Three new studios at Vienna's Westbahnhof, ready to move into. Here is the story behind them, why we chose this location and what we hoped to achieve.
The idea came from an observation. Over the past three years, the number of enquiries grew in which someone wrote. "I'm arriving late by train from Munich / Berlin / Zurich. Will the handover work?" It usually did, but it meant for us. Two unplanned hours in the evening leaving the Augarten, driving to the 15th district, handing over, driving back again.
We liked these handovers because the guests were often particularly grateful. But we realised. A location directly at the station would do the same for guests without sending us across the city. And for us the handovers there would be simpler, because we can fit them in between other journeys.
Why the Westbahnhof specifically
Vienna's Westbahnhof is the largest station for travellers from the west. Munich, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Zurich, Frankfurt. The Nightjet to Paris also departs from here. Anyone travelling from those directions arrives here with a fairly high probability.
In addition. Two underground lines (U3 and U6) start directly beneath the station. The city centre is reachable in 8 minutes, the Augarten in 14, the Donaukanal in 12. The airport express (CAT) and the S-Bahn take 25–28 minutes to Schwechat airport.
In other words. From the Westbahnhof you are within 30 minutes of everywhere you are likely to want to go. That makes the location ideal for crews, business travellers and anyone who travels frequently.
Why studios only
Studios are the format that suits a station best. Those who arrive by train are usually travelling solo or as a couple. Those who arrive with the whole family tend to fly and then need a larger apartment, which we have at the Augarten and in the Nibelungen.
Besides. The building we have converted has a particular floor plan that is ideal for studios. Elongated rooms with a large window onto the courtyard, compact bathrooms towards the stairwell. Making three larger studios rather than two one-bedroom apartments was the right decision.
One of the studios has a wall facing the station. We used triple glazing, you cannot hear the trains, but you know they are there.
Personal handover, here too
An important decision. At the Westbahnhof too, we hand over in person. We considered whether to do self check-in by code here, many competitors do so, and for "from the platform to bed in 3 minutes" that would be logical.
But we decided against it. For three reasons.
Firstly. someone arriving on the ICE from Munich at 10pm wants a friendly face. Not a keypad. We believe this matters precisely when you are no longer in a state to cope with stress.
Secondly. we get to know every guest this way. That is part of our concept. Someone who stays with us for three weeks is not "Apartment 14, Guest Number 312", but someone whose name we remember.
Thirdly. we can immediately share the most important tips. Which late-night shop opposite is still open, when the next underground runs, whether tomorrow is Sunday and everything is shut. That accounts for 90% of the worries someone has after a long journey and it is sorted in two minutes.
The build
We built from early 2026. The studios are now ready to move into and available to book. We built everything ourselves, meaning. We chose everything, from the wood floor to the door handle. That takes longer than letting a building firm do it all, but it is the only way to keep the LAROGY look.
In concrete terms. Dark wall panelling as at the Augarten, oiled oak parquet (not sealed), bathrooms with marble and brass, kitchens with real wood fronts instead of foil. Vintage lamps collected over months.
Three studios have been created, each with its own character. Studio Tinte is the darkest and quietest, Studio Salbei the brightest with the long work table, Studio Paprika the largest with a corner position and two windows.
What we will do differently in the next apartments
We build, we learn, we adjust. Even now we are noting what we will change in the next renovations at the Augarten or Nibelungen, based on what we learnt during the Westbahnhof build.
Already clear. More sockets per square metre. Better sound insulation towards the street. Smart-home thermostats we can monitor remotely (for when guests occasionally forget the heating when they travel).
The studios are available now. Get in touch to book.