Hotel Review: Park Hyatt Vienna
Right in the heart of Vienna, the Park Hyatt Vienna seamlessly blends opulence with historical charm. Having opened its doors in 2014, the Park Hyatt is relatively new vintage in the highly competitive market of luxury hotels in the city. Yet even among many of Vienna’s iconic upscale hotels to compete against, Park Hyatt Vienna is a force to reckoned with and truly is one of Vienna’s finest hotels. What sets the Park Hyatt Vienna apart is its commitment to preserving the city’s rich history while offering guests an unparalleled level of comfort.
Housed in a 100-year-old former bank building, this five-star hotel exudes sophistication and refinement at every turn. The hotel boasts 143 spacious and elegantly appointed rooms and suites, each adorned with bespoke furnishings and timeless art. The distinctive combination of Viennese elegance and modern design creates an ambiance that is both inviting and exclusive. Guests can also savour culinary delights at the onsite restaurant where in the open show kitchen, chefs curate a menu that pays homage to Austrian flavours with a contemporary twist of brasserie classics.
Beyond its architectural and culinary allure, the Park Hyatt Vienna offers a wellness oasis in the heart of the city. The hotel’s tranquil spa, located in the former bank vaults, provides a serene escape with a range of rejuvenating treatments. With its prime location near Vienna’s iconic landmarks and a commitment to providing a unique blend of history, luxury, and personalized service, the Park Hyatt Vienna stands as a beacon of sophistication in the heart of Austria’s capital city.
We spent an amazing weekend relaxing and resetting ourselves at the Park Hyatt Vienna after some intense travelling across Europe. It’s safe to say that after those two nights, we wanted to extend our stay. Perhaps you’ll be convinced once I give you the details in this post!
Where Is Park Hyatt Vienna Located?
Even though our time at the Park Hyatt Vienna, was short and sweet, we still managed to explore so much of one of our favourite European cities, do some much needed shopping and taste additional Viennese delicacies within steps of the hotel.
The Park Hyatt is ideally located in the heart of Innere Stadt, the central 1st district of Vienna. It faces out to the open Am Hof Square, which marks the historical centre of Vienna, and surrounding the hotel are the pedestrianized streets of Old Town, dotted with high end shops, cafés, restaurants and views of the stunning St. Stephen’s Cathedral and St. Peter’s Church.
The hotel definitely stands out in its prime location, compared to most of the most top luxury hotels in the city that all seem to be placed along the Kärntner Ring, in close proximity to the Vienna State Opera House. Yes, they may be well established with over a century of history, but finally there’s an upscale home base that’s actually in the thick of where Vienna visitors want to be.
Arrival & Check-In
Before we even arrived at the hotel, we could see the very well dressed doormen waiting patiently at the entrance of the building. Ready to warmly welcome us and help us with our luggage, the porters ushered us into the Park Hyatt Vienna for us to check in.
As we stepped into the grand lobby, the intricate details of the restored architecture immediately transported us to a bygone era. The history that oozed from the stunning interiors were only brought out more with the refinement and restoration the building went through.
The check-in process was as smooth as can be. Although we checked in at around 1:30pm, the team already had our room ready for us. After a quick minute at the reception, one of the hosts at the front desk, Nicole, gave us a quick tour of the building before leading us to our 1 King Bed Deluxe Room.
Our King Bed Deluxe
We headed up the to fifth floor, the second highest floor of the building, to our home for the next two nights. Our first impressions of the King Deluxe Room were positive, mostly because the layout of the room was unique, and 45 sqm was the perfect size for us. And the styling of the room with the touches of timeless opulence, as well as the colours harmonizing so well, were like eye candy to me. I could feel myself become more relaxed and feel at home.
The Bedroom
The Deluxe Room opened up to a bright entryway that extended into a central corridor to the room. It stretched across the whole depth of the room with large windows at the very end and acted as the perfect separation between the bedroom and the bathroom. The bedroom opened up from these heavy duty brushed metal French doors with a stunning contemporary design that certainly alluded to the history of the building. They felt like doors to a fancy bank yet still fit for a residential aesthetic.
The bedroom was cozy and executive. Just around the corner on the door frame was a black touchpad control panel for all our room AC and lighting controls.
Closest to the door was this large and deep armoire. I wondered what it was until I opened it and saw that it was actually our coffee and minibar! All coffee and tea necessities, as well as glassware for drinks, were perfectly tucked away in the doors or put on the display. Little pot lights built in the roof of the armoire lit the coffee space well along with the mirror lined at the back. We had an Illy pod coffee machine along with a kettle for our array of various Dammann teas.
