The Best Boutique Hotels in Vienna

Minutes away from St Stephen’s Cathedral and the Vienna State Opera, this 43-bedroom hotel offers an around-the-clock personal service, a restaurant providing front-row views of the city and a trendy bar that comes to life at night. If you don’t feel like putting your dancing shoes on, the soundproof walls of the rooms will ensure that the buzz of the revelry doesn’t reach you. For your own private balcony, choose the Dome Suite.

Luxurious yet affordable, the colourful hotel has stylish rooms furnished with quirky objects such as a vintage rotary telephone and mini basketball hoops in some rooms. Don’t miss a meal in the hotel’s restaurant, Seven North, by award-winning chef Eyal Shani. Here, they serve a delicious feast of Israeli and Mediterranean cuisine. They even have an art-deco inspired cinema that you can book out for you and up to 30 people.

Situated in a quiet area within the lively 2nd district (Viennese locals consider it the most stylish, popular part of the city), this hotel doesn’t fail to impress at every turn. The rooms are converted from former workshops and designed with a contemporary Nordic aesthetic, all fitted with heated flooring. Amid a farmers market and many culinary and shopping delights, the hotel’s ideal location will guarantee that there’s never a dull moment on your trip.

This chic, centrally located hotel is modern in style with unusual large oval windows that double as seating in many of the rooms. It is just a few minutes’ walk from St Stephen’s Cathedral, whose patterned roof can be seen from some suites, and is surrounded by plenty of shops, bars and restaurants. The rooms are plushly decorated and feature wall murals. Marble baths and Molton Brown bath products add to the luxurious feel. A modern lounge area serves complimentary drinks and snacks, while the hotel’s sister restaurant and rooftop bar are just across the road.

This elegant, family-friendly hotel is located in the 3rd district, not far from Wien Mitte station, which has quick connections to the airport. Spiess & Spiess is also within walking distance of many of Vienna’s historic landmarks such as the Stadtpark and St Stephen’s Cathedral. The building dates back to the 19th century, but the hotel has modern furnishings – cream, tiled floors complement the white walls and a bright breakfast area leads onto a sunroom. Some rooms have garden views and balconies, while suites offer comfortable sofa areas and rainfall showers. Guests rave about the organic, locally sourced food and freshly squeezed orange juice at the complimentary breakfast buffet. Gluten-free products, lactose-free milk and vegan options are also available.

Boutiquehotel Stadthalle claims to be the first city hotel in Vienna with a zero-energy balance, meaning that it produces as much of its own energy from solar power as it consumes. The rooftop courtyard’s jazzy flooring, patterned cushions and colourful tables make it a creative, fun space to hang out. Honey served as part of the impressive breakfast spread comes from the hotel’s own bees. Located in Vienna’s multicultural 15th district, the ivy-clad hotel is close to Westbahnhof station and the city’s major shopping street, Mariahilfer Straße. Vienna’s main attractions can easily be reached by public transport.

The Ruby Sofie Hotel is located on the site of a former dance hall and baths, the Sofiensäle, which were built in 1838 but burned down during reconstruction in 2001. Now, only the art nouveau frontage and main hall remain. Located in the Landstraße district, close to Hundertwasser House and funfair of Prater park, this hip hotel loans out guitars, bikes and tablets to guests. The sophisticated rooms, with white bed linen and tiled bathrooms in muted tones, feature oak-wood floors and characterful vintage furniture. Free drinks and snacks are offered in a communal kitchen, and there is a 24-hour bar as well as a yoga and meditation area.

This centrally located 18th-century hotel, named “King of Hungary”, has a long history. During the years of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, nobles and business magnates lived in the building’s apartments. It’s still a hotspot for notable figures visiting Vienna – star pianist Alfred Brendel, poet and playwright Günter Grass and author Imre Kertész have stayed here. Colourful rooms feature bright details such as hot-pink sofas, floral curtains and chandeliers alongside sleek, tiled bathrooms. The hotel’s restaurant serves classic Viennese cuisine in a room with a vaulted ceiling. There is also a lobby bar in a glass-roofed courtyard with plenty of relaxed seating. A breakfast buffet is available for a fee, and pets are welcome at no charge.

A short walk from the wide green spaces of Prater park and its funfair, this inspiring hotel has been set up by the charity Caritas to provide employment and training opportunities for Vienna’s refugees. Situated in lively Leopoldstadt, Vienna’s 2nd district, Magdas Hotel is also close to the Donaukanal (Danube canal) and its summer beach bars. Some rooms have views of the canal and the Riesenrad ferris wheel, immortalised in films such as The Third Man (1949) and Before Sunrise (1995). The rooms have stylish decor in a range of designs and feature upcycled furniture. There is a relaxed lounge and a dining room, as well as a library and a garden terrace, filled with plants and colourful furniture. Breakfast is also available.

Quirky touches – such as a silver caravan trailer parked out front, hammocks in the bedrooms and Vespas to hire – entice visitors to this former office block, a little outside the city centre in the 3rd district. Hotel Daniel is housed in a listed building designed by Georg Lippert in 1962. It was one of the first buildings in Vienna to use Curtain Wall architecture, a style that features non-structural outer walls. Adding to its unusual appearance, draped over the roof of the building is a melted boat by Austrian artist Erwin Wurm. Inside, chic interiors are created through dark-wood accents, hanging bulbs and leather headboards. The equally well-designed cafe on the ground floor serves up legendary all-you-can eat breakfasts. The hotel is close to Belvedere Palace, the University of Vienna Botanical Gardens and the capital’s main railway station.

This charming, luxurious hotel is set among the romantic cobbled streets near Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier, an area known for its 19th-century Biedermeier buildings and hip restaurants and cafes. It is a little off the beaten tourist track, but still close to Vienna’s main attractions. Some rooms are lavishly decorated, with dark, patterned wallpaper and chandeliers, while others are light and bright with pared-back furniture. The Altstadt hosts an impressive collection of contemporary art, including works by Andy Warhol, visual artist Cary Leibowitz and Austrian painter Christian Attersee. Some are from the personal collection of hotel owner Otto E Wiesenthal. The building was originally the city palace of an industrialist during the years of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy.