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Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy

Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy

Note8.6/10

Hotel
Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna
Country
Austria
City
Vienna
Room Type
Sisi Suite
Loyalty Program Status
Titanium
Points Per Night
42 000 - 80 000
Hotel brand
The Luxury Collection
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During my stay in Vienna, I chose to live an atypical experience by staying at the Hotel Imperial Vienna. Rich in history, this hotel is the former palace of the Prince of Wurtemberg and his wife Maria Theresa. As part of the 1873 World’s Fair, the palace was transformed into a 5-star luxury hotel and is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.

Many personalities have stayed in this hotel, including Queen Elizabeth II and Charlie Chaplin.

Hotel Imperial Vienna – Reservation

During my stay, the cost of a night was close to $950 or 69,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. So, I chose to use my points to save on my stay.

Here is another example for a reservation during the Quebec Day weekend where the cost for one night is 60,000 points or $1,095 (or €741).

Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Argent
Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Points

Earning Marriott Bonvoy Points

The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for free stays at over 8,000 hotels worldwide is to be a Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Cardholder (and/or Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Cardholder).

In addition to the great welcome bonus on both cards, you’ll earn 2 points per dollar on all purchases and 5 points per dollar at Marriott locations. And each year, you’ll earn a certificate for one free hotel night (35,000 point value) as well as 15 Elite nights toward your Marriott Bonvoy status.

Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna-49

Hotel Imperial Vienna – At a Glance

Here is some information about the hotel:

Date of opening (or renovation)1873 Number of rooms138 (including 59 suites)
RestaurantsYesUSB sockets in the roomYes
Accepts animalsService animal onlySmart TVYes
Mobile cardNoShower/BathShower/Bath
BalconyAccording to the roomsAccessible for people with reduced mobilityCommon areas,
some rooms
Parking36 EUR / dayLounge No
GymYes, 24/7Breakfast includedAccording to status or 41 EUR
Pools and SpasNoRoom with kitchenetteNo
Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna-48

Hotel Imperial Vienna – Location

The location of the hotel is ideal for walking around the city. The metro is a 5 minute walk away and a tramway station is just around the corner. The famous Vienna Opera House is less than 200 meters away.

Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna-20

Hotel Imperial Vienna – Check-in

As soon as you enter the main hall, you are impressed by its height, marble and gilding. It’s chic, you really feel like you’re entering another era!

Once I got there, the check-in was very quick because I had done it in the app beforehand. I was told that I had been upgraded to a Sisi suite and was able to choose breakfast as a welcome gift (a savings of €82 for 2 people). The service was very friendly and professional.

Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna-27

Hotel Imperial Vienna – Types of rooms and suites

The hotel has 138 rooms and suites:

  • 39 Classic Rooms
  • 40 Deluxe Rooms
  • 24 Imperial Junior Suites
  • 4 Junior Executive Suites
  • 3 Suites Maissonnette
  • 17 Suites Sisi
  • 6 Elisabeth Suites
  • 3 Imperial Suites
  • 2 Royal Suites

Hotel Imperial Vienna – Suite Sisi

During my stay, I stayed in a Sisi suite. These suites have just been launched in March 2023. I was able to visit different rooms and see that they are all unique, either by size, color or configuration.

Our suite was in green tones, but it also exists in blue tones.

Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna-05

The room has the same refinement and majestic decoration that can be found throughout the hotel.

Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Chambre-12
Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Chambre-06
Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Chambre-10

The Sisi suite measures approximately 60m2. When you enter the suite, you come to a corridor with a separate toilet and a closet where the safety deposit box is located.

The suite is divided into two spaces with a living room and office area and the bedroom side.

Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Chambre-14

The marble bathroom has a separate shower and bathtub.

Hotel Imperial Vienna – Classic Room

The classic rooms measure approximately 30m2.

Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna-35

Hotel Imperial Vienna – Royal Suite

The two royal suites measure 150m2 each and are located on the same floor. If you like to have space, you can even book the whole floor, as the suites are concomitant for a total surface of 460m2.

Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna-41
Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna-43

Hotel Imperial Vienna – Breakfast

Breakfast is served at Café Imperial on the first floor from 7:00 am to 11:00 am. The service is in the form of a buffet and an a la carte choice. Thanks to our status, we were able to access the buffet as well as a selection of dishes on a slightly lighter menu than the main one. Please note that mimosas are included.

Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Buffet-28

The buffet offer is not extravagant, but here quality prevails over quantity. There are fruits, pastries, cold cuts and an impressive choice of jams. As for the dishes on the menu, I still think about the eggs Benedict; I’ve never had better.

