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Old Jan 28, 2015, 5:29 am
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by Bootman4U
Stayed in the Park Hyatt for a week a couple weeks ago. Great service and a wonderful (for us) location. Staff were exceptional without exception. Interior is nicely re-done from the previous bank establishment. Decoration isn't nearly as baroque or even rococco as some establishments but to each their own.
I love the interior, lots of rich woods- v classy plus there is a pool which I rate! I will be heading back in acouple of weeks and doing a review on my blog, will try to remember to post an update here too!
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Old Mar 13, 2017, 11:38 am
  #32  
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Palais Coburg Residenz, Vienna, Austria [REVIEW]

Our Stay in July 2016, 3 nights/4 days

Since it was my milestone birthday we were looking for a very special hotel in Vienna, Austria.

We had the Sacher and the Palais Coburg Residenz in mind.

The rates were roughly the same. The major difference was that for the same amount of investment we would have a City suite with breakfast included, free minibar and WIFI at the Palais Coburg, while the Sacher “only” offered a Superior room with free WIFI. Both hotels are independently owned and beautiful. In the end the Palais Coburg seemed to be more unique to us for this visit, it’s a palace heritage hotel nevertheless, so we decided to have three nights – including my birthday – there in July 2016.



Before our stay we were in contact with the hotel to organize a complimentary tour of the exclusive wine cellar and our dinner reservations at Clementine im Glasshaus at the Palais Coburg.

The e-mails were always answered promptly and felt warm and welcoming at all times.

The palace belonged to the family of Saxe-Coburg, who are related with every major royal household in Europe, and was built on the Braunbastei, a bastion, dating back to the 16th century. Part of the medieval city walls can be still seen at the hotel. The wall is currently under restoration.

The bastion was named after the engineer.

The Renaissance casements of the Braunbastei have been preserved, which is unusual for Vienna, due to the palace being built before the fortifications of the Braunbastei were demolished to make way for the Ringstrasse.

Part of the building was rented out to the Austrian Railway at one time.

The palace was sold by Princess Sarah Aurelia in 1978 to a realtor. Other owners were two banks.

Finally in 1997 it was bought by the POK Puehringer Foundation, the current owner.

The palace was in a decrepit condition. It took three years of planning and three years of renovation and restoration before it opened in new splendor in 2003 as hotel. For a while it was a member of Relais & Chateaux before it changed to Leading Hotels of the World.

The hotel is a magical place and we have very fond memories. It’s difficult to explain, when you haven’t experienced it.

The complete stay was flawless, luxurious and pampering in heartwarming ways.

The staff was the most intuitive we ever encountered so far. It’s very difficult to find the right balance between being professional and warm and to know when the guest needs attention and when to leave him/her in peace.

During our stay we had only pleasant experiences and each member of staff was very kind to us. Besides they managed to be warm and efficient at the same time.

The building itself was in top condition and the internet was very fast too.

The location is just behind the Marriott Hotel Vienna with a ca. 5 minute walk to the Stadtpark, around 10 minutes to the Wien Mitte/Landstrasse Bahnhof with access to the CAT train for the airport. The Albertina and Stephansplatz are ca. 20 to 30 minutes from the hotel, making it a good base to explore the city in our opinon.

Check in was very pleasant with a choice of drinks as welcome gift. We had a glass of Pol Roger Champagne and Evian water.

During check in we were explained all amenities and given a handwritten card with all our “appointments” within the hotel during our stay.

The check in formalities had been swift and we were accompanied to our suite by Ivan who took our luggage and explained all features to us.

All suites are named after a member of the house of Saxe-Coburg.

The key was interesting. It looked like a medallion or badge and depicted the image of the person the suite was named after and the room number.

It was also needed to open various security doors and to operate the elevators.

Beside high security the hotel is very discreet too.

We had booked a city suite, the entrance category. The size ranges from 54 m2 to 84 m2. We were brought to suite 106 Archduke Josef of Austria (1833 – 1905). He was the husband of Clothilde of Saxe-Coburg, the granddaughter of Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg, who built the palace.

It was also a duplex and the largest suite in the category [City Suites] on offer.

Of course we had speculated before which suite we would receive, but hadn’t expected this.

It suited our tastes completely in many ways while combining heritage and modernity.

There was a long, curved hallway with a seating area, wooden floors, a wardrobe and a guest toilet, leading towards to the living space.
It could be closed off from the actual suite by doors, so it’s ideal if you schedule business appointments and someone has to wait.

No wonder it is favored by politicians like John Kerry, who stayed here during the Iran nuclear talks. We could even see part of the meeting rooms where the talks had taken place in the hotel.

