Grand Hotel Wiesler

The Hotel Wiesler is a wonderfully grand place to stay — but not in the way you’d expect from a hotel that dates from 1909, in an Austrian city best known for its Baroque architecture. The Wiesler is one of those rare historic landmarks that’s been updated with both sophistication and a sense of humor — old bones, and an interesting backstory, with sumptuous white interiors, ethereal murals by a local street artist and quirky design details (yes, that’s the Batman logo outlined in cinnamon on your morning pancakes) that let you know the owners don’t take themselves too seriously.

In the late 19th century, the original owner purchased and merged five guesthouses into one hotel in the center of Graz. After passing through several stages that reflect the trajectory of modern European history — the place served as an army barracks for British officers after World War II — the place was revamped to its current status as a landmark hotel in Austria’s second city.

Dazzling reminders of yesteryear remain, from the striking Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) of the building’s exterior to the twinkling chandeliers and palatial proportions inside. But the grandeur has been infused with an aesthetic that’s distinctly fresh and urban: mismatched, colorfully painted wooden chairs in the dining room, hand-drawn signage painted directly onto the walls to direct you to key areas of the hotel, airy white rooms accented with vintage globes, quirky antique record players and typewriters, crystal cognac decanters, claw-foot bathtubs. There’s a charming interplay between dark and light, masculine and feminine, in the stark lines and clutter of old framed photos, the whimsically painted sinks and the rich leather armchairs. Economical ‘Small’ rooms are ideal for solo travelers, while the lavish ‘Royal Oak’ room has Chesterfield chairs in front of a fireplace. ‘Independent’ and ‘Extra’ rooms are large enough to have a few friends up for drinks. And suites? As the hotel aptly advertises, they’re ‘extravagant amounts of space for elegant time wasting.’

Breakfast in the Speisesaal restaurant — with its rich drapery and gleaming silver offset by dreamily decorative walls and wooden crates of fruit — makes you feel like you’re inside a Klimt painting. At night, the lights turn down and its a cool, moody space where invited DJs spin vinyls and Czech beer flows late into the night. Elegant time wasting, indeed. There’s no turn-of-the-century stuffiness here, just local character and shot of creative inspiration.