Hotel Baltic

The family-owned Hotel Baltic is a bargain hunter's dream. Rates are so low that they're, well, a steal. The location, on a quiet residential street at the edge of the Josefstadt and about 15-minutes walk from the Rathaus and the Ring, can't be beat. Sure, there are tradeoffs: the lack of television, phone, Internet, and private bathrooms. But at rates like these, such absences can be excused.

The 30-room Baltic is based in the former of home Ernst Streeruwitz, Austria's Chancellor circa 1929. As such, the Baltic has a homey feel, though it lacks the logical layout of a more traditional hotel.

In fact, it feels as if the hotel hasn't changed much since the days of the partition, and that makes for some pleasant surprises. Among these, we liked the large metal sculpture of a lion in the front lobby and the occasional single room with a balcony overlooking the back garden, which can be had at no extra cost. (Just ask nicely.)

Though no two rooms are alike, they all have hardwood floors and double-height ceilings and tend to be overstuffed with furniture and other forms of decoration spanning decades, from 1920s wallpaper to the 1970s sinks. Even street-side rooms are quiet, as Skodagasse is not a busy street, and most get plenty of direct sunlight. As long as you're willing to rough it (and pay cash, and book over the phone) the Baltic remains one of Vienna's biggest and best bargains.