A luxury hotel doesn’t have to exude an air of stiff pomposity, old-money or gilded fixtures where you feel like an extra in a costume period drama. Nor does it always mean blinding, hyper-designed interiors serviced by snooty model look-a-likes. For those who can do without white gloves and attitude, The Ring is perfect place to splurge in style: a cocoon for jaded high-end travelers who seek discreet and understated luxury.

“Vienna’s Casual Luxury Hotel” is the new kid on the block, namely, on Ringstrasse where the city’s grand hotels jostle for attention. But only a few months after opening in autumn 2007, The Ring flew straight onto the Condé Nast Traveler Hot List.

The Ring defines and cultivates its own kind of opulence. The landmarked elevator and restored 1860s facade are paired with teal pony hair sofas and an impressive lobby fireplace. What can better attest to “casual luxury” than the fact that you actually want to kick off your shoes and lounge on the comfy armchairs and couches in the spacious rooms done up in cozy creams, browns and pistachio? Your cocooning comes complete with Molton Brown toiletries, in-room espresso machines and a sauna with a view of the Karlskirche. The excellent staff pampers without being sycophantic.

Not surprisingly, The Ring is rapidly becoming the favorite nest of entertainment and creative industry folks who’ve dreaded yet another design hotel and now can’t stop making excuses for jetting over to Vienna.