Home & Away with Robert Walshe
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Weekend Hotspot – Ritz Carlton Vienna www.ritzcarlton.com
The Ritz-Carlton Vienna is located in the heart of the city in what were four historic palaces, dating back to the 19th century. The hotel embraces tradition with original design features which have been painstakingly restored and integrated into the new interiors. Guests will find frescoed ceilings, intricate carved and painting moulding, and sumptuous fabrics alongside works by living artists creating a beautiful and authentic Viennese experience. Original architectural details are also incorporated into the 202 stylish guestrooms and 43
suites many with spectacular views. The Club Lounge provides guests with exclusive access to a private concierge service, a food and beverage presentation throughout the day, and city views from windows below the eaves of the hotel. Classic Austrian cuisine is offered in “DSTRIKT “restaurant where Chef Wini Brugger creates regional dishes using locally grown produce. In the lobby “ Melounge” is the place to be seen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner while in the afternoon it’s chocolate time with specialist Sommelier Pablo adding spices like tonka beans, chili and pepper to a variety of chocolate products from countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela &
n Musikverein Concert Hall Vienna.
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Madagascar. Afternoon Tea has a long tradition in many of Ritz-Carlton Hotels all over the world and Vienna delivers on all counts offering traditional high tea with classic smoked salmon, cucumber and roast beef sandwiches alongside scones with clotted cream and petit fours or the Viennese High Tea with ham, graved salmon and cucumber, and liptauer sandwiches, a selection of petit fours and three delicious Mini-Guglhupfs – a very traditional Austrian cake. D-bar with views onto the famous Ring Boulevard presents an extensive range of beverages however the smoking policy is somewhat challenging for those of us coming from a society that frowns on this bad habit. “Atmosphere”, the roof top bar open until midnight in season offers spectacular views over the city however remember to book your table. The RitzCarlton Vienna also hosts the first Guerlain spa in Austria offering aesthetic expertise in face and body treatments with perfect massage technique especially the Vienna Chic massage. Whether guests choose to float peacefully in the 18m
indoor steel swimming pool to soothing under floor classical music or simply want a place to recharge this sanctuary is the place to go. The Ritz Carlton Vienna “ Discover With You “ package offers Chocolate Sommelier experience with signature hot chocolate, overnight accommodation, daily full breakfast buffet for up to two people and 40 Euro hotel credit per n Ritz Carlton Vien na. stay. Starting at € 405 per night this offer is valid through March 30, 2014. www.ritzcarlton.com Vienna, erally in the air. The city’s Austria, offers grand imperial concert halls and stages offer palaces, baroque cathedrals the whole range from classiand Romanesque churches, cal to progressive sounds with with historic museums jut- end-to-end festivals the whole ting against contemporary year through. The “Musikvsquares. Prince Eugene’s Win- erein “concert hall contains ter Palace is open until April the world-famous Golden Hall to mark the 350th birthday of and is particularly impresthe former field marshal and sive. Shopping streets and patron of the arts, the state pedestrian zones offer luxury rooms in his winter residence goods and good values – at have been assigned a new use jeweler’s shops as well as anand are used by the Belvedere. tique stores, art stores, and More famous composers have fashion designer boutiques. lived here than in any other Aer Lingus operate a daily city – in Vienna, music is lit- service from Dublin to Vienna
and best fares are available at www.aerlingus.com. Vienna is a city gliding between past and present, offering its visitors a view of culture, history and the contemporary unlike anywhere else in the world. www.vienna.info Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q Radio Network and Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe. com