Hotel Sacher

An overnight stay in what is probably Austria's most famous hotel is a bit like a blind date. In my "junior suite with a view", for example, washerwomen and jugglers await me. They were painted by a local artist around 1900 and are part of one of the largest private art collections in Austria. Each guest room has at least one original, so in a way, in addition to the gallery-like corridors, it forms an individual museum. Although most of the paintings date from the 19th century, the Sacher has been anything but dusty since a comprehensive refurbishment just over ten years ago. The Austrian-imperial flair in the rooms designed by Pierre-Yves Rochon, which can be booked in different colors, has been preserved: Golden mirrors, embroidered fabric wallpaper and chandeliers with stucco rosettes make a well-measured reference to the past. There is a bouquet of thirteen bright yellow roses on the coffee table and the bathroom is stocked with the hotel's own care products. In the room, the "fake" fireplace is a little out of the ordinary in terms of style, but a huge screen is nobly concealed in the sleek mantelpiece. Another contemporary feature is the "Suite Pad" tablet, which can be used to access international magazines as well as hotel information. These are also available in printed form downstairs in the lobby - which brings us back to tradition.

At reception, you receive the obligatory room chip not in card format, but on a large leather holder - which, as in the old days, can be handed in to the staff before wandering through the city. Breakfast in the bright red marble hall leaves nothing to be desired. In addition to the classic à la carte egg dishes and finely selected cheese and meat delicacies as well as a variety of spreads, the selection of cakes at the buffet is particularly impressive. Of course, the Sacher cake is also a must. My eight-year-old son was rather indifferent to this gourmet paradise: like every day, he wanted a slice of Striezel with Nutella. That was also served.