The Fortress Kufstein, Austria

During our stay in Innsbruck, Austria in July 2016 my fiancé and I made a day trip to Kufstein and visited the fortress.

Entrance was 11.50 Euro (ca. 12.25 USD) per person, which we bought at the fortress.

The fortress towers over the city and is visible from afar.

When we arrived it wasn't very busy. You can either walk or use the Panorama Cable Car. Should there be a waiting time to use the cable car, visitors can rest on one of the many benches. The cable car can take up to 4 people and is self-service operated. At first we thought it is going automatically, but soon realised we had to press a button to make it work.

We arrived at the Castle Rotunda and climbed up the staircase to have magnificent views over the city, the river Inn and the landscape.

The first mentioning of the fortress is in the 13th century. It changed hands between Austria and Bavaria frequently.

It was nice to explore the areas accessible inside the fortress and see, for example the prison cells or the torture chamber.

There was also a restaurant with outdoor seating. We didn't try it, but it made a good impression on both of us.

Sometimes there are also medieval banquets with music from the period available at this location.

We would recommend to visit the fortress when in Kufstein, Austria and spend a few hours there.


©2017

Sitzwohl Innsbruck, Austria

During our holiday in Austria in July 2016 my fiancé and I had lunch at Restaurant Sitzwohl, one of the best restaurants in Innsbruck. Since this was a gourmet tour it was a must try for us when visiting this beautiful city.

The restaurant is located in a classic building - it was a former school building - in the Old Town.

Sitzwohl is owned and operated by chefs Irmgard Sitzwohl and Elisabeth Geissler.

The ground floor includes the Geisslerei and a gourmet shop. There is also outdoor seating in summer.

The fine dining restaurant is located on the first floor. That was where we enjoyed our lunch. On the landing before reaching Sitzwohl was a panorama painting of the two chefs and one of the cook books on display.

The restaurant was very understated and had a bit of a Japanese feel. It had clean lines, muted colors and splashes of yellow, if felt calming and was beautiful.

We were warmly welcomed and brought to our table in the middle of the dining room, which was long and large. We liked the airy feel. The restaurant wasn't very busy - there were a few other couples.

We ordered a large bottle of Acqua Panna and two cocktails, the Coconut Kiss and the Moskito. The menu was based on fusion cuisine - European with an Asian twist. There were some classic Austrian dishes on offer.

Our starters were San Daniele ham and caramelized watermelon with salt.

It was delicious and the sugar/salt combination created an umami flavor which was memorable. 

The next course was trout "Rollmops" Asian style with Wasabi potato mash for me and sea bass with Italian bread salad and capers for him.  The portions were generous and well executed. We liked the flavor combinations.

Our desserts were Marillen Palatschinken (apricot pancakes, an Austrian speciality) and the best of blueberry, consisting of a tart, mousse and sorbet. The desserts were lavish, large and beautiful at the same time.

With the desserts we had a cappuccino and a hot chocolate with whipped cream [schlag].

The bill was 135 Euro (ca. 144 USD).

The two members of staff were able to serve all guests attentive and in a timely and friendly manner.

We enjoyed our meal and would return again to this beautiful restaurant destination in Innsbruck.

©2017

Hilton Innsbruck, Austria

We decided to stay at the Hilton Innsbruck in July 2016 for three nights, since we wanted to earn our Gold status at the Hilton Honors loyalty program.

We arrived by train from Vienna via Salzburg. Please see also our reviews of the Hilton Vienna, the Palais Coburg Residenz, Clementine im Glashaus, The Rote Bar, Steirereck im Stadtpark and the Meierei im Stadtpark which are all part of the same journey we enjoyed in July 2016.

The train station and Old Town are around ten minutes’ walk from the Hilton in opposite directions and both the hotel and the entrance were easy to find. 

During the summer months the terrace in front is used for BBQs and to relax in the sunshine.

The Hilton is located in one of the highest buildings in Innsbruck and there is also a casino.

Check in was a breeze and the receptionist recognized it had been my milestone birthday a few days earlier, so we were upgraded to a Deluxe Room with views over the Bergisel ski jump, the city and the mountains on the 11th floor. The views were dramatic, beautiful and we liked the simple, understated designed room.

