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Vienna Airport Lounges
Leaving the Hotel Bristol at 08h15, I was at Vienna International Airport by 09h10. Passing through security and immigration was a breeze and I found myself at the Austrian Airlines Business Class Lounge about 40 minutes before our scheduled boarding time.
A Tale of Two Lounges
The Vienna Airport Lounges are interesting to me. There is the Business Class Lounge and the Star Alliance Lounge. Each time I fly in Business, I am relegated to the Star Alliance Lounge. The only explanation I get is that I have to go their since I do gave Star Gold Status.
While this is indeed true, I am flying Business Class and think I should be allowed in that Lounge. The Star side is utterly packed. Each time I enter this lounge, I find that every single seat is occupied and people are just standing around like vultures, waiting for a seat to open. It isn’t relaxing. Usually, I’ll just pop over to the Priority Pass Lounge next door, which looks like a mediocre restaurant at a mall. At least I can sit though.
This time was different, I was admitted to the Business Class side of the lounge.
Booze selection available at the Business Class Lounge
Breakfast Breads at the Austrian Business Class Lounge
Tea selection at Austrian Airlines Business Class Lounge
It wasn’t stellar, but I did get a seat. I also grabbed a pastry, some sparkling wine and the Monday edition of Le Monde.
Lounge water, bubbles and newspaper
I spent only about 20 minutes in the lounge then took the long walk to my gate.
Maybe I will go to Tehran after all
Austrians Business Class Lounge is head and shoulders better than their Star Lounge, but it sure isn’t anything to arrive early for. Show up early enough to grab a newspaper and a glass of bubbles and call it good.
My ride to Chicago. Austrian Boeing 767
Which Lounge is your favorite in Vienna? Have you ever been relegated to the Star Lounge despite having a proper Business Class ticket?
Hotel Bristol: A Luxury Collection Property
After flying all day from Singapore, I found myself in Vienna at 18h30. I had booked myself a room on points at the Hotel Bristol right across from the Opera House. This is the only hotel I’ve stayed in while visiting Vienna. I love it. I even used Suite Night upgrades which cleared a week in advance. These upgrades moved me to an Opera Suite. I’ve been fortunate enough to ONLY stay in the beautiful Opera Suites at the Hotel Bristol.
I arrived straight away from the airport at 19h00, timing on transfers were perfect. Upon check in, the man working reception attempted to down grade me to a normal room because “you are just one person here for one night, you dont need this much space, it is too hot.” He was accurate, it was very hot in Vienna (33C), but I didn’t follow, nor like his logic. After a bit of discussion, he allowed me to stay in my original room.
Opera Suite
This time, my suite was on the third floor, with the same stunning view of the Wienner Staatsoper (Vienna Opera House).
The summer view from my Opera Suite at the Bristol Hotel Vienna
The room was quite warm and being in the room for less than 5 minutes a knock came at the door. It was hotel maintenance. He came to check on the air conditioning. Evidently these large suites don’t cool down as efficiently. He was here to make sure certain doors and windows were closed to ensure the bedroom area was as chilled as possible.
Ah…so that’s what the guy at reception was trying to say…
Main seating area – a Formal Affair
Seating and chandelier in the main room
Coffee Service for a Coffee City
The romantic fireplace in the Opera Suite
I didn’t spend much time in the room, since I had a flight home before 10h00 the next morning. Plus, I wanted to explore Vienna in the summer.
I slept well, albeit not very long. The hotel is really wonderful. The rooms are so perfectly appointed and the service is always on point. Plus, the views cant be beat!
The Main Bedroom – Luxurious
The perfectly appointed bedroom in the Opera Suite
Twin Vanities in the Master Bath
The large soaking tub
The separate shower was a bit small, but still quite luxurious.
Le Chemin Bath Products
Small Guest Bath in the Opera Suite
Small Guest Bath in the Opera Suite
A second bathroom is a lovely luxury in a hotel.
Have you had the opportunity to stay at the Hotel Bristol? How are the standard rooms? What is your favorite hotel in Vienna?
Austrian Airlines Business Class BKK-VIE
My flight home from my 68 Hours in Singapore was a bit of a round about experience. Leaving Singapore to Bangkok, I continued on to Vienna. I’ve flown Austrian Airlines in Business Class a few times before and was looking forward to trying it again. I left the Thai Airways Business Class Lounge about 50 minutes before scheduled departure. The boarding area was utterly packed with passengers.
People were getting a bit restless, as announcements were made about early boarding. People would line up, then another announcement saying we weren’t boarding. This happened two times before we actually boarded. There were many people traveling with children too. These false starts really got the children confused and frustrated.
Very Crowded Boarding Area in Bangkok
On Board
I boarded early, as I usually like to do. A single seat wasn’t available, I had to sit in the middle area in the two-seat section. I could have moved to a single seat, but it would have cost me an additional €500. It wasn’t worth it to me.
Business Class Seating on Austrian Airlines
Our seats already had pillows, blankets and the amenity kits waiting for us. After I got settled, the flight attendant came up with menus. She introduced herself to me and I attempted to speak German, as I usually do when flying Austrian. My college level German gets me far enough on a flight, but it’s just utilitarian, not conversational. I started off my journey with some sparkling wine and some still water.
