design et al are delighted to announce that URBANAUTS Hospitality Group / BWM / Kohlmayr Lutter Knapp / graetzlhotel have been shortlisted for Hotel Under 50 Rooms Award in The International Hotel and Property Awards 2017.
The grätzlhotel consists of several ground floor apartments at various premises located in different Viennese districts. This innovative hotel concept is based on the conversion of former business premises, some of them abandoned a long time ago. The theme can be summed up as ground floor utilisation, and the formats are garden-level and street-front studio apartments. The idea is to create accommodation with individual charm for guests seeking a unique, direct experience of Vienna.Urbanauts Hospitality Group came up with an unconventional concept for the grätzlhotel and converted vacant street-front shops into charming suites and a reception. The term “Grätzl” served as the inspiration: this typical Viennese word describes a neighbourhood within a city district that has its own individual character and charm and encompasses the immediate residential and commercial surroundings. This is where the locals and the business people meet, where they do their shopping and where they enjoy a cup of coffee. The architects BWM Architekten and Kohlmayr Lutter & Knapp drew on the idea of the Grätzl for their hotel concept: the aim is to allow guests to become part of these vibrant surroundings and experience the unique atmosphere first hand.The design of each room provides a unique experience: no two suites are the same; each room has its own distinct personality. The high-quality surface materials and vintage objects originating in the vicinity give guests an authentic, personal urban experience. There is no reception in the traditional sense. Instead, that role is assumed by typical urban spots: a market stall (grätzlhotel meidlinger markt) and a former lamp shop that now houses a café/restaurant aptly named zur rezeption. The grätzlhotel currently operates 21 suites in the three Grätzls Belvedere, Meidlinger Markt and Karmelitermarkt. 2017 will see the addition of new Grätzls.Although each suite merges with the urban life taking place right outside its window, the architects attached great importance to creating comfortable, safe havens. The suites are like small studio apartments, and the urban style mirrors their surroundings: tasteful, high-quality design combined with local elements. Original vintage lamps from a former lamp shop form a lighting constellation, and a bamboo jungle discovered in a quiet backyard inspired the design of the Viennese Jungle Room. The combination of elements of surprise, humour and irony, together with local stories, forms a vibrant collection of rooms. When converting the café zur rezeption, the architects merged old and new, preserved elements left over from its past days, and added new, relaxed design elements. The suites are as individual as the guests staying in them and have all modern conveniences. Each suite has a kitchenette as well as a rain shower and box spring bed. They also provide enough space for get-togethers with friends and spontaneous visitors.
URBANAUTS Hospitality Group / BWM / Kohlmayr Lutter Knapp / graetzlhotel