The Zeitgeist
A hotel that writes stories
A tent in the lobby, a trout at the front desk, an essay spread across 254 mirrors: since 2013, Zeitgeist Vienna has been a hotel full of one-of-a-kind pieces, planned by architects, designed by artists and run by people who love exactly that.
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2013opened at Vienna Central Station
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254 roomsin 9 categories
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17 Secretsstories throughout the hotel
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1,524 wordsessay, six per room mirror
A hotel writes history (and stories)
What sets us apart
Vienna has plenty of hotels. We’re green, we’re human and we’re one of a kind. And you can check that for yourself in the hotel.
- 300 m to Vienna Central Station (Hauptbahnhof), 3 subway stops to the city center
- Built and run sustainably: renewable electricity, natural materials, Green Rate
- Accessible from day one, 10 wheelchair-accessible rooms
- Online check-in and a 24-hour front desk
- Underground parking garage with lobby access and free EV charging stations
- TEMPUR pillows for stomach sleepers, free at the front desk
The booklet for our 10th anniversary
A hotel writes history (and stories)
How did the trout get into the hotel? And why is there a tent in the lobby? For our tenth anniversary, we wrote down how the Zeitgeist came to be: 80 pages about the people, the art and the stories in the hotel.
Printed copies are available at the front desk for €15 or by mail: write to marketing@zeitgeist-vienna.com.
Zeitgeist Secrets
Seventeen stories are hidden in the hotel: at the front desk, in the rooms, in the Pergola. Four of them here, all seventeen on the tour.
No 05 · Essay in the mirror
254 rooms, one mirror per room, six words per mirror: 1,524 words by Hanno Millesi, framed by Martin Kitzler.
Read more →
No 06 · Circle and line
The hotel's typeface is Martin Kitzler's handwriting: the entire wayfinding system grows out of circle and line.
Read more →
No 07 · The luggage stand
Set up at desk height: the luggage stand as a work surface or as a table by the bed.
Read more →
No 09 · Welcome light
A welcome light greets you as you step in, reading lights by the bed, light directed forward at the bathroom mirror.
Read more →
Art in the hotel
The Zeitgeist was made by architects, artists and craftspeople you can name. Three distinct styles still shape the hotel today.
Martin Kitzler
Signature style
Typeface, figures, wayfinding
Visual artist
- The house typeface made of circle and line
- The stick figures throughout the hotel
- The frame for the mirror essay
- Lettering and wayfinding
- On view: in every room
Hanno Millesi
1,524 words
Zeitgeist. An essay.
Writer
- Six words in every room mirror
- The full text on the wall behind the front desk
- Rectangles like old key cubbies
- On the Zeitgeist, the Enlightenment and the hotel
- On view: front desk, rooms
Kinner · Zauner · Huger
Objects
Wood, steel, photography
Craft and photography
- Horst Zauner: the Pergola in rough-sawn oak
- Bartholomäus Kinner: signs, display cases, tent frame
- Jakob Huger: photographs from the Waldviertel
- On view: lobby, Pergola, courtyard
Can I read the booklet online or order it?
Yes. The booklet “A hotel writes history (and stories)” is available to browse online. Printed copies are at the front desk for €15 or by mail: write to marketing@zeitgeist-vienna.com.
How long has Zeitgeist Vienna been around?
Since 2013. It opened at the then-new Vienna Central Station with 254 rooms in nine categories.
Can I take photos of the Secrets in the hotel?
Of course. The Secrets are there to be discovered; just please don’t photograph other guests in the lobby, Pergola or courtyard without asking.
Are there tours of the hotel?
There are no fixed tour times. The booklet and the tour on this website lead you to all 17 Secrets. For groups, please ask at the front desk.
Can I buy the Rosarote Zeiten paintings?
Yes. The paintings hang in the Pergola and can be bought at the front desk. The proceeds go to affected families.
Who designed the hotel?
Architecture and objects by Horst Zauner and Bartholomäus Kinner, handwriting and figures by Martin Kitzler, the essay by Hanno Millesi, photographs by Jakob Huger.
More at the Zeitgeist
Sustainability
Renewable electricity, Green Rate, natural materials: what's behind “green.”
See sustainability →
Wellness & sports
Fitness room, sauna and eight running loops starting at the front door.
See wellness →
Booking direct pays off
These benefits are only available on our website, by phone or by email.
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up to 15% off
Exclusive discount, direct only
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2 pm
Early check-in
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1 pm
Late check-out
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up to 20% off
Green Rate from 2 nights