Noblesse oblige: How Viennese luxury hotels are rethinking tradition

Every luxury hotel has its own little, well-kept secrets. For example, the name "Ritz-Carlton, Vienna" sounds like a classic 5-star accommodation, but the extensive complex consists of four historic palaces that are intertwined in one building. And each of these palaces tells the story of an era that has long since disappeared, but still casts a shadow over the present. Palais Ötzelt, which was once a fashionable residence, is particularly exciting. The architect Anton Ötzelt was one of Austria's biggest art collectors in the mid-19th century. The hotel also wanted to follow this tradition: The "Ritz-Carlton Albertina Suite" has been located in this wing since 2020. The Albertina has made five masterpieces from the Batliner Collection available for this purpose. This turns the suite into a private, very exclusive art gallery. After all, who has a Chagall hanging in their bedroom, a dance scene by Degas in the dining area or a garden painting by Monet?