The Dorothea Hotel has been completed, featuring three valuable historic buildings in the heart of Pest with five-star hotel functions, restaurants, an unforgettable inner courtyard and views, welcoming guests. The building was realised in the general design of TSPC Group, in a design&build construction, developed by the BDPST Group, and executed by Market Építő Zrt. ECO-TEC Kft. handled the implementation, while the architectural concept and interior design were the work of the Italian design firm Lissoni & Partners.
The Dorothea Hotel was created from three iconic, historic buildings. The key task of the project was to unify the three buildings into a cohesive whole, posing a challenge for our architects as the buildings were constructed in three different eras with varying technological solutions. The Weber House, built between 1871-1873, was a former bank headquarters designed by Antal Weber in neorenaissance style. Its wings enclose two inner courtyards with the building previously serving as the home of the Savings Bank and now under monument protection. Also included in the Dorothea Hotel is the Mahart House, built between 1910 and 1913, another monument-protected building. Designed by Aladár Kármán and Gyula Illman in the Art Nouveau style, it functioned as the headquarters of the former Hungarian Royal River and Sea Navigation Company. The third block, known as Futura or Münnich House, faces Vörösmarty Square and was built in 1937 by Aladár Münich in the modernist and art deco style, replacing the Hungarian Royal Hotel.
The buildings constructed in different eras and with various structural solutions demanded numerous innovative approaches during the design process to bring the envisioned concept and outstanding architectural appearance to life. The design follows a fundamental principle, ensuring that the high-value elements of the buildings are preserved, while other areas are realised using the refined toolkit of contemporary architecture.
The Dorothea Hotel emerged from the merging and block rehabilitation of the Mahart, Weber, and Futura houses, reborn as the 319th Autograph Collection hotel within the Marriott hotel chain. Its name is inspired by the life and work of Maria Dorothea, a Württemberg princess who lived in the 19th century and contributed to Hungary. In addition to the hotel meeting international standards, the facility also houses Danube-view apartments, exclusive residences, and restaurants, as well as a rooftop terrace and Sky restaurant, the latter opening in 2024.
The project, which began in 2016, aimed not only to create hotel, restaurant, and apartment functions but also to transform the inner courtyard into a unique and unforgettable jungle in the city centre, providing a special experience for arriving guests and visitors alike.
The complex can be approached from three directions. The entrance on Dorottya Street serves as the main entrance to the hotel, where guests are welcomed. Here, you can find the representative original columned hall, of significant importance in terms of monument protection, and from there, the reception opens up, hinting at the inner courtyard’s lush world with its spatial connection. The entrance on Wekerle Street directly leads to the restored monumental staircase, providing access to the elevated position of the internal courtyard on the 2nd floor. The entrance hall of the Mahart House, with its marble decorative staircase and original railing, has been preserved and restored, featuring motifs of the Shipping Company on the stained glass windows. The entrance on Apáczai Csere János Street provides a separate approach for events and conferences. All three public entrances intertwine in the building’s inner heart, under the glass roof, in the large inner courtyard.
This enormous space under the glass roof is home to the lush Courtyard, planted with abundant vegetation, offering unforgettable views from many hotel rooms. The uniqueness of the inner courtyard lies in the fact that it is enclosed by the three buildings, creating a six-story-high airspace supported by 35-meter-span main beams holding the roof made of 15-ton glass panels, ensuring natural light. The inner courtyard forms the heart of the three buildings and will undoubtedly be a spectacle in the city centre, not only for hotel guests but also for visitors to the bar and restaurant located here. It is a real jungle, featuring thousands of living plants that not only provide a stunning sight but also ensure fresher air. One highlight of the inner courtyard is the restored monumental staircase, its blade walls covered with unique Zsolnay ceramics reflecting the design elements of the Dorothea Hotel brand.
The Dorothea Hotel features 216 hotel rooms, including 1 presidential suite and 9 additional suites, whose styles, colours, and forms were envisioned by the Lissoni & Partners team. Special attention was given to the smallest details, including carpet patterns and embroideries on textiles. The hotel rooms are located in the Weber and Münnich buildings, intricately arranged from the basement to the roof. The Mahart House hosts hotel operational areas and apartment residences. On the new rooftop level above the crowning cornice of the Münnich House, premium-category suites were created with larger floor areas and roof terraces, facing the city skyline through glass façades. Above the crowning cornice of the Weber House, two new levels were added as an attic conversion with rooms designed differently from the general levels, while behind the hundred-year-old historic façade of the Weber building, rooms in a historical style feature renovated wooden façade openings and internal wood panelling. The rest of the hotel rooms welcome guests in a contemporary, minimalist style.
