Kempinski Opens Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna

Kempinski has opened the Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna.

Originally designed as a hotel for the 1873 World Exhibition by Theophil Edvard von Hansen and Heinrich Förster, it has taken more than 140 years for the building to be restored to its original intended use.

Two and a half years of careful restoration and interior construction were conducted under the aegis of Vienna-based architect Boris Podrecca, the Austrian Atelier Hayde Architekten and designer Jean-Claude Laville.

Spread over seven floors, the heritage-listed Renaissance Revival-style building accommodates 152 rooms and suites, the Kempinski The Spa, two restaurants and two bars, a florist and a delicatessen, 17 private residential apartments as well as Vienna's largest hotel cigar lounge.

Innovative touches including iPad check-in and an iPad in every room with the latest TV entertainment systems blends the building's history with the latest in technology and contemporary lifestyle.

Prices for one night in a double room with breakfast start at EUR 265 for two guests.

Designed as an extended living room for hotel guests and visitors, the bright and spacious Lobby Lounge & Bar is the heart and soul of the Palais Hansen.

The two restaurants "Die Küche" (the kitchen) and "Edvard" are open to visitors as well as guests. "Die Küche" offers breakfast in a casual farmers' market atmosphere and a dinner menu inspired by traditional grandmothers' recipes for relaxed dining.

Named after the architect Theophil Edvard von Hansen, the hotel's second restaurant, "Edvard", serves unpretentious, seasonal fare including traditional recipes with a light twist. Enjoying a separate entrance opening directly onto Schottenring street, the restaurant is also an ideal spot for business lunches or dinners in a relaxed atmosphere.

After dinner, the night bar "Henri Lou", elegantly designed in white and blue, invites guests to relax with classic and seasonal cocktails or fine Champagnes. Vienna's youngest nightlife catwalk is named after the exceptional writer Lou Andreas-Salomé, one of the first women in Austria to be accepted into male-dominated circles including Friedrich Nietzsche and Sigmund Freud. Fittingly, a female bar manager and a female bar keeper are in charge at the Henri Lou. The bar also plays host to Austrian and international DJs Thursday through to Saturday nights.

The Palais Hansen's historical mezzanine level is all about wellness. In six treatment rooms, guests can enjoy treatments inspired by the seasons of the year, administered using Elemental Herbology products and anti-aging cosmetics by Daniele de Winter. Featuring Ottoman influenced design, several saunas, a steam room, a hydropool and a gym complete the 8600 square foot Kempinski The Spa's comprehensive list of amenities.

Modern chandeliers, a heritage-listed column-lined foyer and abundance of natural daylight make the 3,020 square foot ballroom the ideal venue for exclusive events. Its separate entrance allows for a grand entry to a ball or for discrete conference registrations. The mezzanine level holds another six function rooms of 375 to 1,250 square feet, all of them with natural daylight.

Situated in the heart of Vienna, the Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna is an ideal base from which to explore the city. Sights like the Burgtheater, St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Sigmund Freud Museum or the Rathausplatz square are only a few minutes walk away. Jogging trails stretch along the nearby Donaukanal, and the Prater amusement park, offering plenty of family fun, is close by. Vienna International Airport is only a 20-minute drive away and the Westbahnhof railway station is reached in 15 minutes.

Following Kempinski Das Tirol in Jochberg, this five-star hotel in Vienna's first district is the luxury hotel group's second hotel in Austria.