Press Release
New hotel pays homage to the Austrian capital’s imperial history while offering a modern approach to ultra-luxury hospitality in Vienna.
August 01, 2022
Rosewood Vienna opens today, August 1, making its debut as the fifth European property in the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts® portfolio and the brand’s first in the German-speaking market. Located at Petersplatz, one of the city’s most famous squares, the hotel is steps from the celebrated Graben, Kohlmarkt, and Tuchlauben pedestrian streets, renowned for luxury shops and restaurants, and close to many of the Vienna’s cultural and historical sites. The property joins an esteemed collection of Rosewood European properties that includes Rosewood London, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco in Tuscany, Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel in Paris and Rosewood Villa Magna in Madrid.
Rosewood Vienna occupies the former headquarters of the eminent financial institution, Erste Group Bank AG. The 19th-century landmark comprised buildings of historic pedigree including the apartment in which Mozart lived and wrote The Abduction from the Seraglio. Today, the bank has been transformed into a hotel of singular luxury with 71 spacious guestrooms and 28 suites. A brasserie on the sixth floor and rooftop bar offer sweeping views of Vienna’s Old Town. The property is home to Asaya Spa for integrated well-being, that will incorporate therapies and spa treatments inspired by Austria’s wellness traditions beginning in September 2022. Rosewood’s distinguished style of service and signature A Sense of Place® philosophy characterize the property with the timeless grace, elegance, and imperial élan that define Vienna as a destination of choice for new and established Rosewood guests.
“The opening of Rosewood Vienna offers today's ultra-luxury travelers a new kind of Viennese lifestyle, one that is imbued with the rich history of the destination yet the modern and cosmopolitan outlook befitting this dynamic European capital,” says Alexander Lahmer, Managing Director of Rosewood Vienna. “We are thrilled to open our doors to a distinctive hospitality experience in one of the world's greatest cities.”
The Glamour of Vienna’s Culture
Vienna conveys the rich heritage of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, stands as a cosmopolitan gateway to Eastern Europe and represents a modern world capital. Steps away from the hotel, in the city’s Old Town, sits the gothic cathedral of St. Stephen, the Hofburg Imperial Palace complex, the seat of the Hapsburgs, with prized collections of silver, porcelain, tapestries, furniture and art, including Old Masters at the nearby Kunsthistorisches Museum. More than a million prints and drawings, late Gothic to the present day, are part of an unprecedented -- and unmissable -- treasure at the Albertina museum. The Upper Belvedere Palace is a showcase of Viennese Modernism, with masterworks by Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka and Gustav Klimt, including the painter’s dazzling tableau, The Kiss.
Influenced by the rich artistic heritage of Vienna, visual art is a hallmark of Rosewood Vienna, with work by contemporary artists in its guestrooms and throughout the property. Evocative murals painted by Austrian artist Marie Hartig embellish Salon Aurelie, the hotel’s luminous lobby lounge. Among the decorative palm fronds, flora, and butterflies, inspired by Vienna’s splendid Palmenhaus (Palm House) art nouveau conservatory, guests enjoy the ambience of a chic Viennese coffee house.
Vienna is a city of music, in churches and palaces, concert halls and theaters. Two of the world’s leading performing arts organizations, the Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna State Opera, perform in spectacular venues, the Musikverein and the Wiener Staatsoper respectively, along Vienna’s famed Ringstrasse boulevard. The Staatsoper is also the venue for a uniquely Viennese tradition, the Vienna Opera Ball, held each February, the most magnificent of more than 400 balls that take place during the ball season.
A Modern, Yet Timeless Design
The reimagining of a grandly proportioned neoclassical bank building, designed in 1835 by Austrian architect Alois Pichl, into a 21st-century luxury hotel, was realized by two Vienna architecture firms, A2K and BEHF, with décor by the London interior design studio Alexander Waterworth. Kroenland, a Viennese firm, created the brasserie and rooftop bar on the property’s sixth and seventh floors, spaces that take advantage of unrivalled settings. Architects, designers, and artisans have created spaces -- restaurants, bar, wellness center and meeting rooms – with contemporary appreciation for the uniqueness of Vienna. The restaurant Neue Hoheit incorporates classical Austrian millwork suggestive of Vienna’s legendary coffeehouses and cafés. Asaya, on the fifth and sixth floors, is a restful palette of light blue, gray, ecru and greige, with contemporary lighting by the acclaimed Viennese manufacturer Bakalowits and views of Vienna rooftops.
