Hotel&Villa Auersperg

Hotel Auersperg's owners curate antique and contemporary furniture to create a richly elegant tableau that looks straight out of the pages of an interior design magazine. The building itself dates back to the beginning of the 20th century and is filled with architectural details such as flower molding. Some interiors, like parts of the lobby, focus more on the building's history with chairs and breakfronts that date back to eras more than a 100 years ago. Other areas, such as the terrace floor and in the meeting room, marry contemporary natural-wood tables with mint-green walls, bringing in a hint of the lovely courtyard garden with its lawn and central fountain.

While some of the major historic sites in the Old City, such as the Holy Trinity Church and Mirabella Palace, are only a 10-minute walk way from Hotel Auersperg, other major destinations like Mozart's birthplace, can be 15 minutes or more, particularly if you're walking slowly or with small children. Even though the neighborhood where Auersperg is located is more residential than many parts of the Old City, several guests note the location can be noisy with traffic and it can even be difficult to get a good night's sleep on the lower floors because of the sound of cars and motorcycles whizzing by. For travelers arriving by plane, the hotel is about a 20-minute drive from the airport. 

Guest rooms at Hotel Auersperg are more contemporary than public spaces, but they're still supremely chic. In some, matte-wood accent walls match the desk and night tables. In others, sea-green and pearl-gray accent walls add a serene backdrop. Furnishings lean toward mid-century modern, with butterfly chairs, leather headboards, and surfboard coffee tables. All rooms come with free Wi-Fi, minibars, and flat-screen TVs. Higher room categories have iPod docks and Nespresso machines. But despite the high-thread count sheets, some guests wish the bedding had more padding, and 11 garden rooms lack central air-conditioning. The bathrooms are notably large by European standards and outfitted with heated towel racks, walk-in shower with rainfall showerheads, and toiletries. Suites also have tubs.

The amount of features at Hotel Auersperg could make it a retreat destination. The breakfast buffet is filled with organic ingredients and locally sourced meats and vegetables. And the on-site bar goes beyond drinks to serve sandwiches, soups, and Austrian light bites, although it's only open in the evenings. The hotel's City Spa located on the roof terrace offers massages (for a fee), a sauna, steam bath, and yoga classes. Bicycles are rented by the hotel and make excellent city transportation (or exercise). The urban courtyard garden, which many rooms look out onto, has wooden lounge chairs for relaxing and listening to the bubbling water fountains and birdbaths. The conference room area is much more stylish than the typical business space, with mint-green walls, scoop-back black chairs, and an expanding, accordion-like chandelier.