Austria

Austria moves effortlessly between opulence and restraint. Vienna’s imperial palaces, grand coffee houses and Secession architecture tell the story of a country that helped shape European art and design, while beyond the capital, Alpine villages, lakeside villas and mountain resorts reveal a very different architectural tradition. From Otto Wagner and Josef Hoffmann to today’s generation of architects working with timber, stone and glass, Austria has a remarkable ability to reinterpret its heritage without losing it.

Food and drink are equally tied to place. Viennese coffee-house culture and traditional Gasthäuser remain essential, but contemporary Austrian cooking increasingly celebrates regional farmers, seasonal produce and a lighter interpretation of familiar dishes. The country’s wine culture deserves particular attention, from Grüner Veltliner and Riesling grown along the Danube to the vineyards surrounding Vienna itself, while ambitious restaurants and natural wine bars add a distinctly contemporary edge.

Austria’s most interesting hotels bridge these different worlds beautifully. Historic city palaces, grand Alpine hotels, reimagined farmhouses and striking contemporary mountain retreats combine craftsmanship and hospitality with a strong architectural identity. At DNA Hotels, we curate the places where design, food, history and landscape come together—hotels that reveal an Austria extending far beyond classical Vienna and traditional Alpine clichés.