Elite Traveler September-October 2018

elite traveler SEPT/OCT 2018 127

Clockwise from top Steirereck’s pomelo with coconut and Diamante citron; Konstantin Filippou’s hazlenut, truffle, dashi dish; the formal living room of the Hotel Sacher Wien; the Royal Suite at the Hotel Imperial Vienna; the magnificent chandelier of the Presidential Suite at the Park Hyatt Vienna

TAKE THREE/// RESTAURANTS

Kunsthistorisches MuseumWien While most people don’t visit a world-class museum to eat, on Thursday nights, sophisticated diners head to Vienna’s masterwork gallery for a gourmet dinner party beneath its colorful cupola. Home to the Habsburg’s eclectic and priceless art collection, you can have your first course, then peruse the Rubens, nibble a second, then be awed by the Titians. This is where art and food combine for a magical evening. With a group? Consider renting the entire museum, an opportunity that allows dinner to be served in a number of galleries. khm.at Konstantin Filippou Off the streets of Vienna’s First District, where elaborate architecture defines the exteriors, eponymously named Michelin-starred Konstantin Filippou awaits. Its unexpectedly austere, modern, chic decor is both cool and comfortable; its simplicity ensures you’ll focus on the complexity of the food. Mirroring the chef’s bicultural background — Austrian and Greek — the menu plays with combinations of land and sea. Innovative, edgy, surprising and satiating, this isn’t the spot to try that Wienerschnitzel you craved, but an opportunity to see the new Vienna. konstantinfilippou.com Steirereck Fresh apple strudel made every hour is reason enough to pay a visit to local gourmet sanctuary Steirereck, a long-standing icon with two Michelin stars. Located in Stadtpark, one of inner Vienna’s most popular parks, this charming Relais & Châteaux restaurant is set in an old dairy depot, and turns out dishes from duck stew to artichoke salad. Go for the tasting menu, which may range from pig trotters to venison to char. Want to be mind-blown? Their cheese presentation, featuring 120 varieties from around the world, does not disappoint. steirereck.at

SUITE STAYS

PRESIDENTIAL SUITE Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna Fringing the Ringstrasse on a quieter street just minutes from the top sites, the historic Palais Hansen feels far away from Vienna’s crowds. The airy hotel’s bronze overtones and metallic hues reference Vienna’s stellar Art Nouveau movement, and its sleek feel is deftly blended with 1920s flair. In the elegant one-bedroom Presidential Suite, the largest in the city, there’s a salon with office area and piano, dining room for 12 and a lush living wall filled with plants. From $9,500 per night. Contact Sonja Orth, reservation manager, sonja.orth@kempinski.com, +43 123 610 00, kempinski.com

PRESIDENTIAL SUITE ParkHyatt Vienna

PRESIDENTIAL PENTHOUSE SUITE Hotel SacherWien Some say Sacher-Torte, the historic hotel’s famed chocolate cake, is Vienna’s greatest indulgence. But check in to this dazzling example of fin-de-siècle design to discover a hotel as enticing as the confection it serves. A fantasia of opulent interiors, Hotel Sacher Wien excels in white-gloved coddling. This two- bedroom suite has an ample terrace with superlative views; inside, shades of red take you from the formal living room to the chinoiserie-wallpapered bedroom. From $5,770 per night. Contact Wolfgang Buchmann, chief concierge,

ROYAL SUITE Hotel Imperial Vienna Built for the Prince of Württemberg in 1863 as a royal residence, this resplendent palace embodies Vienna’s historical grandeur. With showstopping chandeliers Collection Hotel, plays up its aristocratic heritage. Choose one of three Royal Suites with silk walls, sumptuous upholstery and motif-inlaid parquet floors. Located on the second floor, each has a 22-ft-high ceiling and retains a polished, regal elegance. From$5,885 per night. Contact Daniela Stoppel, assistant to general manager, daniela.stoppel@luxurycollection.com, +43 150 1100 425, imperialvienna.com and stucco-decorated ceilings, the splendid Hotel Imperial, a Luxury

Typifying Vienna’s complementary duet of old and new, the stylish Park Hyatt Vienna transformed a bank into a modern hotel in the Unesco-sited AmHof Square. In the Presidential Suite, anchored by a Lobmeyr chandelier and Bösendorfer piano, 1,829 sq ft unfold to reveal a canopy king bed, living area, dining room, well-equipped kitchenette and immense marble bathroomwith heated floors. Dine at The Bank Brasserie & Bar, a popular ode to the building’s history. From $5,800 per night. Contact Gabriel Horrak, front office manager, vienna.park@hyatt.com, +43 122 740 1234, hyatt.com

portier.wien@sacher.com, +43 151 4560, sacher.com

Photos Gregor Titze, Palais Hansen Kempinski, Gerard Wasserbauer