Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna ★★★★★

Vienna is renowned across Europe for its magnificent, extravagant architecture. In a city of gothic cathedrals and baroque churches, elaborate carved marble fountains, and intricate stone gargoyles, where formal balls still take place with astonishing regularity, it takes something quite special to warrant the term Palais in the name.

But with the Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna *****, it all makes perfect sense. For “Palais” is really the only word to describe the building, which is majestic even by Vienna’s lofty standards: red bricked, monumental, and palatial.

The decor is as regal as the exterior, a luxurious design that combines the stately history of the Palais with modern facilities and technology for maximum comfort and relaxation. For example, the spa is decorated in a traditional Ottoman-style and located on a mezzanine, and is equipped with a high tech gym, sauna, and hydro pool, alongside six separate treatment rooms for being pampered in. Each day starts with an Austrian style breakfast at the Die Küche Restaurant, which continues to serve traditional Viennese dishes into the night. Alternatively, you can feast at the upscale Restaurant Edvard, or grab a quick bite in the Lobby Lounge Bar, or at the cocktail-serving Cigar Lounge.

Passers-by would be forgiven for assuming, entirely reasonably, that nothing inside could live up to the imposing exterior, that no hotel could fulfil the promises made by the initial first impression of the building. Those who have actually stayed in this Palais know so much better. The royal family themselves could not ask for more than the Palais Hansen Kempinski ***** delivers as standard.