Hotel Josefine Vienna Hotel

Vienna

A city where grand boulevards unfold into museums, palaces and imperial landmarks, Vienna is one of Europe’s enduring cultural capitals – and even more beautiful under a dusting of snow. Having housed notable artists, composers and scientists who helped shape the modern world, the ‘City of Dreams’ is so steeped in history, only a hotel of equal grandeur makes a worthy stay. Enter, Hotel Josefine, a jewel-rich, art deco house dating back to 1896 that embodies the glitz and glamour of bygone era.

Located in the 6th District, her storied past begins with her namesake, a French aristocrat Josephine de Bourblanc. The daughter of an ambassador who partly acquired the house, Josephine’s life started in France, where she frequented salons and soirées while studying literature and theatre, her friends being painters with ink-stained fingers and coffeehouse musicians. When the Russian Revolution came, Josephine found refuge in her father’s Vienna abode, transforming it into the elegant hotel it is today. With her elite education and passion for the arts, the building came to host many an artist and intellectual, leaving a lasting imprint: today, guests are welcomed with stories and sketches inspired from her notebook.

Across 49 rooms, seven categories range from single to a spacious suite complete with a balcony with skyline vista, although all are lavishly decorated with velvet, brass and marble materials. Details are mastered with finesse: proper keys with a weighty tassel, crystal chandeliers, Viennese wicker, original stained-glass windows and surrealist artwork.

After dinner at one of many restaurants close by, the hotel bar will satisfy night owls, cocktail lovers and jazz enthusiasts alike. And, before you leave, the cosy record library is worth a spin. May Josephine’s cultural legacy long reign.

Words by Megan Dickson. Photos by Tina Herzl. Doubles from £105. hoteljosefine.at