The Whipped Cream Waltz in VIE DO! [27-28 Sept 2008]

[jjpb3]

jjpb3: I was strongly persuaded to switch my previous goals of 'status' to redemptions instead.

Frankly, when I'm in a new location, I prefer to explore the Zoo.

Then, pop into the lounge...

So, in answer to your question, nope, not *G (not even *S, thanks to not being fully educated about status even as of 3 months back), but hopefully this Priority Pass card comes in handy!

CPH is not a zoo, you'll see. IMO, it's one of the best airports in Europe (only LHR T5 and ZRH are better, from my vantage point).

There's a really good Priority Pass Lounge in the middle of all the action (between the non-Schengen gates, marked by the BA Lounge, and the Schengen gates, towards where the SK lounge is): IIRC, it's also used by AF and some other airlines. It's next door to the steak restaurant on one level above the departure terminals. CPH is one of the airports that make PP worthwhile.

[KeithMEL]

A few of us (besides myself - phaleesy and taipeiflyer come to mind) will be getting in a day early on the 26th. So if anyone else's arriving on the 26th do please let us know and we can have a pre-Do dinner/coffee/cake (i salivate at the pics of those desserts every time i open this thread...mmm) session. And post dinner drinks of course if anyone's not gone to bed.

[flo]

haha. well, I did not even knew SK still flew into VIE because I'd use OS on this route. 90 Euros for a one-way is kinda expensive in Europe, given the situation that low cost carriers still keep pushing the prices down. I think FlyNiki (HG) does the CPH-VIE route and they are actually pretty good, meaning: cheap fares but better service than RyanAir and SkyEurope. Me, I would not get an intra-european ticket for 200 Euros return ... except perhaps if I need to fly to London. Those prices are usually higher. You might want to check FlyNiki for the VIE-CPH leg. I can only recommend them; they dont bring you miles but you can get those flights for like 30 Euros return if you're an early booker.

I'm very much looking forward to finally meeting you, Kyo, first in Singapore, then in Vienna glad to hear your flights are ticketed hehe. In about a week, we'll be meeting anyway so we can go over the details there!

So I already had some thoughts about where Petz and I will take you. And we sure are up for some partying so feel free to pop in whenever you want to hehe! It's just that I'm staring a new job on September 1st and it could be that I will have to work a bit but Petz agreed to show you around when I'm busy (though I hope that won't be the case).

I will make sure I will communicate the program as soon as I've checked with Kyo and KeithMEL next week... if there needs to even be one as Vienna is a very simple town and being spontaneous almost always pays off ... but there certainly are some glitz and glam things we could do but also some more down-to-earth stuff. For VIE-first-timers it's actually quite nice to see St. Stephen's, Schönbrunn, the Belvedere and such. I might as well take you to the castle Maria Theresia left for Schönbrunn when her father died there. You usually don't get permission to go there as it's a private school now ... but as an alumni, they might even let me in it's actually quite nice there. Not as crowded as Schönbrunn.

Well guys, see ya very soon!

[jhm]

I finally booked my flights. I wanted to turn up on Friday given a number of others turning up on that day but work doesn't permit. So I've booked:

Sat 27 Sep - BA696
LHR - 7:35
VIE - 10:45

Sun 28 Sep - BA705
VIE - 19:15
LHR - 20:40

Looking forward to it!

[Kyo]

jhm: Will just be seeing you on the Saturday most likely (gone by 11:30AM Sunday to the airport) - good job on booking your flights, how about your hotel? Have you decided where you're putting up?

I'm trying to book a room and need some hotel recommendations beyond what's been provided in the first post.

I can't seem to find availability at the Grand and The Ring.

The Sacher has not received very great reviews, and whilst I am considering the Imperial, am wondering where everyone else is intending on putting up?

I guess it has to be an SPG property for the usual suspects? (I'm quite flexible, but I guess the Ringstrasse's the place to be?)

Any info about where the rest of you are gonna stay would be most appreciated.. would be easier to arrange a central meeting point, I guess

[jhm]

jhm: Will just be seeing you on the Saturday most likely (gone by 11:30AM Sunday to the airport) - good job on booking your flights, how about your hotel? Have you decided where you're putting up?

For Saturday night, KeithMEL, phaleesy and I are staying at the Le Meridien Wien. Look forward to seeing you in VIE!

