The hotel "The Companion Vienna" has opened its doors in Vienna. Its in-house restaurant Boca and the bar Calypso invite guests to enjoy Mediterranean dishes and drinks.
At the new hotel "The Companion Vienna", the atmosphere is meant to feel like a relaxed gathering of friends – a place where you can linger spontaneously, laugh and enjoy good food. The project near Vienna's Westbahnhof is led by Kai Hollmann, Florian Kollenz, Christian Lainer and Michael Todt (including Superbude Wien, Neni am Prater) – who wanted to create an alternative to anonymous hospitality concepts.
The house offers two culinary destinations: the restaurant Boca and the bar Calypso. The entire food and beverage area is headed by Lauryn Therin, a New Zealand native who has been in Vienna since September and previously worked at Ottolenghi and Neni. Her signature style shapes both the cuisine at Boca and the drinks and snacks at the bar.
At Boca, the focus is on Mediterranean cuisine. Lauryn Therin's dishes draw inspiration from Parisian markets, long lunches in Barcelona and the vibrant energy of London. "I always want to stay authentic," she explains. The aim is to create a place that evokes long evenings by the sea.
The menu features small pintxos such as boquerones with anchovies and olive oil or mussels escabeche. Vegetables and legumes play an equally important role – from beetroot and farro salad to Jojo's beans with chorizo to grilled eggplant. Meat and fish dishes such as slow-cooked short ribs or blue fin tuna skewers complete the offering. However, the menu is still evolving, Therin notes. Some dishes will change depending on the season, availability and feedback from guests. Although she has only recently arrived in Vienna, the chef has already found her favorite spots: "I'm a real foodie. For example, I love 'Oreno Ramen' in the 7th district – and of course 'Mochi'".
The bar Calypso is named after the nymph from the Odyssey who enchanted sailors. Guests entering through the separate entrance on the Gürtel will find a calm, darker room with red marble and soft velvet. Behind the bar is Márton Schroth (aka "dirtymartoni"), who previously worked at "Seven North". The drinks menu also draws on the bar's mythological theme.
The hotel "The Companion Vienna" is located on Mariahilfer Straße right next to the Westbahnhof and has 138 rooms. Behind the hotel are Kai Hollmann, Florian Kollenz, Christian Lainer and Michael Todt, who deliberately set out to create an alternative concept to classic city hotels. Berlin-based studio weStudio, led by Piotr Wiśniewski, created the interior design. Historic elements of the building meet contemporary materials such as polished marble, terrazzo and handcrafted wood.