The suite, a duplex suite was very large, airy and bright with extremely high windows, stretching the whole two storey space and a classic chandelier.

The first part was dedicated to work. It included a classic writing desk, a matching chair and a display cabinet with books about the Palais Coburg, Austria and her history, the sister hotel Park Hotel Vitznau in Switzerland and Austrian music.

In one of the drawers of the writing desk contained all necessary office supplies and an adapter.

There were also Good Life Spirit and a Blanc Pain magazine and a telephone, suitable for deaf or hard of hearing which we found very thoughtful.

The wall mounted large flat screen TV was swiveable and could be watched from the seating area, which included a white sofa, plus sofa chair, a large coffee table, side tables, a credenza with Bose wave radio, DVD player and DVDs of the Vienna Philharmonic New Year concerts from 2005 and 2015, or the writing desk.

The 75 TV channels included regional and international ones like CNN, Bloomberg und Sky Sports 1 to 3 among many others.

The furniture was dark brown and antique. It had beautiful, simple inlays and the carpet was blue and white with a flower print. Again there were wooden floors.

The kitchen at the opposite end could be completely closed off and had every essential needed.

It was white and included plates, cutlery, can and bottle opener, pans, glasses, a microwave, two hotplates, a Nespresso coffee machine, Nespresso capsules selection and Ronnefeldt tea bags and a minibar. Ivan explained the minibar was complementary and all alcoholic beverages were included too. Again the content of the minibar was comprehensive. It included six different Pago juices, Evian and Voesslauer mineral water, Fever Tree Tonic, Schweppes, Trumer Pils, Gruener Veltiner and Wiener Trilogie wines and different flavored schnapps (plum, apricot and Williams Christ pear).

More welcome gifts and a handwritten note from the general manager including a full-sized bottle of Pol Roger Champagne, fruits, chocolates and a brownie were waiting for us. They were replenished daily.

A substantial staircase was leading up to the elegant bedroom. From there you could overlook the living area.

There was a luggage rack, a bureau, a bench in front of the king sized bed and another flat screen TV. The color scheme was dominantly blue. There was a carpet as well and a door led to the large polished marble bath room.

It included two wardrobes, one with safe, a separate room for the toilet and bidet, double sinks, an unusual bathtub/shower combination, a weighing scale, chair and larger than usually sized Acqua di Parma amenities. All the frames and bathroom fixtures were golden. It fitted the heritage ambience and wasn’t ostentatious in our opinion.

Artwork throughout the suite was of the Archduke Josef of Austria incl. portrait photographs and the Palais Coburg.

The whole room was comfortable and invited for long stays due to it feeling residential and lots of storage space.

The bed allowed for a restful sleep and turn down was provided every night with Evian water and Valrhona chocolates.

Views were over the building next door in the back of the hotel.

The hotel has also 24 hour in room dining – the menu is small, but good quality and we used it once during our stay, a spa with swimming pool and a terrace, the Coburg Restaurant by Silvio Nichol, who holds two Michelin stars, and as mentioned above Clementine im Glasshaus for all day dining.

Our in room dinner included one hot chocolate, two fresh pasta with basil pine nuts and Parmesan and one strawberry, quark, sour milk and almond and one chocolate with milk, banana and hazelnut dessert. It cost 75 Euro (ca. 80.70 USD).

Picnics, tours and anything else you might want can be organized by the concierge.

On the same day we arrived we asked if we could see the Prunkraeume or the State Rooms.

They are used for meetings, banquets and celebrations, so they are not always accessible. The rooms are magnificent and very well worth visiting. My favorite was the Yellow Room. In the Green Room portraits of famous members of the Saxe-Coburgs can be admired. One of them depicted Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Ivan told us that the State Rooms were going to be used in the future for brunch, so they were going to be made more accessible to the paying public. I could easily imagine what it would look like in the future. I didn’t have problems conjuring up the past either in these very special surroundings.

Doors leading to the terrace gave great views over the city, the small garden and Clementine im Glashaus.

The State Room staircase was very beautiful and grand too.

Some parts of the public spaces have a medieval feel with dark wooden furniture and accordingly printed fabrics which matched the style and atmosphere perfectly at every turn.

A family tree of the Saxe-Coburg can be found near the elevators. At the time we were there it wasn’t completely updated. For example Prince William was mentioned on it, but not his marriage to Kate Middleton or the birth of their two children. We guess, updating needs a little time and will done on occasion.

On the day of my birthday I received three birthday cakes/brownies during the day, which was a first. All members of staff were aware it was my big day and I was congratulated by everyone, I encountered, which hasn’t happened before in such a comprehensive manner. It was wonderful and again heartwarming. I felt special and welcomed at all times, a landmark birthday in a landmark heritage palace hotel.

