With Vienna House, a new hotel brand steps into the international market on 1 February 2016. The umbrella brand “Vienna House” brings together four separate hotel lines, each with its own personality but all with the same shared values. The 13 hotels of the easy line stand for local hospitality characterised by contemporary straightforwardness, simple local products of the best quality, and personal attention. Vienna House stands for elegant yet relaxed city and resort hotels. Finally, Austria’s largest hotel group completes its repositioning on 1 February 2016. Vienna International Hotels & Resorts became Vienna House. The new umbrella brand Vienna House brings together individual city and resort hotels, the design hotels “andel’s by Vienna House”, the vibrant business hotels “angelo by Vienna House” as well as the down-to-earth easy line “Vienna House Easy”. With the rebranding, a major milestone has been reached on the path set at the end of 2014 by Vienna House CEO Rupert Simoner.
‘Crucial was our answer to the question why we do what we do. We strongly believe that nothing is more refined than the simple things in life and we want to do one thing above all: inspire our guests. This is the inspiration for how we see ourselves and how we act. It is about being a great host – about being your unconcealed self – without wearing a mask. We don’t get stuck in hundreds of standards.’ says Simoner, describing the essentials of the repositioning. ‘The new brand design; the fresh colours and images and the mobile, fully responsive website follow accordingly.’
Each and every change at Vienna House is consistent with the guest perspective. All hotels subscribe to the principle of hospitality as well as clear, thought-out standards that give the staff a maximum of freedom and flexibility. Vienna House puts the focus on a personalised reception culture with an open, inviting lobby. The focus with regard to meetings and conferences will be on creativity. Multifunctional spaces, fresh break offerings and original, more relaxed furnishings will provide the necessary room for new ideas.
Additional renovation works and upgrades will be completed by the end of 2016. Vienna House Easy in Landsberg, the first to be completed, is representative of the new room design and showcases the bakery-style breakfast concept with simple yet first-rate products and a fresh bar concept with a focus on the latest trends as well as special selections. Sitting at one of the large tables is conducive to communication. Standing tables, sofas and easy chairs, as well as natural materials and modern technology, offer groups the greatest possible flexibility for their meetings.
‘The name “Vienna” stands for the company’s origins and for the quality of life, joie de vivre and hospitality for which the city is famous. “House” is a place that unites, where you can be yourself, where the family comes together, and where you invite friends and guests as a host,’ says Rupert Simoner, explaining the decision behind the new brand name. ‘This feeling of contemporary, modern Vienna, combined with our shared European roots and traditions, will be reflected in all hotels, and when the opportunity arises, we will also grow in Vienna.’
Outlook on 2016
Together with Martin Ykema, COO Vienna House, and Johanna Weichselbaumer, CFO Vienna House, Simoner can look back on an intense year and has enough plans for the future: ‘In 2015 we repositioned ourselves from the inside out, invested in modern technologies, brought the employees on board and drafted the brand strategy. This process has now been brought to a close and we are heading into implementation. The foundation and the new positioning are so strong that we are on an expansion path in Europe, but I can also imagine hotels in North America or the Middle East.’
