Palais Hansen Kempinksi

Part of the Kempinski chain, Europe's oldest luxury hotel group, the hotel made a grand entrance when it opened 2013. Its light-filled lobby rises along the building's original Ionian columns, to beautiful crystal chandeliers. DJs provide musical atmosphere during the week and classical pianists take over on the weekend, with the DJs moving into the popular local bar during the evenings. The clientele tend toward well-heeled travelers who want a fabulous place to stay and don't mind being on the outer edge of the city center. 

The hotel is at the northern end of the Innere Stadt (Inner City) on the Schottenring, a busy street packed with trams and cars. The Danube River is two blocks away. Nearby attractions include the old Vienna Stock Exchange, the University of Vienna, and St. Stephen's Cathedral. Kohlmarkt Street, home to brands like Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel, is a 15-minute walk away. Most of the city center's destinations are within walking distance, but the hotel isn't the most centrally located within the Innere Stadt. Expect a 25-minute drive to the Vienna International Airport.

All 152 rooms have a similar decor that blends traditional Viennese Classicism with a contemporary edge and high-tech toys. Earth tones dominate, with rich wood furniture, textured walls, and carpets with a decorative leaf pattern that invoke a warm ambiance. Even the smallest room is on the large side, with a sitting area and work desk. Minibars, Nespresso machines, and iPod docks come standard, along with iPad-controlled entertainment systems that can also be used to order services or book appointments. Each marble-covered bathroom has a large lighted vanity, a heated towel rack, and a walk-in shower as well as a separate soaking tub.

The luxurious Kempinski spa proudly styles itself after an adherence to Ottoman-style bathing culture. Its six treatment rooms, multiple saunas (mixed and women-only), steam bath, and hydro pool provide hygienic relaxation options at multiple temperatures. The attached fitness center has stair machines, treadmills, rowing machines, cardio bikes, and ellipticals and is open 24-hours a day (it's also open to local members during regular business hours).

The food here is top-notch, beginning with the fine-dining restaurant, Edvard, which earned a Michelin star for its sophisticated use of seasonal ingredients and unusual combinations such as  deer loin with strawberries and brown butter pike with hazelnuts and smoked eel. Die Kuche serves simpler traditional Austrian, German, and Bohemian food in three distinct spaces with open cooking stations. The daily breakfast is done with an open farmer's market atmosphere, with a huge spread of freshly squeezed juices, Austrian baked goods, and eggs cooked to order, although the buffet is not included in room rates. For bars, guests have their choice between a mellow cigar lounge with top-shelf whiskey or a more lively lobby bar with DJs. A traditional afternoon tea is also served, but it's pricey.