ARIA in Budapest - Hotel Review with Photos

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Updated: May 31, 2022

Essentials
• Location: Hercegprimás, around the corner from St. Stephen’s Basilica.
• Hotel website: ariahotelbudapest.com
• Hotel phone: +36 1 445 4055
• Check prices for Aria

Review of Aria Hotel in Budapest, Hungary.

The Aria is an opulent music-themed hotel with luxurious rooms and a fabulous rooftop bar next to St. Stephen’s Basilica.

Aria – Budapest’s hotel equivalent of a platinum record.

Follow the piano key road to the atrium-cum-music-garden lobby of this music-themed hotel. From a dedicated music concierge and the rare, space-age looking Bogányi piano in the lounge to the jazz, classical, opera, or contemporary themed rooms, and the outrageous High Note SkyBar with views of St Stephen’s Basilica, every detail of this place is refined to melodious perfection. The basement holds a dark, jazz lounge-esque indoor pool and spa area that is the perfect antidote to busy city days. The rooftop bar has one of the best views in the city, and the service is professional and attentive.

Aria – Location

Address: Hercegprimás untca 5.
Nearest Metro/Subway: Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út (0.2 mile).
Area: Prime location in a chic, bustling area of the city, only a minute’s walk (70m) to St Stephen’s Basilica, 10 minutes (0.5 mile) to the Széchny Chain Bridge to cross to the Buda side of the city, and surrounded by restaurants, bars, cafes, and shops. The nearest Metro station is a 3-minute walk, but a handful of other stations on different Metro lines are only a few minutes further away.
How to Get There: Affordable door-to-door airport shuttles run about every 20 minutes, and take around 45 minutes (13 miles). Alternately, taxis are widely available, and the hotel can arrange pick-up and drop-off.
Private Transfer: We use and recommend Welcome Pickups car service. Booking through a private car service will cost only a bit more than a taxi – about €30 from the airport – but can be worth it to avoid the long taxi queue and for the convenience of paying ahead.
Handy to: St Stephen’s Cathedral, Hungarian State Opera House, Vigadó Concert Hall.

Aria – The Basics

Ages: Guests include couples on a romantic getaway, business travelers, and families. Children are welcome and well-catered for with boxes of toys, special programming on Apple TV, and local treats.
View: Rooms look out over a courtyard or the city.
Private Pools/Jacuzzis: There are no private pools or jacuzzis.
Parking: In a nearby garage.
Extras: Extras abound at the Aria. The music concierge will help stock your room with music you love or want to discover, there’s a live piano concert with wine and cheese in the music garden every day from 4-6 pm and Sunday morning yoga is offered on the rooftop.
When to Book: Reserve at least a few months in advance for the July-end through the early-August period when the Formula 1 race happens, and during the Christmas holidays. A month or two in advance is usually good for April through October, and you’ll have no trouble finding a last-minute room from January through March.
How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
Phone: +36 1 445 4055
Email: stay@ariahotelbudapest.com
Website: ariahotelbudapest.com

Aria – Amenities

Pool: Beautiful subterranean indoor pool with spa tubs, and an adjacent sauna and steam room.
Spa: The Harmony Spa offers a bevy of luxurious treatments and uses biodynamic, Hungarian-made Eminence products.
Fitness Center: Small but well-equipped.
For Disabled Guests: There are 2 rooms designed for disabled guests, and the large elevators and corridors make it easy to get around in a wheelchair.
For Families: Kids are allowed in the pool area, and the hotel really goes out of their way to provide entertainment from toys to TV.
Activities: Movie screenings, daily piano concerts with wine and cheese in the music garden, Sunday yoga.
Other Facilities: Music concierge.

Aria – Food and Drink

Restaurant: Liszt is located on the hotel’s ground floor, and offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Inspired, modern Hungarian cuisine, with an emphasis on house-baked bread and local ingredients. The decor is modern and the music theme is continued down to the tuning fork napkin holders. Wine pairing options and exceptional desserts (try the bread and apricot for a tasty treat). The Easy Meals menu has some OK options for kids. Open daily 12 am to 11 pm. $$$.
Lounge/Bar: High Note SkyBar has exceptional, close-up views of St Stephen’s Basilica. The food and drinks menu changes seasonally along a theme and includes beautifully prepared small plates that can be combined to make a meal, as well as elaborate cocktails, beer, and wine. There’s live music on Sunday evenings in the summer and at other times year-round. Popular with locals as well as travelers, it can get crowded on weekend nights. Open 24 hours, but food is served from noon to 11 pm. $$-$$$.
Breakfast: Complimentary. Buffet or a la carte. Served 7-11am in the music garden and Liszt Restaurant.
Room Service: Available 24 hours.

Aria – Rooms

Room Types: Luxury Room King • Aria Signature Room • Grand Luxury Room • Two Bedroom Family Duet • Opera Suite • Romeo & Juliette Opera Suite • La Traviata Terrace Suites • Terrace Room • The Liszt Studio • Sunroom • List of all Rooms
Smoking Rooms: The Aria Hotel Budapest is 100% smoke-free.
Best Room: The 485-square-feet Liszt Studio on the 6th floor features blue and grey décor and views over the city’s rooftops from a wall of windows. The blue granite bathroom is also filled with natural light and has a freestanding tub as well as a shower. It feels more like a posh apartment than a hotel room.
For Families: The 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 765-square-feet Family Duet is actually 2 connecting King rooms and sleeps 4 very comfortably. It includes balconies that overlook the music garden.