There was also a personalized birthday card on our Suite.

We had breakfast every morning and twice dinner at Clementine im Glasshaus. A review will follow in due time.

We enjoyed strolling through the garden when it was accessible. As mentioned above it’s not very large, but perfectly manicured and has an understated water feature. It gives you the chance to admire the palace’s façade as well.

The Palais Coburg is nicknamed the asparagus castle. The columns of the neoclassical building reminded the Viennese about asparagus stalks, hence the name.

On my birthday we could also visit the wonderful wine cellar, which some parts date back to the 12th century, and were given a tour by the sommelier. We started off with a glass of Pol Roger Champagne at the first room. Then the tour began for real. It was a treasure trove for wine lovers. Unfortunately we couldn’t go into the Champagne cellar due to it being renovated at the time. The hotel has a large collection of rare Dom Perignon vintages.

The cellar is divided into different sections and includes one dedicated to Spanish, Portuguese and New World wines including some rare bottles of Robert Mondavi, a European section including Austrian and Bulgarian wines and a wide selection of rare dessert wines like Tokaj, wine from the Austrian producer Kracher and ice wine from the Czech Republic.

The French cellar holds Mouton Rothschild and Petrus and of course other wines.

One cachet of Mouton Rothschild was bought at a charity auction in New York for 1 Million Euro.

The largest bottle in the collection contains 27 l and we were explained that there is specific machinery available to handle opening the bottle and filling glasses. It is suitable for a party of ca. 60 persons.

Other bottles contain 6 l.

The most expensive single bottle on offer/view is valued at ca. 120.000 Euro.

Another, very special collection, is the Chateau D’Yquem. It is one of the rarest in the world and celebrates 4 centuries of this very special wine and winery.

Some bottles are very old and easily identifiable by the darker color of the wine.

Near the Chateau D’Yquem cellar a quote about wine in Arabic by Suleiman the Magnificent is inscribed in red lightning on the floor. He is infamous for the siege of Vienna in the 16th century.

It was really fascinating and we learned a lot.

Unfortunately check out approached way too quick. We were a bit sad to leave, since our stay had been so pampering.

Check out was efficient and again very warm. Organizing a taxi to bring us to the Hauptbahnhof for our train wasn’t an issue at all. We even received a little bag with goodies (water, apples, Manner wafers and Mozartkugeln) for the journey to Innsbruck.

Even after checkout we hadn’t been forgotten and received another card at our return to Dublin with a short note from the manager, hoping our stay had been a good one and that we had arrived back home safely. It was a thoughtful touch and we appreciated it.

There is no doubt we would return in our future to the Palais Coburg Residence when celebrating something special, since the history speaks to us, the staff is gracious and you are really in the lap of luxury which incl. heritage architecture and modern luxurious interiors and beautiful/memorable service standards of the highest caliber befitting a “Leading Hotel of the World”. Kudos to the Palais Coburg Residenz and sincere thanks for the beautiful hospitality and attention rendered towards both of us.

Please see/visit our uploads/memories on Flickr about our stay at the Palais Coburg Residenz, Vienna, Austria, July 2016:



Would we recommend this beautiful Heritage Palace Hotel to a friend? YES! ^
Would we want to stay at this beautiful Heritage Palace Hotel in our future? YES! ^

Thank you and safe travels.

Last edited by uggboy; Mar 14, 2017 at 8:37 am Reason: Added image
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Old Mar 13, 2017, 1:32 pm
  #33  
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Clementine im Glashaus, Palais Coburg Residenz, Vienna, Austria, July 2016

Our Breakfast and Dinner Experiences as follows:

During our stay at the Palais Coburg Residence in Vienna, Austria (Please see also review) in July 2016 my fiancé and I had three a la carte breakfasts and two memorable dinners at Clementine im Glashaus.

The restaurant is named after Clementine of Orleans, the first resident of the Palais Coburg, who was the daughter of King Louis Philippe I of France and married to Prince August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

A portrait of her is the center piece of the restaurant and adds to the romantic feel of Clementine im Glashaus. It is the all-day dining restaurant.

The restaurant is located in the gardens of the hotel and there is indoor and outdoor seating - weather permitting.

It can be reached via stairs or lift to the first floor. and is housed in a beautiful conservatory. It looks intricate and Victorian.

The restaurant felt Asian with dark wooden furniture and blossom prints. There was also a magnificent chandelier as another focal point.

The kitchen is located adjacent to the dining room and the small window left open, if there were no guests. Once we had breakfast indoors, because all the outdoor seating was taken. When we took our seats the window was shut and we couldn't follow the going ons in the kitchen any longer.