The hotel also includes a wellness section located in the basement of the Weber House. Hotel guests can access the 3.4 x 15 meters swimming pool through gender-specific changing rooms, making it the largest non-public pool in the city centre. The wellness and spa area also features a gym, saunas – steam cabin, Finnish sauna, experience shower, relaxation area – and massage rooms, ensuring the complete comfort of the guests.
The operational areas of the hotel and staff entrance are strategically placed, considering the existing building characteristics and the only road loading connection from Apáczai Csere János Street.
Beyond the hotel functions, the Mahart House accommodates several apartments, ranging from small studio apartments to units exceeding one hundred square meters. In addition to the apartments, the building block also features restaurants that are strategically placed and serve as attractive destinations. The Anton Bar&Deli, located on the ground floor and accessible from Dorottya Street, is open to both hotel guests and pedestrians. The bar’s uniqueness lies in the blue Zsolnay ceramics used for the bar counter, providing a distinctive visual element in the predominantly earth-toned building. The Pavilion restaurant, situated in the inner courtyard, offers all-day dining options for both guests and visitors. At the top of the building, the Andalusian bar named Bibo, set to open in 2024, will be operated by the three-Michelin-starred chef Dani Garcia. The Sky bar and restaurant, also opening in 2024, will cover nearly the entire floor area of the Mahart building, featuring a consumption space for 150 people and a large terrace overlooking Vigadó Square and the Danube panorama. Dani Garcia is also responsible for the Italian dining establishment Alelí, which will open in the former Wekerle restaurant location.
The external appearance of the Dorothea Hotel complements the historical, urban surroundings with its preserved façades, while the new functions are hinted at through the design of the entrances. The decorative elements, colouring, and windows on the façade aim to comply with contemporary expectations while restoring the original appearance.
Staff List:
Developer: BDPST Group
General Planning: TSPC Kft.
Architecture: TSPC Kft.
Lead Designer: Mihály Kádár
Project Manager: Balázs Balla
Lead Architects: Gábor Rónaszéki, Andrea Tóth-Lovrity
Architects: Márton Bán, Sándor Cseke, Mónika Fenyvesvölgyi, Péter Gönye, Hunor Harsányi, Sarolta Hegedüs-Kolozsi, Enikő Hitró, Lilla Kocsis-Romhányi, Bence Seszták, Eszter Seszták-Lazúr
BIM Managers: Gábor Nagy, Károly Bélafi
Interior Design: Lissoni & Partners, Mattia Susani, Tania Zaneboni, Rodrigo Tellez
Structural Design: Tetra-Plan Ltd., Gábor Cséfalvay, Gábor Szaniszló
HVAC Design: Perfect-Plan Ltd., Tamás Vörös, József Szedlacsek
Electrical Design: Zone-Plan Ltd., György Kapitor, Miklós Havasi
Building Automation System Design: IBMS-PLAN Ltd., Gyula Kerek, László Paragi
Fire Protection Design: TSPC Ltd., Bálint Molnár, István Long Bihari
Kitchen Technology Design: Design Studio Ltd., Alexandra Rétfalvi-Kurucz, Gizella Kuruczné Szabolcs
Accessibility Design: NT Control Bt., András József Pandula
Road and Traffic Engineering: TSPC Engineering Office Ltd., Péter Geri, Bálint Kiss
Building Acoustic Design: ’95 APSZIS Bt., Róbert Csott
Pool Mechanical Design: Mecsekterv Ltd., Zsolt Eördög
Structural Design: Épszerkinfo Ltd., Károly Nagy
Sprinkler System Design: Dunamenti Tűzőr Ltd., Gergely Bánó
Elevator Design: OTIS Elevator Ltd., Boglárka Odonics, László Pápai
Safety and Health, Occupational Safety Design: Krisztián Pék e.v.
Garden and Landscape Architecture, Irrigation: Kertművek Ltd., Helga Hencz
Utility Planning: TSPC Engineering Office Ltd., Ákos Szova, Szabina Spagina, Péter Karizs
Telecommunications: HHT’998 Ltd., József Galambos
External Utility Telecommunications: Electric Future Plan Ltd., Balázs Aszalós
Civil Engineering: AA4 Engineering Ltd., András Ament