Spittelberg / Neubau

Altstadt Vienna

★★★★★

Altstadt Vienna is the hotel for travellers who want to feel like guests in a cultured Viennese home rather than in a hotel. It was founded in 1991 by Otto E. Wiesenthal, a former manager and passionate art collector, as a combination of hotel and gallery, and more than three decades later it remains one of the most personal hotels in the city. It occupies a historic building on Kirchengasse in the 7th district, on the edge of the Spittelberg quarter and a few minutes' walk from the MuseumsQuartier. The 62 rooms and suites are each different, designed and interpreted by renowned and up-and-coming architects, designers and artists: one room is the work of the Viennese fashion designer Arthur Arbesser, a suite pays homage to Sigmund Freud, and others play with colour, pattern and Viennese design history. Throughout the hotel hangs a collection of contemporary art, some from Wiesenthal's own collection and some on loan from major museums, with works by artists such as Andy Warhol, Brigitte Kowanz, Markus Prachensky, Christian Ludwig Attersee and Gottfried Helnwein. The salon, with its fireplace and comfortable sofas, serves tea and cake in the afternoon, and breakfast is a relaxed affair. The hotel is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, holds a Michelin Key and the Austrian eco label, and has been recognised by Gault and Millau among the best hotels in the country. Rates are well below the Ringstrasse palace hotels, though the best suites are in the luxury bracket. The trade-offs are the absence of a spa or a full restaurant and the 7th-district location, which is a short walk or one underground stop from the Old Town; but for art lovers, couples and repeat visitors, this is the Vienna hotel with the most character.

The rooms: because every room is different, it pays to read the descriptions and look at the photos before booking, and to ask for a particular room if one appeals. The suites are spacious, many with high ceilings and some with views over the rooftops of Spittelberg, and the designer rooms are small works of art. Rooms facing the street are lively; those at the back are quieter. The hotel has a lift, and the building's historic layout means corridors and staircases have character rather than uniformity.

The art and the atmosphere: walking through the Altstadt is like visiting a private gallery, with paintings, photographs and installations in the corridors, the salon and the rooms. The staff are proud of the collection and happy to talk about it. Afternoon tea and cake in the salon is a ritual many guests remember, and the hotel's vouchers and packages often include it. The mood is calm, residential and intimate.

Location: Spittelberg is one of the most charming corners of Vienna, a small grid of Biedermeier and Baroque houses with restaurants, wine bars and, in Advent, one of the city's most atmospheric Christmas markets. The MuseumsQuartier, with the Leopold Museum and mumok, is a few minutes' walk, the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Hofburg are just across the Ring, and Mariahilfer Strasse, the main shopping street, is nearby. The U2 and U3 at Volkstheater are close. Choose the Altstadt for art, character and a neighbourhood feel; choose a Ring hotel if you need a spa or want to be at the very centre.