Bleckmann

Tucked away in a well-restored, turn-of-the-century building in the student quarter of the Alsergrund, the cheeky Hotel Bleckmann presents some clever extras that go above and beyond its three-star rating. This 27-room hotel won't win any awards for design, but with the Innere Stadt about a 15-minute walk away, the location is excellent.

Rooms, decorated in a conservative business hotel style with few bright colors, are outfitted with telephones, satellite television, private showers, and toilets. As the Bleckmann is on the traffic-heavy Währingerstrasse, rooms on the street offer sound-proofing, and all feature a centralized air ventilation system that pumps fresh, diesel-free air throughout the hotel. Bathrooms are on par with the size of the rooms, although they're a bit dimmer than we like.

But there are caveats: the front desk closes at 9:00 p.m., and the breakfast area is best described as frumpy. Breakfast itself isn't anything to write home about, and it will cost you an extra fee. For those who like to stay out of the heat, the Bleckmann's fancy ventilation system does not have air conditioning capacity.

Note: Wi-Fi is free here but not the most reliable. The hotel is a T-Mobile hotspot, though.