Hi Suzie, Shyanne & Bob

Have not travelled in Europe for some years but wasn't expecting great hotels. I was lucky and seemed to get a reasonable room in each hotel. Basic but clean. Shower not brilliant in Prague. Food okay. Budapest was best hotel. Air con, congenial staff and food was good. Both of these were set menu. Vienna though takes the prize. It was so bad it was laughable. Think Fawlty Towers on a much grander scale. Arrived to be told no rooms for 4 people. (This had also happened to a coach coming in the previous day). They would have to be taken to another hotel, back for dinner, off again and brought back in morning with cases for a room for the next night. 10 people who were given room keys found that they were already occupied. Ric, our courier, was going spare. During course of evening rooms were somehow found in the hotel (they didn't build anymore on so where were they originally) ranging from the broom cupboard to staff quarters which were not very good. One man said that his wasn't a broom cupboard as there wasn't room for the broom. Meals here were 'buffet'. It was like a scrum. All of the other nationalities had obviously not eaten for several years and piled plates and seemed to collect every course at the same time. The staff were rude except for one man who seemed to do every job going. think that they were so shortstaffed that every one was just harassed. Certainly not what one expects from Austrain efficiency (don't think I've spelt that right but still recovering). Despite all of this all 40 people agreed that it had been a good trip. Friendly crowd and very good as a taster for each city.

There were several new Just You-ers who said that it wouldn't put them off as we had such a great time.

Must sort myself out now as off to New Zealand in a few weeks time

Jenny

Take care,

Bob

So sorry to hear about the hotel. Reading from previous posts, this is not the first time this has happened, so i am confused as to why Just You have not taken action. Ben, please could you give an update on whether the hotels have been changed?

Thanks

I do hope JY use a different hotel next year, surely they will take note of all the comments?

Oh how I laughed at your post. It appears that nothing has changed on this trip - I went in Sept 2010 and had similar experiences. I remember so well the one man who was helpful in that hotel and the gang fight at dinner and breakfast!

Enjoy New Zealand - I've been there too.

Sylvia

All the best,

Bob

I was seriously thinking of booking this for 2014 and was really excited now the comments have put me off.

Hi Mags

Don't be put off by our comments as I think JY have changed the hotels they use now.

Regards

Sylvia

Just returned from this trip and JY used a different, very new hotel.Hotel was excellent and staff only too helpful. Was also much nearer city centre.Food left a lot to be desired though, but we went out to eat on last day. I understand that JY are looking into this.Highlight was Strauss concert, so good several of us went to another next day. Hotel arranged tickets and taxi for us so, apart from food, you will enjoy!

Hello,

Just returned from this trip and JY used a different, very new hotel.Hotel was excellent and staff only too helpful. Was also much nearer city centre.Food left a lot to be desired though, but we went out to eat on last day. I understand that JY are looking into this.Highlight was Strauss concert, so good several of us went to another next day. Hotel arranged tickets and taxi for us so, apart from food, you will enjoy!

Hi David,

I'm off on this holiday in 2 weeks time. Hope you had a great time. When you mention the food not being good, is this all 3 hotels or just one of them?

I haven't booked the Strauss concert but think I will do now as you say how good it was!

Best wishes

Lynda

It was just the Vienna hotel where the food was not brilliant - breakfast had a good selection but dinners not so good. The Strauss concert was so good 5 of us booked another on the next night. The hotel recommended a venue and did all the booking for us, including a taxi. We had a meal out afterwards. The first (pre-bookable) concert was in a smaller, more intimate room, but the second was in a larger venue complete with fantastic crystal chandeliers - all probably dating back to Strauss' time! Second highlight was the 'Strudel factory'.Totally original and VERY fresh - literally straight out of the oven. Many of the women said portions too large, but I noted afterwards that none was left.

All thee venues have a lot to offer and you are in for a great holiday.

Hello Lynda,

It was just the Vienna hotel where the food was not brilliant - breakfast had a good selection but dinners not so good. The Strauss concert was so good 5 of us booked another on the next night. The hotel recommended a venue and did all the booking for us, including a taxi. We had a meal out afterwards. The first (pre-bookable) concert was in a smaller, more intimate room, but the second was in a larger venue complete with fantastic crystal chandeliers - all probably dating back to Strauss' time! Second highlight was the 'Strudel factory'.Totally original and VERY fresh - literally straight out of the oven. Many of the women said portions too large, but I noted afterwards that none was left.