[KeithMEL]

For Saturday night, KeithMEL, phaleesy and I are staying at the Le Meridien Wien. Look forward to seeing you in VIE!

Am there Friday night as well.

[Kyo]

KeithMEL: I'm planning to rent a car on Wednesday and return it Friday (2 days, with a night in Salzburg and surroundings). What time are you arriving in VIE? If the timing's right, we'll pick you up from the airport.

I've been told public transport / legs are the best modes of transport around Vienna, so I'll be doing that after returning the car on Friday. Overall, I'll be definitely in on Friday through to Sunday morning when I head off to the airport and bid Austria auf wiedersehn.

(Feel free to PM your details if you don't want to post it here?)

[KeithMEL]

KeithMEL: I'm planning to rent a car on Wednesday and return it Friday (2 days, with a night in Salzburg and surroundings). What time are you arriving in VIE? If the timing's right, we'll pick you up from the airport.

Am arriving 1810 on BA704, subject to delays etc etc of course. Thanks for the offer - most kind of you.

[Savage25]

I'm assuming I'm going to take Fri the 26th off fro work and have booked the following flights:

Fri 26 Sep - OS452
LHR - 09:25
VIE - 12:45

Sun 28 Sep - OS455
VIE - 17:15
LHR - 18:40

Staying at the InterContinental Wien.

[jhm]

phaleesy and I have been enjoying the Austrian coffee culture here in Trieste, Italy this weekend. Looking forward to more in Vienna!

[Guy Betsy]

A few of us (besides myself - phaleesy and taipeiflyer come to mind) will be getting in a day early on the 26th. So if anyone else's arriving on the 26th do please let us know and we can have a pre-Do dinner/coffee/cake (i salivate at the pics of those desserts every time i open this thread...mmm) session. And post dinner drinks of course if anyone's not gone to bed.

Actually I will be there from 25th evening, and will be leaving on Sunday morning for London via CPH actually... and then will be meeting my friend and continuing onto YVR on Monday...

Am staying at LM too. Using the last of the 3 'free' award days at LM hotels!

[Kyo]

Guy Betsy: I'll have to be at VIE by around 11:00AM as my flight leaves at 1:20PM on the Sunday too - will be flying Austrian to Istanbul, maybe a mini-lounge get together for anyone flying early Sunday might be a possibility..

[flo]

To give you an update: As we will be gathering on SAT and SUN, me and petz thought of something nice. I thought that I might work during the DO but I won't be working on weekends so that's fine

For our guests arriving on friday evening, we can surely whip up a little go-out-for-a-beer because that's what those coffee-junkies in vienna do in the evening. I thought at going to a "typical" viennese beerplace. The thing about vienna is that there are many places reasonably priced where young and old, poor and rich, etc. meet and have a good time together. We might go to the Siebensternbräu (website) which is located near Marhiahilfer Str. (that's our second shopping street besides Kärntner Str / Graben / Kohlmarkt). So jjpb3, phaleesy and jhm are probably very close by. The LM shouldn't be too far away as well and the IC would be about 3 stations by subway. For those who want some more action, we can go to the Babenberger Passage (website) or the Volksgarten (website) or we could get some cocktails somewhere in the inner city.

As some people only arrive on saturday, I would say we meet at about 1 PM or so, have a cup of coffee and some cakes in the 1st district (near Stephansdom) at Demel and some nice Kaffeehaus, go inside the Stephansdom and walk along the ring afterwards, making short visits to the Musikverein, Staatsoper, Karlskirche, Vienna Uni, etc. and spend some more time at the Hofburg. Afterwards it will probably be about 5, so we can either go for another coffee or back to our places to meet up later on to go to a Heuriger. That's a little local wine place where loads and loads and loads of wine flow and local homemade delicacies like Schnitzel, Leberkäse, sausages etc. can be consumed. It has a bit of a hawker flair

For sunday, my plannings are a bit conservative as I know that one easily underestimates the wine flowing at the Heuriger ... so we would meet up at 10 (if that's not too early) and go for another round of coffee and cakes at other places. Afterwards, for those who are staying a bit longer, we can go to Schönbrunn. In the evening, I am sure some sort of clubbing can be arranged for those who are willing to do this kind of thing.

Does this sound okay?

[jhm]

It all sounds good, Flo.