THE HOTEL
The 216-room (46 suites) Marriott Bonvoy Autograph hotel opened in November 2023, the latest five-star boutique property in Hungary’s capital. The contemporary design was curated by renowned Italian architect and designer, Piero Lissoni, who has incorporated several elements that are a playful nod to the city’s rich history, literary and art scene.
THE BACKGROUND
The hotel occupies three separate buildings that, built in different eras, were once home to a bank, a shipping office and an insurance company. It is situated a block from the Danube River and within easy walking distance of the city centre.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Visitors enter via a vestibule area featuring Greek-style Doric-inspired columns. Wall carpets in the lobby have traditional Hungarian patterns, and framing one end of the lobby is a spectacular floor-to-ceiling four-story ceramic wall, with 5,000 custom tiles produced by Zolani, a well-known Hungarian manufacturer.
There’s a heritage-listed centrepiece lobby staircase that dates to the 1860s. Oversized and whimsical artwork meld the past with the present by featuring characters in historical costumes wearing sound-equalising headphones.
The reception area was staffed by four staff who were expecting my arrival, had the keys pre-cut and a mocktail ready to hand me. All spoke excellent English.
THE ROOM
I stayed in a “Heritage” Superior room with a street view. Rooms on the other side of the property look down onto an atrium characterised by plenty of plants, ferns and other greenery (see ‘Facilities’ below). Two large windows offered views of Vörösmarty Square which, as it was early December, was staging one of several Christmas markets in the city. Decorated in soft browns, beiges and greens, the room featured a super-comfortable canopy King-Size bed (with huge pillows), a velvet couch, a small table and oversized reproductions of famous Hungarian portraits that currently hang in the city’s National Art Gallery.
Features included a seating area, a flat-screen TV, a coffee machine, kettle and large wardrobe. The spacious bathroom was all modern marble and had a walk-in rainshower. There was a large storage shelf for towels, bathrobes and slippers.
THE KEY FACILITIES
The Anton Bar is a grab-and-go coffee shop and deli in the day that transforms into a classy speakeasy-style bar in the evening. A rooftop bar (on the seventh floor) looks out over the Danube.
THE VERDICT
Elegant and contemporary with classy and ironic elements throughout, the Dorothea looks set to become one of Budapest’s in-demand hotels. I liked the numerous nods to traditional Hungarian folk elements, and the stylish juxtaposition of past and present.
THE DOROTHEA: A CLOSER LOOK
The hotel’s interior, something of a living art gallery, displays eye-catching modern artworks, including many from Zoltán Tombor, a renowned Hungarian fashion and beauty photographer.
Nearby sites include the Hungarian National Museum and Hungarian State Opera. The main shopping street, Váci utca, starts by the hotel and stretches to the Central Market Hall at Fővám Square
An extensive breakfast with ‘farm-to-table’ items is served in a covered courtyard area that sits between the two accommodation wings. A striking feature is the living herb wall.
BOOK IT
Rates for a Heritage Superior Room from around 300 euros. The Dorothea, Dorrotya Utca 2, Budapest 1051, Hungary. marriott.com
