Hotel review: Park Hyatt Vienna (Austria)

Wednesday newsletters always feature a luxury hotel and/or flight review.

Today (October 28, 2015): Review of Park Hyatt Vienna (Austria).

Location: Google Maps
Hotel website: Park Hyatt Vienna
Tip: get free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso

Centrally located in the heart of Vienna, this beautiful Park Hyatt property occupies a 100-year-old listed building that formerly served as the headquarters of a bank. The hotel’s 143 spacious guestrooms, including 35 suites, rank amongst the largest in the city, brilliantly combining contemporary style with local Viennese accents. With a world-class fine-dining venue and a gorgeous swimming pool located in the former bank’s vault, the Park Hyatt Vienna has become the Austrian capital’s best luxury hotel only one year after its official opening.

Park Hyatt Vienna features in my list of the best new luxury hotels of 2014 and my top 10 list of the most amazing city hotels in Europe.

In this review (more info below my Youtube clipe and slideshow):

Pros & things I like
Cons & things to know
My verdict
Tips for future guests & save money
Best time to visit
How to get there
Photos

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PROS & THINGS I LIKE

Overlooking Am Hof square (the largest and oldest square in the inner city of Vienna), the Park Hyatt Vienna enjoys a terrific location within the First District of the city, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Therefore, the hotel offers easy walking distance to the city’s most important sights, historic monuments and museums.

The hotel is also situated in Vienna’s new Goldenes Quartier, which is the most exclusive shopping district in the city. It is just around the corner from the celebrated fashion houses of Prada, Louis Vuitton and Emporio Armani and many more, as well as just steps from the boutiques of Kohlmarkt.

The luxury hotel reflects the unparalleled elegance of the Park Hyatt brand, one of the most exclusive hotel brands in the world, ensuring a sophisticated and enriching experience for business and leisure travellers alike.

The hotel is located in a 100-year-old listed, magnificent historic building that formerly served as the headquarters of a bank. Renovated and newly planned from top to bottom by the renowned Viennese architecture office Neumann & Partner, the bank has been wondrously transformed into an extraordinary luxury hotel.

The spectacular lobby, with its reception desks, concierge and majestic staircase, makes a great first impression and is the centrepiece of the hotel. Its opulent design somewhat contrasts with the minimalist decor that the Park Hyatt brand is known for. From the lobby, a single glass elevator (in addition to a couple of other elevators) takes you up to the guestrooms.

The former bank’s offices have been transformed into 143 spacious guestrooms, including 35 suites, that rank amongst the largest in the city with an average of 45 sq m (484 sq ft). Because of the building’s structure, no two guestrooms are alike, although the design in all rooms brilliantly combines contemporary style with local Viennese accents. During my 3-night visit to the hotel, I stayed in a deluxe Park Studio King room, which overlooked the rooftops of Vienna’s historic buildings. It featured a long foyer (with a stunningly beautiful floor mosaic), a large walk-in closet, a plush king bed, a separate work and living area , in-room coffee machine and flat-screen TV. The marble bathroom had 2 sinks (separated from one another by the door to the bedroom), a large walk-in rain shower and a deep-soaking bathtub.

Bathrooms feature luxurious Blaise Mautin bath amenities, which have a lovely, citron-like scent!

One of the architectural highlights of the hotel is the Coco Chanel mirrored-glass stair, which leads from the hotel bar to the lobby, smoking salon and restaurant.

The former grandiose cashier hall of the bank has been transformed into the restaurant “The Bank”, which offers exceptional fine dining with emphasis on European cuisine made from locally sourced products. The open show kitchen allows to follow the chefs preparing tasty menus using products provided by small villages around Vienna.

Breakfast is served weekdays from 6:30AM until 10:30AM, and weekends from 6:30AM until 11AM, at the Bank Restaurant. You can choose whatever you want from a grandiose breakfast buffet that is displayed in the open kitchen, plus you can order eggs, pancakes and waffles off the menu to complement the buffet. This is the best breakfast buffet that I have ever had at an European hotel.

For cigar connoisseurs, the Living Room offers an authentic, beautiful restored wood-paneled lounge to enjoy a cigar.

Those in need of rest and rejuvenation can retreat into the tranquil sanctuary of Arany Spa. The spa features a wet area including sauna, steam bath, and vitality shower, as well as six spacious treatment rooms. Treatments are of exceptional high quality (I will remember the place because it’s here that I got the best massage ever).

The spa also features a 15 m long (49 ft) sparkling pool, the largest indoor hotel pool in Vienna. The pool is located in the very place where the former bank had its vault. As an homage to the building’s glorious past, the original three-tone steel bank door in the vault is still in place, and the pool is covered by tiles which have the colour and shape of gold bars.

The hotel hosts an extensive state-of-the-art fitness center.

The historical bank director’s offices with the monumental ballroom and Bel Etage now glitter as conference and meeting rooms, offering 800 sq (8611 sq ft) of premier meeting and event space and featuring authentic wood paneling and the finest Viennese mirrors. The Bank Directors former private offices are converted to 5 boardrooms, overlooking Am Hof square.

Wireless internet is complimentary for all guests.

The dedicated and knowledgable staff offers exceptional service.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

This the Austrian capital’s most luxurious property, and it easily ranks amongst the most outstanding hotels in continental Europe. There was nothing that I did not like about the Park Hyatt Vienna, but you may want to know the following nevertheless:

During my stay, I did encounter a few minor issues, such as a problem with the AC in the room and a wrong order at breakfast, but everything was dealt with promptly in a very professional way.

While the female locker room in the spa has separate showers, the male locker room does not have private showers. Men can only take a shower in the wet area that is accessible to both men and women (and where nudity is allowed). This is a cultural thing of course (and it is the case in most Austrian spa facilities) but it may be not to the liking of the more puritan guests.

MY VERDICT

Location: 9/10
Design: 9/10
Rooms: 9/10
Food: 9/10
Service: 9/10
Overall experience: exceptional: 9/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Save money: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. upgrade on arrival, daily full breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, $100 USD food credit, complimentary one-way private airport transfers to/from Vienna International Airport)

Save money: make use of Hyatt’s best rate guarantee. If you find a better rate, the Hyatt Hotel Group will match it and give you $50 toward your next stay.

Save money: elite members of Hyatt’s loyalty program, World of Hyatt, are well treated, with – amongst other benefits – complimentary room upgrade (when available), early check-in or late check-out (when available), and free breakfast. Read here my review of the World of Hyatt program (with pros & cons).

Save money: read my tips for getting best deal at a luxury hotel like the Park Hyatt Vienna. Book a room at the cheapest price and/or receive many free perks!

Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Vienna has a moderate climate with warm summers and mild winters. Average temperature vary from 2° C/ 36° F in January to 22° C/ 72° F in August. Spring and fall’s mild weather is the best time to visit since it comes with mild crowds. Most visitors however aim to enjoy the warm, sunny weather that accompanies the summer months.

HOW TO GET THERE

Vienna can easily be reached by plane, train or car. For those coming by plane, the hotel is located a 20-minute cab ride from Vienna International Airport (VIE). Check the Wikipedia page of Vienna International Airport for the lasted updates on airlines that have direct flights to Vienna.