A special kind of maze

We are escorted to our room with a glass of lemon and mint water that was offered to us beforehand. Already on the way there we think that we will probably never find our way back to the salon. Because the house is a real maze. A beautiful maze with something to discover around every corner, but a maze.

After a long walk through the corridors of the hotel, where you live next door to the locals, we open the doors to the Josef hoffmann Suite. Upon entering we can hardly believe our luck. In this beautiful room, traditional meets modern, Viennese classic meets international design and the charm of an old building meets contemporary elements. All of them are to be attributed to the namesake of this room, the Austrian architect, designer and co-founder of the Wiener Werkstatte, recall.

One thing that struck us as we chatted afterwards in the cozy corner: it was as quiet as a mouse. Something I can't say about my apartment, which is 20 minutes away in another district of Vienna and right on a major street. Wonderful, I think, we'll sleep well there!

Art and cake rule at Hotel Altstadt

Briefly rested from our long journey (caution, sarcasm!) we go straight to the cake buffet. There is a kind of sponge cake with berries that is without a doubt homemade and tastes a bit like grandma's. With a piece of it and a cup of tea, we make ourselves comfortable at one of the tables and enjoy the afternoon sun that shines through the window while having a nice chat.

In the Hotel Altstadt Vienna you are always surrounded by art and culture, just like in the center of Vienna. After all, that is also the focus that the hotel has set. You either sit in the salon and enjoy the large selection of books on the subject of design, wander through the corridors decorated with works of art or overhear a philosophical conversation between real Viennese art connoisseurs at the next table. Before the pandemic, there were even regular guided tours through the hotel for external people, and on request you can still be guided through the museum-like corridors and provided with a lot of information, says Saskia Wiesenthal, Marketing and Art Manager and daughter of the founder of the old town Otto Ernest Wiesenthal.

Explore everything on foot

The afternoon and evening activities leave us with many options, after all we are in the seventh district and there is no shortage of hip bars, small galleries and cool concept stores. The Museum Quarter, which is one of the world's largest art and culture areas with around 60 cultural institutions, is also just around the corner. But we decide against a visit and for a little stroll and a pizza afterwards. Incidentally, the area where the hotel is located wasn't the best when it was bought, Saskia tells me. With the density of hip, young people (you always come a little after the new building to be seen) you can no longer imagine that today.

Speaking of people: What I personally appreciate so much about Vienna is its size. Although the Austrian capital has almost two million inhabitants, you get the feeling that you still know everyone here. It is not for nothing that people like to say “Vienna is a village”. Probably true. In an interview, Saskia tells me that she prefers to get around on foot and that she loves Vienna because most of the routes are really easy to cover without public transport, a bike or a car. After all, you can see a lot more and get into corners that would otherwise have remained hidden. The location of the Hotel Altstadt? Pretty perfect for such extended drifting.

By the way, if Saskia has her way, our day would start with a walk through the city center (first district), have lunch at Mochi or Café Ansari in the second district, continue with a visit to the Albertina or Belvedere 21 and finally with dinner in the Herknerin or the Seven North and a subsequent visit to the bar in the If Dogs Run Free. Also a good mix to discover Vienna - especially if you don't know it yet.

Good food meets good stories

Well rested and awakened by the chirping of the birds in the courtyard, the next morning you go down to the salon for breakfast. The buffet has everything your heart desires: teas from Sonnentor (an Austrian company that attaches particular importance to sustainability), various spreads and jams, organic bread from the Öfferl bakery (sometimes the most popular bread in Vienna), vegan Porridge, pain au chocolat, fresh fruit and vegetables and a berry and orange shot as a greeting from the kitchen - perfect for starting the day with enough energy.

After breakfast Saskia leads me through the house and shows me some of the wonderful rooms. She tells me that photo shoots and film shoots take place in the house again and again - no wonder given the premises. Incidentally, the number of rooms has almost tripled since the beginning, from 24 to 62. More space for more stories, Saskia thinks. And there are plenty of them: from German actors’ woolen suits that were washed too hot, to swarms of bees in the room, to old chandeliers that the hotel got back from former residents of the house and hung in their old place.