Business Class Legroom on Austrian Airlines
Pre-departure beverage with seat controls
The flight was pretty full, but I was fortunate enough to NOT have a seat mate. I’m so happy I didn’t pay extra for a single seat. Even if I did have a seat mate, it wouldn’t have been the end of the world. The seats are large and while not very private, Austrian Airlines Business Class is still pretty great.
The flight time to Vienna from Bangkok is 11 hours and 30 minutes. One of my main disappointments when I fly Austrian Airlines is that the flight from Chicago to Vienna just isn’t long enough. I want a little more time to rest, relax and enjoy the Business Class product. This flight gives me a bit more time and I was going to love it.
Meal Service
Austrian Airline’s crew includes an on board chef. Before take off, the chef meets with every Business Class Passenger, explaining the menu and taking orders. It is a nice additional service, although not really necessary. It’s this aspect that I like the most I think.
After departure, drinks are served and the food service begins. I like the antipasti trolley that wheels through the cabin. You select the exact appetizers you want to try. I selected all options, of course!
Antipasti selection, including marinated prawns, herbed chicken breast, feta cheese, Thai beef salad, maki and crab cakes.
The meal service continued for the next 90 minutes. It was efficient and friendly. Austrian does a good job of ensuring that your wine glasses are never dry too.
Red lentil soup with olive ciabatta croutons.
Stir Fried Beef, ginger oyster sauce, egg fried rice.
Dessert of Chocolate Cake
With the meal over, the we had about eight hours until we landed in Vienna. I spent the rest of the flight watching movies, TV shows and napping. I really didn’t want to get much sleep as we’d be landing in Vienna at 19h00 and I sure didn’t want to be up all night.
Other than a little bit of excitement midway through the flight, our time in air was quiet and uneventful. We landed 20 minutes early, but were requested to remain seated while a passenger was taken off the plane by paramedics. More on that story in another post.
Wrap Up
Flying in Business Class on Austrian Airlines is still exciting and fun for me. It isn’t the world’s most avant garde product, but the service is smooth and efficient. The wine and food is good and the seats are really comfortable in both seated and bed positions.
Have you flown Austrian Airlines from Asia? What is your favorite Business Class product out of Bangkok?
Duration versus Frequency of Travel
As an American working at an American firm, I get a very limited amount of vacation time. After being at my current employer for more than a decade I get just 15 vacation days each year. That’s three weeks total. That’s not enough to go and do what I want to do, so I have to really plan my trips. People often ask me if the frequency of travel is “worth it.” Why go away for such a short period, they ask? For only three full days in Europe is it worth the expense of the airfare, the jet lag and everything else. To that, I say a resounding YES! If I didn’t love short, frequent trips, I wouldn’t have flown to Singapore for 68 hours last month!
Singapore by night
You don’t have to have a month long sabbatical to disconnect and recharge your batteries. Taking a few days can help you reset and re-energize. You just need to be in the right mindset.
Frequency of Travel
Last year, my best friend got married. We had a couple of quick trips to associated with the wedding, but each time we added just a single day to the festivities and made a proper vacation out of the time. Weddings are always busy, but we came into the weekends knowing that we had a single day for a proper vacation and we fully used that day.
For example, the ceremony was in Palm Springs. The wedding events were from Friday through Sunday (not all day though). We arrived on Thursday morning and spent that day and most of Friday properly vacationing. With only two days away, we planned and we executed. Our offices knew we completely out of pocket. We didn’t do any work once we landed in Palm Springs – we disconnected; not even email. We ate; we drank; we didn’t really DO, we just were. It was fabulous.
One of my favorite podcasts, Happier, with Gretchen Rubin, focused on Duration versus Frequency this week. Gretchen and Liz talked about their trips to see each other, their parents their friends and even trips just with their spouses. They posited, and I agreed, more frequent vacations or contact is much better than long duration and much less frequent.
I’ve been a firm believer of this for years and have even written about it here before. If I felt I had to take a two-to-three week vacation each year, I would take just a single trip – and that would kill me.
What do you think? Do you prefer frequency or duration? I know, I’d rather have frequent, long trips, too, but that’s not really an option for most of us. What has been your favorite small duration trip you’ve taken this year?
Singapore: By the Numbers
Regular readers know that I had a quick trip to Singapore – returning home last Monday. This was indeed a whirlwind trip. My better half was in Singapore for work and since I had never been and always wanted to go, I found a way to make it work. I’ll have much more details notes coming soon, but here are the high level numbers and stats.
- Airlines Flown: 3
- Flights Taken: 5
- United Miles Redeemed: 180,000
- Miles Flown: 20,288
- Hours in the Air: 44
- Time in Singapore: 68 hours
- Time in Vienna: 15 hours
- Airport Lounges: 6
- Hotels Nights: 4
- Hotels Stayed: 3
- Cities Explored: 2
- Meals Eaten: 6
- Restaurants Dined: 1 (everything else was Street Food / Hawker Stalls)
- Cocktails / Wine / Champagne Consumed: Countless
My route to Singapore
It was a quick trip, but with more hours on the ground than in the air, which is always a key metric for a trip like this. That being said, spending 44 hours flying (excluding layovers) in some great business class products isn’t too bad of a way to spend a the dog days of summer.
Give me your honest opinion – would you go to Singapore for just 68 hours? Does the fact that it cost nothing (other than points and time) change your opinion? What’s the longest you’ve traveled for the shortest stay?