Review: Rosewood Vienna Hotel - the Luxury Travel Expert

Wednesday newsletters always features a hotel or flight review.

Today: Review of Rosewood Vienna Hotel (Austria)

Hotel website: Rosewood Vienna
Location: Google maps
Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso

Housed in a historic 18th century building which was the former headquarters for Erste Group Bank AG, Rosewood Vienna is ideally situated on Petersplatz, one of the most famous squares in Vienna’s Old Town. The hotel offers 99 spacious guestrooms and suites, all of which will feature separate spaces for entertainment and relaxation. The contemporary accommodations merge the past and present through a thoughtful combination of elegant textural and artistic elements and the latest technological features. The property features a variety of dining and entertainment options, including a rooftop bar with exceptional views of the city, a gorgeous spa, and an excellent restaurant serving European cuisine and carefully crafted beverages appealing to guests and locals alike.

Rosewood Vienna features in my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels in Vienna.

Have you ever stayed at Rosewood Vienna? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.

In this review (more info and photos below my YouTube video):

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

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

Rosewood Vienna enjoys an excellent location in the heart of Austria’s capital. 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. Steps away from the hotel, in the city’s Old Town, sits the world-famous gothic cathedral of St. Stephen and the Hofburg Imperial Palace complex, the seat of the Hapsburgs and also home of the Spanish Riding School. A short walk from the hotel are also the Albertina museum, which exhibits more than a million (late Gothic to the present day) prints and drawings and the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which features prized collections of silver, porcelain, tapestries, furniture and art, including Old Masters.

Rosewood Vienna is housed in four neoclassical buildings. One of these historic buildings was the former headquarters of financial institution Erste Group, constructed in 1835 by Austrian architect Alois Pichl. Another building housed an apartment where Mozart once lived and where he wrote “The Abduction from the Seraglio,” among other famous works. The transformation and fusion of the four buildings into a 21st century luxury hotel was realized by two Vienna architecture firms, A2K and BEHF, with decor 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. The overall result is a hotel that marries historic charm and European Belle Époque architecture with modern interiors and timeless sophistication. The buildings’ facades remain intact, with the bank’s golden bee symbol and signage.

Using a skilful interplay of different materials such as marble, wood, brass fixtures, and patterned fabrics, Rosewood Vienna’s magnificent design nods to the imperial glamour of Vienna’s past while speaking to the tastes of today’s discerning travelers. Guests enter the hotel via an iron door and checkerboard hallway which leads to a light-flooded atrium, where an impressive light installation hangs from a glass ceiling above a circular sofa. The atrium represents a modern interpretation of a historic Vienna courtyard and immediately transports guests into a world of serenity and tranquility. From the atrium, an elevator takes guests to the intimate, residential-style lobby on the first floor, which is comprised of three spaces: a check-in area, a salon with concierge desk, and Salon Aurelie, an elegant and modern Viennese coffee house (more on that below).

A warm, refined residential style imbues 71 guestrooms and 28 suites that extend over four of the hotel’s seven floors. During my visit, I was upgraded to an impressively spacious executive suite, located on the corners of the historic building and affording a nice view over the Old City. The suite comprised a separate living room (with dining area) and bedroom with a lavish ensuite bathroom. The light-filled spaces featured custom-made furnishings, including a mini-bar of walnut, leather and locally sourced gray marble, an opulent bathroom vanity with made-to-order lighting from one of Vienna’s leading manufacturers, and handcrafted brass wall light fixtures whose design takes inspiration from an edelweiss, the Austrian alpine flower. 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.

Rosewood Vienna features a variety of dining and entertainment options, including a rooftop bar with great city views, a vibrant restaurant with a terrace garden serving European cuisine, and a chic Austrian coffee house.
- 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. Large floor-to-ceiling windows afford striking views of Old Town rooftops, St. Peter’s Church, and St. Stephen’s Cathedral, while an outdoor terrace overlooks the hotel’s courtyard.
- On the seventh floor, one floor above Neue Hoheit, is a rooftop cocktail bar which 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.
- Salon Aurelie offers 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.

Rosewood Vienna features an Asaya Spa, the first at a Rosewood property outside of Asia. Extending over floors five and six of the hotel, the spa offers a range of therapies, spa treatments, and wellness programs with Viennese influences. Facilities include four treatment rooms and a social suite, relaxation area, sauna, steam bath, and experience shower. A stylish relaxation lounge is at the heart of the spa, boasting unique views of the dome and bell towers of St. Peter’s Church. Designed as an elegant oasis for guests and locals alike, the spa’s interior features clean architectural lines, only interrupted by stone and carved wood elements, convey a tranquil and relaxing experience. The spa’s soothing color palette of light blue, gray, ecru and greige is complemented by contemporary lighting by the acclaimed Viennese manufacturer Bakalowits.

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. 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. Evocative murals painted by Austrian artist Marie Hartig embellish Salon Aurelie, the hotel’s luminous lobby lounge. Here, among the decorative palm fronds, flora, and butterflies, inspired by Vienna’s splendid Palmenhaus (Palm House) art nouveau conservatory, guests enjoy the ambiance of a chic Viennese coffee house.

Rosewood Vienna is managed by Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s most exclusive hotel brands. The Rosewood story began in 1979 when a historic mansion in Dallas, Texas was transformed into an acclaimed world-class hotel – The Mansion on Turtle Creek – whose success was the blueprint for all subsequent Rosewood properties. Today, the group manages a distinctive collection of residential-style hotels across the globe, including famous properties such as The Carlyle (New York) and Las Ventanas al Paraíso (Mexico). Each property delivers a one-of-a-kind ambience and style, in which location, culture, history and geography are part of the fabric of the hotel, reflecting the company’s “Sense of Place” philosophy. I have previously reviewed the following Rosewood Hotels & Resorts:

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Rosewood Vienna’s leisure facilities are limited to a beautiful spa and a well equipped gym. However, there is no pool, due to the fact that the architects had to work within the constraint of existing structures in the heritage building.

The Rosewood Hotel Group is very good at creating destination restaurants at its properties across the globe, and Neue Hoheit perfectly fits within the Rosewood concept of refined dining venues. That said, Neue Hoheit is an all-day restaurant, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, and it has the feel of a sophisticated brasserie (the venue was also conceptualized as a brasserie). IMHO, what would really set the Rosewood Vienna apart among its competitors in Vienna is the addition a fine dining restaurant, managed by a top chef, that has the ambition to acquire one or more Michelin stars over time.

MY VERDICT

Location: 9/10
Design: 9/10
Pool: N/A
Rooms: 9/10
Food: 8/10
Breakfast: 8/10
Spa: 9/10
Service: 9/10
Wow factor: 9/10
Value for money: 8/10
Overall experience: very good 8,6/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Save money: get complimentary VIP perks at Rosewood Vienna when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD hotel credit).

Save money: read here my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury hotel like Rosewood Vienna (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 arrriving 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 a list of airlines that offer direct flights to Vienna.