What to expect: Built in 1870, Vienna Grand Hotel Wien occupies a large yellow-and-beige building with columns, balustrades, and a wrought-iron portico. Inside, decor includes crystal chandeliers, beveled mirrors, and Chesterfield armchairs upholstered in burgundy and forest-green leather. There is a grand staircase, and the marble floor is patterned in red-and-white diamonds. Upscale perfume and apparel shops are located just off the lobby. Vienna Grand Hotel Wien is one of the Leading Hotels of the World and draws a mix of business and vacation travelers.

Amenity highlights: This hotel offers a 24-hour fitness room with cardio machines. There is also a business center equipped with computers, fax machines, and printers. High-speed Internet access is available (surcharge) in the business center, and wireless Internet access is available in the lobby, café, and bar areas (surcharge). Restaurants include Japanese-style Unkai, and Le Ciel, a French restaurant.

Insider tip: Three blocks away, Haus der Musik is an interactive museum of sound and music. Visitors can conduct a virtual Vienna Philharmonic, compose electronic music, and experience the sounds a baby hears in utero.