How about a hot chocolate with whipped cream at Café Hawelka for breakfast?

There’s nothing more beautiful than sitting in a Viennese coffee house. And this also applies for breakfast. There are lots of those historical institutions such as the Café Central or the Café Landtmann where you will find lots of tourists queuing up and patiently waiting in front of the doors of those coffee houses, especially now during the winter season. This is the exact reason why you should avoid those cafés and instead rather go to places like the Tirolerhof or to Café Hawelka in the first district where you will find the real Viennese people. You can also have a very nice but rather more modern breakfast at places like Café Francais or Ulrich. But now it’s time for my very well and in advance prepared cultural program! Let’s go visit Sisi and Franz Josef!

The representative home of Empress Sisi and Emperor Franz Josef I: Schloss Schönbrunn in Vienna

A visit to castle Schönbrunn is – even for less romantics  – definitely an excursion destination worth seeing. With an audio guide the “Grand Tour” will lead you through 44 staterooms of the palace. Visitors acquire history knowledge as well as small anecdotes about the royal life at the time of the great Empress Maria Theresia and of the legendary Empress Sisi. Wonderful! Worthwhile is a following walk through the castle garden, no matter the weather.

Also during winter a feast for the eyes: the park of castle Schönbrunn

Everyone coming to Vienna in the near future will experience Christmas magic all over the city. In front of castle Schönbrunn you will find one of the many cosy and inviting Christmasmarkets of Vienna. The Christmasmarket in front of the town hall of Vienna fascinates with its thousands and thousands of little lights that are installed where ever you go. My personal favorite under all markets takes place at Spittelberg, which you will find in the seventh district. The market with its little unique, baroque houses coils itself through the parallel resided Kirchberggasse, Gutenberggasse and Spittelberggasse. Whilst strolling through the Burggasse I get inspired by the small, individual shops and I rummage for original clothes in shops like Goldstück-Wiener Kreation and the Conceptstore Burggassse 24.

Baroque facades wherever you go: after hot, delicious negus at my favorite Christmasmarket at Spittelberg I’m walking towards the inner city centre

Did you know that Vienna is also an Eldorado for fans of antiquities? Especially in the seventh district like at Siebensterngasse you will find lots of small merchants with trash and art with affordable prices. However it well get much more expensive in the city centre where you will find lots of antique dealers at Dorotheergasse. A must for every collector is the legendary auction house Dorotheum, a mecca for art where you can find objects of all epochs and, of course, their according price categories. Nevertheless: the inspiration is for free.

In the famous auction house Dorotheum you can purchase pictures, silver and jewellery for direct sale on the second floor

Visiting the famous Naschmarkt is always a must when I visit Vienna. Ideally under the week because on Saturdays its usually very crowded. (By the way: the Naschmarkt is closed on Sundays, but the little restaurants next to it are still open). For lunch I choose one of them, called the On Market, where I enjoy its delicious Asian fusion kitchen. Afterwards I walk towards the city centre with its Christmassy light installations, I amble along the dandified streets Kohlmarkt, Graben and Habsburgergasse. And it’s just magically!

Christmassy light installation along the dandified streets Kohlmarkt, Graben and Habsburgergasse. Pure magic!

How about a little rest? A great tip is the ‘Sky Bar’ on the roof of department store Steffl at Kärtner Straße from where I enjoy the view over the housetops of Vienna. Whilst drinking a cup of tea I enjoy the colourful patterns of the Stephansdom in the light of the sinking sun.

View from the noble department store Steffl and its ‘Sky Bar’ over the roofs of Vienna – in the background the mountains

What luck! In the evening I finally get to see the Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna philharmonic orchestra), which has always been a dream of mine. I have tickets for a concert with world-class musicians who accompany pianist Rudolf Buchbinder at the Wiener Konzerthaus. What an awesome evening with music by Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Grieg and Tschaikowsky! For dinner I recommend one of the most fashionable restaurants you will currently find in town: The Brasserie ‚The Bank‘ at the Park Hyatt Hotel. The name says it all: in a former ticket hall of a bank the guests dine in finest art nouveau ambient. On the menu you will find delicious dishes such as Beef Tatar or Tagliatelle with fresh truffles. Everyone who still doesn’t have enough goes onwards to the panorama bar ‚Das Loft‘ of the Hotel Sofitel which guarantees a spectacular view over the Donau, Prater and the inner city. The service could be better, nevertheless the Cosmopolitan is perfectly mixed. I let the day pass and already know that I will come back to Vienna very soon.  BvH

Cecilie and I in a joyous expectation before the beginning of the concert of the Wiener Philharmoniker at the Wiener Konzerthaus

Tip for Vienna:

Book your Tickets for museums and concerts online in advance! Thereby you avoid queues and you can plan your trip more efficient!

The legendary Café Hawelka with his – framed – founder Leopold Hawelka; always the cavalier with a sunflower in his hand

Schönbrunn Palace in its baroque splendor

Apparently this is the Grand Gallery – the baroque hall of castle Schönbrunn – where imperator Franz Josef I. asked his Sisi for her hand. Who would have said no?

