Page 187 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Great Places to Stay in Europe

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AUS TRIA 1 8 7

HIGHLIGHTS morning and mid-
afternoon snacks are
OTELS ILLUSTRATED on these also common.
Hintroductory pages are by No stay in Austria
no means the only highlights. is complete without
Other favourites include the a visit to one of the
Parkhotel Tristachersee, set coffee houses. With
on a secluded lake (page wonderful rich
195); the Hotel König von smells of croissant,
Ungarn, right in the centre coffee and choc-
of Vienna (page 197); and olate, they are great
Deuring Schlössle (page 191), places to visit any
in a breathtaking 17th-century time of the day.
castle with fine views over
Lake Constance. BEDROOMSAND
BATHROOMS
FOOD AND DRINK
F YOU WANT twin
U
A USTRIA SHARES borders Ibeds, ask for them Breakfast room, Landhaus Veronika, page 194
specifically when
with six countries, so the
food has many interesting booking. A ‘double’ bed is number, including the initial
influences and variations – usually two single mattresses zero. To call Austria from the
rich pasta dishes from Italy, in a ‘two-mattress’ frame, UK, dial 00 43, then the
goulash from Hungary and covered with two single number, omitting the initial
dumplings from Bohemia – duvets. It you require an en zero. From the US, 011 43.
but, on the whole, it is suite bathroom, be sure to
dominated by meat. Don’t specify this when you make Restaurants Note that you
overlook the renowned your reservation. will be charged for each piece
Wiener Schnitzel (an escalope of bread you eat.
of veal in breadcrumbs) and, OTHER PRACTICAL
of course, the wonderful INFORMATION Public holidays 1 January;
cakes and pastries, many 6 January; Easter Monday;
topped with cream. OOK AHEAD for hotels in 1 May; Ascension Day; Whit
Increasingly, however, BVienna, and for others in Monday; Corpus Christi;
you’ll find places to stay peak times, and state any 15 August; 26 October;
where there is an emphasis special requirements. Confirm 1 November; 8 December;
on healthy eating. ‘Bio’ signs check-out times. Breakfast is 25 and 26 December.
indicate the use of wholefood typically a buffet of breads,
or organic products, while cheese, fruit and cold meats. USEFUL WORDS
‘Bio rooms’ are furnished in The standard of hotels and
natural materials. guesthouses is usually high. Breakfast Frühstück
Austrian-grown wine is Lunch Mittagessen
mainly white – there are Language German is spoken Dinner Abendessen
approximately 40,000 hectares by 98 per cent of the popu- Free room? Zimmer frei?
(98,850 acres) of vineyards. lation, but since most have How much? Wieviel?
There are some notable dry good English it is easy to get Single room Einzelzimmer
whites. Try also the intense, by, especially in cities. Double room Doppelzimmer
fruity Rieslings from the
Wachau region and the Currency From 1 January AUSTRIA PRICE BANDS
attractive sweet wine of the 2002, the European euro
Neusiedlersee region. (written ‘EUR’), made up of USTRIAN HOTELS are officially
U
The beer is excellent, with 100 cents. A classified by stars, from
each region producing its one to five, but don’t be too
own brew. There are huge Shops Generally open swayed by this. Our price
regional differences, and it is 8:30am–6pm Mon to Fri bands are much simpler to
wise to go for the local (many close for lunch), and use, referring simply to the
speciality – Stiegl Bier in until noon on Saturdays. price of a standard double
Salzburg and Gösser Bier room in high season.
from Steiermark, for instance. Tipping It is customary to Breakfast is often, but not
The Austrians treat lunch, round up the bill by around always, included in room
usually starting at about 10 per cent, even if the prices quoted by hotels. In
12:30pm, as their main meal: service charge is included. some areas you may be
they’ll eat their way through Don’t leave it on the table: tell charged a local tax.
soup, a main course, and the waiter how much you are
dessert. Supper or dinner is paying, including the tip. ¡ below 35 EUR
eaten in the early evening, ¡¡ 35–110 EUR
and is usually cold meats, Telephoning To phone ¡¡¡ 110–180 EUR
cheese and bread. Mid- within Austria, dial the full ¡¡¡¡ above 180 EUR