Vienna is a city of art and design. Here, where cutting-edge architecture blends with grand Baroque styles, you’re likely to explore the city with your neck craned upwards and your mouth hanging open in awe.
In a city this stunningly sculptured, it’s only right that you stay somewhere just as eye-pleasing. Vienna is home to a dizzying number of small luxury hotels born from the imagination of leading architects; I hit the streets of Austria’s enchanting capital to bring you a peek at the very best hotels Vienna has to offer.
25 Hours Hotel
If you’re looking for something different, you’ll find it at 25 Hours Hotel. Inspired by the world of the circus, this unique hotel in the Museums Quartier is slightly surreal, always surprising and invariably delightful.
Although punctuated with bright yellow walls and a mural of a carousel horse, the L Room where I stayed was surprisingly calming. As I waited for the free-standing bath tub to fill, I gazed out at the city through the large windows and realized the sense of relaxation came from having everything I needed on-hand. From the in-room iMac workstation to the free bike rental I had arranged on check-in, I had all I required to enjoy the best of Vienna.
Following a day exploring the city by bike, I booked a table at the 1500 Foodmakers, the hotel’s cool on-site restaurant. In the summer the terrace is the perfect place for dining alfresco on dishes from the predominately Italian menu. However, to best catch the sunset silhouetting the city skyline, head to the Dachboden bar on the hotel’s top floor.
Altstadt Vienna
Staying at the Alstadt feels more like spending the night at a friend’s house rather than a hotel. That is, a friend with an excellent eye for interior design. On arrival, I was met by Lisa, the hotel’s front office manager. Smiling, she chatted amicably as she checked me in and I began to feel the stress of the morning’s international flight melting away. I realized afterwards that I’d just experienced the business motto of the Altstadt’s owner, Otto E. Wiesenthal, in action: Making someone happy is the greatest happiness of all.
No two rooms are alike at the Altstadt, you’ll find something new in each. Fantastic works of art adorn the walls throughout the hotel. A passionate art collector, Wiesenthal often says he could have opened an art gallery. Considering his collection found around the hotel ranging from Warhol to Prachensky, it feels as if he already has.
Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom
It may not have the personal touch of Alstadt, but Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom is certainly not lacking in style. Bold, luxurious and super chic, this 5-star hotel takes the title as the most eye-pleasing residence in central Vienna.
In stark contrast to the Gothic architecture of the area, the Sofitel Vienna is a work of art in itself. Designed by French architect, Jean Nouvel, the soaring glass tower reflects the city skyline at night. Inside, the crisp monochrome décor seems to work magic on frazzled minds; I find it impossible to feel stressed while reclining on the king-size bed in one of the Luxury Rooms while gazing through the window to the breathtaking St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
The room comes with everything required for an ultra-comfortable stay – including a 42-inch flat screen and a rainforest shower with Hermes products in the bathroom. My favorite part of the hotel, however, was not the room. Sofitel’s crowning glory is found on the top floor.
The award-winning LE LOFT Bar and Lounge offers a breathtaking panorama of Vienna through its floor to ceiling windows, best enjoyed over one of the bar’s outstanding cocktails. This unbeatable view – that takes in the City Hall, the Prater with its giant Ferris Wheel and the cathedral – is almost overshadowed by the brightly colored ceiling designed by Swiss artist, Pipilotti Rist.
Chez Cliché Apartments
When researching a place to stay in a new city I’m always torn between two different experiences: the hotel getaway or the apartment rental. While a hotel stay comes with attentive service, great facilities and your bed magically being made for you each day, an apartment rental has a major advantage: it allows you to feel like a local.
The Chez Cliche Apartments are a range of eight city retreats full of unique character. Bearing the first name of the apartment’s fictional owner, each apartment bursts with individual personality.
From the moment I walked through the front door of Bella, my chosen lodging, I immediately felt at home. Discarding my coat by the door, I gave myself the grand tour. Admittedly it didn’t take too long. The apartment is the ideal size for a couple excited to explore the city rather than hide away at home and, although cozy, it uses the space perfectly.
As a world traveler and photographer myself, Bella’s apartment charmed me in an instant. Dotted around the room were souvenirs from her trips, from Indian fabrics to African statues, which I could happily have perused for hours. But considering the apartment’s central location next to one of Vienna’s most famous nightlife districts, there was much to discover beyond the walls. I headed out to explore, content in the knowledge that my own, albeit temporary, piece of Vienna waited for me upon my return.
Charlotte Claxton