Mostly, though, we enjoyed sitting outside, either in the sunshine, protected by umbrellas, or in the warm darkness, lit up by the dining room and romantic lantern on the table in the evening.

We could choose any table we wanted and it didn't matter for how many persons it was setup.

The breakfast was served a la carte with sets available and included in our rate.

Our favorite was the "Low-Carb", which included bread, butter, smoked salmon, radish, cucumber, tomato, avocado and lemon dressing, plain yogurt with berries, omelette with cream cheese and herbs, water and a hot beverage of our choice (green tea).

Another innovative item was the eggs in a glass. There was a choice between chives and garden radish, carrot, lemon, sprouts and olive oil or smoked salmon, wild herbs and spinach. We tested the salmon. The eggs made surprisingly full.

The Joseph bread was also delicious.



Dinner was based on modern Austrian cuisine. We tried the excellent cocktails, like the Re-Start or My Sweet Clementine and had a glass each of 2012 Traminer Beerenauslese "Coburg Selection" by Kracher, an Austrian dessert wine which we both found outstanding served only by the glass. Beside Tokaj Aszu Essencia it proved to be our favorite in terms of sweet wines on offer.

Some of the dishes we had were carrot-ginger soup and mozzarella as starters and the guinea fowl breast and duck with rhubarb as main courses. The quality was very high and the meals delicious. The portion sizes were generous and we were mostly totally stuffed, when we left. Dinner cost approximately 100 Euro / ca. 105.80 USD.

Other diners were locals and hotel guests. Some of them celebrated an anniversary or birthday.

If it was a birthday staff and members belonging to the party sang "Happy Birthday".

It was a nice mix of groups and couples. We had chosen the hotel for a pampering experience for my own round birthday.

The staff was efficient, intuitive, interested in what we were up to and helpful. There were different teams for breakfast and dinner. They all were an asset for the restaurant.

Carina - hope the name is spelled correctly - asked each morning how the event we had planned for today and how the previous day had gone.

On the day of my birthday I received a cake for breakfast and one for dinner with sparklers. Each member of staff congratulated me, but didn't draw too much attention to me, for which I was grateful and loved that I was really spoiled.

One waitress was happy to help my fiancé, who wanted to take photographs of our dishes in the evening/darkness. She held the lantern the way he wanted it and for how long the shoot took. She was gracious about it, even so my better half was demanding. This has never happened before or afterwards so far, the service was wonderful and memorable for the right reasons. Spot on, wonderful.

We would want to return again and again to Clementine im Glashaus, when back in Vienna, Austria in our future.


Please see/visit our uploads/memories on Flickr about our breakfast and dinner experiences at Clementine im Glashaus at the Palais Coburg Residenz, Vienna, Austria, July 2016:



Would we recommend this restaurant to our friends? YES! ^
Would we want to enjoy breakfast/dinner and more again at this restaurant? YES! ^

Thank you and safe travels.

Last edited by uggboy; Mar 14, 2017 at 7:40 am Reason: Added image
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Old Mar 14, 2017, 10:32 am
  #34  
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uggboy, thanks for the detailed trip report. Much appreciated!

Cheers.
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Old Mar 14, 2017, 12:02 pm
  #35  
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Originally Posted by SkiAdcock
uggboy, thanks for the detailed trip report. Much appreciated!

Cheers.
Thank you SkiAdcock for your compliments. It's a beautiful heritage palace hotel and comes highly recommended.

Cheers & Safe Travels. ^
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Old Mar 18, 2017, 4:45 pm
  #36  
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Interesting development for visitors to Vienna, Austria:

The Ring Hotel Vienna is now [as of March 2017] a member of Relais & Chateaux it has been announced:

Located in Vienna, Austria, the Ring Hotel offers Special Rooms, X-Ordinary Rooms, Cosmopolitan Suites, and Ring Suites. The hotel also has an onsite restaurant, Restaurant at Eight, serving traditional Viennese cuisine. From April to October, guests can enjoy outdoor dining. The Ring Hotel offers spa packages, tours of Vienna and culinary tastings.
Please see including:

http://www.luxurytraveladvisor.com/h...eaux-portfolio
http://theringhotel.com/
https://www.relaischateaux.com/us/austria/ring-wien

Cheers & Safe Travels. ^
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Old Mar 23, 2017, 11:06 am
  #37  
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Restaurant "Rote Bar" at the Hotel Sacher, Vienna, Austria [REVIEW]

July 2016, our lunch experiences

Even so my fiancé and I had decided not to stay at the Hotel Sacher Vienna during my milestone birthday in July 2016, we still wanted to gain some insights and check out if we would like the hotel, so we booked a table for two at the Restaurant Rote Bar for our lunch and hopefully get to stay at this landmark hotel in our future too.

