Oh, Vienna. City of music, city of dreams. Second largest “German City” in the world. Once the capital of the mightiest empire in Europe, still the EU’s seventh-largest. Half a Millennium older than London and much of it a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Home to Sigmund Freud and Psychoanalysis and host to OPEC and the UN at times. Marinated in the elegance of Belle Epoque café culture. The perfect destination for a short cultural city break and for the Park Hyatt Vienna.
I love luxury Park Hyatt hotels, with their blend of elegant design, local flavor, sophistication, and gracious service they are in a class apart. We always find ourselves purring as we unwind like cats on a deep velvet cushion when we check-in to a Park. With Valentine’s Day approaching, after an intense couple of months’ work, we were keen to escape to somewhere that would offer cultural diversions, was easy to reach, and offered a hotel with the right ambiance for a romantic retreat.
Vienna checked all the boxes (especially as the concierge got us excellent opera tickets) and the Park Hyatt promised a decadent weekend away.
The hotel opened in June 2014 following the unbelievably tasteful conversion of the headquarters of an Austrian Hungarian Monarchy Bank, right in the heart of The Golden Quarter.
Everything from The Opera to The Spanish Riding School, museums, cafés, and the best designer label shops (including Vuitton, Burberry, Hermes) is within easy strolling range of this palace of good taste. The conversion retains many features of the 100-year-old Neo-classical building including marble staircases polished by the leather of countless bank clerks’ scurrying brogues. The shape and size of the guest rooms and suites were determined by the layout of the offices and here there were some very important customers, so the proportions are generous.
We were impressed by the Executive Suite at the Park Hyatt Vienna. The room was generously proportioned with a stunning entry hall featuring the mother-of-pearl mosaic which is a recurring motif in the hotel. Passing the adjoining guest powder room and walk-in cloakroom, we made our entrance through grand double doors to a large lounge complete with a dining table for 6, spacious comfortable seating area, and desk.
The judicious use of mirrors emphasizes the sense of space created by very high ceilings and catches the light from the spectacular crystal chandeliers. Through another set of double doors, the bedroom also offered a well-lit dressing table and via a corridor of walk-in wardrobe capacious enough for a more or less permanent stay, led to the huge bathroom, with luxurious under-floor heating, enormous rain-shower, twin sinks, and temperature-controlled bath. Naturally, a TV in the bathroom mirror and top-notch toiletries by Blaise Mautin were also provided.
Double height ceilings and vast mirrors again amplify the feeling of space. From the vast quartz marble backdrop to the bath to the hardwood door-frames, no expense has been spared in furnishing the suites. Although the suites are fabulous, the standard or deluxe rooms are also very generous, with a very good bathroom and walk-in wardrobe.
All lights, blinds, and curtains can be controlled from touch-sensitive switch panels which are easy to find and all important controls are repeated on the bedside table. We did find them a little tricky to use at first and had one small fault in our suite which the management was highly apologetic about.
One of our favorite aspects of the hotel is the swimming pool, situated under the barrel ceiling of the old bank vault. The original vault door (think one-foot thick plate steel like a James Bond movie) is still in place though you now access the pool via a different route. The pool itself is lined with golden tiles in the shape of gold bricks and with calming piped music under the water, the pool is both warm enough for relaxing and large enough for exercise.
A plethora of relaxation areas are also available, from dark cozy corners for two to single loungers that are so comfortable, I wish airlines would use them in first class. Segregated saunas and steam rooms are available in the changing rooms – not so good for couples but a welcome relief to many, who may find the German sauna nudity cult a little too foreign!
Bank restaurant is a glorious space, with 8m high ceilings and opulent decor. The breakfast offering is of very high quality with many locally sourced ingredients (try the Styrian honey). We experienced some inconsistencies in service at breakfast time but in the evening, everything was flawless. The restaurant has a completely different ambiance in the evening with lower lighting and the backlit stained glass panels on the roof.
Starting with a glass of vintage Moet, with our dinner guests we then enjoyed anis bread-sticks with the most delicious sticky date-like balsamic reduction. The medium-rare venison was so tender as to melt in the mouth and was perfectly paired with the spinach, mushrooms, and shaved black truffle that accompanied it. The lamb shank was equally sumptuous and the presentation of the food was simply fine art. For dessert, We stuck to sorbet – mandarin and cassis were tart and fruity, offset by the sweet, creamy coconut.
Our german friends enjoyed the Sauerrahmschmarn, a local specialty. It’s a kind of light dough cooked with vanilla sugar and served with ice cream, jam, and poached apple. It looked delicious but we were full by now. We still found room to sample something local from the simply bewildering array of schnapps on the Schnappswagen. Whether staying in house or not, I can recommend dinner in Bank, although it can get busy, so best to book.
Staff were gracious, friendly, and professional. From check-in, which took place in-room, to check-out, the front-of-house staff were everything you could wish for. The concierge was also very helpful with obtaining tickets for a heavily sold opera show.
This was a fantastic and luxurious stay and we will definitely return to this hotel. If you fancy a relaxing weekend away with a few shows or museum visits, Vienna is a perfect choice. The Park Hyatt provides a great base to explore and, perhaps more importantly, the perfect hideaway to return to.
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