "VIP" sticker on your guest-pass which can get some interesting looks at the bar!!
The bars and restaurants are pretty sterile and avoid Public Holidays as they close the majority of bars and restaurants.
The Terminal Pub (in the connected City Air Terminal) can be jolly, although I have to admit to feeling a little unsafe in the Air Terminal at night.
The biggest compaint I have about the hotel is that reception is split in 'check-in', 'check-out', 'cashier' etc. and never seems to be staffed properly, this can lead to big queues to check-out in the morning, whilst staff at the check-in desk do nothing. Last time I was there I dared to ask a check-in person (who was doing nothing) to check me out, the reply was a simple "no" and a nod towards the queue of 10 and the single check-out person.
Being the intolerant person I am, I of course walked off without checking out and phoned at 11.55 to tell them how poor this aspect of their service was and that I had left the hotel 5 hours earlier - normally I would expect a copy of the bill and an appology to follow shortly after, but on this occassion - nothing.
But don't get me wrong the hotel is fine and not excessively expensive. I can't tell you about the vicinity I'm affraid - I only do airport-taxi-hotel-taxi-office-airport on a trip. Sorry.
Nick
Apr 2, 2000, 6:51 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: T82
Programs: AA Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 2,845
I haven't stayed there for about 5 years, but it is close to Stadtpark and very close to Kaertner Strasse, the main shopping street. The rooms are smallish by American standards, but nice. And if you're not renting a car, the City Air Terminal below the hotel is quite convenient. All I've heard about the Plaza is that it can be loud.
Apr 3, 2000, 4:37 pm
#4
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 61
I have booked a trip to Vienna this summer and have reservations at the Vienna Plaza. The HHonors rep told me that was the superior hotel. After reading the above posts, I am having doubts. Has anyone ever stayed at the Plaza? The picture looks good on the website.
Apr 11, 2001, 11:45 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: T82
Programs: AA Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 2,845
Rather than starting a new post, thought I'd say that we used a one-night award at the Vienna Hilton on this past Monday. Without asking, I was given a room on one of the Executive Floors, a nice bowl of fruit awaited us in the room and when the turn-down service came, we each received a bottle of mineral water. A very nice touch. We did go up to the Executive Lounge for a drink and found it very relaxing (we were the only ones there). One of the bellmen was exceedingly helpful. When we told him we were going to drive to the Suedbahnhof to return our Sixt rental car, he said we should use the phone in the lobby with a direct connection to Sixt and ask them to pick it up. He kept the key and said he would take care of it for us. When we came back from a long walk later, he handed us the receipt. We received very good service all around.
Apr 11, 2001, 3:27 pm
#6
Moderator, Argentina and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: MIA / EZE
Programs: Lord of Malbec & all Wines Argentine. AA EXP / Marriott Lifetime Silver / Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 35,681
Ive stayed at the Vienna Plaza various times and have always been impressed with the service. It has nice rooms, and the service is also up to standards. Yes, the check-in & out process is not exactly express, and the staff dont know all the HHonors details, but I still like the hotel very much.
Apr 13, 2001, 8:45 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Dubai UAE
Programs: HL Gold, SPG Platinum, HY Platinum, EY Gold Elite, EK Gold, LH Gold, AF Platinum
Posts: 263
Hello,
I have stayed several times in both and I must say there is a clear difference. Vienna Plaza is SO MUCH better. Vienna Hilton is just an ordinary business hotel, nothing special. Vienna Plaza instead is smaller and more VIP. All the important persons have stayed in Vienna Plaza. If you are Diamond and lucky, ask Executive suite. It is kind of corner suite with separate bedroom and living room. It is really nice. Anyway, the smallest rooms are 35m2, so really huge compared to many other hotels.
Anyway, Vienna Plaza has changed for worse after they got a new Hotel Manager from Dusseldorf Hilton.