E-mail contact with the reservation team was quick and warm.

Years back when we were the first time in Vienna it was a very formal city and the Hotel Sacher didn't allow people into reception, if they didn't have a reservation at one of the restaurants or bars or stayed there.

In July 2016 it was a totally different environment.

The lobby was now accessible to all and the public spaces could be explored up to the Blaue Bar.

The entrance to the Restaurant Rote Bar was in the lobby and the space is relatively small. It didn't look like an official entrance. I was sure this was where we had to go in. My better half thought otherwise, so we checked with the bell captain, who confirmed it was the entrance.

As the name implies the Restaurant Rote Bar was furnished in red damask with classic paintings and chandeliers. The restaurant was cosy and felt special.

The maître d' brought us to our table in the conservatory, which was also part of the Restaurant Rote Bar. We had nice views over the Vienna Opera House and passers-by, who could look in too, but this didn't hinder us to enjoy ourselves here at this landmark address.

The cuisine was traditional Viennese and was beautifully presented.

Two waiters took care of us. One was a young lady with a similar haircut as mine, the other an older gentleman. Both were charming, efficient and service oriented.

Most fellow diners were older than us - I guess from sixty onwards. One other party also celebrated a special occasion.

There were couples and a few small groups.

We ordered a bottle of still Voeslauer water, two orange juice and one hot chocolate with "Schlag" (cream).

A bread selection was brought to our table. It was delicious.

Our starters were the original Sacher goose liver tart and the watercress and pea soup. Both were very good and the goose liver tart was smooth. Equally, I liked the different textures and being able to taste the ingredients of the well balanced soup.

Our main courses were generous portions of Wiener Schnitzel with parsley potatoes and mixed salad and braised beef roulades with vegetables, mashed potatoes, pickled cucumber and mustard.

There were extra helpings of the potatoes and the escalopes, which my fiancé enjoyed.

The roulades and the Schnitzel were melt in the mouth and both come highly recommended as mains.

The combination of velvety mashed potatoes, gravy and the tanginess of the mustard were heavenly.

I hadn't had roulades since my childhood and this were the best so far.

We still had room to share a dessert, which was Valrhona chocolate and cherries. At first we thought the cherries were harmless, but they had been dunked in kirsch schnapps and the flavor of the alcohol built slowly up until it burst into full flavor and was long lasting. A beautiful and indeed memorable dessert.

Before settling our bill we also received a two-tiered stand with a selection of complimentary pralines/chocolates which was a wonderful and tasty touch to remember.

Please see/view our uploads on Flickr:



We enjoyed our lunch tremendously. The quality was high, service excellent and the surroundings sumptuous. We would return for more when visiting Vienna again in our future.

Would we recommend this restaurant to a friend? YES! ^
Would we want to enjoy lunch/dinner at this restaurant in our future? YES! ^

Thank you and safe travels.

Last edited by uggboy; Mar 24, 2017 at 5:11 am Reason: Added details
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Old May 1, 2017, 1:04 pm
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Park Hyatt Vienna

This is a tough review to write... one of the most beautiful hotels I have stayed in, yet this stay was far from perfect.

Check-in was smooth... all pre-arrival correspondence indicated I would be in for a wonderful stay -- they were accommodating. I arrived in the evening, around 6 PM and check-in was done in the suite (good!). I was assigned a Park View Suite (310) with a view of the square in front of the hotel. Great view and beautiful suite. Although there was no welcome letter at all (not even printed) and my welcome amenity consisted of an empty glass plate (first zero calories amenity ever ), I was happy. The hard product must be one of the most beautiful in existence -- Signa certainly didn't cut any corners with this hotel. Must mention these bathrooms... high-tech and well designed, with very tasteful use of marble and onyx. Digital bathtub with electronic temperature controls and a huge walk-in shower. Toto washlet (although from a different manufacturer) and Dornbracht faucets. Everything is of such high quality. The room controls are digital as well and I do have to say I liked them very much. Certainly not the ones you need a degree in engineering for.

The rest of the hotel is pretty well documented here and I won't bother to write about the wonderful restoration of the building but get right to some observations and problems...

- I couldn't sleep on both nights. And for me, this is not the hallmark of a luxury hotel but of any kind of hotel, period. And considering the amount of sleep I got, I wasn't very amused throughout my stay. The fact that I still consider returning is a testament to the hard product of the hotel and the efforts in service that are currently present. So much potential!

On the first night, we came back to our room at around 10 PM and I started hearing loud music coming from outside the hotel. More precisely, from a private residence in one of the buildings next to the hotel. Several calls to the reception ensued and after so many complaints from other guests, policed was called to the scene and the music stopped at around 2 AM. Sadly my night ended at 7 AM due to our schedule and the fact that I have to make phone calls every morning. No service recovery and apologies offered by management. In fact, I did not see anyone from management after the incidents started.