At check in we were given two vouchers. One was for two items from the Snax Shop in the lobby, i.e. drinks, sweets and chocolate bars. The other was a drinks voucher for two at the Alpenstube.

The color scheme of the hotel and our room was in different shades of brown.

There was a large king size bed, a credenza, a seating area with checkerboard upholstery, a large writing desk, a mini fridge, a wardrobe, coffee table and a flat screen TV. There were many Sky Tv, local and international channels available.

The artwork was Alpine inspired and there were two magazines “Hello Innsbruck” and “Welcome Innsbruck” on our room.

The bathroom was unusual shaped and tiled in yellow and white which we actually liked.

There was a shower/bathtub combination, a sink, toilet and Peter Thomas Roth amenities.

The room was comfortable and relaxing.

Overall reception was friendly and helpful and the back of house did an excellent job. Unfortunately internal communication seemed not to function, though.

A large convention was taking place. On our first evening we wanted to have dinner at Konrad’s Austrian Steaks and the conventioneers were already dining there, when we arrived. Unsure if it was open to other hotel guests we checked with the reception, who told us the restaurant was open to all. 

Returning to the restaurant we were told it wasn’t, so we went back to reception and told them. We received a sincere apology and were offered to go to the Alpenstube.

The restaurant was on the ground floor and not full at the time of our visit. As the name implies it looked very traditional Austrian.

We felt we were disturbing the waitress, who brought us to a table for two. There is nothing wrong with it in itself, but we asked to have the neighboring table for four, because we thought the table offered was too small for what we wanted to order and our camera we had with us. We were outright refused. 

This had not happened before in any hotel that we can remember and stayed in. Since we were already tired from the journey and it was late by now we decided not to make a fuss. We were right, though, the table was too small when all the dishes arrived including a bread selection.

Overall the dinner didn’t go the way we had planned it. The service was very slow. I think we spent alone on waiting an hour. It left us frustrated and the quality of the meal was only average.

We ordered one large bottle of still Voeslauer water, one Wiener Schnitzel, a Riesling risotto, a side salad, one “Fantastic Banana” ice cream sundae and a “Komplett Steirisch” dessert. The majority of the ingredients came from Styria. It was a very large portion of cream, berry compote and ice cream with a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil.

Other things we didn’t like were the quality of the cut used for the Wiener Schnitzel and that the risotto was on the one side too dry and some parts too oily and the side salad was drowning in dressing.

We also received different types of bread and condiments which we liked.

The bill was 55.20 Euro or ca. 58.90 USD.

In fact we were so fed up with our experience that we didn’t have dinner at any of the outlets at the hotel on the other two evenings.

Later we found out that the convention had switched venue on very short notice from France to Innsbruck. This might explains why the standard of service and quality of the food had been not as good as expected.

The only other meals we had at Konrad’s Austrian Steaks was breakfast, which was included as Hilton Honors Gold members. The greeter was extremely friendly and wished us every day a good morning with a warm smile, invited us to enjoy breakfast and hoped we would have a lovely day.

Afterwards we were left to our own devises, which is a pet peeve of mine. 

Unfortunately it wasn’t obvious for us where we could sit and the tables in the nicer area, which was filled with daylight, were set for families or larger groups.

The other area was for smaller parties and couples, but in a part without natural daylight, so it was darker. The booths were comfortable, though.

On the other side it felt a bit awkward occupying a table for eight, when we were only two.

The breakfast was served buffet style and of good quality. There was a “fruit of the month” promotion. 

During our stay it was figs.

There was a wide selection of local produce available including cold cuts, cheese, yogurt, bread, fruits, cereals, one type of fish, which was changed daily, some hot items like fried or scrambled eggs and much more.

Now to the all-important question? Would we return to the Hilton Innsbruck? There are some elements we liked, for example the central location, the overall friendliness of the staff, the quality of the breakfast and the comfort of the room.

A reason why we wouldn’t return is the issues we had at dinner. It’s very important for us that the venue we want to visit has open or at least that we get informed in a timely manner about closures. The food quality plays also a major role and if it is not the level we expect it to be it’s unlikely we will go there again, since we feel it’s a waste of our time and money.

