Originally Posted by
DavidO
Executive summary:
Imperial - elegant classical Viennese
Sacher - traditional Viennese with a lighter, more residential feel
Grand - traditional Viennese, at a lower price point and superior to the Bristol's traditional rooms
Bristol - didn't care for their traditional rooms, but Grand Deluxe rooms and Bristol Suites are a good bet for attractive contemporary hotel rooms
Ritz-Carlton - contemporary hotel in a traditional building
Sofitel - ultra-contemporary hotel
Totally agree with David's assessment. I do like the very modern Sofitel though, after having lived in Vienna for 7 years it's always amazing to wake up (and fall asleep) to the wonderful views of the Vienna old town and St. Stephen's Cathedral.
Vienna is seeing a flurry of hotel openings currently, including some smaller (self-proclaimed) luxury hotels like
Hotel Sans-Souci and
The Guesthouse. I for one am really looking forward to the Park Hyatt, which will open 2014 in an unbeatable location, right in the old town. The Four Seasons is still
announced (german source) for 2015 at the Riemergasse site, but I think there are no construction activities yet.