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Marvelous: This is Budapest’s oldest originally preserved hotel – PHOTOS
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Danubius Hotel Astoria celebrated its 110th birthday on 14 March. It is Budapest’s oldest originally preserved accommodation. Booking a room there is a bit expensive, but it is worth it if you want to spend some nights at this iconic place of the capital’s downtown.
The Unger family made Astoria world-known
According to turizmus.com, an ambitious blacksmith, Benedek Unger and two other families bought and opened the hotel on 14 March 1914, just a few months before the outbreak of the devastating WWI. The hotel manager was Mihály Gellér, one of the best Hungarian experts in the catering sector. Later, he became the first director, giving the name Astoria to the hotel.
The new hotel was both aesthetically and technologically a novelty. The building was astonishing, the mechanical engineering was modern, and the service included all the hotel novelties of the era.
The leadership of the 1918 Aster Revolution in Hungary moved into the hotel. On 30 October, Count Mihály Károlyi, the later prime minister and first president of Hungary, gave a speech from the hotel’s first-floor balcony. The hotel also served as the Hungarian National Council’s headquarters. Count Károlyi and his wife, Katinka Andrássy, lived on the hotel’s fourth floor even though their palace was only a few blocks away. Thus, the hotel has a Károlyi Room, which anybody can rent for organised events or weddings.
After the Communists came into power on 21 March 1919, they moved into the hotel.
The heydays of the hotel fell to the 1920s and 1930s.
Everybody liked the Astoria hotel
When the German troops occupied Hungary, the hotel became the headquarters of the Gestapo, the German secret police. During the siege of Budapest, the withdrawing soldiers looted the resort. Two bombs and several gunshots hit the building. Later, it became the headquarters of the US Army officers.
Astoria’s second rebirth was in 1946. Budapest did not have many operable hotels then, but Astoria could provide even luxury for its guests thanks to its owner, Ödön Unger. He managed to bring back the atmosphere of the peaceful pre-war era. He bought furniture and artwork. Furthermore, he donated several pieces of his private collection to the hotel.
The place is poorly maintained- areas above metro entrance are a place to piss and graffiti – the planters have had plants n them oncee in the last 7 years. What could be an incredible place – the owners seem to clueless along with the city. Hard to beleive the city doesn’t have consultants to work with business to help with mainting the historical beauty that is Budapest. They put up a convoy over the metro area that is ugly and waste of money and out of character. New stone sidewalks would transform the whole place- it not clear who is responsible for mess.
I spent two nights here about 2 years ago and found it to be clean and comfortable. The employees are nice and the nearby subway was very convenient with helpful workers at the ticket counter. I walked down there several times to buy the wonderful funnel cakes!!