K+K Palais Hotel ★★★★

“Tones sound, and roar and storm about me until I have set them down in notes.” – Beethoven

Imagine: it’s 1793, Vienna. Before you is an impressive skyline; the grandeur of imperial buildings and domes of concert halls, churches and cathedrals. In a small apartment in a large block building, far away from his family and birthplace, sits Beethoven, impatiently scribbling away on endless pieces of manuscript as semi-quavers, quavers and crochets race through his mind, inspired by Bach, and waiting on his meeting with his instructor Haydn. This is the city that spreads out before us, a grand city of history-making scholars, one of the most magnificent cities in Europe. Tall red-brick buildings, beige and white blocks, intricate cathedrals and fresh, beautiful green spaces lie amongst modern-day creations. They don’t make them like this anymore.

“Do not only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets.” – Beethoven

However, they do make excellent hotels perfectly situated to explore the secrets in every corner of diverse Vienna. The K+K Palais hotel is housed in a previous residence of Emperor Francis Joseph I, so you’ll find the building not short of the grandeur that surrounds it. This magnificent brilliant white building boasts beautiful, large arched windows and wide spacious rooms. It evokes every sense of being in a palace. We enter via modern glass doors that front the antique building and are first struck by the central staircase, carpeted in a glorious scarlet red. What a way to make us feel like royalty! On one side of this central piece is a modern and chic bar, and on the other a sleek reception desk, this building was proving itself to be, like Vienna, an infallible mix of old and new.

Upstairs the spacious bright feeling of the hotel continues. The executive rooms are decorated in white with light-brown wood panelling with soft touches of light, art and flowers. The bathroom is classic; furnished in white granite and porcelain. What we liked most was the revitalising feel of this fresh large space which carried through to the walk-in shower. The room has everything one could wish for; flat-screen Cable television, telephone, desk, high speed internet access, virtual concierge tablet, mini-bar and hot drink machines and a bottle of mineral water that is topped-up each day. We most enjoyed our great nights’ sleep on the comfortable double bed’s mattress and soft duvets, and our fluffy bathrobes and slippers.

Each morning at the Palais we were awakened to a superb buffet breakfast served until the conveniently late time of 11am, we delighted in a large selection of fruits, continental breakfast options and Viennese specialities. Most days I sipped my coffee, whilst my husband sipped his tea, but on our last day we treated ourselves to a little glass of sparkling wine for breakfast, what a treat! Plus, the Palais’ hotel staff were flawless and ready to wait on us hand and foot!

“The voice of the intellect is a soft one, but it does not rest until it has gained a hearing.” – Sigmund Freud.
The Palais also provides excellently facilities for work. During our stay my husband had a number of work formalities to organise, these were dealt with without a problem. The lobby and business lounge are kitted out with comfortable arm chairs and sofas, they have complimentary, high-speed internet access, and in the business lounge, international newspapers with coffee and tea services on request.

Then it was on to the voice of intellect of the outside city. Our curiosity would not rest until we strolled along those hallowed streets where so many have strolled before, walked the routes of scholars, learned new things at fascinating museum exhibitions and visited the bars and cafés which were once and still are the hideouts of great thinkers...