All thee venues have a lot to offer and you are in for a great holiday.

Hello David,

Thanks very much for your reply. We're staying at the Amedia hotel in Vienna, I think this is a new hotel and a different one to where you stayed. I guess Just You had a lot of complaints about the one last year!. Hopefully the dinners will be better at this hotel. On your recommendation I've just booked the Strauss concert and the Strudel factory definitely sounds like my kind of thing! Not long to go now, then 2 1/2 months after have got Spirit of India to look forward to!

Lynda

Hello Lynda,

It was just the Vienna hotel where the food was not brilliant - breakfast had a good selection but dinners not so good. The Strauss concert was so good 5 of us booked another on the next night. The hotel recommended a venue and did all the booking for us, including a taxi. We had a meal out afterwards. The first (pre-bookable) concert was in a smaller, more intimate room, but the second was in a larger venue complete with fantastic crystal chandeliers - all probably dating back to Strauss' time! Second highlight was the 'Strudel factory'.Totally original and VERY fresh - literally straight out of the oven. Many of the women said portions too large, but I noted afterwards that none was left.

All thee venues have a lot to offer and you are in for a great holiday.

Hello again,

Sorry I had a senior moment!!, it's the most recent one you've come back from so probably is the same hotel.

Lynda

It is same hotel. Very new, clean and modern. Also much nearer city centre. Only drawbacks were stupid security arrangements for lift (had to use tempermantal room card swipe system for security, but anyone could walk straight up stairs!). Also, evening meals were not great, otherwise perfectly acceptable.

Hi Mags, I seem to remember on another post that Ben (the former JY editor) told someone that the two hotels with poor feedback had been changed for 2013. Why don't you ask Julia to check this out for you? It would be a shame to miss out on the holiday you want! I've been to all three cities and they are great (Prague is my favourite).

All the best,

Bob

Hi Bob, many thanks for the information. I am going to a Discovery Weekend so will check it out. Kind Regards.

I was seriously thinking of booking this for 2014 and was really excited now the comments have put me off.

Hi Mags

Don't be put off by our comments as I think JY have changed the hotels they use now.

Regards

Sylvia

Many thanks Syliva. Really want to visit these countries so that's great. Mind you I've stayed in a few horrible places in my time (backpacking around Australia, one with cockroaches and another with bedbugs!).

Hello Lynda,

It was just the Vienna hotel where the food was not brilliant - breakfast had a good selection but dinners not so good. The Strauss concert was so good 5 of us booked another on the next night. The hotel recommended a venue and did all the booking for us, including a taxi. We had a meal out afterwards. The first (pre-bookable) concert was in a smaller, more intimate room, but the second was in a larger venue complete with fantastic crystal chandeliers - all probably dating back to Strauss' time! Second highlight was the 'Strudel factory'.Totally original and VERY fresh - literally straight out of the oven. Many of the women said portions too large, but I noted afterwards that none was left.

All thee venues have a lot to offer and you are in for a great holiday.

Hi David

I am going to book for next year. I don't eat red meat or cheese - do you think I will have problems with menus and choices over there. Many thanks.

If you tell the tour manager they will make the necessary arrangements for you.

I did this trip in October 2013 and they must have changed the hotels as they were all fine. The only problem was the Vienna hotel as it was so disorganised in the dining room espically breakfast. The meals and espically drinks were stuffed into a corner and people couldnt get in or out. There were so many people some of our group queued 30mins for tea and coffee but I came dowm later and had no problems. I still had time to make the tours as I ate & left. The rest of the hotel was fine, clean and spacious. They advertise free media including phone calls, but must only have one line as I tried every night to get through. It wasnt a problem as I didnt know the hotel had this and wasnt expecting it.

The Budapest hotel was the best as the staff couldnt do enough to help. It was the oldest and the rooms were not quite as spacious but it had character.

The Prague hotel is connected to a small shopping centre with a supermarket which was really handy. As the rooms in all the hotels had a fridge and you could keep water, drinks etc in them.

Hope this is helpful.