The Artistic Touch On Every Floor And In Each Room Creates A Unique Stay For Guests At The Altstadt Vienna
by Heather Cassell
Travelers’ looking for modern Viennese aesthetic that is pleasing to the eye and filled with charm will find it during their stay at the Altstadt Vienna (Kirchengasse 41; +43 1 522 66 66; ; Altstadt.at/en). The boutique hotel in Vienna, Austria delivers charm and friendly comfort in every way.
It was dark out when Super G and I arrived at the Altstadt, a patrician house located on a narrow street just beyond the former wall to old Vienna. We checked in and were handed old fashioned keys on a cloth chain with our room number. A dramatic step away from our modern world with credit card hotel keys. The keys were heavy in my hand and harkened back to an era long gone, but very present in Vienna as much as the modern day city.
In the shadow of the night we weren’t really able to see where we were or take in the simple bold beauty of our room or any of the marvels of the city just outside our window. The morning brought the sun shining its golden rays upon the city awakening the beauty of Vienna as it blossomed embracing a new day. I threw open the curtains and the windows to take in the city.
Vienna has long been a center for European art and culture, so why not stay in a hotel that inspires creativity when visiting The Imperial City?
The Room
Inside our room, a comfortable red and white studio, was filled with a wardrobe, sofa, a sitting chair, a coffee table, an antique desk and chair across from a queen size bed (or the European version of two twin beds pushed together to create a king size bed) with nightstands on each side. I appreciated the hardwood floors and throw rug that completed the room, but like many European edifices, it was lacking in electrical outlets. Fortunately, we brought a power strip with us along with our power plug converter to charge up our devices.
The bathroom was raised slightly above the floor and blocked off by a partial wall. It was roomy, according to European standards and filled with white tile and sported a claw foot tub. It was equipped with everything a girl could need and want from soft towels to toothpaste.
Currently, the Altstadt has 45 rooms and suites in the artisan boutique hotel that also serves as a residency for a lucky few to call the Altstadt home. As residents move out the rooms are taken over and converted, Alexandra Wallner, manager of the Altstadt, told Girls That Roam.
Dining and Drinking
We walked down the modern minimalist hallway to the other secured door to head downstairs to a full breakfast that included the daily specials of omelets filled with goat cheese and mushrooms one day and salmon and crème fracas another day, frittata, and other delights. Baskets of bread and a full buffet greeted us as we entered the main dining room. Guests could choose from several rooms from the parlor to the library and the main dining room to enjoy breakfast, read the news or a magazine from the plethora of publications available in a number of languages for free at the entryway to the dining rooms.
In the afternoon the parlor turns in to a comfortable lounge serving beer and wine.
The Art of Hospitality
Our hosts believe whole heartily in the Altstadt’s philosophy of the “art of hospitality.” It’s reflected inside and out through the warmth of the clerk checking us into the servers in the dining rooms guests feel welcomed.
Going Out
The Altstadt is perfectly situated just beyond the former wall to the city’s palaces in the 7th District, commonly referred to as the “Boboville” district, which is the cultural center of Vienna with the Museum Quarter and the Ringstrasse (translated the Ring Road), which circles the heart of old Vienna.
The Ringstrasse celebrated its 150th anniversary this year.
It is very easy for visitors to take in Vienna and get anywhere you want to go in the city using the Wiener Linien, Vienna’s efficient above and underground public transit system, which has a station a couple of blocks away from the Altstadt.
Girls That Roam had a wonderful stay at the Altstadt. We can’t wait to return!
THE FLUFF
Altstadt Hotel, Kirchengasse 41, 1070, Vienna, Austria. +43 1 522 66 66. . Altstadt.at/en.
RATING: 3 = Aqua
(5 best – 0 worst: color code: 5 = midnight blue; 4 = black; 3 = Aqua; 2 = orange; 1 = gold; and 0 = green)
TYPE OF LODGING: Boutique Hotel, Artisan Hotel, Woman-Managed
CHECK OUT: $$ = $100 – $175
(Lowest price for a single night in a standard room during high-season)
SWEET DREAMS: Splendid. The beds were very comfortable, the rooms were spacious and beautifully designed, the customer service was superb, and the location was amazing.
WORTH THE SLEEP?: zzz = Like being at home
VIBE: Casual European sophistication.
SCENE: Comfortable intellectual and creative with no airs.
LOCATION: Near the heart of Vienna in a fashionable and trendy creative neighborhood close to the Museum Quarter and the Ringstrasse.
ROOM: Spacious and comfortable for a European boutique hotel. Charming. Filled with character as each floor and room was designed by individual artists.
BATHROOM: A decent size with a claw foot bathtub and all of the amenities a girl needs.
AMENITIES: Breakfast in the dining rooms, parlor, library, and Wi-Fi.
To book your stay in Vienna, contact Heather Cassell at Girls That Roam Travel at Travel Advisors of Los Gatos at 408-354-6531at or .
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