I have stayed several times in both and I must say there is a clear difference. Vienna Plaza is SO MUCH better. Vienna Hilton is just an ordinary business hotel, nothing special. Vienna Plaza instead is smaller and more VIP. All the important persons have stayed in Vienna Plaza. If you are Diamond and lucky, ask Executive suite. It is kind of corner suite with separate bedroom and living room. It is really nice. Anyway, the smallest rooms are 35m2, so really huge compared to many other hotels.
Anyway, Vienna Plaza has changed for worse after they got a new Hotel Manager from Dusseldorf Hilton.
Mar 28, 2002, 5:56 am
#8
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Anywhere and Everywhere
Posts: 318
Vienna (City) Hilton
4.0 Doakes out of a possible 5.0 Doakes for those who don't want to read further.
Pluses: Start with an excellent welcome. I walked in, very burned out, and said "Guten Tag and that's all the German I've managed to learn so far." Desk clerk, handsome and impeccably groomed and coiffed, replied, "That is tremendous, sir." Well, no, it ain't but thanks for saying so. Then continue with "Sir, we have given you the best available room on the non-smoking Executive floor, with a view of the city and the river."
The room wasn't as big as the Strasbourg but there was a welcome drink of some kinda weird fuzzy peachy stuff that was non-alcoholic and I think maybe mangoes were involved. I did not find it appealing in a culinary or beverage type sense, but it was visually attractive. There was also a hand written note from the manager.
I'm too lazy to edit, but should add that Strasbourg also had a hand written note from the manager and a gift of a beer (leading me to believe someone researched my prior Hilton invoices!)
Just a thoroughly excellent staff all around. The desk clerk in the morning gave me a city transit map with additional personal notations on all the museums. The concierge was cheerful, helpful, friendly, and did not have his hand out. The bar staff was excellent, knowledgeable, handsome, and impeccably groomed.
Also, this hotel is not only right across the street from a train station (though not the main one), but is actually itself the bus terminal from the airport. Anyone with any sense would take the bus to the airport for 5.90 Euro each way but Doakes is cheap and took two trains for a total of I think 3.80 Euros. This questionable economy allowed me several additional beers as there is a grocery store in the Vienna airport that sells 500 ml beers for 0.42 Euro. Beer was very cheap in Vienna, the cheapest I have ever found in Europe so far. I did notice after I got on the train from the airport that there were international signs that appeared to say no drinking on the train, but I stood right in front of the conductor to buy my ticket with a beer in my hand, both directions, and nobody said anything. I am big on obeying the rules but usually this is not a rule in Europe IME.
I did eat at the Terminal Pub and it was good (I had vegetarian pizza but also visually inspected the brats and burgers and they looked good as well). I normally don't eat at the hotel in which I'm staying, but this is sorta betwixt and between so I gave it a go.
Minuses: Bar is dead dead dead. Neighborhood is a bit unsavory at night due to the train station. Honestly, to me this is a plus but I am sure to most it is a minus.
The dreaded automatic minibar that charges you if you accidentally bump a bottle, or heaven forbid take one out to look at it. But this was not an issue other than to make me come to the desk and tell them I put it all back; otherwise, I could have used Express Honors Check Out. Not a problem for me in my circumstances but would be annoying if you were in a hurry.
Kinda ugly on the outside and a bit tired on the inside.
General comments: I thought the transit system was hard to figure out if you couldn't read German. I could figure out what line to take, but it was harder to figure out which direction (or which side of the tracks to board on) than in say Paris, Barcelona, or Strasbourg. I don't see this as a criticism of the hotel, though.
Here I thought the art museums were excellent but the cathedral was over rated. And **** it was cold.
Doakes
Pluses: Start with an excellent welcome. I walked in, very burned out, and said "Guten Tag and that's all the German I've managed to learn so far." Desk clerk, handsome and impeccably groomed and coiffed, replied, "That is tremendous, sir." Well, no, it ain't but thanks for saying so. Then continue with "Sir, we have given you the best available room on the non-smoking Executive floor, with a view of the city and the river."
The room wasn't as big as the Strasbourg but there was a welcome drink of some kinda weird fuzzy peachy stuff that was non-alcoholic and I think maybe mangoes were involved. I did not find it appealing in a culinary or beverage type sense, but it was visually attractive. There was also a hand written note from the manager.
