My Familiarisation Trip to Vienna July 2018
By Sian Balsdon
Last week I was lucky enough to attend a FAM trip to Vienna organised by the Vienna Convention Bureau.
Day one
As soon as we arrived in Vienna we were transferred to our hotel and given a brief introduction on Vienna en route. My first night’s stay was 25hours Hotel Vienna at MuseumsQuartier – an ultra-quirky hotel in the heart of the city. The hotel features 183 circus themed bedrooms and meeting space for up to 150 delegates. The crowning glory of the hotel is the roof terrace which is famous for its spectacular views of Vienna and surrounding area.
Day two
After a good night’s sleep at the hotel it was time to go and explore the city. First stop was the Spanish Riding School – for me, this was the highlight of the whole trip! The venue offers the perfect setting for any event in the surrounding of Vienna’s Old Town it will make every event into something very special and unforgettable. It has so much history and every day there are performances of the World famous white Lipazzan horses. It’s breathtaking!
Next stop on the agenda was the Hofburg Vienna, a conference and events centre, really a palace, dating back to the 13th century with spaces for 150 up to 4,800 delegates!
After stopping for an impressive lunch at Motto AM Fluss the site visits continued! Next was Palais Coburg with 34 luxurious suites, an exclusive spa, Silvio Nickol Gourmet Restaurant (awarded with two Michelin stars), a unique wine cellar and unique event facilities ranging from 14 all the way up to 232 delegates!
After a quick drink of sparkling wine from their very own wine cellar it was time for a Viennese transfer by horse and carriage to the Le Meridien where we would be staying for the next two nights. The hotel sits at the edge of the notorious Ringstrasse, moments away from the Vienna State Opera, Imperial Hofburg Palace, Albertina, Secession and MuseumsQuartier. With 294 stylish rooms, 8 conference rooms and 2 restaurants it’s the perfect base for residential events and I loved it.
After freshening up in the hotel, we were transferred to the Hilton Vienna which has space for up to 460 delegates and 500 bedrooms. The hotel is unrated whilst still maintaining a five-star service, making it perfect for pharmaceutical events.
We then had a short walk to our dinner venue – Salonplafond Im Mak. A beautiful venue with inside and outdoor space which you can hire exclusively for up to 160 people.
Day three
Our last day in Vienna!
In the morning we had a gorgeous private breakfast in one of the private dining rooms at Le Meridien. They definitely know how to eat! We were treated to smoothies, pastries, cheeses and even early morning chocolates – we were spoilt rotten!
For the rest of the morning we had a slightly different transfer… A motorized soapbox rally through Vienna! Such an amazing and fun way to see the city. Yes, that is me all ready for it!
We stopped off at the Novotel Wien Hauptbahnhof for a quick show round of the space. It offers 4-star comfort with 266 bedrooms and meeting space for up to 350 delegates. I loved their smaller ‘creative’ meeting rooms.
Once the soapbox rally came to an end it was time for lunch at the Park Hyatt Vienna. Centrally located in the heart of Vienna, this beautiful hotel occupies a 100-year-old listed building that formerly served as the headquarters of a bank. The main space – Grand Salon is truly special and can hold up to 200 delegates.
After lunch we had a couple of site visits at two non-residential venues – Palais Ferstel and Palais Wertheim both stunning venues holding up to 350 delegates.
Our last dinner stop before our flight home in the morning was at Hotel Imperial which was originally built as the private palace to the Prince of Württemberg, Hotel Imperial Vienna was opened to the world in 1873. With 138 rooms and 5 meeting rooms with daylight and Michelin-starred cuisine it was definitely a spectacular way to end the trip!
If Vienna appeals to your sense of adventure; give one of our team a call 01323 644644.