Actilingua Apartment Hotel

You never know what to make of TA reviews! I booked this hotel out of hand, mostly because I needed a ‘Plan B’ for my home exchange, and it was so cheap, and only after that I started reading reviews, and they were not very favourable; they wrote it’s not clean, obsolete and generally run-down. Besides, last year I was in Europe in spring, and I nearly froze to death! I mean not in the street, I mean indoors! How do I know if they have any heating anywhere? Well, obviously I was worried, especially as my Plan B became Plan A... The reality proved to be much better than I could hope! To start with, they were very quick to answer all my questions, within a day or so. The trip from the airport went as smooth as it could be. The place is pretty far from the centre, it’s true. But getting there from the airport is no problem, in fact, much easier than if I had taken a room downtown; direct train, less than half an hour, then 3 stops by tram. The hotel is absolutely charming, late 19th or early 20th century, a place with a character, the way I like. You can look at the photos, warm décor, winding stairs, wooden window frames; but electricity is managed automatically. And there is a lift, though very small, as in any older buildings, for 1 person and a modest suitcase. It goes up to the 3rd floor, but the last flight you have to go on foot. And my room was there, on the 4th floor! But even that couldn’t spoil my stay :)) There are just 2 rooms there, mine was on the right, I think it’s # 17b. And it turned out to be a real jewel! A lot of light, sort of mansard, ceiling windows. One day it snowed, I feared it would be cold in the room, but no, the heating worked perfectly! The apartment is very convenient, a bedroom and a full-size kitchen. I suppose regular customers are students, that is, they spend here a few months, there is more furniture than usual, to put all clothes in order. And generally it has an air of a place where one can live, not just to sleep overnight and then run around the city. The bed is comfortable, the bed linen of good quality. A small table near the window, can be used both as as a dining and a writing table, with a lovely bunch of flower! The TV set is right opposite the bed, but I did not watch it, I don’t speak German. The radio, on the contrary, is a real treasure, with a classic station Stephansdom, I listened to it all the time. But not too loud, I don’t want to disturb my neighbours :)) The kitchen looks even better :)) It’s comfortable and spacious. All kitchen utensils are clean and well-managed. I’ve taken detailed pictures, better to see than to read :) True, the refrigerator wasn’t rubbed properly with a wet cloth or something, but it’s no big deal, I can manage myself. The bathroom is perfectly OK, too; a shower instead of a bathtub, in fact, I like it better this way. Most important, the hairdryer functions perfectly – very important for me, as I had 5 (five!) theatre visits out of 6 nights in Vienna! Now this is important: For you not to be disappointed, please note – the apartment is meant for 3 people, there is three of everything – three cups, three soup bowls, etc. And I was on my own, just one! Obviously I was much more at liberty. But I am sure there would be enough space here a couple with a child, too; anyway, there is much more room than in any hotel I’ve seen. I did not expect any cleaning – this an apartment, not a hotel room, I wiped the kitchen sink before I left, disposed of the garbage (there are garbage bins on the ground floor, in the yard), and generally tidied up. For me it’s no problem, I always rent self-service apartments, they have more of local feel, I think. Last but not least – supermarket Billa, a very big one, just 3 tram stops away, and the tram goes every 10 minutes in day time. I spotted a few cafes, but wasn’t interested, I prefer my own meals. However, the bakery opposite the nearest metro station, can’t remember the name, is very handy, they were open even when all other businesses were closed – it was the New Year. In short, if I ever return to Vienna, in all probability I’ll book ActiLingua again!