Hotel Bristol Vienna

The Bristol has stood directly opposite the Vienna State Opera since 1892, meaning that for over a century the hotel has served as the first and last stop for everyone from visiting conductors to sopranos to overdressed subscribers hurrying to make curtain. King Edward VIII stayed here during his 1936 state visit, in what would prove to be a rather eventful year for the British monarchy generally. A member of the Luxury Collection, with 150 rooms and the Bristol Lounge, which serves what many locals still consider the finest afternoon tea in a city that takes the ritual extremely seriously.