The Most Luxurious Weekend Escape In Vienna, Austria

Hotel exterior at Park Hyatt ViennaIMAGE COURTESY PARK HYATT VIENNA

Weekend getaway in Vienna? Yes, please! From historic hotels dripping in luxury to palatial Viennese architecture and museums galore—here’s a quick guide on how to take the most lavish escape in the City of Dreams.

GET THERE IN STYLE: Wien Transfer is the choice car service for private door-to-door transfers in Vienna. Expect experienced, in-the-know drivers who will meet and greet you at the airport and whisk you to the city center with impeccable vehicles and stellar service.

WHERE TO STAY:

The Bank Brasserie at Park Hyatt ViennaIMAGE COURTESY PARK HYATT VIENNA

Park Hyatt Vienna - Setting the gold bar for historic landmark turned lavish hotel, this former Austrian bank masterfully retains its 100-year-old vaulted past, but with a fresh spin that’s serious swoon. Just a hop from Vienna’s designer boutiques, the 143-room haven wows from its stately façade with original boxed windows to breathtaking interiors donning century-old wood paneling, polished brass, mother-of-pearl inlays, and a cutting-edge glass elevator. You can dine in the former cashier hall—now The Bank Brasserie & Bar—a showstopper that will leave you agape from delicious Viennese dishes to design bedecked in original marble with soaring pillars, decorative ceilings and stained glass windows. Or take a dip in the bank vault turned spa swimming pool. Complete with its three-ton steel doors still intact, trust—this is one of Vienna’s most tranquil spots.

Ciudad Perdida Club Hotel

Insider Tip: Request a suite fronting Am Hof Square—one of the city’s oldest sites—and your sumptuous digs will be flooded with picturesque views of Vienna’s white and pastel-hued Baroque buildings.

Don’t Miss: Lunch is a must at the hotel’s traditional Viennese coffeehouse, Café Am Hof, where terrace-side eating is served with primo people-watching.

The lobby at Grand Hotel WienIMAGE COURTESY GRAND HOTEL WIEN

Grand Hotel Wien - Boasting an enviable address on tree-lined boulevard Ringstrasse, this circa-1870 Belle Epoque beaut—with 205-rooms, five restaurants and two bars—will have you smitten with its classic Viennese style. The two-story, light-flooded lobby—with grand staircase, shimmering chandeliers and towering columns—is so fairytale it begs for a sweeping waltz across its marbled checkered floors. Even the hallways are dreamy with their cream-hued elegance and sublime illustrations of ancient Viennese life. Suites are dressed in serenity and old-world romance: antique furnishings, silk-covered walls with gilded sconces, opulent floor-to-ceiling drapes in luxurious fabrics and ornate detailing as beautiful as a swirly-iced wedding cake.

Insider Tip: In the evening, there’s nothing better than savoring a glass of Austrian wine while the live pianist plays classical, and transports you to bygone high-society Vienna.

Don’t Miss: For delicious all-day eats, the Grand Brasserie—with its idyllic city vistas—is a must for flavorful, cooked-to-perfection Viennese specialties like traditional goulash that is serious faceplant-worthy.

WHAT TO SEE:

Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien©KHM-MUSEUMSVERBAND

The Museum Quarter is a requisite for jaw-dropping art housed in the world’s most extraordinary architecture. For works spanning Ancient Egypt to the modern era, the Kunsthistorisches Museum is unrivaled—both for its art history and its own majestic circa-1891 façade—with an octagonal crown dome, gorgeous grand staircase entrance, and frescoed ceilings. Or stroll medieval St. Stephen's Cathedral to marvel its incredible soaring spire; followed by a walk through the nearby cobbled streets with ridiculously charming antique shops and Viennese building fronts. Then meander through Stadtpark, the city’s largest and most beautiful green space. You can make your way to the open-air Rochusmarkt to taste the locals’ favorite farmer’s market. And for the ultimate city paradise, Danube Island is a haven smack in the middle of the river with miles of nature reserve to bike, hike, picnic, or sunbathe along the banks.

WHERE TO SPEND:

Raumkomplett concept shopIMAGE COURTESY RAUMKOMPLETT

There’s no shortage of shopping in Vienna from buzzy upmarket shops to local boutiques. Highlights include concept store Raumkomplett stocked with a bevy of crave-worthy home accessories, paper goods and innovative designer furnishings. Or shop indie jewelry maker Veralie’s hand-made rose gold bracelets, earrings and necklaces masterfully crafted into delicate geometric statement pieces. For foodie lovers, Julius Meinl am Graben is a high-end Viennese staple with a killer wine cellar, swanky café, and gourmet market shelved with everything from beautiful packaged eats, to craft beer, to-die-for baked goods, luxury chocolates and the freshest fish, meat and cheeses.

By Stephanie Orma