The conclusion is we would stay at the Hilton Innsbruck again, if we planned to have a comfortable room and plan to eat outside of the hotel.

©2017

Meierei Vienna, Austria

The day after visiting for lunch the Steirereck im Stadtpark [2 Michelin stars] in July 2016 we went to have lunch at their sister restaurant the Meierei im Stadtpark on the next day. The restaurant has won a Bib Gourmand from Michelin.

 

We had already cake and fresh strawberries enjoyed there when we visited Vienna for our first time a few years ago.

 

The Meierei im Stadtpark has kept the classic villa exterior. The interior is modern and the colors are neutral, mostly white.

 

We liked that the whole front was made of glass and could be opened completely. It overlooked the canal and the park.

 

The Meierei is a place to see and be seen, so if you are looking for a more private venue, this isn’t the right one.

 

We had booked a table and were glad. The restaurant was already humming. The Meierei does accept walk ins, but it is very favored, so in order to avoid disappointment it’s better to reserve.

 

The staff was businesslike, friendly and efficient.

 

We had two Donnerwetter Apple and pear juices, one apricot juice, cucumber elderflower cocktail, one large bottle of still Voeslauer water, a mozzarella tomato salad, watercress soup, stuffed courgette flowers, venison goulash, and shared a portion of the banana snow as dessert.

 

The quality was very high and we enjoyed the time we spent there in July 2016.

 

The bill was ca. 100 Euro (ca. 106.60 USD).

 

We would return again when in Vienna, as this gave us the chance to enjoy typical Austrian produce in a modern bistro setting overlooking the Stadtpark by the canal.

 

Of note, the Meierei im Stadtpark does also serve breakfast and wouldn’t say no to try this one in our future when visiting Vienna hopefully again.

©2017

Steirereck im Stadtpark, Vienna, Austria

To make my landmark birthday in July 2016 even more special, my fiancé and I booked a table for two at the two Michelin stared restaurant the Steirereck im Stadtpark in Vienna, Austria which we knew for about ten to fifteen years and wanted always to try. The restaurant is also ranked 9th in the 50 best Restaurant in the World list.

The architecture of the restaurant is futuristic and there is an organic herb garden on the roof.

When we entered we saw to the right the open kitchen and slightly more to the right Steirereck produce to buy. Straight ahead was the reception, where we were greeted warmly by a very young maître d', confirming our reservation we were brought to our table. It overlooked the Stadtpark and the interior of the Steirereck.

Even so the restaurant was large, it was private. There were walls dividing the space into pods. Two to four tables were sharing one area.

The interior was postmodern as well and we enjoyed the design tremendously.

My birthday was acknowledged by an imprint "Happy Birthday" on the table cloth. There was also a little stand where you could put your handbag which we found a thoughtful addition to our table.

The staff was very attentive, friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. For example we could take the brochure of "Le Grandes Tables Du Monde", where the Steirereck is a member, after asking nicely. The guests at the neighbor's table wanted their mobile phone charged, so that they could take photographs of their meal. Their wish was immediately fulfilled too.

We also liked the uniforms of the female staff, which fitted perfectly with the postmodern design, looked on the one side simple, but was elegant and free flowing on the other.

As drinks we had a bottle of still Voeslauer water, one of our favorites when in Austria, and a mocktail made with mandarin and lime juice. It was delicious, so he had a second one, but there were at least five others available to choose from. They were made right in front of us and the ingredients came on a trolley.

The bread selection was fantastic. There were at least twenty to thirty to choose from. The bread was shown to us and named and had been too many to remember. We both had olive ciabatta. My fiancé took another slice, but couldn't eat them all due to having "bigger eyes than his stomach was" as they say.

Next arrived the greetings from the kitchen, which was four different dishes, that showed by which other nations Austria has been influenced and included chips with potato cheese, falafel with sumac yogurt dip, semolina, roasted corn pudding and cucumber and tomato salad with yogurt dressing. The roasted corn pudding was an acquired taste. We both liked it, but it was the least favorite in terms of taste compared to the other offerings.

We chose a four course meal and started with "Schwarzauer" Mountain Trout with melon, cucumber and etiolated pea shoots and artichoke & veal kidney with radicchio and sweet clover.

