Almanac Hotels is the vision of Austrian businessman Herbert Haselbacher, a former professional basketball player, who founded the brand’s flagship property on Barcelona’s bustling Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes in 2018, steps from Passeig de Gràcia. Together with his daughter Tina Haselbacher, the family is setting its sights on some of Europe’s most historic cities. The second and third properties, Almanac Palais Vienna and Almanac X Alcron Prague, both debuted in March 2023. Almanac X Alcron Prague marks the first of the brand’s new lifestyle collection Almanac X. All hotels are situated in prime locations in the heart of each city and reflect the unique history and identity of their locales — and always with a distinctly local touch.

Almanac X Alcron Prague – An Icon Reimagined in the Czech Republic

On March 1, 2023, one of Prague’s Art Deco landmarks, the former Alcron Hotel was reborn as the Almanac X Prague, a 204-room hotel steps away from the city’s UNESCO-listed Old Town and the historic Wenceslas Square. The property is the first in the Almanac X lifestyle collection, a youthful, culinary-driven offshoot of the family-run Almanac Hotels. Local architecture firm Marani and Barcelona’s Tres Cinco Uno interior design studio led the 14-month, €20 million refurbishment, drawing on the building’s 1930s-era glamor and local art and craftsmanship to conceive of a modern, colorful tribute to Czech design. Gastronomy is at the heart of the property, with an Art Deco-inspired cocktail bar, a specialty coffee shop, and a restaurant reinventing classic Czech recipes. Experiences immerse guests in the cultural and gastronomic flavor of the city while uncovering lesser-known attractions—from architectural marvels and historic beer halls to hip dockside neighborhoods.

Almanac Palais Vienna – Almanac Opens Hotel in Home City

In March 2023, the Austrian capital saw the opening of the hotly anticipated Almanac Palais Vienna, a boutique property set inside a pair of former palais dating to 1871. Overlooking the Stadtpark, the city’s first public green space, the property is located on the Ringstrasse, Vienna’s most elegant boulevard, walking distance from local landmarks including the Vienna State Opera House and the Museum of Applied Arts (The MAK). Award-winning designer Jaime Beriestain presided over the property’s restoration, transforming the historic palais into an 80-suite, 31-guestroom stay, steeped in Viennese heritage. A revolving collection of works by up-and-coming artists is on view, and a two-floor, marble-clad wellness sanctuary features a 14-meter indoor pool with thermal waters. Local purveyors take center stage at the plant-forward Alpine restaurant, while a specialty coffee shop nods to Vienna’s rich café culture.

Boasting an unbeatable address just off the Passeig de Gràcia, striking distance from several of Gaudí’s Modernist masterpieces, the Almanac Barcelona – the first property in the rapidly-expanding brand – serves as an ideal jumping-off point for discovering the Catalonian capital. At the Azimuth rooftop bar, mingle with locals while taking in views of La Sagrada Familia and Mount Tibidabo (with a guest-only pool for cooling off in the summer). Meanwhile, at the ground-level Virens, chef Rodrigo de la Calle of Madrid’s El Invernadero fame crafts plant-forward interpretations of Mediterranean cuisine, with a focus on fermented foods and probiotic drink pairings. For an insider foodie experience, guests of Almanac Barcelona can sign up for a guided, three-hour tour to top food haunts like Orolíquido, in the Gothic Quarter, which boasts one of the largest collections of olive oil in Spain; Vila Viniteca, one of the finest wine merchants in Europe; and a day-trip to Torelló Cellars for Cava tastings and an exclusive tour by owner Toni De la Rosa Torelló.