Second night... after a great dinner at Palais Coburg came back to the suite around 11 PM and went straight to bed. This time, the music was louder, more intense and I felt vibrations from a subwoofer in bed. No way anyone could sleep. I called reception and was politely informed that there was a wedding going on in the hotel's ballroom until 3.30 AM and there is nothing they could do. I asked for earplugs and someone was sent up swiftly with a set of earplugs -- mind you he didn't leave them with me, but rather asked me to get some out of the box, as he would need the rest for other guests. As the night continued, the music became louder and louder, no way this was tolerable… very befitting of the occasion was the fact that now the panels to control lights et cetera couldn't be turned off and were illuminated constantly, which made it even harder to sleep. While my SO can tolerate music easily, light is his pet peeve and we were both laughing about our PH Vienna style sleep experience... I managed to cover the panels with towels (and after 10 instances in which the towels fell off I now have my own technique which hopefully will get patented) and while doing so, wondered about the musical choices of the wedding downstairs. I pondered if I should create a playlist of the wedding's music downstairs and email it to the GM so she could create a Park Hyatt sleep experience for herself but quickly decided it was too much work. Several phone calls back and forth with reception followed and it appears a taste of our sleep deprivation got them to send for a duty manager rather swiftly. It was decided that we would move rooms (at 2 AM in the night), so we did. This time, to a room on the 5th floor which was heavenly quiet. No trace of light or sound whatsoever. The only problem was that neither the duty manager nor someone from reception was able to open the door, as they key card reader of the room stopped working. So we camped in front of the room until security was on the scene to open that door. By 2.30 AM we were finally sleeping. The duty manager took off the charges for that very night as a 'gesture' and 'apology'. The next morning, no further explanations were offered and we went back at 7 AM to the suite to shower and change.

I do not understand why the rooms around the ballroom (310 is directly over it) were not cleared. Inventory and occupancy levels would have permitted this. They would have to upgrade some people to do it, but somehow must have decided not to. This was a critical mistake. I thought that senior management would address the situation the next morning, but no one could be found. Instead, the poor front lines at reception had to deal with the affected guests.

- I very much like The Bank, and generally all F&B concepts at the hotel. They work well. Do opt for breakfast in-room though, as service during breakfast is slow, disinterested and no one can be bothered. The buffet spread is really high quality but I went and helped myself for fresh cutlery on several instances, the same way I had to fight for a coffee re-fill. We had two guests for breakfast, and instead of charging for two persons (ours was included), the bank did not present any check. Maybe it was me being to honest, but I reminded them that there should be a check for our guests, since they were not staying at the hotel. They brought the check… and continued to produce another check we did not sign for not two, but 6 people. So in the end, 12 breakfasts ended up on our bill when we checked out. Very gracious! It was taken off in the end, but I do not understand what was going on.

- As mentioned many times before, Arany Spa discontinued Sodashi. I have now figured out why exactly… retail, retail, retail. Omorovicza’s gold glitter waste is much easier to sell and… has a much longer shelf life. It is a fact that chemicals can be stored for years, while fresh organic ingredients have a much shorter span. I have heard that Sodashi’s body treatments were hugely popular, but revenue seems to be more important. My therapist was quite good, although I do have to say that service-wise they still have to learn many things. I would recommend the spa if one needs a good sports massage after a work out, but it is hardly a revolutionary concept down there. Go if you must.

- Concierge was friendly and engaging, there were some minor mishaps that were quickly dealt with but not huge issues. Same for bell staff, who were quite helpful when checking out. Less so during our evening arrival, where initially no one was to be seen — always a bad sign.

- Housekeeping is fully outsourced at Park Hyatt Vienna and it shows. I am seriously worried how the building will look in the years to come if they continue this nonsense. Ms Dekker apparently brought the company with her from Dusseldorf. Needless to say with this department 100% outsourced, they don’t feel part of the team and rather ‚re-act’ than ‚act‘. This was mentioned many times here, housekeeping remains an issue. Even in the public areas, the gym and spa was in no good state and the therapists have to help clean… This is the only Viennese luxury hotel that fully outsources.

- Check-out procedures for suites should be given a thought. Not only did we find too many breakfasts there (12...), but we were also asked who was going to pay for the second room. As we did not have a second room, we quickly figured it must have been the room we moved to for the 4 hours of sleep in the night. Sadly, the receptionist was of the opinion we had booked this room for the guests we had over at breakfast and wondered how we would like to settle it... Really shows that their internal communication must have some challenges.