Just beside our coffee bar was a little vanity table against the wall with a large, stunning metal art piece that felt very on brand for Park Hyatt Vienna. We came to see similar golden artwork throughout the hotel later on. We mostly used the table for placing miscellaneous items as opposed to using as a vanity since there was no mirror.
The king bed was as cozy and plush as ever. Did I want to jump in it as soon as we got in the room? Absolutely. But I had to capture a few shots for you guys first. Both sides of the bed frame were built-in control panels much like the central one at the doorway. But unlike the main panel, these controlled the bed reading lights, both the bedroom and bathroom lighting, as well as the shades and curtains. Definitely makes life easier when you don’t need to get out of bed to turn things off or on!
Tucked away on the side but still built into the bed frame are different plug outlets including USB ports. It was super convenient having these here and I’m glad that for once they put them on both sides of the bed, which is not as common as you might thing. On each side of the bed, we also had our own night table and glass bottled complimentary water, coupled with a drinking glass and coaster, were placed on each of them. It’s the simple touches and amenities that make a hotel what it is!
At the foot of the bed was an elegant chaise lounger and round coffee table. I added that coffee table to my mental list of must-haves for our future home. The pearlescent finish was just stunning and matched the feature tiling in the entryway. We sat here comfortably while watching TV on our 40″ flatscreen that we could also keep hidden by sliding closed the mirror above it. Such a cool feature if you want the room to have a more seamless look – and if you just want to check yourself out while in the bedroom!
Right beside the TV was the executive work desk. The entire top of the desk was made of a soft leather desk mat material that matched the mauve theme of the room. Nicely hidden away on the side were an abundance of outlets that would be needed for work and conference calls. Of course, we tried not to work too much while we stayed here, but could definitely understand the luxury of having every port right there. If you need to use the TV as a screen by plugging in your computer, you’re in luck! There’s a VGA and HDMI port, along with audio cable plug-ins as well.
The desk faced out the bedroom window which, in our room, had a view of the hotel’s inner courtyard. It certainly was a much more private alternative to having a view facing out of the building, but be sure to select the view option you want when booking your room!
Wardrobe Hallway
Stepping into the wardrobe hallway, we found a meticulously designed space for our belongings. The white marble tiles and great lighting really helped brighten the space up, and the closet area created a flush aesthetic along the entire wall.
The wardrobe was spacious, offering ample storage for our attire and luggage storage. We had everything we needed in here, including an iron, ironing board, a shoe horn and shoe brush, a large branded umbrella for rainy days out and a ton of hangers. The cupboard shelves offered plenty of space to store miscellaneous items and the security safe was a spacious pullout drawer that actually fit more of our valuables than most other hotel safes. I absolutely loved the glass drawers and everything was slow-close.
Across the wardrobe space and tucked away in the corner beside the entrance to the bathroom was a wide, full-length mirror which added a touch of practicality. We may or may not have taken some mirror selfies here before heading down to dinner.
Bathroom
Moving into the bathroom, through the brass framed privacy glass French doors, we’re greeted by a haven of opulence. The marble-clad space is equipped with a deep soaking tub, a rainfall shower, a double vanity and separate toilet enclave.
The shower is so elegant and large with a wide glass door that opens to it. I loved the vertical trench feature that you can slide the handheld shower head up and down with. It actually locked in place so well and was super easy to move up and down!
There was a spacious cutout in the marble tiling to place your shower amenities which housed the full bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Best part was that the amenities were Le Labo Bergamote 22! They smelled heavenly.
Across from the shower was the area that leads to the separate toilet enclave enclosed by a privacy glass door. I was pleased to see that the flush tank or valves were built right into walk and the buttons were also placed onto the marble tiling. The modernity of the bathroom space was shining through, even in the toilet space.
Against the wall that creates the separation between the toilet space and the sinks was a ton of room for us to hang our cosmetic bag – and also where we found our thick bathrobes and branded slippers!
The double vanity was so nicely designed. The entire wall was one seamless mirror with a TV screen right in the middle, and beautiful lighting fixtures hung on both sides. Under the sinks was a cushioned bench tucked away. If you’ve ever pedicured yourself, you know this padded seating can come in handy! It would be very convenient doing so in this bathroom, especially while leaning your feet against the bathtub tiling.
The rectangular under-mount sinks had a hammered polished nickel finish which was just stunning. Some of the other bathroom paraphernalia like the tissue box holder, soap holder and toiletries tin matched the same texture and finish as the sinks.
Built into the counter was a slow-close drawer that carried other items you might need, including the hair dryer. But if there was anything else you might be missing during your stay, there was a sheet listing all the items you could call for, most of them completely complimentary.