Aria – Local Transport

Walking: It’s easy to walk almost anywhere from here. Restaurants, bars, and shops are steps away, and most sights on the Buda side of the city are within a 20-minute walk. The sights of Pest are mostly around a 30-minute walk.
Subway and Bus: There are a handful of Metro stations serving lines 1 and 3. It’s also a short walk to a few tram and bus stations.
Taxis, Uber, Lyft: Uber and Lyft do not operate in Budapest, but taxis are plentiful and generally reliable.

Aria – What’s Nearby?

Recommended Nearby Tours

Jewish Heritage Tours – Tour the main synagogues and the Jewish Quarter with a knowledgeable guide. Hotel pick-up.
Tuk Tuk Taxi – Tour the city’s sights uniquely, in a tuk tuk. Start Location: 5-minute walk (0.2 mile).
Budapest Underguide – Themed or bespoke city tours around niche topics like fashion, architecture, or family travel. Start location: 12-minute walk (0.6 mile).
Silverline Cruises – Luxury 3-hour dinner cruises on the Danube with music and Hungarian dancers. Start location: 15-minute walk (0.8 mile).

Best Nearby Restaurants

Borkonyha – Head to this Michelin-starred contemporary Hungarian gem for a special night out. (0.1 mile).
Duran – Very popular sandwich chain, great for a quick and cheap bite. (0.2 mile).
Kisharang – Old-style in the best sense, this Hungarian canteen serves hearty basics and is popular with students. (0.2 mile).
Artizan – An outstanding bakery and breakfast and lunch spot. Eat in the laid-back café or take away. There’s often a queue. (0.3 mile).
Belvarosi Disznotoros – Stand up at the counter with locals to partake in a Hungarian meat feast. (0.3 mile).
Tokio – Upscale contemporary Japanese restaurant with an excellent selection of sushi plus creative surprises. (0.3 mile).
Kispiac Bisztro – So good. Some of the best Hungarian food you’ll find, plus it’s reasonably priced and in a friendly bistro setting with some outdoor tables. (0.3 mile).
Paris Budapest – Inside the Sofitel Hotel, the service here is as sublime as the French/Hungarian fare and impressive wine list. (0.3 mile).
À Table – French bakery café with excellent cakes and pastries. (0.3 mile).
Baraka – Arguably the best fine dining in the city, treat yourself to a multi-course meal at this French-Asian spot. (0.4 mile).
Kárpátia – Be serenaded by gypsy music while dining on fine Hungarian cuisine in an authentic circa 1877 setting. (0.6 mile).
Kuglof – One of the best breakfast spots in the city with wonderful baked goods and sidewalk seating. (0.6 mile).

Best Nearby Cafes

Kontakt – Locally roasted coffee and light meals in a modern décor on a lovely pedestrian lane. (0.4 mile).
Gerbeaud – Beautiful and classic circa 1860 coffee house worth a visit, but expect high prices. (0.4 mile).
Central Café – Another old world gem, once frequented by the city’s literature set, the surrounds are a dreamy spot for coffee, cake, or even a meal. (0.6 mile).

Best Nearby Bars and Breweries

DiVino Wine Bar – Very popular wine bar in a beautiful location smack next to St Stephen’s Basilica. (20m).
Akvárium Club – Central, happening spot in the park for live music. (0.2 mile).
Captain Cook Pub – Central, lively, nautical-themed spot with lots of outdoor space in warm weather. (0.2 mile).
Ötkert – A fun drinking spot during the week and a happening club on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. (0.3 mile).
Terv Presszó – Retro-style bar with lots of historical paraphernalia. (0.3 mile).

Nearby Shopping & Cool Shops

Memories of Hungary – Large place right opposite the hotel selling some good quality, genuine souvenirs and gifts. (5m).
Bestsellers Books – Best English bookseller in town. (0.2 mile).
Herend – Renowned, fine Hungarian ceramics. (0.3 mile).
Nanushka – Hungarian women’s fashion designer selling chic, streamlined staples. (0.3 mile).
Bomo Art – Beautiful paper goods, notebooks, and more. (0.4 mile).
Vass Shoes – Hand-made, covetable men’s footwear made ready to wear or by custom order. (0.6 mile).

