Vienna has quite a few after work events and most of them happen on a Thursday. Palais Nights chose a different route and went with a Friday. This is unusual since for most people Friday is a short workday in Austria. But you know, maybe that works for the organisers. Or maybe they just wanted to give Palais Nights a chance to shine as all other Thursdays of the month are already booked by other events.
So on its premiere night last Friday I made my way to the Anantara Palais Hansen Hotel and queued up to get in. Entry was free on this first evening which made a lot of people sign up for the guest list. As it turned out though the line was not for the entry at all, the guys at the entrance did not even look up our names. It was actually the line for the coat check. Waiting in a minuscule hall to leave your coat was an unpleasant surprise, although still better than fifteen minutes later when people were lining up around the block for the same purpose. A second coat check had eventually been opened by the time I left an hour later. Not such a great start for this evening.
Theo’s Lounge and Bar, located in the lobby of the Anantara Palais Hansen Hotel, looked a lot different from the one and only time I had been here before. The former courtyard, now roofed over, was already filled to the brim with people even though the event had only started fifteen minutes earlier. I was not really sure where everyone had come from but I was happy to see that the place was packed. After all is this not to point of going out, meeting other people and gossiping? So much better than last time when the bar had been empty except for a few forlorn hotel guests.
Palais Nights @Theo’s Lounge and Bar
Not so on that Friday. Music provided by the radio station Superfly blasted from the speakers and did not invite anyone to dance. I thought that was probably the plan since there was barely any space in front of the DJ. After work events usually encourage mingling at the start rather than dancing. But later I read that dancing was explicitly desired by the event organisers. Hopefully the music improved after I left because while I was there everyone preferred to stand at the sidelines and ogle everyone around. Or just take selfies.
there is always time for a selfie @Palais Nights
All these people here and quite a few of them looked rich enough not to work at all. Where were the office people to whom this event supposedly caters, the ones who actually do the work and need to let off steam after a full day. I cannot say because I did not see them. Maybe they smelled the ruse, because while the entry was free the coat check was not. This should have given me pause since the price was exorbitant especially considering the wait.
Theo’s Lounge and Bar @Palais Nights
The signature drinks offered more surprises as one had to line up at the cash register to pay in advance and then line up again at the bar to receive the drink. All of that for another steep price. For an event in a five star hotel the whole arrangement felt extremely cheap and closer to daylight robbery. Or rather night time robbery since it was already dark. In any case I have no idea what justified these prices. It couldn’t have been the music.
lining up for drinks @Palais Nights
I was glad when I could leave, ready to meet some other friends in another venue and leave this high-class experience behind me. Just in case you want to know what all the hype is about, next one is on January 16. So much for the monthly event. Yours, Pollybert
Theo’s Lounge and Bar
Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna Hotel
1010 Wien, Schottenring 24
Tel: +43 1 2361000
Email: palaishansen@anantara-hotels.com
Mon-Sun: 08:30-24:00
https://www.instagram.com/nicevibesonlyofficial/
