The former hotel, with its elegant Art Nouveau façade, was built between 1903 and 1905 on the remains of a Roman thermal bath complex – a discovery that came to light during the demolition of two older bathhouses to make way for the new palace hotel. With 150 rooms, a charming courtyard, and first-class amenities for the time, it was on a par with renowned establishments such as the "Hotel Rose" and the "Schwarzer Bock."

But the glory was short-lived: with the outbreak of World War II, spa guests stayed away and the hotel was used as a military hospital. After the war, the American armed forces took over the building. In 1977/78, it was finally converted into a modern residential complex. From the outside, the building is almost unchanged, but inside, only a few details such as the magnificent staircase and the winter garden with Art Nouveau glazing bear witness to its former glory (viewing permitted). 

Prominent guests: Enrico Caruso – world-famous Italian tenor, who is said to have spontaneously performed a song at the window of his suite.

The hotel's name comes from its tenant, Margarethe zur Rose. In its heyday, the hotel had around 200 salons and bedrooms as well as 55 bathrooms. The spacious bathing facilities were fed directly from the Kochbrunnen spring, and the courtyard featured a large tennis hall – the latest craze at the time. By 1828, the Hotel Rose was already one of the four largest and most elegant bathhouses and guesthouses in Wiesbaden. Today, the historic rooms house the Hessian State Chancellery.

In 1845, the luxury hotel on Wilhelmstraße opened its doors – on the very spot where the Reinhard Ernst Museum is located today. It offered 70 elegant rooms and salons as well as numerous bathrooms fed by its own thermal spring. A special highlight was the roller skating rink built in 1877 – the second of its kind in the German Empire. In 1887, the hotel was expanded: over 120 luxurious rooms, magnificent function rooms, and a dining room for 500 guests made the Hotel Viktoria one of Wiesbaden's leading establishments. During the devastating bombing raid on February 2–3, 1945, the hotel was completely destroyed and never rebuilt.

Prominent guests: Fyodor M. Dostoevsky – who ruined himself playing roulette at the Wiesbaden casino in 1866. As a result, he had to deliver a novel to his publisher at short notice. The result was "The Gambler," in which he dealt with his gambling addiction in literary form.

This traditional hotel – now Radisson Blu Schwarzer Bock – is considered Germany's oldest grand hotel. Like many other spa hotels, it was built directly on a thermal spring for practical reasons. According to popular legend, the first owner was Mayor Philipp zum Bock – and because he had black hair, his house was called "Zum Schwarzen Bock" (The Black Buck).

The most famous room in the hotel is undoubtedly the "Ingelheim Room" with its precious wood paneling, which comes from Ingelheim Castle and found its way into the hotel in an unusual way – through a bet.  

• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe traveled to Wiesbaden several times for spa treatments. He also stopped here on his Rhine trip with his friend Herder and wrote about the spa gardens and hot springs in his diary.
• Emperor Wilhelm II was a frequent guest in Wiesbaden and had a major influence on its development into a world-class spa town. Among other things, he supported the construction of the Kurhaus and the Hessian State Theater.
• In 1884, Elisabeth of Austria, Sisi, occupied 60 rooms (!) at the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten and received a bouquet of violets from hotelier Wilhelm Zais, as reported by the Neuigkeits-Welt-Blatt in Vienna.
• Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna took the waters in Wiesbaden several times and attended services at the Russian Orthodox Church on Neroberg during their stays. Many other Russian aristocrats followed their example – the winter months were particularly popular.
  The world-famous Italian tenor Enrico Caruso was a guest at the Palast-Hotel in 1908 and spontaneously gave a singing performance at the window.
• Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner were closely associated with Wiesbaden's musical life; Liszt gave several concerts there.
• The Prussian politician and later Reich Chancellor Otto von Bismarck repeatedly recovered from the stresses of politics in Wiesbaden, especially during the Franco-Prussian War.

In the 19th century, spa stays were long and ritualized. Four to six weeks was considered a relatively short stay for minor ailments. The "classic" spa stay lasted six to twelve weeks. Very wealthy guests, aristocrats, or chronically ill patients often stayed for several months. Many guests returned every year, often at the same time, and stayed for months in the same hotel or a rented apartment.

The day began early with drinking cures at the thermal springs, followed by baths and medically prescribed treatments. After lunch, the program included rest, walks, and social gatherings. In the evenings, guests attended concerts, the theater, or social events. 

Because of the long stays, it was important that the spa guests felt well entertained. There were daily concerts in the spa house or in the spa gardens, carriage rides through the park, boat trips on the pond, picnics, lectures, and readings. Balls, soirées, and receptions provided opportunities for dancing and "seeing and being seen." Roulette and card games were considered sophisticated evening entertainment.

A spa stay in Wiesbaden was a truly holistic experience!