When the results of the TripAdvisor-sponsored 15th Annual Traveller’s Choice Award for Best Hotel came out last week, it came of no surprise that the prize spot went to the Aria Hotel in Budapest.
Millions of travellers from over 117 countries – myself included – voted Aria the “best in the world,” for its unbeatable marriage of musical influences, world-class service, and stunning interior design.
Though it’s only been in business for a year and a half, the Aria has quickly toppled other, more established hospitality stalwarts, for the 2017 prize.
This 5 star luxury hotel, located in the city centre of Buda, is heavily themed around four different music genres – opera, jazz, classical and contemporary music. In May 2016, I was fortunate to spend a few days there, and take in the hotel’s eccentric yet elegant vibe.
The hotel’s lounge incorporates a stylized piano motif, which literally leads guests from the entrance straight to one of the most impressive pianos I have ever seen. Here, guests are entertained by classic melodies during the hotel’s daily complementary wine and cheese reception.
If you love having a bird’s eye view of the city, there is no need to step a foot outside of the hotel; just head up to the roof top bar and restaurant.
By day, the roof top is a relaxing lookout point and a laid back get away. While at night, it a pulsating, chic, and exclusive hot spot.
One of the most noticeable features of this luxury boutique hotel is its exquisitely designed interior, which flows from the second you enter all the way up to your room. This is beautiful living at its most stylish.
Each room has its own unique décor, which includes rich colours, lavish textiles, and quirky furnishings, masterfully designed to combine the modern with the historic. They are rooms you wish you could magically transport to your own home.
What traveller doesn’t like to recharge after a long day of discovery? At the Aria, guests are in luck, with the underground Harmony spa ranked the best European wellness spa by the World Boutique Hotel Awards.
This jazz-themed modern spa is ideal for unwinding and revitalizing, complete with a softly lit, heated pool with spectacular features, a bubbling jacuzzi, cabana pool beds, Turkish steam baths, and a Swedish sauna.
It should be said that though its beautifully designed room, world class spa, and a roof with a view may give a hotel a bit of an edge, the TripAdvisor award is won on the comprehensive, consistent experience.
Budapest is an amazing city, and how fortunate it is to marry that experience with an equally amazing hotel like the Aria. It all makes for an unforgettable adventure…get packing!
