THE RING, VIENNA'S CASUAL LUXURY HOTEL
Chic boutique comes to Vienna at the city’s hippest hotelSTEP ASIDE, MOZART. Staid old Vienna – not usually on the radar when it comes to all things hip and trendy – boasts
one of the chicest boutique hotels this side of the Alps. Just a stone’s throw from the Vienna Opera House, The Ring Hotel sits on the Kärtner Ring that loops around the city centre. It’s an unbeatable location.
The Ring is one of the new breed of self-styled “casual luxury” hotels – places where you can
get everything you want but without that five-star grandness.
We’re talking luxe here with a laid-back edge – smart without being snooty. It has all the feel of a home-from-home urban retreat.
Elegant interiors blend classic elements with the sleek and contemporary. I loved the way the old ornate wrought iron elevator – a touch of vintage Vienna – is cleverly incorporated into its modern surrounds.
Hit the Spot Right on Vienna’s famous Ringstrasse, near the Opera House.
Pillow Talk Spacious X-Ordinary rooms have every comfort and fabulous views.
Be savvy It’s a nice base, too, for girly weekends and shopping trips.
Be smitten Laidback luxe – and no Lederhosen.
Cafe au lait and cream Upstairs, shades of pistachio, cream and café au lait. are set off by
chocolate brown throws and smart teak furniture. Tall gold lamps, vases of fresh flowers and picture collages add striking decorative touches.
We had amazing views of Vienna's trams and treetops below from our fifth floor bedroom, with the Opera House just across the street. And with our
in-room Nespresso machine – matching the room colours, naturally – we could sip a cappuccino any time liked.
I just adored the beds – they are huge, piled in pillows and cushions, and supremely comfortable. And they are so high
I felt I was sleeping on a cloud. Needless to say we slumbered like angels.
Rooms at the Ring are not just about hop-into-bed comforts, either. You’ll find a flatscreen TV with more channels than you can count, free wi-fi and phones with voicemail. Bathrooms have huge rain showers and plenty of Molton Brown bubbly stuff.
There’s a suitably intimate bar on the ground floor where you can
sink into leather armchairs and chink vodka glasses with well-heeled locals, and a smart restaurant done out in springy greens serving contemporary cuisine with an accent on herbs, spices and sauces.
Work off your indulgences later in the
rooftop health club or go for more spoiling in the little spa – a perfectly designed space with impressive views over the city rooftops – where it’s all gentle music and therapeutic lighting. Zzzzzzz.
The Ring Hotel was reviewed for Room for Romance by
Katharina Hahn
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Dining in Blond wood tables and spring green fabrics are complemented by pots of fresh herbs in At Eight, The Ring’s fine dining restaurant. There’s an emphasis on fresh herbs, and dishes on the weekly changing menus may include lobster tortelloni,
deep-fried rabbit roll with parsnip and sorrel, braised knuckle of suckling pig or
monkfish with creamy morel noodles. A vast wine list features over 70 bins.
We loved breakfast at the Ring: you can guzzle up to six courses here, including fresh waffles, eggs every which way, steaks, lots of fresh fruit and delicious pastries.
A real set-you-up-for-the-day feast. Breakfast Breakfast (charged extra) is served until 11am.
Room service Available 24 hours a day
Where? At Eight at The Ring Hotel.
What’s cooking? Veal tenderloin served with kohlrabi, nettles and macadamia nuts, with a mango-papaya crème brulée to follow.
Top table? Directly by the window.
See & Do Most of Vienna’s big sights can be found in the Innere Stadt, the historic city centre encircled by the Ringstrasse. Schönbrunn palace – where Mozart performed before the court at the age of six – is a 1,441 room Baroque blockbuster. From here, you can visit the tombs of the Hapsburgs, where the infamous Empress Maria Theresa is buried.
Walk through the cobbled streets of the 18th century Spittelberg quarter and don’t miss the giant modern art complex Museumsquartier. Also worth clocking is Hundertwasser Haus – the world-famous housing complex that’s all curves, mosaics and vivid colours.
An outing to Vienna’s Prater amusement park with its giant Ferris wheel and riding trails is a must in summer. You’ll also find plenty of grassy spots for dawdling along the Danube and watching the boats.
Spa You’ll find a pamper zone at The Ring's little top-floor spa. There's a fitness area, steam bath, sauna and treatment menu that includes hot stone massage and manicures. It 's all very tastefully done and there's a round window with amazing views over the city.
Diary Dates February Vienna waltzes into the spotlight with the famous Viennese Opera Ball.
May-June Opera, music and theatre take to the stage for the lively Vienna Festwochen.
November-December Stock up with presents and glug the Glühwein at the Vienna Christmas Market.
GETTING THERE Location Kaerntner Ring, 1010 Vienna
Parking Garage parking is available at EUR 26 per night.
Trains Südbahnhof station – 1.5km
Taxis EUR 8-10 from the station. Limo transfers from the airport can be arranged for EUR 42 euro.
Airport Vienna International – 18km
Rooms and suites Sixty rooms, eight suites
Special features A huge list of in-room amenities includes free wi-fi, voicemail and dozens of TV channels, anti-allergic pillows and fluffy robes.
Also… You can rustle up a quick espresso with your in-room Nespresso coffee machine or dip into your fully-stocked refreshment bar.
ESSENTIAL INFO Rates guide EUR 330-700
Open/closed Open all year
Check-in 2pm
Check-out Midday
Minimum night stay? No
Children Welcome
Pets Welcome
Air conditioning Yes – all rooms
Wedding license? No