Despite the problems I cannot say I wouldn’t return. I will, eventually, as the building is just so stunning and the team has a lot of potential. Considering how I felt after two sleepless nights, this is quite an endorsement I suppose? I just hope they are able to sort out the problems. If one is to stay there, I would make sure to contact management beforehand, request a room that is not anywhere near the ballroom, have breakfast in-room and avoid the spa, except for a swim in the gorgeous pool there. Then it is tolerable. And maybe things will have improved by then, as they do have some very nice team members, such as their guest relations manager Mr Walli who came to smooth things over after another complaint at The Lounge. One of the few who do care!
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Old May 2, 2017, 2:00 am
  #39  
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Originally Posted by scented
Park Hyatt Vienna

Despite the problems I cannot say I wouldn’t return. I will, eventually, as the building is just so stunning and the team has a lot of potential. Considering how I felt after two sleepless nights, this is quite an endorsement I suppose? I just hope they are able to sort out the problems. If one is to stay there, I would make sure to contact management beforehand, request a room that is not anywhere near the ballroom, have breakfast in-room and avoid the spa, except for a swim in the gorgeous pool there. Then it is tolerable. And maybe things will have improved by then, as they do have some very nice team members, such as their guest relations manager Mr Walli who came to smooth things over after another complaint at The Lounge. One of the few who do care!
Bolding mine. You're a braver one than I am. The constant and consistent miasma of bad service experiences coming from so many reviewers for this otherwise obviously beautiful property make it an absolute hotel to avoid for me. Period.

I don't want to worry about what service fiasco will happen next...to me. The only person I'd have to blame then would be myself. And that service fiasco or another epic failure here seems inevitable.

Your comments make me even more thrilled to be staying at the Imperial in Oct. And I'm writing this from the PH Sydney!
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Old May 2, 2017, 2:19 am
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by scented
Housekeeping is fully outsourced at Park Hyatt Vienna and it shows. I am seriously worried how the building will look in the years to come if they continue this nonsense. Ms Dekker apparently brought the company with her from Dusseldorf. Needless to say with this department 100% outsourced, they don’t feel part of the team and rather ‚re-act’ than ‚act‘. This was mentioned many times here, housekeeping remains an issue. Even in the public areas, the gym and spa was in no good state and the therapists have to help clean… This is the only Viennese luxury hotel that fully outsources.
I had no idea that PH Vienna outsourced their housekeeping. Makes complete sense now why it's a mess. If the GM brought them in then I'd say it's fair game to lay all the blame for repeatedly disastrous housekeeping with her. Having read all the reviews of this place recently combined with my own experience my mind is made up - I'm not going back. There's got to be better places to stay.
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Old May 2, 2017, 5:34 am
  #41  
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Thanks for the update on the PH, Scented. I had stayed there a number of years back (within the first year that it opened) and thought the problems with my stay were part of teething issues. Sadly it appears that they were not and they are endemic to the hotel.... it is indeed an absolutely stunning renovation but the service falls quite short... your amenity plate is the only one worse than the one I had- which was 5 mozart chocolates (on the third day nonetheless.).. this was after we had an extensive discussion at check in about what sort of amenity we would like... Housekeeping was definitely a weak spot during our stay as well... We also had issues with the bell staff during our arrival... Lots and lots of service mishaps that mirror your experiences... I would wager that give Ms. Dekker has had over 3 years to get the ship sailing straight, that either their are challenges that aren't apparent or that her leadership isn't appropriate for a luxury hotel. Would I go back? I'm not sure.. it's a great hard product, great location for sure but the service issues were so numerous that it would be hard to... that all being said, I'm not sure if there's another good candidate in Vienna(The RC looks nice, but no reviews; the SPG properties are a little old school for me)....

This may be more representative of the PH brand than anything; I haven't yet experienced one that quite makes it to the upper ranks of a luxury hotel (PH Istanbul is very very close though)

FDW
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Old May 2, 2017, 6:24 am
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by FlyingDoctorwu
that all being said, I'm not sure if there's another good candidate in Vienna(The RC looks nice, but no reviews; the SPG properties are a little old school for me)
The service at the Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna was flawless when I stayed in 2015.

Hard product is probably not as lavish as the Park Hyatt Vienna but still a wonderfully modern hotel in a beautifully restored building.
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Old May 2, 2017, 7:32 am
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Originally Posted by scented
Despite the problems I cannot say I wouldn’t return. I will, eventually, as the building is just so stunning and the team has a lot of potential. Considering how I felt after two sleepless nights, this is quite an endorsement I suppose? I just hope they are able to sort out the problems.
I felt sorry for you reading the review, which is an achievement in my ability to feel human again. Even though my stay wasn't as bad as yours, none of it managed to surprise me. I leave with the same view as you, that somehow I'd consider it again.
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Old May 2, 2017, 8:05 am
  #44  
 
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Long time lurker here, first posting. Thanks for all the helpful information all!