Nearby Attractions

St Stephen’s Basilica – This Neoclassical cathedral is the largest and holiest in Hungary. Climb to the top for awesome views. (70m).
Szabadsag Ter (Liberty Square) – Largest square in the city with parks, a fountain, and lots of activities including occasional free music performances. (0.4 mile).
Hungarian State Opera House – This neo-Renaissance building is one of the loveliest in the city and holds not-to-miss opera performances if you’re a fan. (0.4 mile).
Great Synagogue – The largest Jewish place of worship outside of New York. Take a tour, and don’t miss the gardens with its moving memorials and sculptures. (0.5 mile).
Váci Street – Budapest’s busy and chic pedestrian-only shopping street. (0.6 mile).
Shoes on the Danube – Incredibly moving memorial to commemorate the spot where some 3,500 people – 800 of them Jews – were told in 1944 to take off their shoes before they were shot and their bodies fell in the river. (0.7 mile).
Hungarian Parliament Building – This building (Hungary’s largest) mixes architectural styles for an awe-inspiring look on the banks of the Danube. You can also tour the sumptuous interior. (0.7 mile).

Nearby Markets or Grocery Stores

City SPAR – Small but well-stocked grocery store. (0.4 mile).

Aria – The Hotel

Liszt Restaurant is located on the ground floor of Aria and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The main bar is on the rooftop, but Liszt has a full bar as well.

Head to the music library to check out some tunes, or get the music concierge to help you choose something.

The music garden features a rare Bogányi piano.

This Bogányi piano is one of only a few in the world, and you can hear its wonderful sounds nightly in the Music Garden.

Each music-themed room has a color scheme. The Opera Suite has this lovely pink-purple tone.

The spacious rooms have large sitting areas.

Rooms are spacious, with larger ones having ample sitting space, much like living rooms.

There’s a lift but the central spiral staircase is great for ogling or a little extra exercise. The mirror at the bottom makes for an optical illusion.

Top floor rooms look out over rooftops and have a cozy yet bright attic feel.

Freestanding tubs are wonderful to soak in especially surrounded by all that fine marble.

Each room is graced with caricatures of the themed musician by painter Joseph Blecha.

Jazz themed rooms are a cool light green.

Each room has unique details – check out the brick ceiling in this Jazz room.

Even the pool feels like a music venue.

The fitness room is small but well-equipped.

The respective musical artists are represented by paraphernalia like framed records and books.

Interior-facing rooms have small balconies.

Rooms facing the interior have small balconies.

High Note SkyBar serves excellent cocktails.

The rooftop High Note SkyBar mixes excellent cocktails.

The rooftop features High Note SkyBar and yoga/event room.

Layout of the rooftop with High Note SkyBar interior area to the left and the event and yoga room to the right.

High Note SkyBar's outdoor patio is very popular.

The outdoor patio areas of High Note SkyBar are hard to beat on a warm evening.

Sunday morning yoga in the shadow of St Stephen’s Basilica.

Elizabeth Square with its giant Ferris wheel, shops, park, and the Akvarium Klub for live music, is close to the hotel.

Gerbeaud Café nearby is a famous coffee house.

A pleasant stroll through Elizabeth Square and towards the Danube brings you to Gerbeaud Café, one of the city’s most famous coffee houses.

Shoes on the Danube Bank is an emotional monument.

Bring a hanky for the stroll, mostly along the Danube River, to the incredibly moving Shoes on the Danube Bank monument.

Herend is a great place for fine and suitably priced Hungarian ceramics.

Best Sellers Books is an excellent bookstore.

Need a good read or book on Hungary? This book store close to the hotel is your best bet anywhere in the city.

Duran sells hearty and affordable Hungarian sandwiches.

Line up at lunch with students for great deals on hearty Hungarian sandwiches nearby. It’s easy to bring back something to the hotel for a snack.

Kisharang serves cheap Hungarian meals at this classic little spot close by.

Liberty Square park nearby features a fountain.

The prettiest park in this neighborhood is Liberty Square. Kids will love playing around this fountain on a hot day.

Belvarosi Disznotoros is popular for eating and meeting.

A quick walk into the busier part of town brings you to Belvarosi Disznotoros, a stand-up-and-pig-out place while meeting folks over heaping portions of Hungarian meat dishes.

Walking towards the river brings one to Tokio to find fine and creative Asian fare alongside delicious sushi.

Take a beautiful stroll through Liberty Square to get to the hidden, divine little Kispiac Bisztro with even better food.

The Hungarian Parliament building is magnificent.

The Hungarian Parliament Building is simply stunning from every angle. It’s closer through Liberty Square, or a few minutes longer if you choose to walk along the Danube River.

Staying at the Aria puts you right next to St Stephen’s Basilica, one of the finest buildings in the city.

This delicious, busy, and charming Hungarian bakery is a short walk via Liberty Square.

The Great Synagogue features moving monuments outside.

Visiting the Great Synagogue is a must, and don’t miss the moving monuments in the outdoor areas.

Kuglof cafe is very popular for breakfast and lunch.

If you’re not taking breakfast at the hotel, or want a second breakfast or lunch, you can’t beat this indoor and outdoor café.

À Table is a great French bakery nearby.

Need a croissant? It’s worth walking to get the buttery, delicious ones at this French bakery.

Central Café is a Budapest coffee institution.

Central Café nearby is a Budapest coffee house institution.

The historic Karpatia features live gypsy music.

If you’re not going to be able to visit the Hungarian countryside, walk to dine in the historic, elaborately painted Kárpátia restaurant, and be serenaded by gypsies. Check rates and availability: Aria.

Aria Hotel in Budapest, Hungary

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