Luxury hotels in Vienna – any recommendations?

We recently stayed at the Sans Souci Vienna. It's big, but it has every luxury you need and the service was excellent. Breakfasts were the best we've had in Europe and the restaurant was very good in the evening. It's on a busyish corner, opposite a metro station and it was easy to get around on foot. We were there in cold December so I've no idea what it would be like in Springtime.

@MartavTaurus Thank you, that's very helpful! I've just had a look at the Sans Souci website and it really does look lovely. The rooms seem beautifully decorated, and the spa particularly caught my attention. I noticed they have quite an impressive indoor pool too. Did you have a chance to try the spa or swimming pool during your stay? I think that might be something our friends would particularly enjoy. And it's good to hear that the breakfast and restaurant lived up to expectations!

You coild look at conde nasty recommend hotels maybe?

My daughter in law once stayed here - Hotel Sacher (!!!)
www.sacher.com/en/world-of-sacher/awards/

Conde Nasty!!
😂

Sacher Hotel is the traditional style equivalent to London's Savoy or Claridge's. Mind you, it's many years since I stayed there!

Be careful, We got bitten to death by bedbugs in a high end hotel in Vienna. After complaining afterwards and sending photos of our countless bites we were offered a free night as compensation. As if!

The pool is 20 metres long, after all. It may well be that I’ve overlooked something at other places, but for a hotel I think that’s a decent length. Some friends of mine stayed there this year and afterwards raved about the spa area in particular. They also found it quiet there. And that in a rather busy part of town, which they hadn’t expected.

The Sacher has already been mentioned here. The thing is, though, it’s a different kettle of fish in terms of style. It’s furnished in a much more traditional way, whereas the other one has a more modern feel; there’s plenty of art there too. The location has proved quite handy, especially in spring. It’s just a few steps from there to the MuseumsQuartier. You can do a lot on foot then.

I’d suggest the Kempinsky but think it’s changed its name to something beginning with A.
Lucky you.

For character plus a proper spa, Park Hyatt Vienna is worth a look. It’s in a grand former bank building near Am Hof and the pool sits down in the old vault. Hotel Imperial on the Ringstrasse is a real former palace if they’d like grand and old school, though the spa side is small. Sacher is the classic, right behind the Opera, so a slice of Sachertorte downstairs is more or less compulsory.

In spring the Volksgarten roses start up and an evening at a Heuriger wine tavern in Grinzing is lovely. Spring rates in Vienna can jump around a lot, so FWIW free trackers like HotelPriceTracker watch a chosen hotel and email when the price drops. I’d point them to the Park Hyatt if the spa matters most

Coming back to this one, blueblossom’s description of the Sans Souci sounds like a great fit with the 20 metre pool and the MuseumsQuartier a few steps away. If they’d like old Vienna character instead, Hotel Sacher or the Imperial. For the biggest spa, the Park Hyatt.

FWIW Tripadvisor is useful for the newest guest photos and recent reviews, esp worth reading after srn63’s warning. Those same hotels can also price diff depending on which country you search from as inventory and rates vary by market. Free tools like Arbitrica check each one from about 195 countries and find the lowest price in the world. Once they’ve picked between modern with a big spa or grand and traditional, comparing the final totals for the same room type makes the choice easy

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202611/medium-9frbcl-img-20221201-wa0036.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202611/medium-dk7tod-img-20221201-wa0037.jpg

I've actuallt stayed at the Sans Souci Vienna recently, so can report on the pool personally, no need for TripAdvisor. It's a long pool so you end up swimming lengths. It's very warm, I'd say a bit overheated. Our own pool was comfortable at 25 degrees, the Sans Souci seemed more. There are robes and slippers.
Here's one of our meals in the restaurant.

And a cheeky little something I ordered in our room.

NotSpaghetti

You coild look at conde nasty recommend hotels maybe?

My daughter in law once stayed here - Hotel Sacher (!!!)
www.sacher.com/en/world-of-sacher/awards/

I hadn't thought of looking at Condé Nast's hotel recommendations, so I'll definitely have a look. The Hotel Sacher is certainly one of Vienna's most famous hotels, and I imagine staying there would be quite an experience. Did your daughter in law enjoy her stay?

grumppa

Sacher Hotel is the traditional style equivalent to London's Savoy or Claridge's. Mind you, it's many years since I stayed there!

That's an interesting comparison! I suppose it's one of those places where the history and atmosphere are as much a part of the experience as the accommodation itself. Do you remember what impressed you most about your stay?

srn63

Be careful, We got bitten to death by bedbugs in a high end hotel in Vienna. After complaining afterwards and sending photos of our countless bites we were offered a free night as compensation. As if!

Oh dear, that sounds absolutely dreadful! And offering another night at the same hotel as compensation seems rather ridiculous under the circumstances. I can certainly understand why you weren't impressed! May I ask whether the hotel in question is one of those already mentioned in this thread? I'd hate to pass on a recommendation that might lead to a similar experience for our friends.

@blueblossom A 20-metre pool certainly sounds impressive for a city hotel! It's also reassuring to hear that your friends found the spa so peaceful despite the busy location. I hadn't really considered how different the atmosphere might be between the Sacher and the Sans Souci. Personally, I quite like the charm of traditional hotels, but I can imagine the more contemporary style appealing to our friends as well. And being so close to the MuseumsQuartier is definitely a bonus, as they're both quite interested in art and culture.

winterwhite

I’d suggest the Kempinsky but think it’s changed its name to something beginning with A.
Lucky you.

I believe you're thinking of the Anantara Palais Hansen, which used to be the Palais Hansen Kempinski. I've heard of it but hadn't considered it yet, so I'll have a look at their website as well. Have you stayed there yourself?

@Ivvy Thank you so much for taking the time to come back with even more suggestions! I really appreciate it. I must admit, the idea of a swimming pool in an old bank vault sounds rather fascinating. That's certainly something you don't come across every day! The Park Hyatt wasn't on my radar before, so I'll have to look into that one as well. The Sans Souci is still a strong contender, though, especially with its location near the MuseumsQuartier. I suppose it really comes down to what sort of atmosphere our friends would prefer. I'll pass on your suggestions about the Volksgarten and Grinzing too. A visit to a traditional wine tavern sounds like a lovely way to spend an evening. And thank you for the tips about comparing hotel prices! I hadn't realised that searching from different countries could make such a difference. I'll definitely mention those websites to them. You've given me quite a bit to pass along!

MartavTaurus

And a cheeky little something I ordered in our room.

@MartavTaurus Thank you so much for sharing the photos! The food looks absolutely delicious, and that little treat in your room looks rather tempting too! :D It's lovely to hear from someone who's actually used the pool. I must admit, I prefer the water a little warmer myself, although I can imagine it getting uncomfortable if you're swimming several lengths. Did you find the spa area generally peaceful during your stay? The Sans Souci is definitely becoming one of my favourites among all the suggestions here. I'll have to show our friends your photos as well!

We stayed at the Emperor’s guesthouse, Austria Trend Parkhotel Schönbrunn Wien, about 20 years ago. We enjoyed it , but having breakfast in the old ballroom one morning, we watched fascinated as a little mouse darted between the tables. The waiter was unconcerned. Touch of the Fawlty Towers?