**We have been fortunate that on 2 separate occasions we been gifted an overnight stay in a family room at a&o hostel, Vienna for free, in exchange for promotion through this website and our social media channels. All opinions expressed below remain our own.
Introduction
As a larger family with 4 children, staying overnight when away on holiday or when breaking a long journey can be a challenge. Hotels rarely have rooms or facilities that are large enough for us. We would usually need 2 separate rooms, which is never ideal.
For us all to stay together, we usually need to rent an apartment. However, this is not always either available or affordable, especially in wealthy capital cities such as Vienna. Therefore, to find a hotel room that can comfortably fit us all in is always a great find.
During our first visit to Vienna, the capital of Austria, we came across a&o hostel. With rooms big enough to sleep 6, it suited our needs perfectly. Now, following our recent 3rd stay at the hotel, we are still happy to keep returning.
Here is a review and summary of our experiences during our latest family overnight stay at a&o hostel, Vienna.
What are a&o hostels?
a&o hostels are the world’s largest chain of hostels with an impressive 28,500 beds! They have locations throughout Europe, with the largest concentration focused on Germany and surrounding countries.
They have always looked to make independent travel both simple and affordable. Their tagline used to promote themselves is the appropriate ‘everyone can travel’ (#everyonecantravel).
Where is the a&o hostel in Vienna located?
There are actually 2 a&o hostels in Vienna. One is located in Stadthalle just off the main city ring road. This is a great location for exploring the city centre.
The other is conveniently located close to the Hauptbahnhof (main central train station). This is the location that we have always used, as we have wanted to be close to the train station (it is a 5 min walk) for ease on arrival and departure.
Public transport links to the city centre, visitor attractions or the airport are plentiful from both locations.
What room types are there at the a&o hostel, Vienna?
There are a range of rooms at a&o hostel, Vienna (hauptbahnhof). Single travellers can reserve a bed in a shared dorm from as little as €12 a night.
Private rooms of different sizes are also available, including family rooms that can sleep up to 6. These family rooms are equipped with a large double bed and 2 sets of bunk beds. The rooms are large with plenty of space within the room to move around and for kids to play. For a family of 6 like us, they could not be more perfect.
While the private rooms obviously cost a premium over shared rooms, they still represent an affordable option for a large family to stay comfortably in a convenient location.
Can kids stay at a&o hostel, Vienna?
Absolutely, yes. While the majority of guests may be young adults like you might typically associate with staying in a hostel like this, we encountered visitors of all types. We were definitely not the only people staying with young children.
A nice touch for kids is the dedicated children’s area in the hotel reception. This has toys and games to keep little ones entertained. There is also a pool table available for hire for older children.
Is there a bar or restaurant at a&o hostel, Vienna?
The hostel does not have its own dedicated restaurant. It does however offer a menu for basic snacks that can be ordered. There are plenty of other restaurants close by for anyone looking for a larger meal elsewhere.
Within the hostel there are 2 bar areas. The first is in the hotel reception, serving a range of drinks and snacks in a relaxed environment. The second is the Sky Bar, located up on the 5th floor and with both indoor and outdoor areas. This bar is only open during the summer months or when the weather allows. The Sky Bar also hosts special events, such as a recently started weekly English language comedy show on Friday evenings. Children are welcome in the bar areas.
For breakfast, a large buffet selection is laid out in the basement. It is all self service and large enough to not get too crowded.
Our experiences of staying with kids at a&o hostel, Vienna
Having now stayed on 3 separate occasions, you can probably guess that we mainly have only very positive things to say about staying with kids at a&o hostel, Vienna (hauptbahnhof). The welcome and treatment we have always received from the staff has consistently been first class. Our kids have always been greeted with a smile.
The location is great for both exploring the city and for accessing the station for onward journies. We have used the hostel as an overnight stopover when visiting Austria for family ski holidays in Mayrhofen, as flight times have meant that we have had to break our journey in Vienna.
The rooms are comfortable and spacious. The colourful bunk beds are a big hit with our kids. Each bed has a private reading light and usb charging socket for convenience. The kids are always excited to go back! The only negative I would say is that, being a hostel, you have to make your own beds with the bedding provided. This is a minor inconvenience only though.
The breakfast has a good selection and is well staffed with plenty of people ensuring that items are replenished when they run out. The room is large enough to find space to sit even when it is busy.
Overall, we have always enjoyed our stays at a&o hostel, Vienna. I’m sure we’ll be back again.
In Summary
Vienna is a beautiful city to visit at any time of year. Whether touring the world famous Christmas markets in winter, or enjoying the sunshine at the many palaces and gardens in summer, you are sure to be impressed with all that the city has to offer.
If visiting with children and finding it hard to find an affordable place to stay, you should look no further than a&o hostel, Vienna. Particularly for a larger family such as ourselves, the size of rooms, comfort and convenience of location make it just ideal for our needs.
a&o hostel is the perfect place to find the best price family overnight stay in Vienna.
This sounds like such a great place to stay with kids in Vienna! I never considered hostels to be a good place to stay with kids, but this one especially seems perfect for it.
The A&O hostel looks like a great family option. Thanks for the reminder also to think about hostels for private rooms as well, when looking for affordable lodging.