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VIENNA: The COVID-19 pandemic may have forced many of Vienna’s luxury hotels to close indefinitely, as global travel restrictions keep away the many millions of tourists who typically visit the Austrian capital each year.
But the city’s iconic Hotel Sacher is determined not to let fans of its famous chocolate cake go hungry.
The hotel’s concierge, Uwe Kotzendorfer, is selling Sacher cake, as this rich delicacy is known, at a self-service stall across the street from the prestigious Vienna State Opera.
“Now I do a little bit of everything,” said Kotzendorfer, standing next to a small two-wheeled cart full of cakes, as he handed a red imperial bag containing one of them to a customer passing by in his BMW.
“I thought it was a great idea,” said another client, Claudia Bednar.
“Since we can’t travel anymore, I’m going to send one to my aunt in Germany for her 65th wedding anniversary,” she explained before paying for the cake, which normally costs between 50 and 60 euros (60-71 dollars). , with your credit card.
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The vast majority of Sacher’s staff are now on government-subsidized leave.
And the halls and dining rooms of its six neoclassical buildings, decorated with autographed images of past guests such as Britain’s Prince Charles, Franco-German movie star Romy Schneider and American opera singer Jessye Norman, are deserted.
However, the hotel insists on displaying fresh flower arrangements in honor of the five business travelers who are currently staying there.
For those parts of the hotel that are currently not occupied, management is taking the opportunity to carry out much-needed maintenance, and Kotzendorfer often guides workers through the deserted areas of the building.
The hotel has survived a series of existential crises in the past and even went bankrupt during the global economic crisis of 1934. (Photo: AFP / Alex Halada)
PAST CRISIS
According to owner and CEO Matthias Winkler, the Sacher is the last five-star hotel in Vienna still in family hands.
It has survived a series of existential crises in the past and even went bankrupt during the global economic crisis of 1934.
“We’ve been through a lot of trials since the inception of the brand, and our family is still planning for the long term,” said Winkler, who took over the hotel from his mother-in-law in 2015.
The current coronavirus-induced economic recession is also taking a heavy toll.
International travelers typically account for more than 90% of the hotel’s 23,000 annual overnight stays, and rooms cost between € 400 to € 2,300 (US $ 480 to US $ 2,700) per night in low season.
However, with virus locks, that source of income has been virtually eliminated.
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Sacher cakes, which are shipped and sold all over the world, help keep the brand alive.
Although competition in the luxury hotel industry can be fierce and international brands have greater financial resources, Winkler believes that being a family business is becoming an advantage during the pandemic.
“Here, decisions are made in a family gathering, without taking orders from outside,” he said.
The Hotel Sacher in Vienna is determined not to let fans of its famous chocolate cake go hungry. (Photo: AFP / Alex Halada)
IMPERIAL CAKE
The Hotel Sacher and the Sacher cake have a long history.
A young pastry chef named Franz Sacher came up with the recipe in 1832, hoping it would catch on in the Habsburg imperial court.
The ingredients were whipped cream, lots of cocoa, jam to add moisture, and a rich layer of chocolate frosting.
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Sacher’s son Eduard opened the hotel in Vienna’s first district 44 years later, but it was really only after Eduard’s death in 1892 that the hotel enjoyed its glamorous era under the direction of Eduard’s widow, Anna. Sacher.
As one of the first women allowed to own and run a business, the visionary matriarch became known for her wit.
The city’s high society typically gathers for dinner at the Sacher before the famous opera ball, but this year’s event has fallen victim to the pandemic.
“A part of Austria’s history is in our hands,” said the hotel’s deputy director, Doris Schwarz.
“More than ever, it’s about keeping up,” he said, standing under an imposing portrait of Anna Sacher, who has a large cigar in hand and two bulldogs at her feet.
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