I'm too lazy to edit, but should add that Strasbourg also had a hand written note from the manager and a gift of a beer (leading me to believe someone researched my prior Hilton invoices!)
Just a thoroughly excellent staff all around. The desk clerk in the morning gave me a city transit map with additional personal notations on all the museums. The concierge was cheerful, helpful, friendly, and did not have his hand out. The bar staff was excellent, knowledgeable, handsome, and impeccably groomed.
Also, this hotel is not only right across the street from a train station (though not the main one), but is actually itself the bus terminal from the airport. Anyone with any sense would take the bus to the airport for 5.90 Euro each way but Doakes is cheap and took two trains for a total of I think 3.80 Euros. This questionable economy allowed me several additional beers as there is a grocery store in the Vienna airport that sells 500 ml beers for 0.42 Euro. Beer was very cheap in Vienna, the cheapest I have ever found in Europe so far. I did notice after I got on the train from the airport that there were international signs that appeared to say no drinking on the train, but I stood right in front of the conductor to buy my ticket with a beer in my hand, both directions, and nobody said anything. I am big on obeying the rules but usually this is not a rule in Europe IME.
I did eat at the Terminal Pub and it was good (I had vegetarian pizza but also visually inspected the brats and burgers and they looked good as well). I normally don't eat at the hotel in which I'm staying, but this is sorta betwixt and between so I gave it a go.
Minuses: Bar is dead dead dead. Neighborhood is a bit unsavory at night due to the train station. Honestly, to me this is a plus but I am sure to most it is a minus.
The dreaded automatic minibar that charges you if you accidentally bump a bottle, or heaven forbid take one out to look at it. But this was not an issue other than to make me come to the desk and tell them I put it all back; otherwise, I could have used Express Honors Check Out. Not a problem for me in my circumstances but would be annoying if you were in a hurry.
Kinda ugly on the outside and a bit tired on the inside.
General comments: I thought the transit system was hard to figure out if you couldn't read German. I could figure out what line to take, but it was harder to figure out which direction (or which side of the tracks to board on) than in say Paris, Barcelona, or Strasbourg. I don't see this as a criticism of the hotel, though.
Here I thought the art museums were excellent but the cathedral was over rated. And **** it was cold.
Doakes
Jun 20, 2002, 7:45 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Palm Beach/ New England
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, DL GM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,382
Anyone have any recommendations on parking near the Vienna Hilton (am Stadtpark)? Looking for something a bit more reasonable than parking underneath the hotel itself.
Thanks,
fastflyer
Thanks,
fastflyer
Sep 9, 2002, 3:39 am
#12
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Posts: 74
gotcha in Wien! take you own iron or pay the price
Add this to your travel memory: Irons are verboten in hotel rooms in Austria. The Wien Hilton (Stadtpark) won't even provide them for exec floor guests, but they will wisk your suit and shirt away and retuurn it with a 30 Euro charge to your bill. Quite a racket I think.
I quit traveling with an iron or steamer because they're available in rooms or from housekeeping. I asked two managers at the Wien Hilton to remove this charge and they refused ... It's the law, you know. No consideration that they gove you a HHonors brochure on check-in that says "iron and ironing board in each exec floor room".
I quit traveling with an iron or steamer because they're available in rooms or from housekeeping. I asked two managers at the Wien Hilton to remove this charge and they refused ... It's the law, you know. No consideration that they gove you a HHonors brochure on check-in that says "iron and ironing board in each exec floor room".
Sep 9, 2002, 9:30 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,386
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by drtravel:
I asked two managers at the Wien Hilton to remove this charge and they refused ... It's the law, you know. No consideration that they gove you a HHonors brochure on check-in that says "iron and ironing board in each exec floor room".</font>
I asked two managers at the Wien Hilton to remove this charge and they refused ... It's the law, you know. No consideration that they gove you a HHonors brochure on check-in that says "iron and ironing board in each exec floor room".</font>