Kempinski Opens Palais Hansen Kempinski Hotel Vienna

Kempinski Hotels officially opened Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna today with a Grand Opening Gala attended by over 700 guests. Designed as a hotel for the 1873 World Exhibition by Theophil Edvard von Hansen and Heinrich Förster, the building never opened its doors to guests, and it has taken more than 140 years for the building to be put to its originally 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. On 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's and a delicatessen, 17 private residential apartments as well as Vienna's largest hotel cigar lounge. Innovative touches like iPad check-in and an iPad in every room or state-of-the-art TV entertainment systems blends the building's history with the latest in technology and a contemporary lifestyle. Prices for one night in a double room with breakfast start at EUR 265 for two guests. Bookings can be made through [email protected]. For further information, visit www.kempinski.com/wien.

Designed as an extended living room for hotel guests and visitors alike, the bright and spacious Lobby Lounge & Bar is the heart and soul of the Palais Hansen. A unique highlight is the Vienna Afternoon Tea. Traditional, yet unmistakably Viennese, this culinary experience is sure to be a new staple of Viennese lifestyle.

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. Manning two live cooking stations, head chef Philipp Vogel and his team prepare dishes from the changing menu before the guests' eyes.

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. Inspiring the culinary team to new heights of creativity, the predominantly local produce used for the dishes is combined with spices and cooking techniques from around the globe. Thanks to its separate entrance opening directly onto Schottenring street, the restaurant is the 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 wind down with classic and seasonal cocktails or fine Champagne. 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 or 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 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. Sprinkled with Ottoman-style design elements, several saunas, a steam room, a hydropool and a gym round out the 8600 square foot Kempinski The Spa's comprehensive list of amenities.

Modern chandeliers, a heritage-listed column-lined foyer and plenty of natural daylight make the 3020 square foot ballroom the ideal venue for exclusive events. Its separate entrance allows for a grand entry to the ball or for discrete registrations for a conference. The mezzanine level holds another six function rooms of 375 to 1250 square feet, all of them with natural daylight.

Situated in the heart of Vienna, the Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna is the ideal basis 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. Lovely jogging trails stretch along the nearby Donaukanal, and the Prater amusement park, offering lots of family fun, is close at hand. Vienna International Airport is only 20 minutes' drive away, the Westbahnhof railway station only 15. After Kempinski Das Tirol in Jochberg, this five-star hotel in Vienna's first district is the luxury hotel group's second hotel in Austria.