Best Western Hotel Harmonie, Vienna

...and is part of the Best Western group and has been classified as four star. Prices are currently 86 euros for a double room, 74 for a single. Check out time is 11 a.m. but as our flight home was much later, the hotel stored our luggage in a secure room provided us with coffees while we waited for the airport taxi.

The staff were all friendly and helpful, providing us with information, booking tickets and taxis as required.
...
...good selection of hotel. The only grumble we could make was the lack of restaurant facility. However, going to the wine bar across the road probably saved us money and did give us more of an authentic Austrian meal. The lack of restaurant, though, was due to the dates of our visit coinciding with their refurbishment – so the restaurant should now be available.

It is quiet which suited us but if you would prefer a livelier location ... more

When planning a holiday, accommodation is obviously a major part of the decision. Everyone has different objectives in their selection. For our holiday to Vienna, my husband and I set out wants and needs before scouring around for suitable venues.

We decided on Hotel accommodation. Although holidaying in major city, we wanted a quiet place to stay but yet close enough to local amenities to enable easy access. We wanted good quality service with double bed and bath. These were our agreed prior requirements.

Obviously travel brochures and Internet sites only provide a limited description and a basic picture, so you take a risk. We came across the Hotel Harmonie, with the following blurb, “The Harmonie Hotel occupies a quiet location, next to a park belonging to a French secondary school. It is surrounded by some of the main tourist attractions including the Palais Leichtenstein and a few minutes walk from the Ring and St Stephens Cathedral. The nearest metro is the Schottentor station. This individual and modern hotel was built with lots of architectural skill and features all the comfort to make your stay memorable. Our amenities include: cafe, bar, garage and concert ticket office”.

And so we booked. On arriving in Vienna, we were transported to the Hotel by taxi. The Hotel was situated in a quiet residential street, the façade covered with foliage. The hotel was picturesque and had a welcoming appearance. We entered through a sliding glass door at the top of three concrete steps. The hotel does boast among its facilities “rooms for the disabled”. I don’t know if there was an alternative entry, but if not then this would be the first stumbling block for anyone with limited mobility.

The reception area is quite small and rather stark in appearance. Facing you as you enter is a long single desk with one to two receptionists on duty 24 hours a day. To the right of the desk, down a couple of steps, is a pleasant seating area with comfortable chairs. Checking in was relatively easy (Checking in time is from 13.00 hours), we had the mandatory registration form to complete and were then provided with keys. A porter took our cases and escorted us to our room.

The 68 rooms of the hotel were distributed over five floors served by one lift. Our room was on the fourth floor of the hotel. To get to our room, we did use the lift. The lift whilst apparently reliable was only tiny (four could fit in at a push). The lift was a little disconcerting though. As you stepped into the lift, it would give a little bounce that was accompanied by a loud clunking sound.

The room was all we had asked for. It was reasonably large with a large double bed with bedside cabinets, a wardrobe, chest of drawers, two chairs and a small table, fridge (well stocked and refurbished daily) and a television (with limited channels). The ensuite bathroom again was reasonably large with a good-sized bath, sink and toilet. It was decorated in creams with prints of musicians and musical scores adorning the walls. The view from the window was onto the street looking onto the building opposite which appeared to be some sort of offices – so fortunately we were not overlooked during the evening and morning.

Each room is equipped with a hairdryer and trouser press. There are no tea or coffee facilities. We took our own. On the main road from the hotel is a little spar shop (only 2 minutes away) where provisions can be obtained.

Through our stay, we had no problem with the room. It was cleaned thoroughly and regularly and sheets and towels changed. It was at a comfortable temperature (all rooms are air conditioned) despite the weather and we did have some contrasting weather from hailstones to a heat wave.

A continental breakfast was served in the two restaurants and was the same every day with a choice of fruit juices, fruit salad (tinned with some fresh fruit added), cereals, a variety of cold cheeses and meats, bread rolls and spreads. A choice of tea and coffee was offered. The breakfast was sufficient and tasty enough, but by the tenth day had begun to be a little repetitive. The only excitement being what fresh fruit would be added to the tinned. The waitresses were pleasant but had very limited English (there range only really consisting of “tea or coffee”). However, they were very friendly and patient with my somewhat rusty and embarrassing attempts at German.

The hotel claims a restaurant and quiet bar. This, however, was something we were not to sample. For one reason or another, the restaurant always seemed to be closed. For one week, it was undergoing refurbishment and was closed. It was only open at specific times and due to our arrangements for concerts etc - the times we wanted to eat – the restaurant was closed. Fortunately, opposite the hotel was a small wine bar that served good-quality food.

The hotel was in a quiet location, on Harmoniegasse. It took us 10 minutes to walk into the centre of Vienna. The nearest Underground station to the hotel is the Schottentor situated 600 yards away – about five minutes walk. 50 yards away though is a bus stop, from which regular buses run into the centre. Generally, though we walked.

The hotel was built in the 1960s and is part of the Best Western group and has been classified as four star. Prices are currently 86 euros for a double room, 74 for a single. Check out time is 11 a.m. but as our flight home was much later, the hotel stored our luggage in a secure room provided us with coffees while we waited for the airport taxi.

The staff were all friendly and helpful, providing us with information, booking tickets and taxis as required.

All in all, I think we made a good selection of hotel. The only grumble we could make was the lack of restaurant facility. However, going to the wine bar across the road probably saved us money and did give us more of an authentic Austrian meal. The lack of restaurant, though, was due to the dates of our visit coinciding with their refurbishment – so the restaurant should now be available.

It is quiet which suited us but if you would prefer a livelier location with more activities on the doorstep, then this is nor for you.
 

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