Pretty & Posh: The Best Palace Hotels in Vienna

Photo courtesy Palais Cobourg

Fancy trying one of the most opulent hotel experiences in Austria? Then read through Contributor Sue Kelly’s list of the most luxurious palace hotels in Vienna

Updated Nov 21, 2022 / Commissions may be earned from our affiliate partner links

Welcome to Vienna, the capital city of Austria. Everyone has their own mental image of Vienna, and there are not enough adjectives to describe every facet of this majestic city.

The historic centre of Vienna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a true reflection of how utterly breathtaking this city is. Known for its dazzling palaces, imperial artwork, and rich musical culture, Vienna is the home of Sigmund Freud, Mozart, and Beethoven. This captivating city is fueled by inspiration and creativity, and stuns with opulent architecture.

City planners have made traveling a dream with the municipal railway station inside the airport, the City Airport Train, buses, and the excellent subway system of the Vienna Metro. Vienna is also a great city for walking and is known for charming pedestrian zones winding through the historic areas. 

Viennese pastry shops, traditional cafés, and award-winning restaurants offer some of the best food and drink in Austria, and luxury Vienna hotels include lavish palace hotels, chic boutique hotels, and luxury spa hotels. Here are some of the top palace hotels in Vienna.

The Top Luxury Palace Hotels in Vienna

Palais Cobourg

The exclusive Palais Coburg is one of the top palace hotels in Vienna. Located in Vienna’s Old Town, it is close to upscale shopping, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and gilded theatres where Mozart and Beethoven once premiered their works.

This 5-star hotel has amenities galore, including an exclusive spa complex. Featuring views over the roofs of Vienna, this luxe wellness space includes a sauna, steam bath, hot tub, indoor pool, sun terrace, and modern fitness centre.

Two onsite restaurants offer some of the excellent dining choices. Clementine im Glashaus offers an a-la-carte menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and high tea.

If elegance and romance are in the air, choose the Silvio Nickol gourmet restaurant, where both Austrian and international dinner cuisine is served in a delicious ambience. With six wine cellars and a bar, a wide selection of fine wines is available to discerning guests.

Just as each guest is unique, so are the 33 suites. Pamper yourself in luxury, as the extra high ceilings allow extraordinary light to dapple the extravagant décor. A bottle of champagne, a fruit and chocolate treat, and a flower bouquet are gifts to all palace guests. The price also includes free minibar consumption.

Reviews, Rates, & Reservations: For further details, please visit Palais Coburg.

Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna

Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna is located in the historic heart of the metropolis near the Danube River and close to the former Vienna Stock Exchange, St Stephen’s Cathedral, world-class museums, and luxury shopping. This luxurious Vienna palace hotel is only 25 minutes by car from the Vienna International Airport and is easily accessible by public transport.

The Palais Hansen Kempinski blends historic luxury with Viennese charm, and this quintessential hotel in Vienna Austria has it all. Whether your visit is for pleasure, business, or to celebrate a special family event, the Palais Hansen Kempinski will meet your every need.

Every event is considered special and is planned to the client’s unique expectations. There are ten conference rooms, a ballroom with a historical column-lined foyer, and Die Küche Wien restaurant. In short, the property offers endless possibilities to make an event as individual as the occasion.

A distinctive feature is the impressive Kempinski Spa, which offers a full range of body treatments. Several sauna options provide definitive relaxation: choose your temperature and humidity levels in the mixed sauna, ladies’ sauna, the steam bath, or bio-sauna.

Reviews, Rates, & Reservations: For further details, please visit Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna.

Austria Trend Hotel Schloss Wilhelminenberg 

Have you ever wished to be in a fairy tale? Well, your dream might come true if you choose this palace in Vienna. Once a grand imperial hunting retreat, the Austria Trend Hotel Schloss Wilhelminenberg was converted into a Schloss, which means palace or manor in German.

The Austria Trend Hotel Schloss Wilhelminenberg is located on the summit of a mountain with spectacular views of Vienna, and surrounded by meadows, trails, and vineyards. A popular hiking excursion to the top of Wilhelminenberg combines sightseeing and dining in an idyllic setting.

This 4-star hotel boasts a winter garden where breakfast is served. Guests can enjoy Viennese specialties in the fine dining room or on the terrace. Pastries and coffee are offered at the Schloss Café.

Wilhelminenberg boasts 87 elegant rooms, a library, and a spacious park. Conferences can be accommodated, too – up to 2,000 participants. Guest rooms come with a single or king size bed, bathtub, hair dryer, free toiletries, mini-bar, desk, safe, air conditioning, and slippers.

Reviews, Rates, & Reservations: For further details, please visit Austria Trend Hotel Schloss Wilhelminenberg.

Hotel & Palais Strudlhof 

Steeped in the atmosphere and architecture of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Hotel & Palais Strudlhof is a stunning palace hotel in Vienna that combines history and tradition with modernism. This traditional 4-star hotel is located in a quiet district just a short walk from the charming city centre.

If you are hosting a gala, party, or family celebration, the Palais Strudlhof works with renowned catering partner, M*eventcatering, which exclusively operates the Strudlhof’s food and beverage department. The notable gourmet guide Tafelspitz has consistently ranked M*eventcatering among the top five caterers in Austria.

This family-friendly hotel provides each suite with a flat screen TV, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, minibar, and room service. There is a lovely breakfast service and a rooftop terrace, making this a popular choice among travellers to Vienna.

