This regal property in Landstraße was recently revamped for contemporary travelers

With nods to its past as the royal military equestrian school and later a landmark cinema, the gorgeous historical building that now houses Vienna’s Imperial Riding School, Autograph Collection seamlessly blends the past with the present for a stay that’s equal parts grand and laidback. 

With a semi-private road leading to its entrance, the pet-friendly hotel’s sweeping foyer features a vaulted ceiling and restored stone columns; all lit up in both subtle and dramatic ways. The hotel team worked with London-based Goddard Littlefair on the interiors, and one of the main goals was to open up the communal areas—transforming them into spaces for visitors and locals to gather. This aim is illustrated by the fact that the hotel reception is at the back of the lobby (past several seating areas, coffee stand, the bar and restaurant entrance, and a grand stone staircase) rather than right at the front door.

There are countless colors, fabrics, materials and textures at play in the vast space—from parquetry reminiscent of the kind used to hide horseshoe scuffs to velvet seating that conjures up images of cinemas and opera houses. But they all work together to create the kind of relaxed atmosphere that comes from an eclectic assemblage of styles and eras.

The decision to place the reception at the back of the building also means that everything beyond that area is for hotel guests: the pool, gym, fitness studio, steam room, sauna and 342 guest rooms. This part of the property is from the 1980s addition to the building, so naturally it feels very different from the historical portion, which was first built in 1727 as a palace.

Nevertheless, rooms are comfortable and continue the hotel’s themes with leather headboards, lighting fixtures resembling water canteens, cabinets inlaid with horsehair, and artwork that references Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Franz Joseph I’s wife). Bathrooms are practical and pretty, with sliding stable-style doors to save space and products by Saint Charles Apothecary—whose formulas are made with local, sustainably sourced botanicals.

Back in the old building, there is an open-plan restaurant, aptly called The Ferrier, and bar, Elstar, named for the apples that grew in the orchards behind the riding school. The vast space boasts elaborate chain lighting fixtures and Art Nouveau-tinged works that are meant to pay homage to Austrian artist and member of the Vienna Secession movement, Gustav Klimt, whose work can be seen at the nearby secession museum.

Elstar continues outside into one of the city’s largest outdoor venues, which is walled off from the street so guests don’t have to contend with too much noise from traffic. Within the context of the city, the hotel is located in Vienna’s 3rd district, Landstraße, and is close to tram stops and U-Bahn (subway) and REX (regional train) stations. There’s also parking available for those planning a European road trip. While the immediate blocks aren’t buzzing with restaurants and bars, there’s plenty nearby and the hotel is also a 14-minute walk, 11-minute train ride or eight-minute drive to Belvedere Palace and Botanic Garden, which is on every Vienna must-visit list.

The melange of influences, eras, styles and references works effortlessly within the hotel. Rather than feeling like a patchwork, it’s been pragmatically rethought to suit the type of guest who wants an experience that touches on a place’s past and present—and knows that plenty of that exists in the details.

Hero image courtesy of Autograph Collection Hotels