Hotel
Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest
A luxury hotel in the Art Nouveau Gresham Palace, completed in 1906, facing the Chain Bridge across Széchenyi István tér.
A five-star, music-themed hotel near St Stephen's Basilica with a spa and pool, a rooftop bar and a complimentary afternoon wine and cheese reception.
Good to know
The Aria Hotel Budapest is a five-star hotel on Hercegprímás utca, a quiet street a couple of minutes from St Stephen's Basilica. It belongs to the Library Hotel Collection and is built around a music theme: rooms and suites are named after composers, musicians and works, from the Opera Suite and La Traviata to the Liszt Studio, and the design draws on different musical styles throughout the building.
The hotel is known for its generous inclusions. Guests are invited to a complimentary wine and cheese reception every afternoon, and live music plays in the hotel's Music Garden from 19:00 to 22:00 each evening. On the roof, the High Note SkyBar serves cocktails and bar food with panoramic views over Pest, and it is popular with non-guests too, so hotel guests should also book for sunset.
The Harmony Spa offers a pool, a sauna, a steam bath, a whirlpool and a fitness centre, along with treatments. After a day walking the city, it is a good alternative to the public baths if you prefer a quieter, private setting.
The Aria suits couples, music lovers and travellers looking for a romantic or celebratory stay in a central location. The inclusions, from the evening music to the afternoon reception, add real value to the room rate and give the hotel a sociable feel that many luxury hotels lack. Rates are high, especially in summer and in December, so book early for the best choice of rooms. Reservations for the hotel and the rooftop bar can both be made through the official website, which is also the place to check current offers and packages. Families should check room configurations and bed types in advance, before booking a stay.
The location is ideal for exploring Pest on foot. St Stephen's Basilica and Szent István tér are around the corner, the Danube promenade and the Chain Bridge are about ten minutes away, and Andrássy út and the Opera House are a short walk to the north-east. Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út on metro line M1 and Deák Ferenc tér, where lines M1, M2 and M3 meet, are both within a few minutes' walk, which makes airport transfers and trips across the city straightforward.
It is a five-star hotel.
Music: rooms are named after composers, musicians and works.
Yes, a complimentary wine and cheese reception is held every afternoon.
Yes, the Harmony Spa has a pool, sauna, steam bath and whirlpool.
Yes, the High Note SkyBar on the roof.
Yes, in the Music Garden from 19:00 to 22:00 each evening.
St Stephen's Basilica, the Danube promenade and Andrássy út.
By phone on +36 1 445 4055 or by email at [email protected].
Attraction
Hungary's neo-Gothic seat of parliament on the Danube, completed in 1904, where guided tours lead to the Holy Crown and the domed central hall.
Café
A lavish 19th-century café on the Grand Boulevard, with gilded ceilings, frescoes and marble columns, open from breakfast until late evening.
Restaurant
Tamás Széll and Szabina Szulló's two-Michelin-star restaurant, reinterpreting Hungarian dishes such as goulash and Somlói sponge in tasting menus.
Thing to do
A Neo-Baroque thermal bath complex in City Park, opened in 1913, with outdoor pools fed by hot springs that stay open all year.