lounge and a rooftop bar , which will open next spring .
The hotel also includes more 700 square meters of meeting and events space , with a protected guild hall and a grand ballroom .
The hotel has welcomed several famous names over the years . In 1845 , pianist and composer Franz Liszt lived in the hotel during the Beethoven Festival , while author Charles Dickens stayed at the hotel with his family .
MANDARIN ORIENTAL GELLERT , BUDAPEST Owned by the BDPST Group , this hotel , located on the Buda side of the city , originally opened in 1918 and went on to become one of Budapest ’ s most iconic grand hotels . The hotel is expected to reopen in 2027 , sporting a revitalized Nouveau architectural design .
The hotel will have a special focus on wellness , driven by the city ’ s popular thermal bathing culture , which dates back to the Roman era . Mandarin Oriental plans to revive this feature and create a new spa in the hotel .
The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Gellert , Budapest , will have seven experiential areas offering modern wellness and aesthetic treatments , which include exclusive bathing experiences merging Mandarin Oriental ’ s signature Asian therapies with Eastern European spa and beauty treatments .
The hotel will also offer a fitness and movement studio and an indoor pool on the top floor under a retractable glass ceiling with a vitality tub , sauna , cold plunge pool and outdoor relaxation area . This will be adjoining a rooftop bar with views of the Pest side of the city and the Danube River .
Alexander Waterworth , the London-based interior design studio , will lead the transformation of the 143 rooms and suites , wellness areas and public spaces . The design studio had earlier partnered with Mandarin Oriental for the Mandarin Oriental , Costa Navarino .
Big open areas on the ground and first floor will house an indoor-outdoor specialty restaurant offering views of the city and the Danube River . The hotel will also open a patisserie and café and a restored Art Nouveau ballroom for events .
“ The Gellért Hotel is perhaps the most iconic building in Budapest , one that is close to the hearts of most Hungarian people . While we view it as an exciting real estate development project , we also bear tremendous responsibility towards both the building and its history , as well as the residents of Budapest ,” said István Tiborcz , owner and president of BDPST Group . “ That ’ s why it was particularly important for us to entrust the operation of this historic building to a company of such caliber . The Mandarin Oriental combines this expertise with the culture of the respective country , highlighting unique design elements while respecting the heritage and Hungarian roots of the Gellért Hotel .”
The Mandarin Lounge at Mandarin Oriental Savoy , Zurich specializes in light bites .
A suite at the Mandarin Oriental Savoy , Zurich .
Gellért Hotel will be renamed Mandarin Oriental Gellert , Budapest .
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