Wilde Aparthotels, Vienna, Fleischmarkt – Review

Wilde Aparthotels Vienna occupies the city’s historic former central post office on Postgasse, a huge Baroque building that takes up an entire city block. The latest outpost of this Irish-founded aparthotel group is a flagship, which feels like a full-service boutique hotel.

The Arrival

We took a morning flight and arrived before lunch under clear blue skies. Our transfer limousine swung through the tall archway off the street into the building’s enormous courtyard, light bouncing off the white walls. Tomasz Rachwal, the head of rooms, came out to greet us. Immediately, we felt welcome.

General Manager Sebastian Naumann leads a smart, young team where senior staff get involved in operations alongside their colleagues. The lack of hierarchy creates a genuinely relaxed, welcoming atmosphere that you feel from the first minute.

The Apartment

We stayed in a Wilde Retreat, a two-bedroom apartment set in the double-height eaves of the building. The steep roof had been fitted with large, high-tech windows that followed its slope, with electric blinds for shading or blackout. Open them and you see the tops of the belle époque neighbouring buildings and blue sky. Below, original blond wooden beams supported the roof, adding real character.

The galley kitchen had everything you might need for an extended stay, with the Smeg kettle and toaster to a Nespresso machine, stove, microwave, dishwasher, fridge, and good-quality silverware and chinaware. The water tap was fitted with a filter and there was a reusable water bottle so you can enjoy Vienna’s famous Alpine water. Coffee was from Workshop, a house blend called Article with tasting notes of dark chocolate, maple and raisin, the perfect accompaniment to the Manner Neapolitan wafers, left as welcome gift.

The principal bedroom felt like a proper boutique hotel room. Good linens, well-designed lighting, a reading area with complimentary Oscar Wilde stories, a nod to the writer who lends his name to the brand. Early morning, I made coffee and took it back to bed with sunlight streaming through the roof windows.

In the evening, we enjoyed the large living area with a corner with writing desk, a sofa under one of the windows and an adjacent dining area. We sipped a glass of bubbles, relaxing on the sofa before heading out. The second bedroom worked well as additional space, useful for families.

Oscar’s

Oscar’s is the property’s lobby restaurant and bar, set beneath vaulted double-height ceilings with a bold wall mural by Vienna-based artist Max Freund. A large semicircular bar anchors one end of the room. We ate breakfast here. The chive toast was a local favourite, so much finely chopped chive on top you could barely see the bread underneath. The Alpine breakfast was a hearty sharing plate of cold cuts, local cheeses, and pickles. The signature soda bread, baked especially for Wilde, was excellent.

Rascal Wien

Rascal Wien, the destination brasserie housed in the same building, is a beautiful space designed by Stephanie Barba Mendoza. Sparkling brass along the long bar, vintage mirrors above wooden tables, warm lamps, and the young team in designer Rascal t-shirts. Throughout dinner, a light installation by Austrian media artist SHA. is projected onto the vaulted arched ceiling, a subtle, shifting visual that evolves with the seasons and adds atmosphere without demanding attention. The energy is relaxed and you cannot help but have a good night out.

We started with a Rascal Negroni, made with Franz Wermut, and a Campari Spritz. The steak tartare, prepared tableside, was excellent. So was the Rascal sausage with apple mustard, a collaboration between Head Chef Tamas Kiss and the Eder family’s Fleischerei Leopold Eder, made exclusively for the restaurant. Mains were Wiener Schnitzel with lemon and anchovies and the 500-gram ribeye with red wine and green pepper. The menu is a contemporary take on Viennese classics, and the young team are enthusiastic and genuinely fun to be around.

The Light Show

Each evening, the Museum of Change transforms the 1,500-square-metre main courtyard into a free open-air spectacle. More than 50 projectors map abstract imagery by Austrian media artist SHA onto the white Baroque walls, while overhead a laser light show plays against fog released into the air. Music plays from 120 speakers. We stepped out with other guests and locals as passers-by walked in through the archway, drawn by the music and coloured light.

The Gym

The building is also home to a 2,800-square-metre destination gym, open to Wilde guests. This is a proper city gym with a huge cardio area, group fitness, weights, sauna, and relaxation spaces.

The Location

The Stubenviertel district and Fleischmarkt area are a delight. Genuinely historic, with non-touristy coffee shops like Wiener Söhne opposite, and churches like the neighbouring Basilika Maria Rotunda. St Stephen’s Cathedral is an 8-minute walk. Sebastian, the GM, recommended lunch at Trześniewski, the legendary Viennese sandwich bar near the cathedral, open since 1902. Hand-spread open sandwiches on dark bread with toppings like carrot paste, pâté and egg, washed down with a Pfiff, a tiny eighth-of-a-litre tankard of beer. We strolled through the Ringstraße, took in the National Library, and on one day caught the train for the hour-long trip to Bratislava for lunch.

Final Thought

Wilde Aparthotels Vienna completely exceeded expectations. The atmosphere, the team, the apartments, and the way the building brings together a boutique aparthotel, a destination restaurant, and a city gym make it feel like a genuine part of Vienna’s contemporary urban culture. I loved the space and flexibility of the apartment and the feeling of being part of the city’s dining and cultural life.