By Shubhra Krishan
She is lovely, and friendly and runs a fabulous guest house in the heart of Vienna, Austria. If you are going to this beautiful city, do book your stay with Nina Wildzeisz-Rezner. You’ll love the place and the host.
I found Nina on a Vienna blog while researching places to stay. The writer had stayed with her and written a glowing recommendation of the lady and her place. Enchanted, I wrote a note to Nina, asking if she would be happy to let us stay a day at her guesthouse, in exchange for a review. Within minutes, I had a reply:
Dear Shubhra,
Thank you very much for your email! We are really honoured that you consider to visit our holiday rental during your stay in Vienna! Just for your information: We are no hotel but a Viennese family who rents this (and only this) apartment for guests who spend their holidays in Vienna – so a very “small” travel secret, indeed! 😉 In case that you are however interested in visiting our Holiday rental “Wiener Zuhause,” I would be happy to welcome you – just let me know if you like to come!
Have a nice day and best wishes from Vienna
Nina
Of course I was interested: “Small” travel secrets are my favourite kind of secrets!
A month later, I arrived at her guesthouse. The first thing that struck me was the excellent location—the guesthouse sits within one of Vienna’s most bustling neighbourhoods. Vienna State Opera is just 10 minutes away. Chic bars, pubs, supermarkets, drugstores and boutiques all around. And yet, the place is located in a quiet old brick building, away from noise.
Nina came running down the stairs to greet me, and although she could barely speak (because of a sore throat) the smile in her eyes instantly warmed my heart.
Then I stepped into her apartment, and it was like stepping into sunshine. I don’t think my words or the photos below can do justice to the colourful, bright beauty of the place, but here is what it looks like:
On the dining table, she had set out tea, cake and baskets filled with local Viennese creations. It’s a 50m2 flat, far bigger than a regular hotel room. The apartment is finished with modern furniture, TV, free Wi-Fi, dishwasher, Nespresso coffee-machine, toaster and much more that you might need and also something that you didn’t know that you need, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find it here. 😉
Surprise! There is a souvenir-box – artistic and authentic, filled by your hostess with carefully chosen little things made by local artists and designers. Furthermore, there are pictures of young local artists in the apartment. You are welcome to buy the ones you like!
Nina’s city-plans and booklets are treasuries, indeed. They include her very personal tips on wine-dine-shop, bars, restaurants, shops and little travel secrets in the district, like the 100 year old cinema Filmcasino which screens off-mainstream films. At the end of the day you might want to enjoy a quiet evening at the nicely decorated balcony with a glass of Austrian wine, which you’ll also find in the apartment.
All I wanted to do was cosy up in there and soak in the egg-yolky light, the beauty and the warmth. But the pull of Vienna city was too strong to resist, and I stepped out for another day of exploration. Bus No. 13 A arrives just across the street from Nina’s place, and takes you to Hauptbahnhof, one of Vienna’s arterial metro stations. While it was a treat to shop, eat and enjoy the city, I kept looking forward to a long, leisurely evening back at her place.
In this very Viennese home, you are in Margareten, one of the trendiest parts of Vienna at the moment. The district around the nearby Margaretenplatz is a very lively one: the bar scene with chic, new bars is booming, at the same time the “Grätzel”, as the Viennese affectionately call their immediate surroundings, is known for its long-standing tradition of inns with old inns, rustic pubs and Viennese coffee houses. But Margareten is not only a traditional “culinary delicacies centre”: Many young designers and fashion designers have recently settled here, which is worth discovering.
