During the past few years, several major developments and renovations are transforming the area around Blaha Square back into becoming an appealing address, including the newly constructed Europeum Shopping Center and the adjoining Courtyard Budapest City Center hotel, along with the complete refurbishment of the once-eminent Hotel Nemzeti Budapest. Also providing a considerable boost to this community improvement, the four-star Atrium Fashion Hotel opened in 2007 within a historic building just a few steps away from Blaha Square – but rather than merely sprucing up an old edifice and bringing its utilities up to current standards, the hoteliers went above and beyond in creating an ultra-modern hospitality hotspot here, where 21st-century amenities are accompanied by attractively intriguing contemporary design.
Approaching the Atrium Fashion Hotel, we are immediately struck by the establishment’s bright appearance, prominently gleaming amid its drabber neighbors – to preserve the architectural heritage of this building that dates back to about 1900, the façade was renovated to appear almost as it did a century ago, when the streets around it bustled with the elegant horse-drawn carriages of Pest’s most affluent citizens. From out front, the only hint we see of the innovatively creative setting that hides inside is the minimalistic ground-floor entryway of gleaming glass doors… but once we pass through them, it’s obvious that we are now firmly in modern times.
Amid the light and airy lobby adorned with contemporary artworks, a lime-green couch, and an antique oversized birdcage repurposed into a chandelier, a friendly receptionist greets us and offers essential information about the Atrium’s facilities with genuine enthusiasm; the 24-hour front-desk staff proved to be quite diligent in its efforts to satisfy the needs of every guest.
From here we walk through a bookshelf-lined hallway towards the Atrium’s namesake centerpiece. By transforming the building’s courtyard into a five-story-tall enclosure topped with a huge skylight, the hoteliers created a sunshiny common space that serves as a tasteful breakfast hall, lounge, and art display – on the biggest wall, a gigantic “A” is bordered by an oversized analog clock and a five-meter-long cylindrical pendulum, animating the lofty chamber with kinetic energy.
Absorbing the avant-garde atmosphere while riding the glass elevator to our upper-story room, we admire how the interior designers preserved the building’s original wrought-iron walkway railings, although the lush potted plants that now line these open passageways are much more evocative of the tropics than Central Europe, while the parquet-lined floors remind us that this courtyard is indoors – a fact easily forgotten amid all the natural light. Less apparent are the acoustic dampening materials that surround the Atrium’s central space to ensure quietude in each of the 57 guest rooms.
Entering our street-facing accommodations for the night, we are immediately soothed by the warm earth-toned color scheme enhanced by more sunshine and soft-blue wallpaper, complemented by pale oak wainscoting, cute pictures, and sleek furnishings. This carefully variegated ambience extends to the gently lit multihued tiles of the bathroom, which is well equipped with a hair dryer and magnifying mirror alongside a warmly appreciated heated towel rack.
At the business desk equipped with an LCD TV that broadcasts multilingual news channels, we check our e-mails through the in-house high-speed Wi-Fi system, noting that the Atrium would be a perfect choice for business travelers seeking reasonably priced lodgings that bear considerably more style than what most modern hotels provide these days.
Stepping out for the evening, we take advantage of the Atrium Fashion Hotel’s proximity to Blaha Square’s far-reaching transportation links. While objectionable characters are still a common sight in this neighborhood, District VIII is actually considerably safer than some fancier areas of London, Paris, or Rome, and we never feel even remotely imperiled during our stay. Returning from dinner, we relax in our room cocooned by soundproof windows, and sleep deeply through the night.
In the morning we awake refreshed, and earlier than expected, so we ignore our wake-up call while showering; to our pleasant surprise, the conscientious front-desk clerk sends a colleague up to knock on our door, making sure that we don’t oversleep and miss an important appointment. Fortunately, our only immediate engagement is for breakfast in the courtyard, and we have plenty of time to enjoy it, seeing that it’s served for over three hours every day.
The breakfast spread includes international favorites like scrambled eggs, hashed browns, sweet and salty pastries, and a selection of cereals, but Hungarian specialties like lecsó pepper stew and locally produced sausages add local flavor, while fresh fruits and yogurts offer delights for light eaters. Surrounded by floral-patterned upholstery, a futuristic fireplace, and colorful swaths of striped fabric, we are infused with a cheerful spirit illuminated by the natural light overhead.
After packing up our things and checking out, we step outside and walk back to We Love Budapest HQ along the streets surrounding Blaha Square, which we’ve traversed countless times before… yet after a single night at Atrium Fashion Hotel, the entire neighborhood feels just a little brighter this morning, surely due in part to the brilliant impression of our accommodations.As of press time, room rates at the Atrium Fashion Hotel range from approximately 65 euros per night to 125 euros per night, breakfast not included; see the hotel’s official website for current rates and discounts.
We Love Budapest’s “Guest Experience” series profiles various Budapest hotels that invite our staff to visit at no charge, but with the understanding that we may include negative impressions in our coverage; hotel management is not allowed to review these articles before they are posted.
