Where to Stay in Vienna: The Best Neighborhoods & Hotel Tips

The Best Neighborhoods to Stay in Vienna

To choose the right neighborhood for your stay in Vienna, it helps to have a basic overview of the city’s structure.

Vienna is divided into a total of 23 districts. Each district has both a number and a name. In Vienna, it’s common to refer to districts simply by their number.

So if a Viennese local recommends a “hotel in the First” or a “restaurant in the Third,” they always mean the district.

The 1st district, for example, is Vienna’s historic old town. It’s called the Innere Stadt.

These are the 5 neighborhoods in Vienna we recommend for your stay:

• 1st District: Innere Stadt: Perfect for first-time visitors who want to reach Vienna’s top attractions on foot.
• 2nd + 3rd District: Leopoldstadt and Landstraße: Great if you want more affordable accommodation in Vienna but still want to be close to the city’s highlights.
• 4th District: Wieden: Perfect if shopping, nightlife, and sightseeing are all on your agenda. Well connected to the historic center.
• 7th District: Neubau: Ideal if you’re after a cool, alternative vibe in Vienna.

Each of these neighborhoods has its pros and cons. The good news: you really can’t go wrong with any of them.

We’ll walk you through where to stay in Vienna in the sections below — with hotel picks for every budget.

The Districts at a Glance on a Map

To help you get your bearings, we’ve marked our recommended districts on this map.

Staying in the 1st District: Innere Stadt

If you’re visiting Vienna for the first time, we recommend choosing a hotel in the 1st district.

The 1st district is the ideal base for a first trip to Vienna. You can reach Vienna’s most important sights on foot from the Innere Stadt — no subway needed.

The tourist infrastructure is excellent, there’s a huge variety of restaurants, and several subway stations are right nearby.

The 1st district is the original Vienna — the historic old town. Landmarks like St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Hofburg, and the State Opera are all here. You’ll also find Vienna’s best museums within easy reach.

By the way: the entire 1st district is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Advantages of a hotel in Vienna’s 1st district

• Best location: You can walk to most of the major sights.
• Great food: The most famous Wiener Schnitzel restaurant, Figlmüller, is right here in the 1st district.
• Especially beautiful at Christmas: During the holiday season, Vienna’s most magical Christmas markets are all in this area.

Disadvantages of a hotel in Vienna’s 1st district

• Not cheap: Hotel prices in the 1st district are higher than anywhere else in the city.
• Very touristy: The 1st district draws massive crowds. Local life tends to happen more in the outer districts.

Our Hotel Recommendations for the 1st District of Vienna

As mentioned, hotels in the 1st district are on the pricier side. Budget-friendly Vienna hostels are hard to come by here, but the concentration of storied luxury hotels is the highest in the city.

Our Vienna hotel pick in the city center is the Motel One Wien-Staatsoper — unbeatable location, great design, and seriously good value for money.

Staying in the 2nd and 3rd District: Leopoldstadt and Landstraße

The 2nd and 3rd districts are a smart pick if you don’t want to be right in the touristy city center, but still want easy access to the highlights — and a more affordable place to stay.

We’re covering these two districts together since they both wrap around the city center to the east. Hotels here are generally cheaper than in the 1st district, yet the sights are still quick and easy to reach.

There’s also plenty to see right on your doorstep: the Prater with the Giant Ferris Wheel and the Danube Island in the 2nd district, and Belvedere Palace and the Hundertwasserhaus in the 3rd. And there are plenty of great activities in Vienna in both neighborhoods.

Advantages of a hotel in Vienna’s 2nd and 3rd district

• More affordable: Hotels cost less than in the 1st district.
• Well located: The sights in the historic center are still quick and easy to reach.
• Attractions nearby: Several highlights are right in the area.
• Good public transportation: Well connected by subway and tram.

Disadvantages of a hotel in Vienna’s 2nd and 3rd district

• Not right in the middle of things: You’re not directly in the city center.
• Spread out: Both districts are quite large. The closer your place to stay is to the 1st district, the better the location.

Our Hotel Recommendations for the 2nd and 3rd District in Vienna

The Superbude Wien is a wonderfully quirky and cool hotel right next to the Prater with views of the amusement park — we really loved this one. For the best panorama in the city, head to the rooftop bar at the luxury hotel SO/ Vienna.

Staying in the 4th District: Wieden

The 4th district sits close to Vienna’s most important sights and offers tons of options for shopping, dining, and nightlife. In our opinion, it’s the perfect mix for a city trip to Vienna!

Wieden is a small district just south of the historic center, conveniently tucked between Vienna’s main train station and the 1st district. The Naschmarkt in the 5th district and Belvedere Palace in the 3rd are also just a short walk away.

On top of that, Wieden has loads of great bars and restaurants, plus plenty of shopping — including independent boutiques you won’t find in the tourist center.

Advantages of a hotel in Vienna’s 4th district

• Convenient location: A perfect spot between the main train station and most of the major sights.
• Well connected: Trams and subway lines get you to all other districts quickly.
• Lots of great restaurants and bars: Wieden is a fantastic place to eat out and grab drinks in the evening.

Disadvantages of a hotel in Vienna’s 4th district

• Outside the center: The 4th district is south of the 1st district, not right in it.
• Fewer hotels: The selection of places to stay in the 4th district isn’t as large as in other areas.

Our Hotel Recommendations for the 4th District in Vienna

The Saint Shermin is our top pick in Wieden — a truly unique and stylish hotel right in the heart of the district’s action. Great location and lovingly decorated throughout.

Staying in the 7th District: Neubau

The 7th district is perfect for anyone who loves galleries and hipster cafés and wants to discover the alternative side of Vienna.

Neubau is Vienna’s creative, hipster-ish neighborhood. Located north of the Naschmarkt, it’s packed with bars, galleries, and independent coffee shops. The famous MuseumsQuartier sits right on its western edge.

The popular shopping strip Mariahilfer Straße and the Naschmarkt are both easily walkable from here too.

Advantages of a hotel in Vienna’s 7th district

• Hip and creative: The 7th district is packed with galleries, bars, and great cafés.
• Good public transit connections: Well connected to the rest of the city.
• Less touristy: Here you get a real taste of everyday Viennese life.
• Great location: All the major sights are still easy to reach.

Disadvantages of a hotel in Vienna’s 7th district

• Not right in the city center: The 7th district is west of the 1st district.
• Limited selection: There are fewer hotels here than in other districts.

Our Hotel Recommendations for the 7th District in Vienna

Just like the neighborhood itself, the hotels in the 7th district tend to be a little out of the ordinary. There’s a particularly high concentration of design hotels here — like the Hotel Schani Salon, which wins you over with individually styled, chic rooms.

Frequently Asked Questions About Staying in Vienna