Harry’s Home at the Altstadt Vienna

For more than 20 years, Austrian actor Harald Krassnitzer has returned to the Altstadt Vienna in the Spittelberg district whenever he’s shooting in the city. Long ago, it became far more than a hotel to him. And today, one suite actually bears his name - designed in collaboration with architect Roland Nemetz.

The Altstadt Vienna nurtures a special tradition: its rooms and suites are named after people who have left their distinctive mark on the hotel - from longtime regular guests to artists, architects, and designers. With the Harry K Room, the Wiesenthal family dedicated an entire suite to Harald Krassnitzer even before it had been designed or furnished - a remarkable vote of confidence that says much about the close bond between guest and hotel.

For Krassnitzer was never just a guest here. He knows the people behind the scenes, helps newcomers find their way around, and has been known to make tea for a staff member with a cold or give a departing housekeeper a small guardian angel as a farewell gift. Today, the completed suite is Room 85.

The living area feels bright and spacious. High stucco ceilings, herringbone parquet floors, and warm sandy tones create an inviting atmosphere. At Krassnitzer’s request, the kitchenette was relocated and now disappears neatly behind a walnut sliding door. A Thonet dining table paired with Vitra chairs, a light leather sofa, a dark sideboard, and Eileen Gray’s height-adjustable glass tables define the space. Design classics such as the Wink chair by Cassina are complemented by miniature works from Vesna Muhr that appear throughout the suite.

The bedroom offers a deliberate contrast - dark, sensual, and dominated by a deep red wall. A round leather armchair, an antique writing desk, a Thonet chair, and an Oriental rug evoke the Vienna of the fin de siècle. Above the armchair hangs a work by Xenia Hausner, while the room’s centerpiece is the tall purple Chesterfield headboard, made for long hours of reading. Even on the way to the bathroom, guests encounter art: a cow by Dan Walker. In the hallway, an "Arnold Schwarzenegger" by Jonathan Monk greets visitors.

Krassnitzer hasn’t just stayed here - he has left his mark on the place. The wall bars in the hallway were brought in by him, as was his vintage portable radio. Hanging carefully framed on the wall is the motto: "Read more Marx, eat more fruit."

"Walking into my room feels like coming home - like having a second apartment, only with room service," says Krassnitzer. That feeling is exactly what defines the unique character of the Altstadt Vienna: personal connections, genuine hospitality, and an atmosphere built on mutual respect

In this art-filled boutique hotel, Krassnitzer has left his signature in the most charming way possible - with a suite that is remarkably like him: stylish and unconventional, literary, humorous, and complete with a set of wall bars.