The bathtub setting provided such a spa-like experience. It was placed perfectly in a nook that sits under the large frosted windows and there was actually a lot of room on the marble tiling to place your things. What was unique was that the faucet/shower head didn’t have any handles, but there were flush buttons built into the marble that are used to turn on/off the water as well as select the temperature and pressure. So seamless!
The bathroom was tasteful in design and in the details. From the sleek fixtures to the subtle yet sophisticated lighting, and the premium amenities, it was exactly what we wanted from the Park Hyatt Vienna and more.
Dining at Park Hyatt Vienna
Park Hyatt Vienna has a few onsite dining spots you can enjoy with different atmospheres. The Bank Brasserie & Bar is its main restaurant and serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and various drinks at the bar. For a more laidback and light atmosphere, guests can enjoy the Lounge for breakfast , pastries and light lunch options. And just downstairs from the Lounge is the Café Am Hof, a stunning café that opens up to the Am Hof pedestrian street, and offers delicate pastries and confectioneries.
The Bank Brasserie & Bar
The Bank is one of the most beautiful restaurants we’ve ever dined at! Its name pays homage to the former Lower Austrian Escompte Bank that once occupied the building. Even though the restaurant is now housed in the old bank hall that was constructed in 1915, you would never guess that it was a 100-year-old space. Park Hyatt restored the beautiful bank gracefully. During the daytime, so much light would pour in through the frosted glass and bounce off the marble tiled columns in this large, high-ceiling hall.
On one side of the restaurant is the open show kitchen where we could view some of the chefs preparing various dishes, particularly during breakfast. On the other side is the stunning bar and lounge area. And in the centre is the dining room. Elegant ambient lighting is hung from the ceiling or sprouted from the ornate countertops.
We enjoyed both our dinners and breakfasts at The Bank and I’ll get into what we had and the experience of it all.
Breakfast at The Bank
As we were staying here over the weekend, breakfast was served a little longer from 7am to 11am. The open show kitchen turns into a very well rounded self-serve buffet selection. Each station displays the food so eloquently and offers quite the variety.
The cold section provided a 14 different dishes of slightly roasted or fresh vegetables as well as some salads. There was one area with tropical fruits, both peeled and unpeeled, and a juice bar where freshly pressed juices and nectars were bottled for our choosing. Beside the juices were different kinds of milks as well as yogurts which sat next to the grains and seeds table. You could have your pick from at least 12 different grains, nuts and seeds that you could use for cereal or yogurt parfaits.
The middle section showcased all the fresh breads, pastries and cakes, and an assortment of premium spreads, including Lindt’s hazelnut chocolate spread and The Bank’s very own fruit jams! Over by the hot foods, there was a setting for the deli and cured meats as well as cheeses. The hot food options certainly encompassed more than your typical Austrian and Western hot breakfast. Of course they included your hard boiled eggs, sausages, scrambled eggs, bacon, and roasted potatoes, but there were also quiches and a delicious meatloaf that I couldn’t wait to get a serving of.
At the hot foods station, the chefs were also working hard on preparing some on-request dishes that you could actually order right from your table. We always appreciate a semi-buffet with à la carte options like they had on this breakfast menu. Some classic egg dishes like Eggs Benedict and Avocado Toast were on the list, so we definitely had to put an order in for those.
We of course had to order our daily morning cappuccinos, but another drink that just elevated our breakfast was the complimentary bottomless mimosas! We absolutely loved a little sparkling to brighten up our breakfast spread even more.
Dinner at The Bank
Dinner starts at 6pm daily, but because the bar is open throughout the day, you could always meander in The Bank a little earlier in the evening for some drinks and appies before moving over to the dining area.
During our dinners, we were served different dishes both nights to be able to try a little more on their wide menu. Our server Jason was absolutely fantastic. He’s studying to become a sommelier so he knew a lot about wine pairing and honestly was just a treat to talk to throughout the evening. We started each dinner with the freshest sourdough bread complemented with house-made basil pesto and butter. I couldn’t get enough. Freshly made sourdough is the way to my heart.
Our first night, we opted in for a cocktail each which we found off their specialty The Bank menu. The menu was very unique in that it was displayed like a newspaper, with articles describing the drinks and their flavour profiles and ingredients, and a stock chart that showed the drink prices! As a finance major and trader geek, this was Jason’s favourite part of choosing our drinks.
Over the span of both dinners, we had the braised beets, the cured salmon trout, the pâté de campagne, the Viennese escargots and the hand-cut beef tartare. It was Jason’s first time trying escargots, which he surprisingly enjoyed, and the beef tartare went down as the best we’ve ever had. For appetizers, they really hit the spot for us and were so rich in flavour!
