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"Fabulous -- elegant yet not ostentatious"
Beautiful hotel; wonderfully friendly and accommodating staff; great location. Couldn't ask for anything more!
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Imperial Hotel - Very Posh - One of the best Hotels in Vienna"
I actually didn't plan to come to Vienna on this trip. I always wanted to hit Vienna as I heard it was a beautiful city. I was on vacation in Budapest and I was surprised at how small Vienna was. I was there for 6 days which is entirely too much time so I immediately started researching online which cities where within 3 hours by train. I immediately saw that Vienna was a bit less than 3 hours. I was staying at the Sofitel in Budapest (see my view on Trip Advisor) and the hotel concierge told me when I asked him that the best hotel in Vienna was the Hotel Imperial.
I went upstairs to my room and booked it directly online. A King size bed suite is not cheap at about u$s 550 per night but it was a vacation so I wanted to treat myself. I arrived by train and it was a very easy trip. A round-trip train ticket in first class was only about u$s 125.
The hotel has old world charm and is located in one of the best neighborhoods in the city. The lobby was very impressive. It has an Alvear Palace in Buenos Aires type of feel to it. I actually prefer more modern hotels but I had an amazing stay in Vienna. The hotel staff was very polite to me. I read some other posts on Trip Advisor where they said the staff was “stuffy” but they were very polite to me. (I’m definitely not the stuffy type). Actually all the other guests I saw were older in their 50’s and 60’s for the most part I’d say. I was on holiday and didn’t have any dress clothes and most people were dressed up but the hotel staff didn’t treat me any differently. Any time I asked for directions or about city tours, shopping, etc. they were very polite to me. I definitely knew I’d come back here so I wanted to check out another hotel in town and I asked the guy at the front desk where it was and he pulled out a mini-map and even showed me on the map. Very polite.
My room was very nice with a big bathroom. The location was amazing as it was close to everything. There was a shopping mall across the street but nothing special. There is however a nice small supermarket downstairs with nice cheeses, meats and fresh fruit.
I was really blown away by how beautiful Vienna is. I love architecture and it was amazing to see the beautiful buildings. The city is extremely beautiful and clean and I found the locals very polite and upbeat. In Budapest the locals seemed depressed and void of any real life but it was nice to get away for 2 nights here in Vienna.
I took a nice tour of the city on the open buses for €20 and I spent a lot of time walking around. I bought a one day metro pass for €6 but I didn’t really use it as my hotel was so conveniently located. I did go down one day to take it across town and was amazed to see that there are no turn-stiles to take tickets or verify if anyone bought a ticket. That was pretty rare as I’ve never seen that in any city that I’ve been in a Metro in. A very trusting city I guess.
I walked around all hours of the day and night and it’s a very safe city. The hotel is great and the staff was wonderful as well.
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"Imperial Hotel - Very Posh - One of the best Hotels in Vienna"
I actually didn't plan to come to Vienna on this trip. I always wanted to hit Vienna as I heard it was a beautiful city. I was on vacation in Budapest and I was surprised at how small Vienna was. I was there for 6 days which is entirely too much time so I immediately started researching online which cities where within 3 hours by train. I immediately saw that Vienna was a bit less than 3 hours. I was staying at the Sofitel in Budapest (see my view on Trip Advisor) and the hotel concierge told me when I asked him that the best hotel in Vienna was the Hotel Imperial.
I went upstairs to my room and booked it directly online. A King size bed suite is not cheap at about u$s 550 per night but it was a vacation so I wanted to treat myself. I arrived by train and it was a very easy trip. A round-trip train ticket in first class was only about u$s 125.
The hotel has old world charm and is located in one of the best neighborhoods in the city. The lobby was very impressive. It has an Alvear Palace in Buenos Aires type of feel to it. I actually prefer more modern hotels but I had an amazing stay in Vienna. The hotel staff was very polite to me. I read some other posts on Trip Advisor where they said the staff was “stuffy” but they were very polite to me. (I’m definitely not the stuffy type). Actually all the other guests I saw were older in their 50’s and 60’s for the most part I’d say. I was on holiday and didn’t have any dress clothes and most people were dressed up but the hotel staff didn’t treat me any differently. Any time I asked for directions or about city tours, shopping, etc. they were very polite to me. I definitely knew I’d come back here so I wanted to check out another hotel in town and I asked the guy at the front desk where it was and he pulled out a mini-map and even showed me on the map. Very polite.
My room was very nice with a big bathroom. The location was amazing as it was close to everything. There was a shopping mall across the street but nothing special. There is however a nice small supermarket downstairs with nice cheeses, meats and fresh fruit.
I was really blown away by how beautiful Vienna is. I love architecture and it was amazing to see the beautiful buildings. The city is extremely beautiful and clean and I found the locals very polite and upbeat. In Budapest the locals seemed depressed and void of any real life but it was nice to get away for 2 nights here in Vienna.
I took a nice tour of the city on the open buses for €20 and I spent a lot of time walking around. I bought a one day metro pass for €6 but I didn’t really use it as my hotel was so conveniently located. I did go down one day to take it across town and was amazed to see that there are no turn-stiles to take tickets or verify if anyone bought a ticket. That was pretty rare as I’ve never seen that in any city that I’ve been in a Metro in. A very trusting city I guess.
I walked around all hours of the day |
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"Fabulous -- elegant yet not ostentatious"
Beautiful hotel; wonderfully friendly and accommodating staff; great location. Couldn't ask for anything more!