I was wondering if anyone has any recent experiences with the RC?
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Old May 2, 2017, 8:12 am
  #45  
 
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Originally Posted by bhrubin
Bolding mine. You're a braver one than I am. The constant and consistent miasma of bad service experiences coming from so many reviewers for this otherwise obviously beautiful property make it an absolute hotel to avoid for me. Period.

I don't want to worry about what service fiasco will happen next...to me. The only person I'd have to blame then would be myself. And that service fiasco or another epic failure here seems inevitable.

Your comments make me even more thrilled to be staying at the Imperial in Oct. And I'm writing this from the PH Sydney!
Makes sense! I am positive you will enjoy the Imperial.

Originally Posted by jonjparr
I had no idea that PH Vienna outsourced their housekeeping. Makes complete sense now why it's a mess. If the GM brought them in then I'd say it's fair game to lay all the blame for repeatedly disastrous housekeeping with her. Having read all the reviews of this place recently combined with my own experience my mind is made up - I'm not going back. There's got to be better places to stay.
I have a hunch that Ms Dekker is under a lot of pressure to produce a sizable ROI for Signa. It is no secret that the hotel project has not yet turned out as the owner has hoped. Benko invested so much in this building, he must have had all the choice in the world in terms of which management company should run it. Why was Hyatt chosen? And not Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental or Rosewood? I bet Hyatt promised a ton of revenue, more than FS and the other usual suspects. But since he is now doing other lower end projects as well (Andaz Vienna opening soon), a management company with a broader portfolio of brands was an easy choice, which came down to Hyatt and Starwood. So in the end, this outsourcing thing is now a Park Hyatt brand standard, sadly, but also a way of cost cutting. I was told all other hotels in Vienna have an own housekeeping department and during times of high demand they have an outsourced company company come in and help, but that a department is fully outsourced, that is quite rare. Even in Austria. Right now PH is not a true luxury hotel just yet, but more a luxurious chain option. If Four Seasons were to manage this building, now that would be interesting. I have heard many stories about Ms Dekker and I think she has a proven track record of good customer service, although I believe she is now quite limited by the owner. And this affects the experience. It is one thing to build a luxurious hotel, but it requires a lot to run one as well.

The only thing that bothers me are the many instances in which they could improve the service without compromising their bottom line. A welcome letter does not cost much. It is also quite cheap to show up and say 'I am sorry about the noise last night, I hope you enjoy the hotel nevertheless. Is there any way we could move you, as we do have a wedding tonight and I would hate you being affected by it yet again'. Did she do that? Or have one of her team members do it? No. And that's bad management and that's where I hold her accountable.

Originally Posted by FlyingDoctorwu
Thanks for the update on the PH, Scented. I had stayed there a number of years back (within the first year that it opened) and thought the problems with my stay were part of teething issues. Sadly it appears that they were not and they are endemic to the hotel.... it is indeed an absolutely stunning renovation but the service falls quite short... your amenity plate is the only one worse than the one I had- which was 5 mozart chocolates (on the third day nonetheless.).. this was after we had an extensive discussion at check in about what sort of amenity we would like... Housekeeping was definitely a weak spot during our stay as well... We also had issues with the bell staff during our arrival... Lots and lots of service mishaps that mirror your experiences... I would wager that give Ms. Dekker has had over 3 years to get the ship sailing straight, that either their are challenges that aren't apparent or that her leadership isn't appropriate for a luxury hotel. Would I go back? I'm not sure.. it's a great hard product, great location for sure but the service issues were so numerous that it would be hard to... that all being said, I'm not sure if there's another good candidate in Vienna(The RC looks nice, but no reviews; the SPG properties are a little old school for me)....

This may be more representative of the PH brand than anything; I haven't yet experienced one that quite makes it to the upper ranks of a luxury hotel (PH Istanbul is very very close though)

FDW
Thank you! There are a couple PH that would be interesting to you, I guess, namely Sydney, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, Saigon and maybe Paris (although problems lately…).

Originally Posted by MacMyDay
I felt sorry for you reading the review, which is an achievement in my ability to feel human again. Even though my stay wasn't as bad as yours, none of it managed to surprise me. I leave with the same view as you, that somehow I'd consider it again.
Reading it makes me wonder if it is a sane reaction to spend so much money on this ‚episode‘. Need a vacation now after this! Certainly not at a Hyatt, though. For now, at least..

Last edited by scented; May 2, 2017 at 8:38 am
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