Sometimes I think I might be getting too old for hostels (at this moment I have 28 rings on my trunk) but the fact is I’m not supernaturally rich so I still prefer to look for places where cheap and neat rhymes and it’s true. Also, once in a while, it’s nice to remember the olden days where you travel around countries and you sleep wherever there is a ceiling and the barf smell keeps you warm at night. We’ve all been through that (maybe). Anyway, Hostel Ruthensteiner is more than a just a ceiling. I had been to Vienna before and I stayed in another place, not far from this one. However I found it too “teenager” even at that time, because it was full of kids on road trips. So this time I looked for something a bit more “mature” and not staying in dorms. I’m a bit tired of dorms. I got my share of farting and snoring (also back in the olden days). Doubles and singles are the ones for me – unless you are traveling with a big group – and luckily you can find them in many hostels at affordable prices.
There is room for 2 *wink*
Hostel Ruthensteiner is perfectly located in Vienna. A 5 minute walking from Westbahnhof and close to the subway, the tram, and your feet to the city center. Walking was not an option when I was there because it was raining cat and dogs. Besides the perfect location, the hostel mixes two accommodation worlds very well: teenager and mature, if we take my previous definitions. You can still crash in the dorms or you can have a bed in a more quiet single or double room. That was exactly what I got and it was quiet indeed. After a whole day going around town, I had no more stamina for anything else than sleeping in a good bed in a cozy room. They had them perfectly heated and clean. They also provided sheets and towels – I used the one with the dolphins. Just for that towel with dolphins I was sold and Hostel Ruthensteiner will be forever engraved in my heart.
The barbecue is around here somewhere
If you’re too lazy to go around town and you just want to stay in the hostel, they have WiFi, a bar, a recreation room full of board games and also for the music aficionados, some instruments that you are free to play and kill some of the other guests’ eardrums. Again I give emphasis to the quiet part, since my room was just above the bar and recreation room, and no noise was heard. It was that good. So people can party and get drunk without bothering others, except maybe in the dorms, where you should sleep with gloves so that no one puts your fingers in warm water to see if you will pee.
The place to find the douche-bag with a guitar
The hostel also serves breakfast for €2 but in my opinion you’ll be better served if you go somewhere else. Since you are around Westbahnhof you can find some places that will be open until late for food. The inner patio had something that I wasn’t able to try, but I would consider on a nicer day: a barbecue. Check their website for some photos – it seems like you can have some good times with it if you just bring the meat.
The rates I think were quite affordable, considering it’s Vienna after all. That is €26 per person in a double room. The dorms are of course cheaper, starting at €12 per person. If you get a 4-8 beds bedroom if you go with a group, then it’s €15 per person. Check the rates on their website in case the values here are outdated. But bring cash, although it is possible to pay with card, they had a sign stating that they prefer cash only. Probably some taxing thing.
Go floss yourself on Flipper's face *1
I didn’t get to interact much with the staff because it was not necessary beside the normal check-in and check-out part. Just for that I found them friendly and helpful, a bit nosy about asking everything about where you come from, where are you going, what are you doing, etc. I guess it’s for their stats. In the beginning I felt special by the lady that asked me all of these things. How fooled was I when later I found that she was asking that to everyone and not just me. I will never forget you lady from the Hostel Ruthensteiner, you broke my heart! … but I would still come back to dry myself in your dolphin towels.
Hostel Ruthensteiner
Robert Hamerlinggasse 24
1150 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 18934202 / +43 18932796
Website: http://www.hostelruthensteiner.com
*1 Flipper (1996 film) – Wikipedia
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Although you are an old man you got all the details necessary to the youth! Thanks! Vienna is not at the immediate plans but I will keep the place in mind!
Great review. Loved it.
Good write-up Ricardo. I think Vienna is blessed with great places to stay. I can also really highly recommend Wombat’s Hostel. I think I stayed at the City one, but they’ve got two. If I glance at the above map then wombat’s would be pretty close to Ruthensteiner. Regardless, without doubt the best hostel I stayed in during a six month trip. Great staff, great facilites, and really good security.
Thanks Jamie. At Wombat’s I stayed 2 nights back in 2005 and I can’t remember it very well. Maybe next time I go back to Vienna I’ll give it another shot to have more material. I remember I stayed at the one close to Ruthensteiner but when I passed by it recently it seemed different. It’s probably the same you mentioned.
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I skimmed through your webpage and I liked what I saw. I will have a deeper look later but I noticed you’ve been to a lot of places also. If you have anything that you would like to share with us, we would be very happy to publish it as a guest post. Or we can even do a shared post
Best regards,
Ricardo