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 reservations.vienna@kempinski.com. 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.