The Hotel Royal has a fascinating and eventful
history stretching all the way back
to the 1st millennium.
A legacy of hospitality
and culture
The first walls of the building date back to the 1st millennium and are therefore of great historical significance.
The tradition of hospitality at this site dates back to 1566, when it was first recorded as a pilgrims’ hostel named “Gasthof zum Roten Apfel”.
Its longstanding significance as a place of rest in the heart of Vienna was officially recognized in 1708, when Emperor Joseph I awarded it the Imperial Letter and Seal. The original document is still preserved today at Hotel Royal. Josef Merina, the innkeeper at the time, is credited with writing Vienna’s first menu, which he titled “the Kuchlzettel”.
This historic building also became an early cultural hub: composer Antonio Salieri opened a singing school here, and Ludwig van Beethoven was among those who visited the music shop once located within its walls.
Unfortunately, the hotel was not spared from setbacks and had to be rebuilt twice. The first time was after the neighboring house “Zum goldenen Becher” collapsed in 1882. Back then, it was called the “Dom Hotel Royal”. The second time was after it burnt down to the ground in the last days of World War II in 1945. The Kremslehner family rebuilt the house after the end of the war and reopened the Hotel Royal on 20.05.1960.
The Kremslehner family has been carrying on the hotel’s long established tradition of hospitality since 1931. Whether it is renovations, the opening of the Ristorante Firenze in 1984 or the Rooftop Restaurant Settimo Cielo in 2000, the Kremslehner family continues Hotel Royal’s legacy. In addition, the musical heritage is maintained through hosting celebrations of world-famous opera stars in the restaurants.