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"Opulence with modern touches, Old World Service"
We booked our stay at this property using Starwood points. I read previous reviews regarding the service at the Imperial, and take strong exception to comments regarding this hotel's bad/indifferent service. Front desk and concierge service here is old world: cold yet efficient, gracious without being solicitious, and somewhat impersonal. Many American travelers are not used to this type of formal service and interpret is as rude, it is not ! We stayed in the Elizabeth suite on the mezzanine floor; huge foyer, small bar room, narrow but luxurious living room, mirrored pocket doors openeing to a king bedroom, and a huge luxurious bath. Five chandliers, formal furniture, but with flat screen tvs, motorized window shutters, Bulgari toiletries. Prompt and efficient room service during our stay. Dress for dinner in the formal dining room, more casual cafe with good service there, too. Very nice small gym workout facility on the top floor, within walking distance to museums, Opera House and shopping. Gorgeous lobby and marble staircases. Splurge and stay here and be prepared to be wowed. And don't go tramping thru their lobby in shorts, sneakers, overly casual clothing, loud voices, and poor manners. It is not the place for it.
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"Impeccable service, a jewel of a hotel."
Our recent five-night at the Hotel Imperial was over the Christmas holiday. Enjoying Christmas in Vienna while staying at the Imperial is a truly memorable time. The hotel's customer service has to be among the best I have ever experienced. I found the front staff to be warm and welcoming. This is a great hote in a great European city.
Our room was probably one of the less desirable, inside view/ near one elevator, but it was nonetheless a very nicely appointed space. Walk-in closet, separate WC, and fine furnishings. The bed had two "single" duvets which is a bit of a change for us, and perhaps not ideal for a couple. The bed was otherwise very comfortable and even with our particular room's location, the room as very quiet. Towels could be a bit more plush. The luxurious appointments gave the space an authentic "royal" feel. This was one of the prettiest hotel rooms I have ever been around.
Much of our stay was of course centered around Christmas so therefore those details are a bit useless for most now. However, the staff's efforts around the holiday does give insight into their dedication to service. The General Manager scheduled a nice little cocktail hour and concert in the beautiful main lobby room and when we returned to our room we had received a bottle of wine and special Evian water. Mr Schoen runs a tight ship, and very well.
The Imperial's location is quite good, right on the "The Ring". It is within walking distance to many sights and the tram stops just a way's away at Karlplatz. Now, that U station is a bit of a dump, do beware when traveling through that piece of Vienna. The Hofburg, St Stephens, fine shopping, are all right nearby. This area has many of the big name hotels, and for a reason, it is where most will want to spend much of their time in Vienna.
We only ate room service at the Imperial, but it was top-notch. Very fine service. The offerings at the Cafe Imperial and restaurant Imperial just did not suit our needs as they had several special Christmas menus. Otherwise, I would definitely have a meal/snack in the Cafe Imperial. The other areas of the hotel are as they appear on the web: grand, luxurious, museum like spaces. Unreal beauty for a hotel. I simply cannot say enough about the sheer beauty of the place.
Downsides: well, it can get expensive fast in this city and especially at the hotel. Houesekeeping could have been more prompt and thorough. The area around Karlsplatz can be a bit dodgy. Otherwise, this is one of the finest hotels I have ever visited and is one of the best Luxury Collection proeprties I've experienced.
It's a classic, stay if you can.
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"Fabulous hotel"
I had always wanted to see Vienna during the Christmas season and experience the Christmas markets. I decided to splurge on a hotel and our stay at the Imperial was absolutely fabulous. The concierge was extremely helpful, the staff in the bar was great and everyone I encountered at the hotel was friendly. My room was beautiful, although I agree that the two single duvets were rather odd. All in all, a great hotel and Vienna may be my new favorite city.
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"old style class"
My wife and i spent 2 nights at this hotel. It was classically decorated with true 5 star service. The room in which we stayed was beautifully furnished, if not quite as large as the web photos portrayed. Value for money? 8 out of 10. One last point, i love 5 star hotels and elegance, but, at the Imperial it sometimes feels a little more for the slightly 'older generation'!
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"Perfect"
The hotel is beautiful beyond description. The public rooms were nicer than those we saw at some of the attractions we paid to tour. The staff were not quite so solicitous as at some other luxury hotels we have stayed at [e.g., Claridge's], but they were perfectly polite and accommodating. Our rumpled khaki and polo shirt travel garb did not appear to faze them at all, and I did not get the impression that there were overt or hidden snobbery issues in operation. An added bonus: we were very fortunate to get a special discount of about 100 euros a night by mentioning AARP membership when we booked and pre-paying for our stay.
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"My best hotel experience"
This was my best hotel experience ever, and I stayed in many best hotels in the world (such as The Lanesborough and Four Seasons in London, St Regis in New York or Plaza Athennee in Paris).
The hotel is a real palace and public areas are exceptional. If you get to the Imperial floor (lower floor) your room will be as luxury as you could imagine.
I stayed their for points and got upgrade to Imperial Suite. That was an experience. But even without that, I would enjoy the stay.
The staff is very professional there. The concierge arranged the best opera tickets for me. I ate mainly in the room to feel the luxury and privacy and the room service was a great experience as well.
The room was probably 80 sq m (including anteroom, living room, bedroom, and a very large bathroom). Each of the four rooms had huge crystal chandelier. The ceilings were probably 5.5 meters high. And the rooms were very well heated, except for the bathroom which could be warmer (the only negative I can tell). As I understand higher floors are more basic.
For that kind of luxury the rack rate I saw at Euro 1500 was not too high, but generally the hotel is one of the most expensive as well.
My strong recommendation is to stay their at least once to enjoy the palace experience.
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