In these rooms of Schönbrunn the great Maria Theresia already resided

Christmas Market infront of Schloss Schönnbrunn

Beautiful shop in the 50s look: Goldstück in the seventh district …

… with „Wiener Kreationen“ (The “Viennese Creations”) …

… dresses out of chequered and flowered fabric – all handmade

Small finds for every taste at ‘Goldstück’

Vienna totally hip

The grey painted walls at restaurant ‚On Market‘ are decorated with colorful panels with flashily, graphical patterns. Even the opulent ceiling light consists out of fabric

Perfect and hip location especially for lunch: restaurant ‘On Market’. The food – for example avocado-mango maki …

… or cocos-curry-noodles with mussels – tastes delicious and is also affordable

The Viennese Naschmarkt with its fruits and vegetable stands – happy sellers inclusive

Magnificent evidence of the past:

… the houses of baroque and art nouveau at the Naschmarkt

Original: Conceptstore Burggasse 24 …

… Here you will find unusual clothes and accessories …

Snack and drinks will be served at the bar. A heating stove provides cosiness in living room atmosphere. Store Burggasse 24 – very cool!

Vienna, only you …

Gloriously: The Stephansdom festively illuminated!

Door detail with imperial ornaments

Shopping mall Palais Ferstel in the inner town centre with its inviting gastronomy and its noble shops

Vienna and the Christmas Market infront of the townhall! Beautiful, isn’t it?

In-Restaurant The Bank at the Park Hyatt Hotel …

… where I enjoyed a yummy tartar

Lots of marble, elegant opulence and heavy lustre at ‘The Bank’

A final cocktail at ‘The Loft’ with a spectacular view over the Donau, Prater and the inner city

Bye bye Vienna!

Merken

Merken

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Ibiza Love Part IV with insider tips from Hotel Manager and Ibiza expert Enrique Mandl

Retro glamour meets Art Deco: The Boutique Hotel “Ocean Drive” in the Marina Botafoc of Ibiza*

In the Marina Botafoc lies the Boutique-Hotel “Ocean Drive”, right next to giant yachts that have their berth here. For ten years Enrique Mandl had managed the design hotel with its 40 stylish rooms as well as more Ocean Drive-Hotels, inter alia on Mallorca and in Barcelona. Mandl, who previously worked in Vienna at “Imperial” and “Bristol” as well as in Frankfurt and London for hotels of the Luxury Collection, today is a passionate fan of the Balearic Island. “Ibiza developed phenomenally during the last years and can absolutely measure up to big, international places”, says Enrique Mandl. “When I came on the island there only existed one five star house, today there’re twelve.” A synonym for Ibiza’s development from a merely party-island to a lifestyle spot with sophisticated culinary art.

A design hotel offers design classics: Lobby and Bar of the Ocean Drive Hotel*

Mandl sees the development of Ibiza quite critical, as the storm of international hotel chains led to an explosion of the price level. “One learned from the crisis”, says Mandl, “new building license for more hotels aren’t available anymore and existing building stocks are only allowed to be reconstructed.”

Elegant style with mid-century furniture: View from a “Double Room Deluxe” overlooking the harbor and the old town*

Concurrence stimulates the business and so Mandl got the idea to provide all guests with suites with their own Smarts for their time of stay. But this is surely not the only reason why the avant-garde of the international DJ scene has its accommodation here – like Martin Garrix, 19-years old international superstar, who only serves the superlatives like in Palm Springs at Coachella festival.

Being close to Ibiza’s club hotspots and also to harbor and old town, prominent DJ’s are regulars here at the Ocean Drive Hotel

Former General Manager Enrique Mandl on the rooftop-terrace of the design hotel, who is now in charge of the new Ibiza Bay Resort & Spa, an upcoming 5* GL Hotel on the Island

Who checks in at Ocean Drive, enjoys one of the most beautiful views on the “Dalt Vila” – the old town of Ibiza with lots of nightclubs – from the roof terrace with its “Sky Bar”. As there’s not always deadly silence, the guest will find a ‘survival kit’ in his room: earplugs and a sleeping mask for a calm night’s rest.

The “Sky Bar” on the hotel’s roof terrace: Here the party goes on!*

“It is important to us that the guest feels like home”, describes Mandl the familiar atmosphere at his hotel. The General Manager renounced an own bureau and was rather looking for the contact to his guests – and his regular guests were not only thankful for this gesture. “At ours the guest is having breakfast until four o’clock in the afternoon and even gets the best burger of the town at two in the morning.” Well: buen apetito! BvH

The outdoor terrace of the restaurant: from here you can join a wonderful view at the large, incoming vessels and noble yachts*

Enrique Mandl tells me his top Ibiza favorites of the season!

Six ultimate Ibiza tips by Enrique Mandl:

1. Last year the “Heart” in the neighbouring Grand Hotel opened, a restaurant with a new gastronomic concept under direction of Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté and century-cook Ferran Adrià. “This is more than spectacular for sure”, opines Enrique Mandl.

2. Beach clubs exist on Ibiza like sand at the sea. Now opened another one: “Tanit” at Playa d’en Bossa. “This is surely going to be a success, as the owner of Nassau beach club stands behind it”, discloses Enrique Mandl.

3. If you want to meet Jan Delay at Lunch you should go to “Fish-Shack”. “This is a fish stall in pure culture near Es Pouet in Talamanca. Here the best fish is being served at rough wooden tables”, fancies Enrique Mandl. “You won’t find other comparable authentic fish dishes on the island.”

4. The “Lio” – restaurant and show and a fantastic view over the old town of Ibiza – still counts to the highlights of the island.

5. “The old port is completely renovated”, tells Enrique Mandl. “All ships from 80 meters length onwards land there. Here you can see more than in Saint Tropez”.

6. Enrique’s favourite beach? “For sure the Cala Bassa at the West coast. It’s very relaxed and you’ll find a beautiful beach club as well.”

Contact Ocean Drive Hotel:

C/Atenas 30-46
07817 Sant Jordi, Ibiza

www.od-hotels.com

*Photos by Ocean Drive Hotel

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