Inner City / Basilica

Aria Hotel Budapest

★★★★★

The Aria is the hotel that Budapest regulars recommend to friends, and it consistently ranks among the best small luxury hotels in Europe. It stands on Hercegprímás utca, a quiet street a minute from St. Stephen's Basilica, in the heart of the city's most walkable district, and it is built around a theme: music. Its 49 rooms and suites are each dedicated to a musical legend, and they are grouped by genre, opera, jazz, classical and contemporary, so you might sleep in a room celebrating Liszt, Mozart, Billie Holiday or a modern pop star, decorated with artwork, books and colours to match. Many rooms have balconies overlooking the central Music Garden courtyard, a glass-roofed space with a piano, where guests gather in the afternoons. One of the hotel's most-loved touches is the complimentary wine and cheese reception every afternoon from 4pm to 6pm, featuring Hungarian wines, which turns into a convivial meeting point for guests. The High Note SkyBar, on the roof, is an indoor-outdoor bar with 360-degree views over the dome of the basilica, the Parliament, the castle and the rooftops of Pest, open all year and popular with locals as well as guests; it is one of the best places in the city for a sunset cocktail. Downstairs, the Harmony Spa has an indoor heated pool, a fitness centre, sauna, steam room, infrared sauna and Jacuzzi, all included in your stay. Service is personal and attentive, with a team that knows every guest by name by the second day. Breakfast is excellent, and the concierge can arrange baths, concerts and dinner reservations. Rates are high but fairly priced for what you get, including the wine reception, spa and rooftop.

Location: few hotels are better placed for walking. St. Stephen's Basilica is around the corner, the Chain Bridge and the Danube promenade are about five minutes away, the Parliament about fifteen, and Andrássy Avenue and the State Opera ten. The Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út and Deák Ferenc tér metro stations, where three lines meet, are close, as is the airport bus terminus at Deák Ferenc tér. The streets around the basilica are full of restaurants, cafés and wine bars.

Choosing the room: every room is different, so browse the themes and pick a genre you love. Rooms with balconies over the courtyard are quiet; suites on the upper floors have more space, and some have terraces with views. If the SkyBar is busy, guests can usually find a spot by arriving early, and a reservation is a good idea at sunset in summer.

The trade-offs: rooms in the standard categories are compact, as befits a boutique hotel in a historic building, and the hotel books up months ahead for spring, summer and the Christmas market season, when the Advent Bazilika market fills the square around the corner. Families are welcome, but the atmosphere is adult and romantic, best suited to couples and music lovers. For a city break with personality, it is the Budapest hotel we recommend most.