Condition One

This is a great hotel in the middle of tourist Vienna, just a few blocks away from the Hotel Imperial. Walkable to all the tourist sites, and right next to Karlsplatz metro station. Taxi from the train station was about 10 Euros. Used SNAs to upgrade to an Opera Suite. The layout is a bit U-shaped and gives you a direct view of the Opera House next door. The windows in the living room can be opened, which makes it so you get road noise even when they’re closed. A nice plus is that you can hear the opera at night. However, things were quiet in the bedroom. The layout of the suite was a little weird. There is a main bathroom without a toilet with a large bathtub and half-window pane that allows water to get all over the place. And a small and cramped walk-in shower is in the guest bathroom. Toiletries were Gilchrist and Soames.

I chose breakfast as my platinum amenity, and it has quite a varied selection in a beautiful setting, including sparkling wine. Eggs are cooked to order. Wifi speed was adequate. The gym is small, but has a good selection of equipment. The concierge can get you tickets to the Opera House tour and Spanish Riding School. My last stay in Vienna was the Hotel Imperial, and I’d stay again at the Hotel Bristol next time I’m in town.

SkiAdcock

Didn't want to just repeat your entire quote. But thanks for the trip report. Much appreciated!

This is driving me crazy: (and a bit of a side-track)

"Your choice of welcome gift upon arrival — choose from bonus Starpoints, continental breakfast or local amenity."

I'm assuming that's basic Plat level, not the upper tiers of Plat? I tried searching on both FT & Google & couldn't come up w/ the upper tier bennies. I know I've seen them before, either on FT or SPG, so maybe my search tonight is running out of gas.

I know Plat folk say they get brekkie (or brekky) automatically, so I'm confused on the having to choose part.

Anyway, thanks for the update. I haven't stayed in the property in a while being a Marriott gal, but I enjoyed my stay there when I did.

Cheers.

jdrtravel

Sorry, I'm not sure where your info is from. There is no difference in welcome benefits between different levels of platinum. You can choose between those three things. Breakfast is not "automatic" and never has been. In most 4 or 5 star hotels, breakfast is by far the most valuable option, so many people choose it, but it is still a choice.

Now, in some properties higher level plats may get better treatment, such as better upgrades or additional welcome gifts in the room (fruit, bottle of wine, etc). However, this is entirely at the discretion of the local property or, if you reach 100 nights, your SPG ambassador may also provide some of these benefits. None of these are, however, advertised or to be expected.

Additionally, there are some properties that automatically grant club access to plats (especially at Sheratons and some Westins), which then includes breakfast, so you would choose another option. This is not, however, a benefit of the plat program but up to each property.

MSPeconomist

HUH? AFAIK club lounge access is a published benefit for Plats (of any level, from PlatMinus through Amb) at Sheratons and Westins with lounges. Sheraton lounges are required to be open seven days. Some other brands might have lounges, such as LC and LM, and I've always had lounge access. An "exception" would be Sheraton Towers properties, where Plats are not supposed to have access to the Towers lounge unless they have booked a Towers level room or suite or are upgraded to one, which isn't a published benefit and is not a room category for SNAs.

At least at some properties with lounges, Plats can still choose the nonlounge breakfast, which typically is much more than continental outside of the USA, as their welcome amenity.

jdrtravel

Oops you're right. I think what I was trying to emphasize is that breakfast is not guaranteed, and neither is any particular property having a lounge.

SkiAdcock

That's the part that confused me. I thought it wasn't guaranteed for SPG Golds, but was guaranteed for SPG Plats. Marriott Golds & Plats get guaranteed breakfast (resorts excepted), either in lounge or restaurant. They don't have to choose between it & 2 different options.

Anyway, just found out a friend of mine stayed at the Bristol this week as part of his European vacation, and enjoyed the property.

Cheers.

jdrtravel

It is a wonderful property. SPG and Marriott are not yet aligned in terms of benefits.

One important difference is that many Marriott properties already include free breakfast for all guests, as Marriott has so many of the budget business hotels (Spring Hill, etc). SPG is more focused on the mid and luxury levels, so the breakfast benefit is worth a lot, and it includes resorts all over the word. Just got back from a wonderful vacation at the St. Regis Punta Mita. Breakfast is $40/person per day, and the two of us had it for free each day. Over our 4 night stay this represents a $320 value. My sense with Marriott is that a lot of these types of breakfasts are excluded....the property would either be a resort and not qualify or it would have a lounge with a more simple continental breakfast than the restaurant offers.

SkiAdcock

Off-topic to Bristol:

Marriott has close to 900 full service properties (5 brands) where breakfast is offered to Golds & Plats either in the exec lounge or in the restaurant, or depending on the property, the elite's choice of either the lounge or the restaurant. Technically resorts are excluded, but there are some Marriott resorts that do offer breakfast (typically int'l) or offer it to Plats only. Some exec lounges offer a simple cont'l breakfast; some are quite robust & rival that of the restaurant.

Anyway, we can continue the breakfast discussion in a dif thread. I was just surprised it was a choice & not automatic.

On topic to Bristol:

I emailed my friend who's on European holiday & asked about his experience at the Bristol, upgrades, etc. He liked the property a lot, but doesn't belong to SPG so no upgrades. He paid for his suite

Cheers.

MSPeconomist

HUH? When did the Bristol (in Vienna) leave Starwood?

SkiAdcock

Did you mis-read what I wrote or just read it too fast? I didn't say Bristol left SPG.

Cheers.

jdrtravel

What you wrote could be read as either stating that the Bristol does not belong to SPG or your Friend is not an SPG elite:

"He liked the property a lot, but doesn't belong to SPG so no upgrades."r

MSPeconomist

The friend wouldn't be entitled to upgrades if he/she simply "belonged" to SPG. Only Plats are entitled to upgrades according to the published SPG T&Cs.

jdrtravel

Out of over 5,800 properties. That's only about 15% of their portfolio, so a Marriott customer is far more likely to run into an economy-type property with a free cafeteria/lunch room/gas station food type of breakfast.

Starwood has about 2100 hotels and, by my count, 710 of them are not full service (Aloft, Four Points and Element). That means that 66% (about 1400 hotels) of the SPG line are full service, and many of those four and five start properties. So my point stands that the Starwood brand strongly leans towards the luxury market and and you are not really comparing apples. Now that Walmart (Marriott) has taken over, it's anyone's guess as to the future of this amazing loyalty program that so many of us have come to love.

SkiAdcock

We can continue the which % etc conversation in a different thread vs. sidetracking the Bristol one any longer. My original point when reading the thread about the Bristol was that I was surprised that w/ SPG Plats one has to choose btwn breakfast or something else, vs. automatically being given it as MAR G/Ps do. Also that Marriott has a large # of properties that have lounges (more brands than SPG).

So you-read my post & discovered I didn't say Bristol had left SPG . My friend travels 150 nights/year & has stayed at a # of SPG properties, so I assumed he was both a member of SPG and Platinum level, hence my inquiry to him about upgrades at the Bristol/elite treatment. His reply told me he isn't a SPG member, he paid for the suite he stayed in, he enjoyed his stay at the property & would stay there again.

Cheers.

remymartin

+1 jdrtravel!

re the Bristol - a wonderful property with great location and breakfast for us spgers