A Taste of Vienna: Inside the Legendary Hotel Sacher
Nestled beside the Vienna State Opera, Hotel Sacher is a beacon of Austrian refinement - where imperial history, timeless interiors, and one particularly famous chocolate cake come together in perfect harmony.
One of our team members, Dominika, recently had the opportunity to experience the hotel in person, offering us a closer look at what makes this historic address so unique and utterly special.
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A Legacy Baked in Chocolate
The story begins in 1832, when 16-year-old apprentice Franz Sacher created a new dessert for Prince von Metternich. His invention—a rich chocolate cake layered with apricot jam and served with whipped cream—was the beginning of the now-legendary Original Sacher-Torte.
The cake’s fame soon outgrew the palace kitchen, and in 1876, Franz’s son Eduard opened Hotel Sacher, establishing it as a meeting place for nobility, artists, and those with a taste for the refined. Since then, the Sacher name has become a byword for Viennese hospitality and craftsmanship.
Rooms with a Sense of Place
The rooms and suites at Hotel Sacher blend old-world grandeur with modern comfort—silk-lined walls, crystal chandeliers, and marble bathrooms with underfloor heating set the tone. The Junior Suites offer a generous layout with combined bedroom and sitting areas, refined furnishings, and bathtubs alongside separate showers. Many enjoy views across Vienna’s grand boulevards, the State Opera, or the Albertina, placing guests right at the heart of the city’s cultural landscape.
The Original Sacher-Torte
While versions of the cake exist around the world, the Original Sacher-Torte remains a closely guarded recipe, still handmade today and best enjoyed at its source: Café Sacher. Rich but never heavy, the cake is served simply with unsweetened whipped cream and a cup of strong Viennese coffee.
Though over 360,000 cakes are shipped globally each year, nothing quite compares to enjoying it in situ, surrounded by mirrored walls, polished silver, and the gentle hum of the café. Limited artist-designed boxes add another layer to the tradition—turning dessert into a piece of collectible Viennese culture.
Dining at the Rote Bar
For something more savoury, Restaurant Rote Bar offers refined Austrian cuisine in a sumptuous setting. Think candlelight, damask-covered walls, oil portraits, and soft piano music each evening. In summer, the glass conservatory opens into a terrace with a view of the Opera—ideal for warm evenings and people-watching over a glass of Grüner Veltliner.
The menu features classic Viennese dishes, updated with seasonal ingredients sourced from regional producers. It’s the sort of place that invites you to linger—over a slow lunch, an elegant dinner, or simply for the atmosphere alone.
An Elegant Retreat
Tucked away inside the hotel, the Boutique Sacher Spa provides a serene counterpoint to the city’s energy. With treatments inspired by Austrian traditions and a focus on holistic wellbeing, it’s a space to restore both body and mind. Whether after a day of museums or before an evening concert, it offers a moment of pure pause.