SimplyAbuDhabi XLIX

A private tour of the hotel puts those surroundings into context before an evening at THEO’s, but the following morning belongs to Vienna itself. After breakfast at Brasserie Sophie, named for Hansen’s wife and offering an elegant, relaxed start to the day, an Imperial Fiaker carriage ride provides perhaps the most evocative way possible to enter the city’s rhythm. From its position on the Ringstrasse, the Palais Hansen sits amid the architecture of imperial Vienna, yet occupies a surprisingly tranquil corner of the former financial district. Hansen’s own imprint can be found nearby in landmarks including the Austrian Parliament and Vienna Stock Exchange, while St Stephen’s Cathedral, Graben, and Kohlmarkt are within easy reach. Travelling through these storied streets by horse-drawn carriage turns sightseeing into something more cinematic – a fleeting connection with the Vienna of another age. Back at the hotel, the transition from city to sanctuary is seamless. The 800-square-metre Anantara Spa combines Eastern wellness traditions with sophisticated modern therapies, its hydro pool, saunas, steam bath, heated loungers, and treatment rooms creating an enveloping retreat from the city beyond. Then comes the finale: dinner at Michelin-starred EDVARD. Chef Paul Gamauf’s menus are guided by seasonality, provenance, and a low-waste philosophy, with foraged and harvested ingredients trans- formed through fermenting, pickling, and preserving into inventive, intensely considered dishes. It encapsulates the hotel itself: respectful of tradition without being constrained by it. At Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna, history is not something displayed behind glass. It is lived in – graciously, com- fortably, and with the kind of thoughtful service that makes even the grandest surroundings feel personal. Simply Abu Dhabi | 203