Mandarin Oriental Sets Opening Date in Vienna, Marking Brand’s Austrian Debut
A heritage-listed Art Nouveau courthouse has been transformed into Mandarin Oriental’s first Austrian hotel, with 138 rooms, four new dining venues, and a full spa.
Photos: Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental
Mandarin Oriental will officially arrive in Austria this fall with the opening of Mandarin Oriental, Vienna on Oct. 20. The hotel occupies a restored Art Nouveau courthouse in the city’s First District, a location that positions it steps from Vienna’s grand cultural institutions.
The 138-key property is the group’s first in Austria and one of only a handful of luxury debuts this year in the capital. The adaptive reuse of the 1908 courthouse, designed by Alfred Keller, reflects a broader trend among top-tier hotel groups: reclaiming heritage buildings and transforming them into modern luxury assets.
Inside, the 86 rooms and 52 suites preserve original Art Nouveau detailing while introducing a muted, contemporary design. The accommodations are anchored by three Mandarin Signature Suites and a palatial Royal Suite, and, catering to meeting demand, the property also includes a 1,500-square-foot ballroom and seven flexible boardrooms.
General manager Mario Habicher describes the project’s ambition as balancing global appeal with local integration. “Our aim is to create a place that is both a retreat for international travellers and a meeting place for locals with an appreciation of the extraordinary,” Habicher said in a statement. “The historic Art Nouveau building in Riemergasse provides the ideal setting for this.”
Dining is positioned as a differentiator. Executive chef Thomas Seifried introduces four distinct venues under the Atelier 7 umbrella, including the fine-dining seafood restaurant Le Sept and an Izakaya-style bar, concepts that expand Vienna’s culinary landscape beyond its traditional coffeehouses and schnitzel palaces. “Vienna is ready for a new culinary chapter that surprises, inspires, and offers enjoyment at the highest level,” Seifried notes.
Wellness is covered with a full-scale spa and indoor pool. The design choices—seven treatment rooms and a couple’s suite—suggest a focus on both city-break travelers and longer-stay guests who expect restorative programming built into the hotel experience.
Vienna represents both a geographic milestone and a strategic reinforcement of Europe’s cultural capitals for MO. In a city where hotel supply ranges from historic grande dames to newer boutique entrants, the brand is betting that its blend of heritage restoration, global dining appeal, and spa pedigree will resonate with a market increasingly oriented toward authentic yet elevated experiences.
