Press Information
Viennese Waltz: Palais Hansen Kempinski opts in favor of Axor
Mixers from the Axor Citterio Collection provide glamor and comfort to the
luxury hotel’s bathrooms
Schiltach, November 2013. It is an avenue of splendor second to none, and a
showcase for the architecture of the Wilhelminian period of the 19th century: the
Ringstrasse in Vienna. It encircles sights that have been famous ever since the
1860s, such as the Hofburg Imperial Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the
State Opera House. The look of the Ringstrasse, with its city palace and bourgeois
residences, was shaped first and foremost by one master builder: Theophil
Hansen, something of a star architect in his day. One of his most imposing
buildings is named after him today: the Palais Hansen am Ring. Built in 1873 as a
luxury hotel for visitors coming to the World Exhibition on the Danube, and having
undergone extensive renovations to the tune of more than 30 million Euros, it was
recently re-opened as a 5-Star-Superior Hotel under the flag of the Kempinski
Group. Integral elements in this combination of history, elegance and modern
convenience, are the luxurious mixers from Axor, the designer brand of
Hansgrohe SE.
Marble, precious timbers and fabrics, classical and contemporary interior design,
are the hallmarks of the 152 individually furnished rooms and suites in the Palais
Hansen Kempinski. Working with the project developers from UBM Bohémia, the
internationally renowned hotel designers from the Desseins Studio in Paris
succeeded in creating a striking mix of luxury and Viennese charm. Custom-made
furniture, for example, is reminiscent of the Art Nouveau era which had its roots
right here, and of the rich tradition of craftsmanship made in Vienna. Large highquality black-and-white photographs depicting scenes from one of Vienna's star
attractions, the State Opera Ballet, adorn the rooms.
Bathroom culture at the highest level – with a view of the Ringstrasse in Vienna
The Presidential Suite is the jewel of the Palais Hotel. This goes for both the
sophisticated living spaces and for the bathroom, which feels like a salon of its
own: spending the night in this luxurious suite not only guarantees a grand view of
Ringstrasse from its bathroom, but also the experience of the discreetly luxurious
bathroom mixers from the Axor Citterio Collection. These mixers are the product of
the design partnership with the architect and designer Antonio Citterio, who, in
addition to creating two internationally acclaimed bathroom collections for Axor,
also designs furniture for many global players in the industry. Timeless elegance
combined with the ultimate in comfort, are the hallmarks of this gentleman of
design.
An oasis of relaxation with a touch of oriental opulence is Kempinski The Spa. In a
Hansgrohe SE · Public Relations · Auestrasse 5-9 · 77761 Schiltach · Germany · Phone +49 7836 51 1215, +49 7836 51 1226, +49 7836 51
1231, +49 7836 51 1297, +49 7836 51 3009 · Fax +49 7836 51 1170 · public.relations@hansgrohe.com · www.hansgrohe.com · Reproduction
free of charge · Proof and voucher copy please · Commercial Registry: District Court Stuttgart, Registration No: HRB 740779 · Sales Tax ID
No: DE 812782725 · Board of Directors: Siegfried Gänßlen (CEO), Richard Grohe (Deputy CEO), Marc Griggel, Frank Semling · Chairman of
the Supervisory Board: Klaus Grohe
space covering about 800 square meters, a number of different saunas and
treatment rooms await the discerning guest. Non-hotel guests are also welcome
here and can relax around the hydro pool in the center of Vienna.
When it comes to indulging in a communicative setting, the various restaurants at
the Palais Hansen Kempinski, where Philip Vogel is in charge, are the right places
to dine and bring guests. Vogel brings a wealth of experience in star-rated
gastronomy and top-of-the-line hotel operations to the Danube. The fine-dining
restaurant Edvard with its relaxed atmosphere caters to an upmarket clientele. The
Henri Lou bar targets those who are out on the town, enjoying the Austrian
capital’s vast range of entertainment before coming to enjoy the refuge offered by
the Palais Hansen Kempinski.
For this splendid building on Ringstrasse, the re-opening as a 5-Star-Superior
Hotel is the crowning glory of its illustrious history. This is because it had never
been used as a luxury hotel following its completion. Only a few years after the
World Exhibition, it became the headquarters of the Police Department, and later
other government agencies moved in. The recent renovation in line with Austrian
heritage requirements is ushering the historic Palais Hansen into a new era. There
is reason to believe that Theophil Hansen would have been pleased.
***
Axor, the designer brand of Hansgrohe SE, successfully realises “Designer Visions for Your
Bathroom". In cooperation with Axor, leading architects, interior and product designers develop
their vision for the bathroom as a living space. The Axor Collections offer a great number of unique
and sustainable solutions to create personalised bathrooms of the highest aesthetic and
technological levels. To date, Axor design partners include Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Antonio
Citterio, Front, Jean-Marie Massaud, Nendo, Phoenix Design, Philippe Starck, and Patricia
Urquiola. They all contribute towards making life in and around the bathroom a little more
meaningful and beautiful. The Axor brand is headed by Philippe Grohe, grandson of the company’s
founder Hans Grohe.
