What's New

In the vanguard of world tourism, Vienna is forever changing, yet its imperial monuments and regal grandeur seem locked in place. At the continental crossroads between East and West, it's a volatile cityscape. Here are some of the latest developments.

Accommodations

In hotels, one of the most sought-after new addresses is Do & Co., Stephansplatz 12 (tel. 01/24188), in the Haas Haus in the exact center of Vienna at the Dom. In one of the most avant-garde buildings in Vienna, entrepreneurs took over the upper floors and transformed them into accommodations that offer style, drama, and views.

Far more to our liking is the opening of the luxurious Palais Coburg Hotel Residenz, Coburgbastei 4 (tel. 01/518-180), which was once the private palace of the Coburg dynasty. Restored in 2006, it was vandalized when the Russian army stayed here as an occupying force after World War II. Those red soldiers wouldn't recognize the "decadent capitalism" of the place today. It's a pocket of posh quite unlike any other in Vienna.

Once the headquarters of an Austrian bank, Radisson/SAS Style Hotel, Herrengasse 12 (tel. 01/22780-0), has switched to hotel elegance, retaining much of the architectural style of yesterday while incorporating modern touches, such as a chic wine bar and minimalist yet comfortable bedrooms decorated in warm earth tones. As befits the old bank, the health club is found behind massive security doors.

In the new MuseumsQuartier, the best boutique hotel to open is Das Tyrol, Mariahilferstrasse 15 (tel. 01/587-54-15). Originally built 175 years ago as a convent, it has been beautifully restored by its owner, a female member of Parliament. It's contemporary in style with a modern art collection to adorn its walls.

The parade of design-conscious hotel openings continues with Parliament Levante, Auerspergstrasse (tel. 01/535-4515). You'd never know that this elegant bastion of comfort used to be a sanatorium and later a student dormitory. Today it's a sophisticated hotel of comfort and stylish elegance.

Among restaurants, Do & Co., Stephansplatz 12 (tel. 01/24188), not only is the most talked about new hotel in Vienna but also a deluxe restaurant. Some of the finest international dishes are served here at the controversial avant-garde building, Haas Haus. In addition to the fine food, the restaurant's Onyx bar is currently the chic place to meet for a drink.

The trendiest and most sought after dining table in Vienna at the moment is Fabio's, Tuchlauben 6 (tel. 01/532-2222), serving sublime Mediterranean and international cuisine. The city's glitterati compete for a table to sample the viands of the young, imaginative chef, Fabio Giacobello. We found the menu items, adjusted to what's available on any given day, to be about the freshest served in the city.

Creating a buzz is Julius Meinl, Graben 19 (tel. 01/532-3334), near the Dom. Its upscale continental cuisine is showcased in a restaurant that also includes a wine shop, deli, and cellar-level wine bar. The cooking is bold and meticulously crafted.

Museum dining is often self-service, but not at Österreicher in MAK Gasthof & Bar, in the Museum der Angewanten Kunst, Stubenring 5 (tel. 01/714-0121). It's not just museum-goers who stop by to sample Chef Helmut Österreicher's take on contemporary Viennese cuisine; foodies skip the exhibits and go straight for the restaurant. "I can cook classic as well as modern," Österreicher told us -- and he wasn't lying. The garden terrace is also a lure in summer.

Attractions

Even the most optimistic predictions failed to estimate just how successful the opening of the MuseumsQuartier Complex, Museumsplatz, was. In 2006, thousands of cultural buffs flocked to Vienna just to see this post-millennium cultural city. The massive complex is one of the largest cultural complexes in the world, and has signaled a Renaissance in Vienna's museums. The treasure trove includes the Leopold Museum (tel. 01/525-700), with its extensive collection of Austrian art, highlighted by the paintings of Egon Schiele (1890-1918); the MUMOK (Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation, tel. 01/525-00), containing one of the most outstanding collections of contemporary art in Europe; and the Kunsthalle Wien (tel. 01/521-89-33), which combines classic modern art with the more "razor's edge" in avant-garde works.

After Dark

Numerous clubs are opening around the city, providing a diversity of after-dark diversions. Passage, Burgring 1 (tel. 01/961-8800), is the dance club of the moment, found in an underground pedestrian subway station beneath the boulevards. Some of the hottest dancers in Vienna show up here to pulsate to the electronic music. La Divina, Hanuschgasse 3 (tel. 01/513-43-19), adjacent to the Albertina, is the cocktail bar of choice for music lovers. With a link to the Vienna State Opera, it attracts the Maria Callas of tomorrow . . . and, yes, of yesterday too. Only the most talented are invited to play at its grand piano.

Sky Bar, Kärntnerstrasse 19 (tel. 01/513-1712), is reached by taking an elevator to the top floor of the Steffl building. The chic and music-loving head here for the scene and the nostalgia -- Mozart died in a house long ago demolished on this site.

Hip and trendy, Mocca Club, Linke Wienzeile 4 (tel. 01/587-0087), was created from the "ruins" of a failed Starbucks. It's become a great cafe and a place to hang out, where you can enjoy 52 kinds of coffee and some 200 different cocktails.

Burgenland

The Viennese have moved into the modern world with a vengeance, but many magazines in 2006 went searching for more nostalgic roots and discovered old-fashioned places on the doorstep of Vienna.

Following that trend, we came up with our own discoveries. In Eisenstadt, the capital of Burgenland, Gasthof Öhr, Ruster Strasse 51 (tel. 02682/62460), opened in the dark days of World War II, facing the Communist menace of Hungary across the nearby border. It's been renewed and is now better than ever, turning out those beloved dishes of Emperor Franz Josef -- tafelspitz (boiled beef) and Wiener schnitzel, along with freshwater fish from the lake, such as zander. You can also lodge here in well-furnished double rooms, which were modernized but still have their old-fashioned charm.

In the small lakeside resort village of Rust, the origins of Mooslechner's Burgerhaus, Hauptstrasse 1 (tel. 02685/6416), actually go back to the 1530s. It's been given a new lease on life by modernizing its kitchens and facilities, enough so that it can now service as many as 80 diners on a summer night. However, the old-fashioned charm has been left intact, and the preparations of zander, goose, and game dishes are just as grandmother made them.