WHAT: A 143-room hotel (with 35 suites) in a 100-year-old former bank. The property features grand dining rooms with marble walls, a cigar lounge, a mirrored stairway inspired by Coco Chanel and much more. About 1,000 of Vienna’s important citizenry — from soccer player David Alaba to DJ Otzi — crammed into the Park Hyatt for its opening party three weeks ago, where they consumed massive amounts of cheese, caviar, ribbons of prosciutto and chocolate truffles, washed down with champagne.
WHERE: Smack in the center of Vienna, about three blocks from St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
WHEN: Like any new toy, it’s best to get at it right out of the box … and given that this toy’s only been around for a month, play in the Park Hyatt while it’s still shiny and new.
WHY: Because 100 years ago next month, when the guns of August erupted, ushering in World War I, this city was the capital of the Hapsburg Empire, and its baroque architecture, Teutonic cuisine, local wines (yes, many wines are grown within the city limits) and jaw-dropping museums are all still intact — a ghostly reminder of what once was.
WORKING WELL: In a city full of rude waiters, the staff at the Bank (the Park Hyatt’s main dining room) or the Pearl (its bar), the Living Room (its cigar bar) and the Lounge (its, well, lounge) are exceedingly eager to be helpful. Moreover, the spanking new rooms are spacious and well kept. A handsome wood-framed gym awaits exercisers, and a spa features six private treatment rooms, including one couple’s room.
NEEDS WORK: Like any new endeavor, mistakes are inevitable. An order of coffee went awry one morning at the Bank. (The server was devastated.) A plate of eggs and sausage were likewise forgotten the next morning. Plus, the elevator was out the night of the party.
MUST TRY: Head to the bank’s old vault, which — if you walk through the heavy doors — you can find a swimming pool. Can’t get that in your neighborhood Chase!
COMPETITIVE EDGE: In a city where historic buildings are everywhere — and old can mean crumbling — it’s nice to get a combination of traditional pre-WWI Vienna tinged with a classy makeover.
DETAILS: From $511 per night