ROOM FOR ART
LOCATION
Each of Graz’s districts has its appeal, yet perhaps none is more controversial than Lend. That can be largely credited to the numerous diasporas living in this area. Still, that is a disputable notion, considering Graz is an immensely safe, clean and liveable city. Even at night, you can feel completely safe anywhere at any time. The fourth district is, in our opinion, more colourful and vibrant than other renowned parts of Graz. More importantly, it is near the culinary and cultural triangle of Graz. Its pulsing heart is the Lendplatz Market, a stone’s throw away. The legendary Kunsthaus is close, too, alongside a slew of bars and restaurants. We believe this favourable location convinced Dr. Helmut Marko to open a new hotel in this part of Graz. The legendary lawyer, hotelier and doctor of high-octane fumes at Red Bull, born and bred in the city, is a master of capturing the city’s zeitgeist. Lendhotel Graz is a youthful and trendy hotel that captures the character of Graz. Slightly hidden from the market, the hotel has become the soul of Lendplaz Market, dominating the scene with its image and refined elegance. It is as if the hotel has changed the pulse of this part of the city, once infamous as the red light district. Today, this image is but a blurred memory.
ACCESSIBILITY
Graz is a city set along one of Europe’s busiest traffic and rail crossroads. Guests arriving at Lendhotel stop on this route. During our visit, most of them arrived by car and parked safely in the parking house across the street. Although not free of charge, the parking house is accessible and reasonably priced. Air accessibility, though, is one of the city’s drawbacks. The airport only has a few connections to the main regional air traffic hubs and Vienna. Mostly, charters to exotic destinations dominate. Still, we must not overlook the superb railway accessibility and the central railway station near the hotel. The public transport in Graz is praiseworthy. The hotel offers bicycles, making your city wandering effortless. Not to forget, the taxi service is excellent.
COLD STARTER - Architecture and aesthetics
Helmut Marko is not only a seasoned hotelier but a passionate art collector and art connoisseur. He trusts the young Nicole Lam at the helm of Lam Architektur Studio with the selection of art pieces. Her signature at Lendhotel is almost palpable. The modern, urban hotel is, in a way, an art gallery amidst a former industrial quarter. At present, the hotel houses over 100 art pieces. The purpose of the investor and the architect is clear: redesigning this part of Graz and making the hotel the new urban heart of Lend district. Looking onto the lively street, the hotel quickly became a favourite spot to convene. Locals thus daily make their way to the hipster space on the ground floor for morning coffee. The hotel’s wood-inspired exterior shines in the evenings when the minimalistic design competes with the beauty of the Schlossberg. The hotel is refined, bold, minimalistic and boutique.
WARM ENTRÉE - The staff and the culinary experience
As elsewhere in the tourism sector, Graz is relying on students. In the hotel, they were welcoming, yet a bit clumsy and unconfident on occasion. Still, they seem to do their job well. The management should consider whether hiring experienced hoteliers would be a smart idea. On the other hand, professionals do ensure the hotel is maintained perfectly. Everything is squeaky-clean as if the hotel strived for nothing but perfection. That is evident in public spaces that befit art galleries.
Before staying here, we imagined breakfast at Lendhotel to be local, seasonal and authentic. The hotel entirely met those expectations. The self-service buffet offers a diverse choice of dishes. We expect this level of service and cuisine in any four-star hotel.
MAIN COURSE – The meetings offering at the hotel
Hotel rooms
We stayed in the hotel’s large room (the hotel offers standard, medium and large rooms), which was comparable to a smaller studio apartment. The spacious room stretches over 30 square metres and is enlarged by an adjoining balcony serving city views. The wooden flooring makes the minimalistic furniture shine. Above all, the artworks stand out and transform the stay into an art gallery visit. The illumination is ingenious, with lights that look like floating clouds. The large rooms even offer a smaller kitchen with a fridge and microwave, where you can make simple meals. The bathroom, adorned with grey ceramic tiles, is spacious and refined. Convenient electric installations and a Marshall audio system crown the room. A wonderful selection of magazines and literature makes the story complete.
Meetings centre
The hotel does not boast a conference centre. Still, it houses a smaller meeting room for 15 participants. A hidden venue with extraordinary potential is the terrace on the fifth floor. Events can also be organised in the open lobby – a quasi-hybrid event space. We can easily imagine how it serves as a backdrop for events.
DESSERT – The extras
It is worth taking the stairs and strolling across the corridors of this hotel. Each floor is its own art gallery worth visiting. Along the way, you will also learn about the racing career of the owner and see some eye-catching racing artefacts signed by the former F1
superstar.
FLOP – NEGATIVE SURPRISES
The rooms do not offer a minibar. In its place, a stubborn vending machine annoys guests. Even after we had paid for the drink we ordered, we did not get it. The hotel could consider a more innovative way of selling drinks in the lobby.
TOP – POSITIVE SURPRISES
The hotel’s location is, in fact, exceptional. You can walk or cycle to all the landmarks in Graz. Alternatively, you can escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy the pleasant and secluded hotel terrace.
SUSTAINABLE ENDEAVOURS
According to the staff, all dishes served during breakfast were local. The farm-to-table concept is undoubtedly praiseworthy. We must also laud the ecological cosmetics in the shampoo dispensers. For us, the owner’s story is what makes the hotel one-of-a-kind. Purchasing the artworks of young and established artists is, in fact, 100% socially responsible. Helmut Marko best summarised this approach: “Others buy yachts, I buy art.” The hotel likely meets some of the SDG criteria on sustainability.
FINAL IMPRESSION AND CREDIBILITY
The hotel targets a specific focus group, boasts an instantly-recognisable design and offers a fresh, bold and original story enriched by select artworks. Amid a flood of generic hotels in Graz, the Lendhotel stands out from the competition with its innovative, unique concept. The ornate details turn heads at every step. It seems the owner is obsessed with them. All materials are quality-made and eye-catching.
The hotel appears avant-garde and serves as an ideal venue for companies with an artsy DNA. Guests get all of that at a relatively affordable price. Unfortunately, the conference capacities are limited. It would be great if meeting planners could organise events in a similar hotel on a bigger scale in Graz. Lendhotel is a convincing and safe choice for micro-events. More importantly, it is a superb hotel for attendees that come to Graz for large conferences. Organising an event in a space that coexists with art is always inspiring. The art in the hotel is ahead of its time, and I am convinced guests recognise that.
FINAL GRADE: 4.84 GOLD Boutique Meeting Hotel
GOLD final score from 4.81 to 5.00
SILVER final score from 4.61 to 4.80
BRONZE final score from 4.41 to 4.60
