Karen Brown's Austria: Charming Inns & Itineraries 2001 (Karen Brown's Austria. Charming Inns & Itineraries)

Rating:
Summary: Charming but Expensive
Review: "Karen Brown's Austria --Charming Inns and Itineraries"
Karen Brown
ISBN 1-928901-14-X

I enjoyed reading this book since I have visited Austria on vacation several times in the last few years. The coverage of the various Austrian states in the section of the book titled "Itineraries" is somewhat opinionated but informative. In general the coverage of Austria in Mrs. Brown's book is much more comprehensive than some. I found the parts about the southern state of Kaernten and eastern state of Burgenland helpful since I knew less about those areas than most of the others.

Regarding areas more familiar to me, this book was generally consistent with my own impressions. For example, the Salzkammergut region near Salzburg is a beautiful region of lakes, mountains, and picturesque towns, such as Sankt Wolfgang. A short distance south is the tiny town of Hallstatt, which, it is true, has one of the most beautiful natural settings anywhere.

There are some misconceptions in this book that I would point out to anyone who might use it for planning purposes. The author's statement that in Austria "You can eat anywhere, anytime" is not generally accurate. The restaurants, as well as many other businesses in the small towns which make up Austria, have limited hours. One has to plan around them.

I would also disagree that in Austria "it is rare to be behind a line of cars or a stream of slow-moving trucks." Last year, my wife and were stuck in very heavy traffic about twenty miles south of Salzburg on Autobahn 10. It was completely stopped for five minutes at a time and moving only very slowly the rest. We lost over an hour. We have had similar experiences elsewhere in Austria. The reason for these delays is ongoing road repair.

This book also gives the impression that accommodations in Austria are relatively expensive. Although the title refers to charming "Inns", in the text the accommodations are found in the "Hotels" section. Hotels in Austria are often expensive, but there are other very nice, less-costly options available.

The fact of the matter is that Austria is rich in charming and inexpensive accommodations. In this country, they would be called "Bed and Breakfasts". The best way to find and book them is on the Internet. Austria has some excellent web sites. Look for vacation apartments, rooms, and farmhouses. Information is available in English. Many places have photos, descriptions, and prices. Most often, they have e-mail and accept reservations for the asking without a deposit.

Last year, my wife and I spent two nights in a beautiful 900 year-old farmhouse at Sankt Wolfgang in a double room with kitchen and private bath for about twenty dollars a night less than the least expensive place on Karen Brown's list. The room was in perfect condition, as well as tastefully furnished and decorated. In short, despite some good descriptions of interesting aspects of Austria, I believe Karen Brown's book really does not do justice to affordable vacationing in Austria.