Both dishes were delicious and melt in the mouth.

Next were the Viennese soft gulash from Alpine beef with leek -bread roulade and pickled vegetables and Jerusalem Artichoke with Pak Choi, pea shoots and Viennese snails.

The gulash was light-red brown and mildly spicy, while the other dish was the right combination between being soft and crunchy.

Our main courses were Wiener Schnitzel and barbecued sturgeon with kohlrabi, quinoa and elderberry.

Both were very good. The schnitzel was very thin and melt in the mouth. While the barbecue flavor of the sturgeon was strong. The kohlrabi, quinoa and elderberry were a nice counter balance.

Our desserts were cherries with shiso, rice and soured cream and Java coffee with yellow dates, plums and cinnamon flowers. We loved both.

Before we received the bill there was another sweet greeting from the kitchen with a typical Austrian pastry called a kicherl served from a traditional trolley, We had the choice of toppings including nuts, strawberries, dried figs, apricot and cherry jam.

We enjoyed each a beautiful hot chocolate to round up our memorable lunch at this modern gourmet temple in the heart of Vienna, the capital of Austria. The Stierereck has been consitently voted by several guides incl. Falstaff [100/100 points] as the best restaurant in Austria and it shows in our opinion. 

We enjoyed our lunch tremendously, which cost 270.60 Euro (ca. 288.30 USD), and would love to return for another special occasion in our future when visiting beautiful Vienna.

©2017

Clementine im Glashaus @ The Palais Coburg Residence Vienna, Austria

During our stay at the Palais Coburg Residence in Vienna, Austria (Please see also review) in July 2016 my fiancé and I had three a la carte breakfasts and two memorable dinners at Clementine im Glashaus.

The restaurant is named after Clementine of Orleans, the first resident of the Palais Coburg, who was the daughter of King Louis Philippe I of France and married to Prince August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

A portrait of her is the center piece of the restaurant and adds to the romantic feel of Clementine im Glashaus. It is the all-day dining restaurant.

The restaurant is located in the gardens of the hotel and there is indoor and outdoor seating - weather permitting.

It can be reached via stairs or lift to the first floor. and is housed in a beautiful conservatory. It looks intricate and Victorian.

The restaurant felt Asian with dark wooden furniture and blossom prints. There was also a magnificent chandelier as another focal point.

The kitchen is located adjacent to the dining room and the small window left open, if there were no guests. Once we had breakfast indoors, because all the outdoor seating was taken. When we took our seats the window was shut and we couldn't follow the going ons in the kitchen any longer.

Mostly, though, we enjoyed sitting outside, either in the sunshine, protected by umbrellas, or in the warm darkness, lit up by the dining room and romantic lantern on the table in the evening. 

We could choose any table we wanted and it didn't matter for how many persons it was setup.

The breakfast was served a la carte with sets available and included in our rate.

Our favorite was the "Low-Carb", which included bread, butter, smoked salmon, radish, cucumber, tomato, avocado and lemon dressing, plain yogurt with berries, omelette with cream cheese and herbs, water and a hot beverage of our choice (green tea).

Another innovative item was the eggs in a glass. There was a choice between chives and garden radish, carrot, lemon, sprouts and olive oil or smoked salmon, wild herbs and spinach. We tested the salmon. The eggs made surprisingly full.

The Joseph bread was also delicious.

Dinner was based on modern Austrian cuisine. We tried the excellent cocktails, like the Re-Start or My Sweet Clementine and had a glass each of 2012 Traminer Beerenauslese "Coburg Selection" by Kracher, an Austrian dessert wine which we both found outstanding served only by the glass. Beside Tokaj Aszu Essencia it proved to be our favorite in terms of sweet wines on offer.

Some of the dishes we had were carrot-ginger soup and mozzarella as starters and the guinea fowl breast and duck with rhubarb as main courses. The quality was very high and the meals delicious. The portion sizes were generous and we were mostly totally stuffed, when we left. Dinner cost approximately 100 Euro / ca. 105.80 USD.

Other diners were locals and hotel guests. Some of them celebrated an anniversary or birthday.

If it was a birthday staff and members belonging to the party sang "Happy Birthday".

It was a nice mix of groups and couples. We had chosen the hotel for a pampering experience for my own round birthday.

