National_Geographic_Traveller_UK_June_2017

SLEEP
For stle
THE GUEST HOUSE
Terence Conran has a thing for Vienna
— he’s designed two hotels and a coffee house
here. The most recent, The Guest House, is
a swish affair, with minibars restocked with
four bottles of wine daily, and the in-room
coffee machines grind fresh beans (roasted by
local company Naber) for every cup. There’s
a homely feel, with rooms kitted out with
sofas instead of desks; most have windowseats
overlooking the central Albertinaplatz
(standard rooms don’t — the upgrade is well
worth it), and guests are encouraged to bring
their free wine downstairs to drink in the
packed-with-locals downstairs brasserie.
ROOMS: From €255 (£220), room only.
theguesthouse.at
For hipsters
HOTEL AM BRILLANTENGRUND
You’ll either love or loathe the Brillantengrund, in
trendy Neubau; the decor is deliberately dowdy and
frequently kitsch: funky wallpaper, naff artwork,
furniture unchanged since the 1970s. The restaurant,
Mama, serves Filipino food cooked by the owner’s
mother and the ‘garage’ hosts everything from art
exhibitions to arts workshops and parties. While it’s
not rowdy, it’s not really for early-nighters.
ROOMS: From €69 (£60), B&B. brillantengrund.com
THREE TO TRY
For couples
HOTEL ALTSTADT
Set in a former apartment block with high ceilings
and parquet floors, the Altstadt whisks guests back
to the days of Freud and Klimt. Rooms are individually
designed — some kitted out with antiques, others
saucy modern art, peek-a-boo showers or Swarowksi
crystal-encrusted walls; four junior suites have recently
been refurbished with the help of top local designers.
Yet it all feels homely; there’s even free afternoon tea.
ROOMS: From €149 (£129), B&B. altstadt.at
For luxury
PALAIS COBURG
Built in 1802 as a palace for the Saxe-Coburg family,
Palais Coburg retains a regal feel; some of its 34 suites
boast a sauna, others a whirlpool bath, while the goldplated
staterooms — renovated to their original outré
glory — are where Johann Strauss composed two
polkas and, more recently, where the Iran nuclear deal
was done. That said, the wine bar and pretty garden
restaurant Clementine have a pleasantly informal vibe.
ROOMS: From €795 (£687), B&B. palais-coburg.com
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