Hotel MOTTO – art and design in the heart of Vienna

Owned by renowned Austrian entrepreneur and restaurateur Bernd Schlacher, Hotel MOTTO is situated on the famous Mariahilfer Straße. The Viennese property shelters 85 rooms and six suites, and is also home to a chic restaurant and bar, summer rooftop bar, its own organic bakery, a fitness and spa area and a private event space.

Image credit: Oliver Jiszda

The historic building has housed hotels for over three centuries since 1665 and was the birth home of Josef Strauss, son of the famous composer Johann Strauss, who called the hotel home in 1827. The architecture is infused with Renaissance and Baroque nods layered with elements of the gothic and byzantine styles: towers and domes as well as the configuration of the façade, originally constructed by the top artisans of the Vienna Artisan Craft movement, are fully preserved and play a pivotal role in the layout of the property.

The aesthetic of the interiors, designed by Arkan Zeytinoglu Architects is Vienna meets Paris – an eclectic mix of avant garde and punk rock. Fabric covered walls and rugs, furniture, tiles and lamps are reimagined from original vintage furniture, some of which is from the Hotel Ritz in Paris. The lobby is a flashback to the opulent 1920s, where serving carts and golden lamps accent the interiors, alongside floral fabric on the walls, artsy mirrors and playful chandeliers.

Art is a strong design thread running right through Hotel MOTTO. Modernism, different perspectives and a new approach to look at art – the paintings, photographs and illustrations convey the uniqueness, the sentiment and the atmosphere of this place, its history and its value.

Image credit: Oliver Jiszda

Renowned fashion illustrator Andrea Ferolla’s distinctive silhouettes can be seen across the walls of the hotel, while the powerful photography of Mexican artist Victoria Barmak makes space for the LGBTQI+ community. Sasha Knezevic – the artist SASA – worked his magic in eight rooms and created bold quotes on mirrored walls in a graffiti style – edgy, funny, exciting and inspiring, each is simply wonderful.

Image credit: Stefan Kokovic

The hotel is also home to Chez Bernard, a restaurant and bar on the seventh floor with an eighth floor rooftop restaurant and bar, as well as its own organic bakery Motto Brot. Chez Bernard can be found underneath a striking glass dome, flooded by light and decorated with lush greenery. The cuisine is modern Austrian fare with French and Mediterranean influences. Fresh preparation and organic ingredients take centre stage alongside unparalleled, familial service.

The bar is an all-day meeting space and features sweeping views from its terrace. The coffee served is a special roast crafted for the hotel, and owner Bernd Schlacher, who has been honoured multiple times for his sustainability concepts, makes his own beer, ‘Brewdi’ from old bread that is leftover from the bakery.
By night, prominent DJs from Vienna provide the soundtrack in the rhythm of this vibrant metropolis.

Image credit: Hotel MOTTO

The hotel’s fitness and wellness area spans 65 square metres, and features a rain shower, relaxation room with high-spring water, unisex sauna, and a small steam bath. The fitness suite features everything from a WaterRower, to bicycle, treadmill, weight bench, and free weights, to yoga mats. Boxing lessons can be booked in advance in the neighbourhood, and the hotel works alongside an adjacent pilates and yoga studio to offer guests classes.

Main image credit: Oliver Jiszda