The Palais Strudlhof has venues that will inspire, whether you’re hosting a business meeting, seminar, conference, workshop, or training session. The ongoing support, technology, and attention to detail will set you up for success, and a rich variety of snacks and tailor-made culinary delights can be personalized for your coffee and lunch breaks.

Reviews, Rates, & Reservations: For further details, please visit Hotel & Palais Strudlhof.

K+K Palais Hotel

Like all K+K Hotels, the Palais Hotel is a luxury boutique hotel in Vienna, Austria offering state-of-the-art amenities and lavish personal services. Based near the Stock Exchange and Austria Centre, it is one of the best places to stay in Vienna, especially if you are a commercial traveller.

This former palace of Emperor Franz Joseph has been beautifully modernized with elegantly furnished rooms. For short-stay or business travellers, consider selecting a Cozy Room, which features adjustable air-conditioning, flat screen satellite TV with international channels, direct-dial telephone, laptop size electronic safe, mini-bar, coffee and tea making facilities, free high-speed internet access via LAN and Wi-Fi, electronic door lock, and a work desk.

The modern bathrooms dazzle with granite and porcelain fixtures and walk-in showers or bathtubs. Additional amenities include a towel dryer, hairdryer, cosmetic mirror, guest toiletries, and fluffy towels. An extra benefit is a complimentary daily bottle of water.

For long stay travellers and families up to three persons, the Spacious Rooms are ideal. Extra benefits include complimentary daily bottle of water, bathrobe, slippers, and early check-in (before 3 pm) and late check-out (after 12 pm) upon availability.

Reviews, Rates, & Reservations: For further details, please visit K+K Palais Hotel.

Pertschy Palais Hotel

The Pertschy family have been welcoming guests to their Vienna palace hotel for over 50 years. Located in the heart of Old Town, it is just minutes away from major historical sites such as the Hofburg Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and the Vienna State Opera House. The Karntner Strasse – the elegant pedestrian shopping area with cafés, upscale fashion boutiques, and the flagship store of Swarovski crystal – is also nearby.

Whether you are seeking accommodation as a couple, family, or business traveler, all 55 rooms reflect the old Viennese ambience that will remind you of the splendour of days gone by. A panoramic floor to ceiling elevator will usher you to one of four floors in this remarkable boutique hotel.

Depending on the price point, some guest rooms feature romantic open fireplaces, baroque period furniture, 13-foot ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and executive armchairs. All rooms offer a bathtub/shower, hairdryer, telephone, LCD Sat TV, safe, minibar, and free Wi-Fi.

Reviews, Rates, & Reservations: For further details, please visit Pertschy Palais Hotel.

Imperial Riding School Renaissance Vienna Hotel

One of the top luxury palace hotels in Vienna, the Imperial Riding School Renaissance by Marriott is housed in an 1850 military riding school. Today, the hotel is a chic home base for adventurers exploring the city centre.

The baroque Belvedere Palace – with its impressive Klimt collection – is just a short walk away, as is the Vienna State Opera. Public transportation offers convenient access from the property to the airport and other famous attractions.

Settle in to graceful, pet-friendly rooms and suites, which offer high-speed Wi-Fi, pillowtop beds, air-conditioning, a large workspace, and 24-hour room service. Plush beds are dressed with fluffy pillows, down duvets, and crisp linens. Reserve one of the Superior accommodations for extra space to stretch out.

Start your morning in Vienna with a full American buffet breakfast at Borromaeus. In the evening, enjoy a traditional Austrian dinner at the rustic Arsenal. You can also sip cocktails at the Lobby Bar and enjoy light bites and a selection of local and international beers. 

The onsite City Garden can be reserved for private events. Challenge yourself to a workout in the fitness center, a swim in the indoor pool, or simply enjoy the sauna and adjacent sunbathing area.

Reviews, Rates, & Reservations: For further details, please visit Imperial Riding School Renaissance Vienna Hotel

Schloss Schönbrunn Suite

Schönbrunn Palace is one of Austria’s most important cultural assets. It is a major tourist attraction in Vienna, drawing millions of visitors each year. In 1996, it was deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the significance of its gardens and unique baroque architecture.

Tucked within the Schönbrunn Palace is the Schloss Schönbrunn Suite, which is one of the most famous treasures of Austria’s cultural heritage. The Schönbrunn Suite is solely owned by the republic of Austria and is one of the most dazzling accommodations of all palace hotels in Vienna.

Called The Grand Suite, these exclusive living quarters are located in the eastern wing of Schönbrunn Palace. The sumptuously decorated suite, in rich golds, blacks, and reds, lets guests enjoy the imperial ambience of the Habsburgs’ former summer residence.

The suite comprises 2 bedrooms, a drawing room, a living room, full kitchen, and 2 gleaming ebony and ivory bathrooms. You will feel like royalty in the massive 4-poster bed enveloped in gauzy, ivory curtains.

A highlight is the unparalleled view across the expansive gardens – from the Grand Suite the panorama opens out to the Neptune Fountain, the Privy Garden and out onto the Gloriette garden viewing point. The palace gardens also include the world’s oldest zoo.

For further details, please visit Schloss Schönbrunn Suite.

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Contributor Sue Kelly is intrigued by the road less travelled, especially when the destination is somewhere luxurious. She’s also a radio host, wellness educator, and author of Still Sexy After Sixty (www.stillsexyafter60.com).