We rented the holiday apartment around the corner from Barbara's B and B and could not have had a better time. We were jetlagged when we arrived, she met us and let us put our bags inside so we wouldn't have to drag them around with us while we went sightseeing and tried to stave off a too-early night. She showed us how to work EVERYTHING in the apartment, and also had a wonderful notebook that gave step by step instructions on everything and had menus, fliers, information about taking the train, what type of ticket you needed to buy for the zones - EVERYTHING. We wanted to save money on meals, so she recommended several nearby restaurants and two grocery stores within walking distance where we got milk, cereal, etc. for breakfast each morning.

Unlike a lot of holiday apartments, they left tea and coffee in the cabinets from the previous guests so that good staples weren't wasted and we didn't have to buy those. There was also dishwashing detergent and laundry detergent. Having a washing machine and several drying racks meant we didn't have to pack something for every day - we washed in the middle of the week.

My sister and niece loved the beds in the twin bedroom, I had trouble coaxing them out from under the warm duvets and heating to face another 'tiring' day of Christkindlmarkts, hot chocolate, coffee and gluhwein. :)

The previous guest had stretched or cracked the showerhead attachment - where the showerhead sat on the moveable height slider. It kept tilting and made it difficult to shower without having to hold it up the entire time. Not a big deal, but I mentioned it to Barbara so she wouldn't think we'd broken it. When we got home that night, her husband had tightened it and fixed it in our absence. She called to check on it the next day and, upon finding out that it was still slipping, went out and bought a new one and installed it while we were out. That type of attention to detail goes beyond just taking your money and letting you have a clean place to sleep. It was wonderful and much appreciated.

The apartment is not in the trendiest part of town, but I much prefer paying a reasonable rate and taking the Ubahn and train to attractions in other parts of town. We felt like we were staying where the REAL Viennese people lived, not the tourists, which was just what I wanted.

For those of you who are doner kebab fanatics - I definitely have an addiction - you walk right past a nice doner kebab takeout restaurant on your way home. I think the man there would still recognize my face. Good basic food, an entire meal for 3 Euros. Yeah, the equivalent of a European Hardees, but SO GOOD!

Highly recommended for a stress free, yet still exciting vacation mingling with the neighborhood and having your own little home base oasis.