Café Impérial is also famous for its « Imperial Torte« . A confectionary that was created by Xavier Loibner on the occasion of the opening of the hotel in 1873 in honor of Emperor Franz Joseph I. The pie is made with a melting chocolate icing, a slightly acidic almond flavor and a chocolate buttercream and almond paste.

Hotel Imperial Vienna – Other services

Hotel Imperial Vienna – Fitness room

The fitness room is open 24 hours a day. It is very little used and the equipment is new. There is also a sauna.

Hotel Imperial Vienna – Business Center

The business center is simply a computer and a printer at your disposal. It is located in the hallway just above the entrance hall. The location didn’t seem ideal to me; the place is noisy and doesn’t allow for any privacy since anyone can walk behind you.

Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna-47

Hotel Imperial Vienna – Imperial Bar

The Imperial Bar is located off the lobby. It is impossible to pass by without admiring its enormous chandeliers and the marble on the walls. The bar is open every day from 9 am to 1 am.

Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna-25
Review: Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection, Vienna | Marriott Bonvoy - Réception

Hotel Imperial Vienna – My general impression

The Imperial Vienna Hotel is a perfectly renovated historic hotel located close to public transportation and points of interest in the city.

The service is attentive and lives up to the hotel’s reputation. My only regret is that I only stayed there for one night!

Featured
Annual fee
$120
Our valuation
$990
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$990Total$990Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 110,000 points
Ends Sep 22, 2026
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on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card is the best credit card in Canada for free hotel nights.

New Cardmembers can earn up to 110,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points with the current offer:

  • Earn 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 on your Card in your first 6 months of Cardmembership.
  • Plus, earn 30,000 points by making a purchase during your 15th month of Cardmembership.

This offer ends on September 22, 2026. The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.

Every year after your first Card anniversary, you receive an Annual Free Night Award good for a redemption of up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide. At a valuation of 0.9 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, that certificate is worth roughly $315, which on its own more than covers the $120 annual fee. That is the main reason to keep this Card year after year instead of cancelling it.

To get the most out of the certificate, aim it at a night that would otherwise price close to the 35,000 point ceiling.

The Card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Those credits count toward the next Elite tier, so you begin every year 15 nights ahead of where you would otherwise start.

You move up to Gold Elite status automatically when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card in a year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your Card.

Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 110,000 point welcome offer is worth about $990, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.

Marriott Bonvoy points pull their weight on free nights rather than on gift cards or merchandise, which is why this Card should be judged on the hotel stays it produces.

You earn 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 hotels around the world.

The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.

Two things to plan around: the 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, and the 21.99% purchase interest rate, which makes this a Card to pay in full every month. Like all American Express Canada Cards, no minimum income is published for this Card, and you can see whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.

Annual fee

Primary card$120
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
  • 2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,437
2nd Year Value$312

Travel insurance

Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Go further with Marriott Bonvoy

To maximize your stays and points earning, check our complete Marriott Bonvoy program guide and our best Marriott Bonvoy credit cards ranking. For personal use, see the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. For business expenses, the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card earns points on every business purchase. And if a points purchase promotion is running, take advantage via our Marriott Bonvoy points purchase guide.

Our featured card

Featured
Annual fee
$120
Our valuation
$990
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$990Total$990Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 110,000 points
Ends Sep 22, 2026
Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card is the best credit card in Canada for free hotel nights.

New Cardmembers can earn up to 110,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points with the current offer:

  • Earn 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 on your Card in your first 6 months of Cardmembership.
  • Plus, earn 30,000 points by making a purchase during your 15th month of Cardmembership.

This offer ends on September 22, 2026. The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.

Every year after your first Card anniversary, you receive an Annual Free Night Award good for a redemption of up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide. At a valuation of 0.9 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, that certificate is worth roughly $315, which on its own more than covers the $120 annual fee. That is the main reason to keep this Card year after year instead of cancelling it.

To get the most out of the certificate, aim it at a night that would otherwise price close to the 35,000 point ceiling.

The Card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Those credits count toward the next Elite tier, so you begin every year 15 nights ahead of where you would otherwise start.

You move up to Gold Elite status automatically when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card in a year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your Card.

Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 110,000 point welcome offer is worth about $990, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.

Marriott Bonvoy points pull their weight on free nights rather than on gift cards or merchandise, which is why this Card should be judged on the hotel stays it produces.

You earn 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 hotels around the world.

The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.

Two things to plan around: the 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, and the 21.99% purchase interest rate, which makes this a Card to pay in full every month. Like all American Express Canada Cards, no minimum income is published for this Card, and you can see whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.

Annual fee

Primary card$120
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
  • 2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,437
2nd Year Value$312

Travel insurance

Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

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