Hotel Mariandl

Budget-minded romantics will swoon for the 29-room Hotel Mariandl, a time-warp pension that offers simple rooms above the music-filled Cafe am Beethovenplatz.

The Mariandl’s rooms are straightforward and quiet: There aren’t any TVs or telephones to be found here. Rather, make your way up the well-trod wooden staircase to find straightforward rooms with billowing white curtains, parquet floors, simple beds, antique armoires, some old framed prints, and either shared or private baths. (All rooms have been restored since 2009; some much more recently.)

While we found the rooms to posses a hefty dose of charm, things are downright seductive downstairs in the hotel’s cafe and restaurant, the Cafe am Beethovenplatz. Concerts are held here in the cavernous dining room many evenings and weekends, although we found the scene enchanting and full of personality even without a musical performance. (The stick-to-your-ribs hearty fare is delicious, too.)

The Mariandl is located south of the station along Goethestrasse. While it’s a few minutes farther from the station than other hotels, it’s also well outside the seedy district.

Note: The hotel does not have an elevator. Breakfast is included in the room rate and served in the cafe.