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Hotel Review: Aria Hotel Budapest Hits All the Right Notes

8/28/2018

4 Comments

 
Pool at Aria Hotel Budapest
The serene pool and spa area was one of my favorite spots at Aria Hotel Budapest, which is a 5-star luxury boutique hotel in the center of the city.
By John Roberts

Perhaps the best thing you can say about a hotel is that once you arrive, you don't really feel like leaving the property.

Meaning, it's a destination in itself.

I stayed at Aria Hotel Budapest and honestly felt the tug to spend all my time relaxing in comfort and enjoying the full range of amenities at this luxury boutique hotel.

Believe me, that's saying something because the great capital city of Hungary offers travelers so much to see and do.

Obviously, I'm not the first person who has fallen under the spell of Aria Hotel Budapest. The property opened in 2015, and by 2017, it was rated the top hotel in the world in the annual TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards.

The music-themed hotel is part of the Library Hotel Collection that includes the Hotel Giraffe, Hotel Elysee, Hotel Casablanca and Library Hotel in New York City; Aria Hotel Prague and Hotel X in Toronto.

Aria Hotel Budapest hosted me for a three-night stay during my time in Budapest and simply asked that I give an honest review of my experience. Let me tell you all about what I found.
Aria Hotel Budapest
The Music Garden 
Aria Hotel Budapest hits all the right notes for music fans, with decor that immediately immerses guests in a vocal, visual and aural journey into the art form. Approaching the entrance of the hotel -- which has breathed new life into a refurbished 1870s bank building in the Pest side of the Danube River -- I am greeted by a doorman, who helps me quickly check in, get my key and escorts me to my room.

But first, we go through the Music Garden, an under-glass courtyard area that features a modern-classic Boganyi grand piano as its centerpiece, sitting at the end of a winding ribbon of black and white keys on the floor of the garden.  
Boganyi grand piano at Aria Hotel Budapest
This is the space for guests to refuel and start their days with the included morning farm-to-table breakfast. You get fresh fruits, breads, oatmeal, cereals, cheese, meats, and made-to-order eggs, waffles and more. The Music Garden is also home to a wine, cheese and hors d'oeuvres reception accompanied by a musician from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

The space is filled with shiny green cushion
ed chairs on which to sit and relax. Off this courtyard area is the Stradivari Restaurant and the concierge office (which features a music library of more than 100 CDs to take to play in your room).

Satchmo's Library (a quiet space to sit and read or have a couple drinks)
, Satchmo's Bar and the guest reception desk are located off the front lobby.
Satchmo's Library at Aria Hotel Budapest
Satchmo's Library is a quite space to enjoy a meal, drinks or just read while listening to music.
Satchmo's Bar at Aria Hotel Budapest
Satchmo's Bar is a blue dream, where you drink with friends under the watchful eye of Marilyn Monroe.
I had a dinner one night at Stradivari Restaurant. A musical staff covers one wall, and violins hang from the ceiling, giving the space a whimsical feel as you dine. It's bistro-style menu features Hungarian classic flavors with a modern twist. We enjoyed a tasting menu featuring beef and fish courses from soups, appetizers to entrees that used plenty of local vegetables, meaning the meals was fairly light and healthy -- for Hungarian cuisine.

The Music Garden is indeed a focal spot, where hotel guests and non-guests gather for meals and music in a casual environment.

Each corner of the ground floor is home to one of the four themed wings of the 49-room hotel. Aria Hotel Budapest boasts a "thematic" for each of its four towers: classical, opera, contemporary and jazz.
Stradivari Restaurant at Aria Hotel Budapest
The Stradivari Restaurant displays violins hanging from the ceiling.
The Spa 
One floor below is the serene Harmony Spa, and I find myself blissfully alone many of the times I decide to head down. The gym is small, so your workout options are fairly limited. But there is enough in there to work up a bit of a sweat using the dumbbells, treadmills, bikes and ellipticals.

The pool area is a work of art. Dimly lit and featuring music-themed art (of course), this space has canopied beds, loungers and chairs to use while taking dips in the pool and hot tub.


The spa offers a range of massages and other treatments, and I 
enjoy a 30-minute head and neck massage shortly after check in to help unwind after my airplane flight. I also make several trips to the saunas during my three days in the hotel.
Pool at Aria Hotel Budapest
Massage room at Harmony Spa at Aria Hotel Budapest
The pool and treatment rooms at the hotel offer calm spots of relaxation.
The Rooftop Bar
The High Note Sky Bar is the signature destination for visitors, guests and Budapest residents. This spectacular rooftop space was one of the first in the city, and it certainly might be the best. Aria Hotel Budapest and its rooftop bar are so well-regarded, in fact, that many celebrities make it a point to stay at the hotel or at least swing by for a night at High Note Sky Bar.

I checked in just a few days after Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith and members of their family had stayed. Check out Will Smith's Instagram post just below here to see them enjoying the rooftop scenery.

Also, Arnold Schwarzenegger had just arrived in Budapest to shoot his next "Terminator" movie, and staff said they expected he would be coming by during his time in the city.

