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the World Of Hospitality
in teal velvet along the left wall of the space. Standard
lamps have a right-angled brass base and are largerscale versions of those used on the reception desks.
Above and to the right of the space, a mezzanine
area is discreetly announced by its gold-patterned
metal balcony, which delineates the business level
quiet zone, with the pattern linking both to a series
of screens directly below and the pattern used for the
reception desks. A bespoke water-pattern carpet in this
mezzanine section was inspired by the River Danube.
To the rear of the lounge area an existing stair has been
dramatically-reworked and features new cladding in
bevel-edged white glass around the central column,
together with a new gold metal balustrade, echoing the
mezzanine business area. The stair treads themselves
have been re-clad in a bespoke carpet, with the
underside painted white to match the column. Drama
is added by two woven panels (created by András
Gönci of Arax), set against the existing stone walls,
with one reaching more than 9m in height.
Executive members of Hilton Hotels are allowed
access to a special executive lounge on the hotel’s third
floor, which is made up of a reception, dining area,
buffet and pantry, plus a series of soft-dining tables and
seats arranged alongside the window, with stunning
views back over the Danube towards the Hungarian
parliament building.
Hilton Hotel
A seating area at the centre is visible to other hotel
guests from above. Glass, sculptural lighting and
screens add drama. ‘Ceilings were quite low in
this area’, Kristy Unger added ‘and we didn’t want
to use downlights, but we did need to maximise
translucency’. Wall mirrors added extra light through
reflectivity, whilst furnishing, in velvets and textured
leather, is subtly colourful in greens, smokey blues and
mustard-yellow. The curtains feature a pattern that
subtly reflects the stained glass window.
The executive lounge also extends into a nook area
located within the hotel’s tower (which has medieval
sections, but is mainly part of the original 1977
building, with stained-glass window treatments
referring both to this and the St Matthias Church
alongside). It features double-height timber
bookshelves with verre eglomisé mirroring at the back
and a carpet inspired not only by the Danube on this
occasion, but by the particular way the river parts and
flows around Margaret Island at its centre.
‘As well as forming part of the tower area’ Kristy Unger
explained, ‘the majority of the remaining Dominican
cloister and cloister grounds are located within
the open-air public conference area. The beautiful
medieval stone walls and caves left behind from the
13th century are located alongside – and inspiring our
treatment for - the new, lower-level group check-in
that will form part of the second phase of the project.’
Website: www.goddardlittlefair.com
For the mock-up bedrooms, the approach was to
create a classic modern look that took on the colours
of the public space interiors palette, but used them in
a simple, elegant and slightly softer way. Flooring is
in timber-effect ceramic, along with carpeted areas,
whilst fabric panels are used for the bed headboard
and the television wall. Mirrors reflect light back
into the space, which also features dark timber and
faux leather wall panels, with doors in a textured
timber-effect laminate. Oval bedside tables with wall
lamps are bracketed to the walls with an antique metal
effect around the top and real metal edges around the
joinery work.
The bathroom treatment includes stone and ceramic
walls with paint above and a granite-topped vanity
unit. The entire wall behind the vanity unit is mirrored
and a feature, halo-lit metal framed mirror above.
The approach corridor was also part of the bedroom
scheme, with new carpets and artwork.
‘We know our guests want extraordinary public spaces
that still feel like home and have real cosmopolitan
flair’ said Zoltan Arvai, General Manager, Hilton
Hotel, Budapest, adding ‘I feel absolutely passionate
about the new designs inspired by Goddard Littlefair
and Hilton Worldwide’.