Frommer's Review
This hotel is definitely the grandest in Vienna. Luminaries from around the world use it as their headquarters, especially music stars who prefer the location -- 2 blocks from the Vienna State Opera and 1 block from the Musikverein. Richard Wagner stayed here with his family for a few months in 1875 (some scholars claim that he worked out key sections of both Tannhäuser and Lohengrin during that period).
The hotel was built in 1869 as the private residence of the Duke of Württemberg. The Italian architect Zanotti designed the facade, which resembles a massive government building with a heroic frieze carved into the pediment below the roofline. It was converted into a private hotel in 1873. The Nazis commandeered it for their headquarters during World War II, and the Russians requisitioned it in 1945. Massive expenditures have returned it to its former glory, with special care paid to its fourth and fifth floors, which hold the most desirable rooms.
Accommodations vary greatly in size, as befits a hotel of this era. Those on the mezzanine and first floors are lavishly baroque; as you go higher, appointments diminish, as do bathroom sizes. Except for some top-floor rooms, bathrooms are generous in size, with heated marble floors, robes, and tub/shower combinations. Courtyard rooms are more tranquil but lack the view of the city.
On the staircase leading up from the glittering salons are archways supported by statues of gods and goddesses, along with two Winterhalter portraits of Emperor Franz Josef and his wife, Elisabeth. Everything is set against a background of polished red, yellow, and black marble; crystal chandeliers; Gobelin tapestries; and fine rugs. The salons have arched ceilings, intricately painted with garlands of fruit, ornate urns, griffins, and the smiling faces of sphinxes.
The elegant Hotel Imperial Restaurant has a turn-of-the-20th-century atmosphere, accented by antique silver, portraits of Franz Josef, and superb service.
Facilities:
2 restaurants; bar; health club; sauna; salon; 24-hr. room service; massage; babysitting; laundry service; dry cleaning; nonsmoking rooms; rooms for those w/limited mobility
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