The staff was efficient, intuitive, interested in what we were up to and helpful. There were different teams for breakfast and dinner. They all were an asset for the restaurant.

Carina - hope the name is spelled correctly - asked each morning how the event we had planned for today and how the previous day had gone.

On the day of my birthday I received a cake for breakfast and one for dinner with sparklers. Each member of staff congratulated me, but didn't draw too much attention to me, for which I was grateful and loved that I was really spoiled.

One waitress was happy to help my fiancé, who wanted to take photographs of our dishes in the evening/darkness. She held the lantern the way he wanted it and for how long the shoot took. She was gracious about it, even so my better half was demanding. This has never happened before or afterwards so far, the service was wonderful and memorable for the right reasons. Spot on, wonderful.

We would want to return again and again to Clementine im Glashaus, when back in Vienna, Austria in our future.

©2017

Palais Coburg Residenz Vienna, Austria

Since it was my milestone birthday we were looking for a very special hotel in Vienna, Austria.

We had the Sacher and the Palais Coburg Residenz in mind. 

The rates were roughly the same. The major difference was that for the same amount of investment we would have a City suite with breakfast included, free minibar and WIFI at the Palais Coburg, while the Sacher “only” offered a Superior room with free WIFI. Both hotels are independently owned and beautiful. In the end the Palais Coburg seemed to be more unique to us for this visit, it’s a palace heritage hotel nevertheless, so we decided to have three nights – including my birthday – there in July 2016.

Before our stay we were in contact with the hotel to organize a complimentary tour of the exclusive wine cellar and our dinner reservations at Clementine im Glasshaus at the Palais Coburg.

The e-mails were always answered promptly and felt warm and welcoming at all times.

The palace belonged to the family of Saxe-Coburg, who are related with every major royal household in Europe, and was built on the Braunbastei, a bastion, dating back to the 16th century. Part of the medieval city walls can be still seen at the hotel. The wall is currently under restoration. 

The bastion was named after the engineer.

The Renaissance casements of the Braunbastei have been preserved, which is unusual for Vienna, due to the palace being built before the fortifications of the Braunbastei were demolished to make way for the Ringstrasse.

Part of the building was rented out to the Austrian Railway at one time.

The palace was sold by Princess Sarah Aurelia in 1978 to a realtor. Other owners were two banks.

Finally in 1997 it was bought by the POK Puehringer Foundation, the current owner. 

The palace was in a decrepit condition. It took three years of planning and three years of renovation and restoration before it opened in new splendor in 2003 as hotel. For a while it was a member of Relais & Chateaux before it changed to Leading Hotels of the World.

The hotel is a magical place and we have very fond memories. It’s difficult to explain, when you haven’t experienced it.

The complete stay was flawless, luxurious and pampering in heartwarming ways.

The staff was the most intuitive we ever encountered so far. It’s very difficult to find the right balance between being professional and warm and to know when the guest needs attention and when to leave him/her in peace.

During our stay we had only pleasant experiences and each member of staff was very kind to us. Besides they managed to be warm and efficient at the same time.

The building itself was in top condition and the internet was very fast too. 

The location is just behind the Marriott Hotel Vienna with a ca. 5 minute walk to the Stadtpark, around 10 minutes to the Westbahnhof with access to the CAT for the airport. The Albertina and Stephansplatz are ca. 20 to 30 minutes from the hotel, making it a good base to explore the city in our opinon.

Check in was very pleasant with a choice of drinks as welcome gift. We had a glass of Pol Roger Champagne and Evian water.

During check in we were explained all amenities and given a handwritten card with all our “appointments” within the hotel during our stay.

The check in formalities had been swift and we were accompanied to our suite by Ivan who took our luggage and explained all features to us.

All suites are named after a member of the house of Saxe-Coburg.

The key was interesting. It looked like a medallion or badge and depicted the image of the person the suite was named after and the room number.

It was also needed to open various security doors and to operate the elevators.

Beside high security the hotel is very discreet too.

We had booked a city suite, the entrance category. The size ranges from 54 m2 to 84 m2. We were brought to suite 106 Archduke Josef of Austria (1833 – 1905). He was the husband of Clothilde of Saxe-Coburg, the granddaughter of Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg, who built the palace. 

