Austria

A melancholy waltz and a gentle dizziness! 

Austria, a romantic country with a thousand faces, is well worth several visits in order to take advantage of all the possibilities available to travellers. It would take weeks to explore the historical center of imperial Vienna and imagine the atmosphere at the Schoenbrün Palace during the time of the legendary Empress Sissi, or to discover aesthetic and spiritual cities like Graz and Salzburg, or to immerse oneself in the astounding nature of the Alps and the Tyrolean mountains, and to taste the wines of the Wachau region where the Danube proudly flows. Austria, a country rich as well in luxury hotels and resorts dedicated to well-being, continues to capture the hearts of its visitors, filling them with the desire to return and explore some more of its multiple facets.

Vienna, the Imperial City

A journey through time, plunging into the heart of the Habsburg Empire, immersing oneself in the atmosphere of Viennese waltzes are all experiences awaiting the visitor during a weekend in Vienna, the Romanesque capital of Austria. As a melting pot of enchanting culture, a refuge for the world’s greatest composers including Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms, and painters such as Klimt and Schiele, as well as being a vital part of history, Vienna possesses all the charms of a picture post card without being immobile or frozen in its past glory. On the contrary! Today’s Vienna is a dynamic city, with an effervescent cultural life including spaces for modern art, lively markets like the Naschmarkt, gastronomic restaurants and trendy bars.

The easiest way to profit from this duality is to stroll through the Museum quarter which combines the historical and the avant garde in its 60,000 square meters of exhibition space. Just a few steps from the new and fashionable Spittelberg quarter, the Altstadt Vienna, like its surroundings, is aesthetically classic and modern, making it an ideal place to hang one’s hat.  For those who prefer modern luxury and an avant garde aspect in total contrast to the classicism of the center, there’s the ultra high tech Das Triest Hotel or the Levante Parliament, a contemporary palace of glass, marble and exotic wood.

Historical Austria

Austria has a wealth of magnificent and authentic sites classified as UNESCO World Heritages. Like Vienna, the old city of Salzburg and its surroundings, is also classified. This capital of Baroque art possesses the magnificent Mirabell Palace, built by order of the Prince-Bishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau for the love of his life. The Blaue Gans hotel in the old center, near the house where Mozart was born, is highly recommended. Not to be mistaken for a design hotel, the Blaue Gans empowers the artist and transforms itself into a veritable art hotel. More than a hundred works of art are exhibited here. In the style of concept hotels, the Loisium Wine & Spa Resort Langenlois in the heart of   Wachau, surrounded by the idyllic vineyards along the Danube, (another UNESCO World Heritage), is far from lacking in originality. Architect Steven Hall created this futuristic hotel in which all the services are closely linked to the culture of wine including the cuisine, the spa treatments and the leisure activities.

The roads to wellness

What would Austria be without its lakes and mountains ? In summer or winter, the most luxurious resorts offer their guests highly developed re-energizing treatments in a magnificent setting. In the Salzburg region, the Madiva Balance Hotel & Spa, at the foot of the Kitzsteinhorn glacier and Lake Zeller See is a haven of peace for the soul, the spirit and the body. Pure air, magnificent scenery, winter sports, hiking and a spa are all united to offer guests the best possible stay experience. Another enchanting setting, the Madlein à Ischgl in the Alps, with its zen like décor, is an upscale temple of well-being, where guests can relax in the hotel’s indoor swimming pool with a view of the Tyrolean Mountains, and follow it with a regenerating sauna after a long enjoyable day of skiing. The slopes are only a hundred meters away!