A storied history...

that begins in the year 1912.  The hotel was built by Josef Deisinger, a native of Vienna, on the so-called "Climate Island" of Semmering.  The beginnings, however, were anything but easy, since Semmering's already established hoteliers placed nothing but obstacles in the way of their new competitor.  So it was that, after construction had begun, the access road was blocked, forcing Deisinger to build a funicular in order to carry the construction materials.  Because the road was not even reopened once construction was completed and the hotel had opened, the fledgling hotelier also had to transport his guests, along with their luggage, up the hotel on that same funicular.

After World War I, the hotel was sold to Dr. Viktor Hecht, who transformed the hotel into a sanatorium.  In keeping with trends of that time, the "Palace Sanatorium" was one of the most popular and also most expensive recuperative establishments in Semmering.  This was to continue for another seven years, until it was acquired in 1936 by Mr. Tozzauer, who then ran it as a hotel.

During World War II, the hotel was commandeered as a recreation facility.  Not until 1946 was it possible to resume normal hotel operations.  But by 1952, the search was on again for a buyer for this hotel, now badly in need of renovation.  The Soviet Mineral-Oil Administration ("SMV", a predecessor of OMV) demonstrated great interest, wanting to utilize the hotel as a company vacation hostel.  The owner, Mr. Tozzauer, was heavily in debt, yet the thought of selling his hotel to this Soviet company had no appeal.  After long negotiations, both parties finally reached an agreement and, after extensive repairs, the hotel celebrated its official reopening on May 1, 1954, now known as "Urlaubshaus der SMV".  It was at about this same time that an access road to the hotel was finally created, making the funicular obsolete.  Only the foundations of its track are still recognizable today.

After the Austrian State Treaty was signed, Urlaubshaus Semmering was publically administered by the OMV, now providing holiday accommodations for all members of all branches of the OMV. Since 1955, the OMV and responsible social committees have made ongoing improvements to the establishment – true to their motto: "From a place of recuperation to a holiday destination".  After almost a quarter century of these improvements, both big and small, the best possible amenities and additions have come to fruition.  Over the years, much has been modernized, which includes the addition of a sports wing with its indoor pool, bowling lane and a sauna.  In order to keep pace with the steadily growing demand for seminar opportunities, a seminar wing was added in 1989.  The creation of these seminar rooms marked a new chapter in the history of the Palace Hotel.

The 90's saw the start of an ambitious renovation phase for the whole hotel.  After thorough-going remodeling and expansion work, it was finally reopened to OMV guests in 1995.  Extensive changes, including acquisition of a 4-star designation and a re-christening as the  "OMV Palace Hotel", pointed the way to a whole new era. Nowadays, the hotel presents itself as one of the flagships of the hotel industry in Semmering.  This family-friendly establishment, with its numerous sporting opportunities, is pleased to be in high demand, regarded as an insider tip by guests from home and abroad. From 2004 until August 2008, the hotel was operated by the CD group.  On September 1, 2008, the hotel was sold to ARTIS Hotel & Restaurant GmbH, by whom it is now managed.  After renovations in the restaurant, cafe-bar, lobby and all rooms during November 2008, this 4**** hotel is radiant in its brand-new splendor.