Originally Posted by
strummerjones
The PH Vienna may very well be my favorite hotel in the world. Admittedly, that is due in part to using a suite upgrade and them bumping me all the way up to the second highest level; I think it’s referred to as a diplomatic suite. The room was so huge and stately, I didn’t want to leave and sightsee 😀. That aside, I found the hotel to be much more beautiful, spacious (in terms of the public spaces) and well-located in the city than the PH Zurich, which, don’t get me wrong, is still very nice. I was told the Vienna property used to be a bank and the dining room, where breakfast was served and which was very grand, was the vault. It certainly looks like money 😀.
It's all very much a matter of taste and preference. But I don't really like the public spaces in Vienna, to me they feel cold and impersonal (it is after all a former bank), and the service at breakfast is consistently very bad (though always pleasant and well meaning). Just as a matter of personal preference, I also much prefer the modern design at Zurich, in both the lobby and the rooms, and the service is impeccable throughout the hotel. I can think of no property that has treated better or more warmly as a repeat guest. I also think the locations are actually somewhat similar - both are a few minutes walk from the city center. The nice thing about Zurich is you're very close to the lake. I'll admit the area immediately surrounding Zurich is quite bland, certainly more so than Vienna.