Dr. Geissler

The Pension Dr. Geissler is a longtime EuroCheapo favorite. It hits all the right notes, from its quiet Innere Stadt location adjacent to Schwedenplatz to its inexpensive family-run feel.

Run by Dr. Mrs. Hermine Geissler for years, today the place is owned and managed by her daughter. A few disparities here create a homespun quality found nowhere else. The 23 rooms may lack high-tech amenities, but for a characteristic Viennese weekend break, the Dr. Geissler can't be beat.

Eight floors up (don't worry, there's an elevator), the Dr. Geissler is perched up far enough to afford some views of the Stephansdom. Rooms offer cable TV and telephones, but no Internet access. Rooms vary greatly, as they are scattered over three floors, but you can expect clean lines, wooden beds, and general spotlessness as a given.

Most rooms face the street, though noise is not an issue this far up. Approximately half of the rooms have private bathrooms, mostly tiled numbers with bathtubs. They're quite small, especially compared to the shared bathrooms.

We also like the big open breakfast area off the lobby, which has a real communal feel and an impressive spread of Austrian breakfast treats.