Since we were pretty stuffed from the first course, we toned it down on the mains, but were still served three spectacular dishes. The pike perch, halibut and braised venison saltimbocca seriously hit the spot. I always love fish entrées till the very end, but the pike perch and halibut were something else. And though venison is often very gamey in taste and texture, the roasted cauliflower cream and cranberries completely balanced that out. For a dish I thought I could only have a few bites of, it turned out to be one I couldn’t let go of!
Dinner always ended on such a high note. Whether we were sharing a delightful yet light mille-feuille with Park Hyatt Vienna’s own twist, or trying Kaiserschmarrn for the first time, we were on cloud 9. If you don’t know what Kaiserschmarrn is, it’s an Austrian and Bavarian specialty, also called sour cream schmarrn, that’s essentially the fluffiest shredded pancakes you might ever have the pleasure of trying. It tastes like sweet clouds! To top it off, we also had to pair our Kaiserscharrn with some homemade gelato and sorbet.
Arany Spa
Nestled in the Park Hyatt Vienna building’s former vault, is the hotel’s spa and fitness centre. Arany Spa is a relaxing retreat in the heart of the city. Being in “the vault” in the lower levels of the building, you sort of lose the sense of time when you’re here, making it the perfect place to relax in.
The Arany Spa offers a whole menu of treatments, from hydrafacials to massages, manicures to hair removal. Next door at the Rossano Feretti hair salon, you can also get your hair done. In between treatments, all the Arany Spa amenities are yours to use, and of course, hotel guests get unlimited access. Whether you’d like to take a dip at the swimming pool, relax in the spa facilities or get a workout in, you can visit any time during operating hours.
Swimming Pool
The 15m swimming pool has a revitalizing aura about it. For an underground pool, it sure gives off a relaxing vibe! With the perfect lighting, it creates what looks like an eclipse against the feature wall with a Roman style sculpted design embraced within the semi-circle. The eclipse look is complete when you look at the lighting reflection in the water of the bright pool.
On both sides of the pool lengthwise, there are cushioned nook benches positioned against the full-height windows that look into the pool area. On one side is the hair salon and on the other is the fitness centre. At the entrance of the pool are sun bed loungers that are nicely tucked to the side and face out to the pool. If you want more space to lounge in between dips at the pool, head back down the stairs to the lounge space. There are many more cushioned chaise loungers here just outside the changing facilities.
Don’t forget that the swimming pool isn’t the only place to self rejuvenate and relax! Head to the common wet area where they have a Finnish sauna, a steam room as well as an emotional or sensorial shower. The Finnish sauna runs hot at 90°C and the steam room at 60°C. I could only stay in there for so long but the cold water hose in the steam room helped cool me down! The immersive shower is always such a cool feature as it plays with lights, colour, sound and even smell.
Be sure to check out the spa facilities located in the changing rooms too! In the ladies’ change room, we had a sanarium! It was nice to have our own Finnish sauna in there too, which was great for more privacy and comfort.
Fitness Centre
The fitness centre of Arany Spa is fully equipped for an invigorating workout. For cardio machines they have stairmasters, treadmills, cross trainers and stationary bikes. Isolated muscle machines are provided as well, for arms, legs, back and abs. Free weights, dumbbells and bars along with benches are located here, as well as some cables, medicine balls, balance balls and yoga balls.
All of the equipment was brand new and state-of-the-art, and a full width and full height mirror took of two of the four walls of the entire gym. At the entrance of the room, you’ll find a filtered cold water tap along with fresh towels to keep you hydrated and dry during your workout.
It’s a decently large space but we noticed a lot of other guests were also keen to use the gym! If you want it all to yourself, you may want to consider going during off hours, typically when other guests are getting ready for meal time. We thought the best time for us to come and use the equipment freely was around 5pm, as most folks are freshening up for the evening at that time.
All in all, the gym was nice and cool, had all the equipment we needed with some fancy features, and the aesthetic was on par for what we would expect from an old bank building that transformed into a Park Hyatt. There was a decent amount of open space for us to utilize the free weights and bars, while still having a view of ourselves in the mirror to check form. And working out at 5pm definitely got our appetite going for dinner!
Conclusion
The overall ambiance of the Park Hyatt Vienna is one of understated elegance and modern comfort. It effortlessly combines classic design elements with contemporary touches, ensuring a stay that is not only luxurious but also deeply rejuvenating. Even though we were staying here over a busy weekend when there were events going on at the hotel, there was still an incredible sense of quietness at the Arany Spa swimming pool and particularly in our Deluxe King Room!
This sanctuary within the heart of Vienna promises an unforgettable experience for the discerning traveler seeking the epitome of comfort and style while being steps away from the action of this historical city!
