Konig Von Ungarn by Andrew Mueller

This elegant yellow 16th-century townhouse has been a hotel since 1746. It is situated in a quiet ventricle of the heart of Vienna, visible from the bottom of the street, its name adorning an arched entrance that juts out onto the footpath. Inside, it feels instantly cosy and genteel, with something of the ambience of a hunting lodge – a great deal of dark wood panelling, trophy horns on the wall above the reception desk, keys attached to chunky, satisfying keyrings. The staff are friendly without being overweening, and the reception is well stocked with maps and brochures.

Access to the rooms is via an elevator on the other side of a covered courtyard, looked down on by the handsome windows of the corridors of the lower two floors. The courtyard contains an inviting cafe, with couches secreted among large potted plants.

The rooms
Each of the Konig Von Ungarn¹s rooms is different, but in general they are olde worlde without being chintzy ¬– or, at least, chintzy without being tacky. The room reviewed, overlooking a quiet street, boasted matching art deco furniture, including a free-standing wardbrobe and a handsome wooden bedstead. The bed, as is unfortunately so common in European hotels of a certain age, was two single mattresses pushed together, rather than a proper double. There is plenty of room, with space for a couch, two chairs and a table. The walls are pleasingly solid, and the doors hefty wood, with two between the bedroom and the corridor, a boon for light sleepers.

There is cable television - though the menu of English channels is modest, restricted to news channels - and internet access through a cable provided at reception (it’s four euros an hour, which isn’t bad). The minibar is also reasonably priced ¬ 3.70 euros for miniatures, 2.20 for soft drinks. The bedside radio is a thoughtful touch, as are the reproduction 19th century postcards included in the stationery folder.

The bathroom was bright, and spacious, with twin basins and a decent range of toiletries. The toilet was in a separate room, heightening the feeling of room to roam.

The verdict
Stereotypically Austrian, in a good way