It was also a duplex and the largest suite in the category [City Suites] on offer.

Of course we had speculated before which suite we would receive, but hadn’t expected this.

It suited our tastes completely in many ways while combining heritage and modernity.

There was a long, curved hallway with a seating area, wooden floors, a wardrobe and a guest toilet, leading towards to the living space. 
It could be closed off from the actual suite by doors, so it’s ideal if you schedule business appointments and someone has to wait. 

No wonder it is favored by politicians like John Kerry, who stayed here during the Iran nuclear talks. We could even see part of the meeting rooms where the talks had taken place in the hotel.

The suite, a duplex suite was very large, airy and bright with extremely high windows, stretching the whole two storey space and a classic chandelier.

The first part was dedicated to work. It included a classic writing desk, a matching chair and a display cabinet with books about the Palais Coburg, Austria and her history, the sister hotel Park Hotel Vitznau in Switzerland and Austrian music.

In one of the drawers of the writing desk contained all necessary office supplies and an adapter.

There were also Good Life Spirit and a Blanc Pain magazine and a telephone, suitable for deaf or hard of hearing which we found very thoughtful.

The wall mounted large flat screen TV was swiveable and could be watched from the seating area, which included a white sofa, plus sofa chair, a large coffee table, side tables, a credenza with Bose wave radio, DVD player and DVDs of the Vienna Philharmonic New Year concerts from 2005 and 2015, or the writing desk.

The 75 TV channels included regional and international ones like CNN, Bloomberg und Sky Sports 1 to 3 among many others.

The furniture was dark brown and antique. It had beautiful, simple inlays and the carpet was blue and white with a flower print. Again there were wooden floors.

The kitchen at the opposite end could be completely closed off and had every essential needed. 

It was white and included plates, cutlery, can and bottle opener, pans, glasses, a microwave, two hotplates, a Nespresso coffee machine, Nespresso capsules selection and Ronnefeldt tea bags and a minibar. Ivan explained the minibar was complementary and all alcoholic beverages were included too. Again the content of the minibar was comprehensive. It included six different Pago juices, Evian and Voesslauer mineral water, Fever Tree Tonic, Schweppes, Trumer Pils, Gruener Veltiner and Wiener Trilogie wines and different flavored schnapps (plum, apricot and Williams Christ pear).

More welcome gifts and a handwritten note from the general manager including a full-sized bottle of Pol Roger Champagne, fruits, chocolates and a brownie were waiting for us. They were replenished daily.

A substantial staircase was leading up to the elegant bedroom. From there you could overlook the living area.

There was a luggage rack, a bureau, a bench in front of the king sized bed and another flat screen TV. The color scheme was dominantly blue. There was a carpet as well and a door led to the large polished marble bath room.

It included two wardrobes, one with safe, a separate room for the toilet and bidet, double sinks, an unusual bathtub/shower combination, a weighing scale, chair and larger than usually sized Acqua di Parma amenities. All the frames and bathroom fixtures were golden. It fitted the heritage ambience and wasn’t ostentatious in our opinion.

Artwork throughout the suite was of the Archduke Josef of Austria incl. portrait photographs and the Palais Coburg.

The whole room was comfortable and invited for long stays due to it feeling residential and lots of storage space.

The bed allowed for a restful sleep and turn down was provided every night with Evian water and Valrhona chocolates. 

Views were over the building next door in the back of the hotel.

The hotel has also 24 hour in room dining – the menu is small, but good quality and we used it once during our stay, a spa with swimming pool and a terrace, the Coburg Restaurant by Silvio Nichol, who holds two Michelin stars, and as mentioned above Clementine im Glasshaus for all day dining.

Our in room dinner included one hot chocolate, two fresh pasta with basil pine nuts and Parmesan and one strawberry, quark, sour milk and almond and one chocolate with milk, banana and hazelnut dessert. It cost 75 Euro (ca. 80.70 USD).

Picnics, tours and anything else you might want can be organized by the concierge.

On the same day we arrived we asked if we could see the Prunkraeume or the State Rooms. 