Residential Style
Interior designer Alexander Waterworth has fashioned a luxury residential domain, a home away from home. A warm, refined residential style imbues 71 guestrooms and 28 suites that extend over four of the hotel’s seven floors. A neutral color palette in guestrooms conveys warmth and gracious refinement, background for an abundance of details such as handcrafted brass wall light fixtures whose design takes inspiration from an edelweiss, the Austrian alpine flower. The light-filled spaces reflect the unique heritage and design style of the cosmopolitan capital, and feature custom-made furnishings, including a mini-bar of walnut, leather and locally sourced gray marble, and an opulent bathroom vanity that features made-to-order lighting from one of Vienna’s leading manufacturers. Distinctive fabrics by Backhausen, the distinguished company established in 1849 and renowned for its Wiener Jugendstil patterns, embellish finishings from curtains to chairs, tissue boxes and bedside notepads. In collaboration with art and styling curation agency Atelier27, commissioned works by leading international artists include illustrations, archival photography with printed gold leaf, photography, paper cuts, lithographs and wall sculptures.
The presidential suite, Hoffmann House, is named after the visionary Viennese modernist architect and designer, and a founder of the Wiener Werkstätte, the avant-garde design company. The grandly proportioned 1,916-square-foot suite includes a master bedroom, living room, entertainment area, a dining room with seating for eight and kitchen. The splendid suite is suffused with Viennese ambience, from the commissioned chandelier by the renowned firm J.L. Lobmeyr to Backhausen fabrics and bathroom furnishings based on Wiener Werkstätte designs. From the living room, a French balcony provides a privileged view of Petersplatz. Located on the third floor, the suite assures the ultimate in privacy with a separate entrance on Milchgasse. Hoffmann House may be connected to up to seven guestrooms as needed. In addition to commissioned art and sculpture, the suite’s rooms are decorated with art glass and objets by European artists that enhance the sense of place.
A New Dining Destination
Vienna has long been a cultural crossroads and culinary influences come together in a wholly original fashion at Rosewood Vienna’s restaurant Neue Hoheit (New Highness), located on the hotel’s sixth floor. The brasserie serves European dishes alongside Austrian classics, based on seasonal market ingredients. In addition, a josper grill of beef, fish and vegetables complements charcuterie and seafood. Neue Hoheit’s dining room and show kitchen offer diners distinct, interrelated spaces and an outdoor terrace. The Garden Room and Secret Garden offer private indoor and outdoor dining. Neue Hoheit affords striking views of Old Town rooftops, St. Peter’s Church and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The rooftop cocktail bar, on the seventh floor, draws inspiration from a classic speakeasy. The intimate boíte, designed by interior designer Kroenland, features handcrafted cabinetry, a stow for a collection of rare vintages and international spirits and a menu of classic and innovative cocktails ensuring amiable and memorable evenings.
Entrance to Neue Hoheit Brasserie and Bar is located on Tuchlauben, where elevators take guests directly to the restaurant, Garden Room and Secret Garden on the sixth floor and the seventh-floor rooftop bar. With its unique setting, Neue Hoheit Brasserie and Bar is set to become an epicenter of gastronomy and nightlife for Vienna residents and hotel guests alike. Meanwhile, Salon Aurelie will offer an elegant and modern Viennese coffee house experience in the hotel’s residential-style lobby space, serving light bites and beverages ranging from finger sandwiches, pastries and cakes to tea and aperitifs.
Tranquil Wellness Offerings
Asaya Spa, the first at a Rosewood property outside of Asia, extends over floors five and six of Rosewood Vienna and offers four treatment rooms and a social suite, relaxation area, sauna, steam bath and experience shower. Asaya Spa at Rosewood Vienna has uncommon views of the dome and bell towers of St. Peter’s Church and offers a range of therapies, spa treatments and wellness programs with Viennese influences.
New Gathering Places
Rosewood Vienna’s Pavilion, located on the first floor, is a suite of elegant spaces for social events and business meetings. Designed to accommodate up to 110 individuals in four rooms, its configurations can be adjusted to purpose, from board meetings to receptions. State-of-art technology addresses every audio-visual requirement. For al fresco gatherings, the Garden Room and Secret Garden, on the sixth floor, provide indoor and outdoor space for up to 60 guests.
Unique experiences, special access
Vienna abounds with enriching experiences open to all visitors, including museums, palaces, historical sites, concert halls and theaters. In addition, through the hotel’s “Discover My Vienna” program, guests can explore the city through thoughtfully selected cultural activities personally curated and guided by local experts. These charming excursions include shopping for Augarten porcelain, designing tailormade shoes at Scheer boutique and authentic culinary experiences at Zur Herknerin, a traditional Austrian tavern.
For more information and reservations, please visit www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/vienna.
