Pension City

Pension City is camouflaged within the twisting streets of the Innere Stadt. Fail to find it and you'll miss out a solid value in a great location. It certainly couldn't be closer to most of the sights inside the Ring. Stephansdom and Schwedenplatz are both a five-minute walk, as is the Kärtnerstrasse, a shopaholics' binge fest.

The 19-room property run by the Grünberger family isn't lacking in the basics. Recently renovated rooms have satellite television, minibars, and phones and are furnished in a restrained Viennese style with dark cherry wood fixtures. The lobby bucks the trend with a more modern vibe. The garrulous staff is generous with their time.

Of the average-sized rooms, those facing the courtyard are much quieter. Of course, the trade-off is that these rooms are a bit dark. Rooms include satellite TV and free Wi-Fi, and the hotel does have a storage area for bicycles. The spread at breakfast is impressive and available late into the morning, a plus for late-risers.