They are used for meetings, banquets and celebrations, so they are not always accessible. The rooms are magnificent and very well worth visiting. My favorite was the Yellow Room. In the Green Room portraits of famous members of the Saxe-Coburgs can be admired. One of them depicted Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Ivan told us that the State Rooms were going to be used in the future for brunch, so they were going to be made more accessible to the paying public. I could easily imagine what it would look like in the future. I didn’t have problems conjuring up the past either in these very special surroundings. 

Doors leading to the terrace gave great views over the city, the small garden and Clementine im Glasshaus.

The State Room staircase was very beautiful and grand too.

Some parts of the public spaces have a medieval feel with dark wooden furniture and accordingly printed fabrics which matched the style and atmosphere perfectly at every turn.

A family tree of the Saxe-Coburg can be found near the elevators. At the time we were there it wasn’t completely updated. For example Prince William was mentioned on it, but not his marriage to Kate Middleton or the birth of their two children. We guess, updating needs a little time and will done on occasion. 

On the day of my birthday I received three birthday cakes/brownies during the day, which was a first. All members of staff were aware it was my big day and I was congratulated by everyone, I encountered, which hasn’t happened before in such a comprehensive manner. It was wonderful and again heartwarming. I felt special and welcomed at all times, a landmark birthday in a landmark heritage palace hotel.

There was also a personalized birthday card on our Suite.

We had breakfast every morning and twice dinner at Clementine im Glasshaus. A review will follow in due time.

We enjoyed strolling through the garden when it was accessible. As mentioned above it’s not very large, but perfectly manicured and has an understated water feature. It gives you the chance to admire the palace’s façade as well. 

The Palais Coburg is nicknamed the asparagus castle. The columns of the neoclassical building reminded the Viennese about asparagus stalks, hence the name. 

On my birthday we could also visit the wonderful wine cellar, which some parts date back to the 12th century, and were given a tour by the sommelier. We started off with a glass of Pol Roger Champagne at the first room. Then the tour began for real. It was a treasure trove for wine lovers. Unfortunately we couldn’t go into the Champagne cellar due to it being renovated at the time. The hotel has a large collection of rare Dom Perignon vintages.

The cellar is divided into different sections and includes one dedicated to Spanish, Portuguese and New World wines including some rare bottles of Robert Mondavi, a European section including Austrian and Bulgarian wines and a wide selection of rare dessert wines like Tokaj, wine from the Austrian producer Kracher and ice wine from the Czech Republic.

The French cellar holds Mouton Rothschild and Petrus and of course other wines. 

One cachet of Mouton Rothschild was bought at a charity auction in New York for 1 Million Euro.

The largest bottle in the collection contains 27 l and we were explained that there is specific machinery available to handle opening the bottle and filling glasses. It is suitable for a party of ca. 60 persons.

Other bottles contain 6 l.

The most expensive single bottle on offer/view is valued at ca. 120.000 Euro.

Another, very special collection, is the Chateau D’Yquem. It is one of the rarest in the world and celebrates 4 centuries of this very special wine and winery. 

Some bottles are very old and easily identifiable by the darker color of the wine. 

Near the Chateau D’Yquem cellar a quote about wine in Arabic by Suleiman the Magnificent is inscribed in red lightning on the floor. He is infamous for the siege of Vienna in the 16th century.

It was really fascinating and we learned a lot.

Unfortunately check out approached way too quick. We were a bit sad to leave, since our stay had been so pampering.

Check out was efficient and again very warm. Organizing a taxi to bring us to the Hauptbahnhof for our train wasn’t an issue at all. We even received a little bag with goodies (water, apples, Manner wafers and Mozartkugeln) for the journey to Innsbruck.

Even after checkout we hadn’t been forgotten and received another card at our return to Dublin with a short note from the manager, hoping our stay had been a good one and that we had arrived back home safely. It was a thoughtful touch and we appreciated it.

There is no doubt we would return in our future to the Palais Coburg Residence when celebrating something special, since the history speaks to us, the staff is gracious and you are really in the lap of luxury which incl. heritage architecture and modern luxurious interiors and beautiful/memorable service standards of the highest caliber befitting a “Leading Hotel of the World”. Kudo to the Palais Coburg Residenz and sincere thanks for the beautiful hospitality and attention rendered towards both of us.


©2017