***
Find out more about Axor on
www.facebook.com/axor.design
www.twitter.com/hansgrohe_pr
Design leader in the sanitary industry
In the current ranking of the International Forum Design (iF) of the world's best
enterprises in the field of design, Hansgrohe SE is in 11th position among 2,000
companies. With a score of 680 points, the Schiltach-based bathroom mixers
and shower specialist even outperforms companies such Daimler, Hewlett
Packard, Loewe and Porsche and leads the design hit list in the sanitary
industry.
www.hansgrohe.com/design
Hansgrohe SE · Public Relations · Auestrasse 5-9 · 77761 Schiltach · Germany · Phone +49 7836 51 1215, +49 7836 51 1226, +49 7836 51
1231, +49 7836 51 1297, +49 7836 51 3009 · Fax +49 7836 51 1170 · public.relations@hansgrohe.com · www.hansgrohe.com · Reproduction
free of charge · Proof and voucher copy please · Commercial Registry: District Court Stuttgart, Registration No: HRB 740779 · Sales Tax ID
No: DE 812782725 · Board of Directors: Siegfried Gänßlen (CEO), Richard Grohe (Deputy CEO), Marc Griggel, Frank Semling · Chairman of
the Supervisory Board: Klaus Grohe
Further information:
Hansgrohe SE
- Public Relations Ulrich Schumacher / Astrid Bachmann
Phone: +49 (0) 7836/51-3009/1297
Fax: +49 (0) 7836/51-1170
E-Mail: public.relations@hansgrohe.com
www.hansgrohe.com
www.axor-design.com
Hansgrohe SE · Public Relations · Auestrasse 5-9 · 77761 Schiltach · Germany · Phone +49 7836 51 1215, +49 7836 51 1226, +49 7836 51
1231, +49 7836 51 1297, +49 7836 51 3009 · Fax +49 7836 51 1170 · public.relations@hansgrohe.com · www.hansgrohe.com · Reproduction
free of charge · Proof and voucher copy please · Commercial Registry: District Court Stuttgart, Registration No: HRB 740779 · Sales Tax ID
No: DE 812782725 · Board of Directors: Siegfried Gänßlen (CEO), Richard Grohe (Deputy CEO), Marc Griggel, Frank Semling · Chairman of
the Supervisory Board: Klaus Grohe
Image Selection
Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna
Palais_Hansen_Kempinski_Night_View
Palais_Hansen_Kempinski_Library
Copyright: Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna
Copyright: Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna
Built in 1873 as a luxury hotel for visitors coming to the World Exhibition on the Danube and having undergone extensive
renovations to the tune of more than 30 million Euros, the Palais Hansen was recently re-opened as a 5-Star-Superior
Hotel under the flag of the Kempinski Group.
Palais_Hansen_Kempinski_Bath_Axor_Citterio
Copyright: Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna
Palais_Hansen_Kempinski_Bathroom_Axor_Citterio
Copyright: Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna
The bathrooms at the Palais Hansen Kempinski exude discreet luxury: mixers from the Axor Citterio collection combine
timeless elegance with superior comfort.
Hansgrohe SE · Public Relations · Auestrasse 5-9 · 77761 Schiltach · Germany · Phone +49 7836 51 1215, +49 7836 51 1226, +49 7836 51
1231, +49 7836 51 1297, +49 7836 51 3009 · Fax +49 7836 51 1170 · public.relations@hansgrohe.com · www.hansgrohe.com · Reproduction
free of charge · Proof and voucher copy please · Commercial Registry: District Court Stuttgart, Registration No: HRB 740779 · Sales Tax ID
No: DE 812782725 · Board of Directors: Siegfried Gänßlen (CEO), Richard Grohe (Deputy CEO), Marc Griggel, Frank Semling · Chairman of
the Supervisory Board: Klaus Grohe
Palais_Hansen_Kempinski_Spa
Palais_Hansen_Kempinski_Restaurant
Copyright: Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna
Copyright: Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna
An oasis of relaxation is Kempinski The Spa: in a space covering about 800 square meters, a number of different saunas,
treatment rooms and a hydro pool (left) await the discerning guest.
When it comes to indulging in a communicative setting, the various restaurants at the Palais Hansen Kempinski, where
Philip Vogel is in charge, are the right places to dine and bring guests (right). He brings a wealth of experience in starrated gastronomy and top-of-the-line hotel operations to the Danube.
Copyright: We must draw your attention to the fact that we merely possess limited exploitation rights for the images provided
here; all further rights lie with the respective photographer in each case. Consequently, the images can only be published free
of charge when used clearly and expressly for the purpose of displaying or advertising services, products and projects by the
company Hansgrohe SE and/or its brands (Axor, Hansgrohe, Pharo and Pontos). Any other form of publication requires
approval from the respective rights holder, who shall be consulted regarding the fee.
Hansgrohe SE · Public Relations · Auestrasse 5-9 · 77761 Schiltach · Germany · Phone +49 7836 51 1215, +49 7836 51 1226, +49 7836 51
1231, +49 7836 51 1297, +49 7836 51 3009 · Fax +49 7836 51 1170 · public.relations@hansgrohe.com · www.hansgrohe.com · Reproduction
free of charge · Proof and voucher copy please · Commercial Registry: District Court Stuttgart, Registration No: HRB 740779 · Sales Tax ID
No: DE 812782725 · Board of Directors: Siegfried Gänßlen (CEO), Richard Grohe (Deputy CEO), Marc Griggel, Frank Semling · Chairman of
the Supervisory Board: Klaus Grohe