Motel One Wien-Hauptbahnhof
by the TopOfHotel team
Motel One Wien-Hauptbahnhof is the cleanest pairing of German budget-design and a major train station you'll find in Vienna — perfect if you're hauling luggage in and out and don't want to lose an hour commuting, in exchange for the brand's famously small rooms.
Motel One Wien-Hauptbahnhof is the cleanest pairing of German budget-design and a major train station you'll find in Vienna — perfect if you're hauling luggage in and out and don't want to lose an hour commuting, in exchange for the brand's famously small rooms.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Open the door and the first thing you notice is the clean new-build smell and warm yellow lighting. The standard room is about 15-17 square metres — small, as expected, but laid out smarter than you'd think. The queen box-spring bed stands 60 centimetres tall and is the clear highlight: a firm-but-soft German mattress that a lot of reviews describe, almost word for word, as sleeping better than the price they paid. The headboard wall carries black-and-white photos of Vienna in angles tourists rarely see, the open doorless wardrobe keeps the room from feeling tight, and there's a small wall-mounted desk with a designer chair. USB ports sit on both sides of the bed. Premium rooms get a touch more space and face the station plaza, with a decent nighttime view of the lit Hauptbahnhof tower.
Food and amenities
The bathroom punches above its weight — a clear-glass rain shower zone split cleanly from the dry area, dark tile that wipes down easily, Soap & Glory products that double as shampoo and body wash, and a strong hairdryer. Wi-Fi is free and fast enough for a meeting, and the air-con holds up on a Vienna summer day that occasionally hits 35 degrees. The social heart is the One Lounge, open 24 hours and working as lobby, bar, café and lounge in one. It runs deep turquoise against pale wood and mint Eames-style chairs, with sculptural pendant lights and Wiener Werkstätte Secession monogram detailing that quietly honours the host city. Signature cocktails run about EUR 9-12, with good coffee all day and snacks like pretzels and cheese boards. Breakfast, charged separately at EUR 11-13, is the standard brand buffet — perfectly fine, not memorable.
Location and getting there
This hotel was built for people who travel by rail. Land at VIE, step onto a red ÖBB Railjet, and about 16 minutes later you're at Wien Hauptbahnhof, the polished marble central station finished in 2014. Walk out the Sudtiroler Platz exit and the hotel is standing right across the road — no taxi, no traffic gamble, checked in within minutes. The catch is the neighbourhood: Favoriten and the new station plaza are convenient and modern but not the historic core. The classic Vienna of the Hofburg and old coffee houses is a 10-15 minute ride away on the U1 or tram D. The charm here isn't Ringstrasse grandeur — it's friction-free logistics.
Things to know before booking
Talking to you like a friend: this place isn't for everyone. First, the room size. Honeymooners who want to sprawl, or families of four needing to juggle a double and a small room, should plan carefully — two 28-inch cases open together means one goes under the bed, and anyone who feels claustrophobic in tight spaces should pick another brand. Second, the Favoriten location: super convenient by the station, but a new business quarter that lacks the old-Vienna atmosphere many travelers are chasing. Third, breakfast is a standard buffet with no hot Austrian dishes — better to walk into the old town for a café morning. Last, noise: the Sonnwendgasse side gets tram sound at night, so light sleepers should request a high floor on the station (Bahnhof) side.
Our take
After reading hundreds of real guest reviews and tracking the Motel One brand for years, Motel One Wien-Hauptbahnhof is a near-perfect answer to one specific question: where do you stay for a 1-2 night Vienna stop before flying on, or after arriving by ÖBB rail from Prague, Budapest or Munich, when you want to drop your bags fast? The best thing about it is the location glued to Hauptbahnhof — under a 5-minute walk — paired with the easiest airport access in the city via direct ÖBB trains, plus tight German standards: clean rooms, soft beds, fast Wi-Fi, a lobby that looks well above its price. From around $86 a night, that's strong value for Vienna. It suits solo budget travelers, business travelers in and out of the airport often, and couples who don't fuss over room size. If you're a family with kids or a luxury traveler who wants space, a tub and a classic Vienna view, look elsewhere. Overall we give it 8.6/10 — a 3-star that does its job better than expected in every dimension that matters.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- It sits right against Wien Hauptbahnhof, with the platforms about a 3-minute walk away — so the ÖBB Railjet gets you to VIE in about 16 minutes direct for around EUR 4.30. For airport access, nothing in Vienna is more convenient.
- The box-spring beds are the standard Motel One build, and a striking number of reviews say they sleep better than a 3-star price tag has any right to. People report waking up rested with no sore back.
- The One Lounge lobby genuinely surprises people. Deep turquoise paired with pale wood and mint Eames-style chairs, Wiener Werkstätte monogram detailing on the walls, and it runs 24 hours pouring cocktails and good coffee.
- Cleanliness is the one thing reviews agree on almost unanimously. The rain shower is properly separated from the dry zone, the linens and towels are good quality, and the free Wi-Fi is fast enough to take a work call from your room.
- Rates start around $86 a night, which is strong value for Vienna, a city where hotels aren't cheap. You get a brand you can trust with tight, consistent standards — ideal for solo budget travelers and anyone passing through for a night or two between European legs.
- Rooms are compact at roughly 15-17 sqm, the Motel One house formula. Open two big 28-inch suitcases at once and it gets cramped; families staying a while may feel boxed in, and anyone who needs a real work desk should look elsewhere. Tip: slide one case under the high box-spring bed to free up floor space.
- The Favoriten setting is convenient but not the historic old town. The blocks around the hotel are the new Hauptbahnhof plaza — a modern business quarter with the BahnhofCity mall, but missing the old-Vienna atmosphere many people come for. You ride the U1 or tram D another 10-15 minutes to reach the real tourist core.
- Breakfast is the standard brand buffet — fine, not exciting. Breads, cold cuts, cheese, yogurt, fruit, boiled eggs and machine coffee, with no hot Austrian sausages or Wiener Schnitzel. Anyone expecting a full local spread will be let down, and it's charged separately at about EUR 11-13 per person.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Landing at VIE, the ÖBB Railjet runs direct to Hauptbahnhof in about 16 minutes for roughly EUR 4.30 — far cheaper than the branded CAT, which only runs to Wien Mitte across town. Exit on the Sudtiroler Platz side and the hotel is almost directly across the street.
- Ask for a high floor facing the station plaza (the Bahnhof side); it's much quieter than the Sonnwendgasse side, where trams run all night, and you get a decent nighttime view of the station tower.
- Cross into the BahnhofCity Wien Hauptbahnhof mall inside the station for a Billa Plus supermarket and well-priced restaurants that stay open later than places in the centre — handy for stocking up on water and a late-night bite.