Budapest – the Danube, exceptional architecture, thermal baths and coffee shops make up the special charm of possibly the most beautiful capital city in Eastern Europe. Its most famous street is the Andrássy út, an avenue of some two kilometres lined by numerous opulent Neorenaissance-style palaces and villas. Since 2002, this street and the Földalatti beneath it, the oldest underground train system on the European mainland, have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In one of the impressive buildings on the Andrássy út, the modern 4-star Hotel Oktogon Haggenmacher, formerly Haggenmacher Palace, welcomes visitors from all over the world.
A building steeped in history
Haggenmacher Palace was designed by Henrik Schmahl and constructed between 1884 and 1886. It was built by Henrik Haggenmacher, a successful Swiss mill owner and brewer, who lived with his family on the first floor of the mansion. From 1934, the spacious apartment was leased to the Budapest city library, then later to the Szabó Ervin library. In the early 21st century, the now rather rundown building, a protected monument, was sold together with other historic constructions on the Andrássy út. Since the years following 2010, the once glamorous mansions have been converted into hotels.
Modern design for historic architecture
For the renovation and conversion of Haggenmacher Palace, which took place from 2020 until 2022, the Budapest architectural practice Archikon developed a complete design concept. The objective of creating a high-quality contemporary look for the building and its interior with modern elements while respecting the historic rooms and features was met in every respect. The new Hotel Oktogon Haggenmacher integrates ideally in the existing architectural fabric of the building.
A glass canopy has been installed over the former internal courtyard, which provides extra warmth in winter and is covered by a shade system in summer. This newly created central atrium with impressive stairways and an all-round gallery is home to the hotel’s reception and lobby as well as seating for the adjacent breakfast area. The narrow grid pattern of the windows on the existing facade and the extension of the attic floor have allowed the creation of a total of 121 comfortable guest rooms. The hotel also has a gym and a wellness area, in addition to a meeting room, conference room and bar.
Interior design blending strict lines and harmony
The interior design for the entire hotel, conceived by este’r partners from Budapest, conveys an agile and balanced impression despite its strict alignment. Repeating geometric patterns are a central feature, for example, on the original chessboard-like tiles which have been retained in the corridors to create a pleasant rhythmic effect in the outer public areas. Moving away from the black-and-white theme, the internal rooms are characterised by shades of grey, red, green and blue which come together with modern furnishings to create a subtle contrast with traditional wood panelling, wall coverings and built-in furniture. Asymmetric colour highlights are a consistent feature in the guest rooms which are furnished in light wood, adding a fresh and harmonious note to the classic atmosphere.
The colour concept continues in the modern bathrooms: large blocks of colour infuse the space with energy and emphasise the hotel’s new direction. The toilets reflect this too: Villeroy & Boch’s wall-mounted Subway 2.0 toilet has been installed in all 121 guest bathrooms, combining a minimalist, puristic shape with outstanding hygiene. With an intelligent water flow and small splashguard, the rimless DirectFlush technology ensures complete rinsing of the inner bowl with no splashes. The toilets consume just 3 or 4.5 litres of water per flush with no compromise on the excellent performance. The absence of the traditional rim and the completely glazed surface also allows DirectFlush toilets to be cleaned both thoroughly and quickly.