The best travel memories are so often linked to romance. That blissful feeling of endless opportunity and the mystery of a new place, is what makes everything even more exciting. And the truth is, some places are more romantic than the others, and we can surely say Hotel Motto Vienna is one of the most romantic places we’ve ever visited. A masterclass in sophisticated elegance, you can bet that just about every detail aims to please.
Located in the 6th district, on the main pedestrian street, Mariahilfer Strasse, the neighborhood is perfect to wander around on foot and get to know the city. In addition to 83 rooms, 8 suites and an event space, the hotel has a small and cozy wellness area with spa and a gym, as well as a stylish Chez Bernard restaurant and bar on the top floor.
HOTELS
A mastermind behind Vienna’s chicest hotel and a very well known figure on the Austrian hospitality scene, Bernd Schlacher, sits down with DSCENE Magazine Editor Katarina Doric to talk about hotel’s history, design and decor cues, as well as the importance of sustainability and attention to details.
You have a very interesting journey from engineering to hospitality. Can you tell us a bit more about your background? – I was born in Upper Styria, Austria and at the age of 15, I went to Vienna to do an apprenticeship with ÖBB (The Austrian Federal Railways). I took a part-time job as a waiter in the restaurant “Wiener” at the age of 20, which awakened my enthusiasm for gastronomy. Later on I was working as a hotel manager in Jamaica for around a year, before taking over the “former” MOTTO restaurant (now Thell restaurant) in the 5th district in 1991 and turned it back into a cult place. In 2010, I also opened the MOTTO AM FLUSS.
In addition to the restaurant Motto am Fluss, Motto Catering and my own bio-organic bakery MOTTO BROT I opened 2021 my “childhood” dream, the Hotel MOTTO with the new, popular and stylish Restaurant and Bar CHEZ BERNARD.
We don’t offer our guests just over-the-top chi-chi, but a cozy atmosphere at a high level on quality.
– Bernd Schlacher.
You started out in the restaurant business in the ’80, what has changed since then? – Actually, not much; coziness, good food and top casual service used to be the motto until now. What might have changed are more the needs for organic ingredients, vegan food and the entertainment factor. Guests need more of an experience.
How did you decide to open a hotel? Was it a longtime plan? – It was always my childhood dream. The property and the location were very important starting points to be able to open my vision of a hotel. The former “Hotel Kummer” and the story behind it was very inspiring and 8 years ago we started to envision the concept and the design.
The building itself has a very interesting history, from Strauss family and 19th-century bohemians to Hotel Kummer. – Yes, me and the architect Arkan Zeytinoglu, were particularly inspired by the history of the building and tried to combine it with the modern concept that you can see today. We would say it’s Vienna meets Paris, because after the 2nd World War a part of the French occupation forces stayed in this building. Paris of the 20s – the glory years of the time – reflected with the modernity of Vienna, which resulted in the concept of the new hotel MOTO with it’s many facets (gastronomy, architecture, design, etc.).
Hotel Motto opened in October 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, when the lockdowns were a big challenge for hospitality. Is tourism now back to like it was before? – Yes, we opened in the middle of the pandemic, but this did not deter us from the concept that we had. We wanted to be different. We opened mainly for and with Austrian guests because the local population is very important to us, and also also for the restaurant. Since April 2022, with the international guests coming back to Vienna, the hotel is running excellent.
Tell us a bit about the location. What can the visitors expect to see in the area? – The central location between 6th and 7th district of Vienna is one of the best locations in the city. You can walk to all main sights and the area is lively with cool, hipster people. I had my first apartment in the neighborhood, in the 6th district. The new modern Vienna is nearby with lots of very-good restaurants, excellent cocktail bars, lots of small cafés and pubs, small boutiques and of course the most “Viennese” shopping street. The “living room” the MQ (MuseumsQuartier) for younger, or art affine crowd, is as well next to us.
The interior combines a Parisian Art Deco with contemporary style. Who was in charge of the design? – Arkan Zeytinoglu and myself worked very intensively together on this.
What about furniture and decor? – The furnishings, the interior of the hotel as well as some handcrafted pieces, such as door handles and floor lamps in the rooms, are 80% made in Austria and were exclusively produced for us. The patterns (of tiles, cushions and fabric wallpaper) are inspirations and originals from the royally-known textile company BACKHAUSEN.
Is it true that some of it is from the legendary Ritz Hotel in Paris? – Correct, we bought some of the pieces, including the original chandelier and some lobby sofas, at the auction from the RITZ hotel in Paris.
The hotel also features a significant number of contemporary art pieces. Can you tell us more about that? – Art is important to me, whether it’s photography, graffiti, or fine art pieces. We do have artwork from Andrea Ferolla and currently have a loan from Franz West – one of the famous “Lemur heads” and it is great that it’s pink. As a new highlight from the end of March we will be opening our new ART DELUXE rooms. We have redesigned our special 6th floor room with the mirrored wall and balustrade in collaboration with the local artist SaSa (Sasha Knezevic) and made it more creatively unconventional with “graffiti quotes”. The opening is scheduled for March 28th.
Some of the interesting features are also in-room cocktail mixing, and a pack of Je Veux condoms. How important are the tiny details when it comes to the hospitality business? – Attention to detail, coziness and quality materials, as well as “being the host” are very important to me and that’s why we implemented some details with a wink or as a surprise. The other details include the cocktail minibar or the functional radio to play your own music. Coffee or tea simply belong in a hotel room and why not the gin and tonic too?
How important is sustainability for you? – Nowadays, sustainability is indispensable in every aspect of life. We have implemented a zero-plastic-policy for the minibar. We are also working with many regional suppliers from the food sector, and above all, our coffee is from the fabric ALT WIEN, which is certified organic.
The beautifully designed Chez Bernard restaurant on the top floor offers something for everyone, from food to good vibes. What was the idea behind the concept? – It is and should be the living room for hotel guests, for shopaholics – who are nearby – for Viennese local people. A place of pleasure and coziness with good food and drinks. In the evenings things can get “wilder” with DJ sounds and that’s why we have combined the restaurant and bar. In the summer months, there is our rooftop terrace with New York or L.A. atmosphere, where we also offer grilled dishes aka French-cuisine.
What are the future plans for the Motto Group? – We’ll see, there are no signed future projects at the moment.
Hotel Motto Vienna
Mariahilfer Straße 71a, Entrance: Schadekgasse 20, 1060 Vienna, Austria
+43 1 581 45 00
hello@hotelmotto.at
www.hotelmotto.at
Follow Hotel Motto on Instagram – @hotelmottovienna