You can take the girl to Budapest... but you can’t take the Baltimore outta the Girl. @jadapinkettsmith. Thanx @ariahotelbudapest

A post shared by Will Smith (@willsmith) on Jun 19, 2018 at 1:20pm PDT

High Note Sky Bar offers inviting cushioned wicker seats and day beds and owns fabulous views over the city, with St. Stephen's Basilica looming right next door. The space has two pavilions, one serving as the bar area and the other that can be used for events like weddings and rooftop yoga sessions.
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High Note Sky Bar at Aria Hotel Budapest
The views you get while enjoying the fresh air atop the High Note Sky Bar at Aria Hotel Budapest are the best in the city.
This bar is especially noteworthy for its creative bar food and cocktail pairings. We enjoyed a show as the bartenders served up five different combos for our group. We noshed on apps like Taco Trio, cod fritters and duck-stuffed gyoza, as well as marinated olives and a antipasti platter of cheeses and meats, while downing alcoholic masterpieces like Fuego (mezcal, chili liquor, cucumber and citrus), Sailor Z (spiced rum, lychee liquor, grapefruit and lime) and Garden of Secrets (chamomile-infused sweet vermouth, elderflower liqueur, cherry bitter, citrus and egg white).

"We call it fine drinking," says Katalin Moor, director of sales and marketing for Aria Hotel Budapest. "All of our bartenders and 
bar managers come from Michelin-star restaurants, so they have high expectations.

"They really do cocktails as an art
."

High Note Sky Bar is the only year-round rooftop bar in the city, and it changes its d
ecor to host events with specific themes throughout the year, such as in the wintertime last year using the theme of "The Forest." This year, the winter theme will be "Classical Movies," which also offers good tie-ins with the music stylings of the hotel because of some great soundtracks to choose from.
High Note Sky Bar at Aria Hotel Budapest drinks
Bartenders have an active role in custom crafting the hotel's cocktails, which are paired with delicious tapas-style foods.
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The Rooms
Our room was in the Jazz wing and is themed for Nat King Cole. Every room throughout the property features a music artist or group of singers. Fans can book rooms that honor the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Mozart, B.B. King, Frank Sinatra and Irving Berlin, for several examples.

See the full list here: Spend your nights with a music legend

Rooms might have either street views or views of the courtyard. We were on the sixth floor and overlooked the courtyard and could see up to the rooftop area. A small balcony features outdoor seating with tables. Inside, the large, comfortable bed is the centerpiece of an open-room concept. Our room also had a desk, deep soaker bathtub (yes, right in the bedroom space), a two-seater couch, a small lounger, large TV (housed smartly within a marble fireplace mantle) and a mini-fridge.

The Nouveau-style furnishings fit nicely with the jazz vibe in our room. Our brick-look ceiling was in keeping with the original construction of the building. The room also offers a standalone wardrobe closet next to a sink; this area is divided from the main space by a small wall. A separate bathroom is adorned by a chandelier and features a large walk-in shower.

Amenities include an entertainment system run through the TV that contains a library of thousands of songs. You can build playlists and search for your favorite artists and styles. The hotel also has a resident music concierge to help with all your music needs, whether at the property or for booking a concert.

Rooms also provide Molten Brown toiletries, as well as iPads and Handy phones for use during your stay. These devices offer an incredible added value for guests, who can load apps onto the iPad or phone. The Handy phone also allows you to make calls to more than 40 countries without incurring any charges.

After all was said and done for our stay in Budapest, I really wish I had more time to fully enjoy the awesomeness of the room. One more time soaking in that tub. A few more hours listening to Prince, Tom Petty or Beethoven with the speakers on full blast.
Balcony at Aria Hotel Budapest
Aria Hotel Budapest
Our balcony and the view above the Music Garden below.

Video Tour of Aria Hotel Budapest: Our Room and All the Spaces

The Bottom Line
Even with all the conveniences and extras that come with your room rate, the best part of the stay for me was the friendly service and attention I enjoyed and witnessed as an ongoing practice throughout Aria Hotel Budapest.

Each guest is greeted cheerfully and asked whether they need anything or told to "Have a great day" as they head out the door to explore Budapest.

The hotel lulls you into a calm state, and I found myself often just plopping down for a spell in the Music Garden to listen to the music, read the newspaper or enjoy a drink in peace. The hotel's music theme is excellently executed, with design that is attractive but not too "in your face."

Songs and sounds are ever present. Even the elevators in each wing feature the appropriate music to match your room's theme. On the way up to our Nat King Cole suite in the Jazz wing, we would be accompanied by classic tunes from Thelonious Monk, Ella Fitzgerald or Dave Brubek.

Music fans visiting the city will certainly want to consider Aria Hotel Budapest for their accommodations.

The location is within two blocks (about a 7-minute stroll) to the Danube River right by the Chain Bridge. You also are located close to the start of the popular pedestrian way, Vaci Street, which is filled with shops, restaurants and bars and leads right to the Great Market Hall.

It'
s also within 15 minutes of the Opera House and Dohany Street Synagogue.

Wi-Fi is included and strong, and the hotel is smoke-free. Room rates average about $350 a night.

If you find a good price that fits your budget through a hotel booking site, I don't think you will regret treating yourself to a stay at Aria Hotel Budapest. You might even find that your cruise line offers a pre- or post-cruise night at the hotel before Danube voyages.

Thanks for reading, and happy travels.
JR
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4 Comments

AmaWaterways, Backroads Expand Menu of Active River Cruises

8/21/2018

2 Comments

 
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I took a Backroads and AmaWaterways biking cruise in the early stages of their partnership, biking up to 50-plus miles on some days during our Danube River adventure. The two companies are adding more and more of these active river cruise journeys each year.
By John Roberts

Meeting the rising demand for active river cruise itineraries, AmaWaterways and Backroads are offering more exciting hiking and biking cruises throughout Europe.

No doubt, the expanding partnership between Backroads and AmaWaterways further strengthens these companies' places as the leaders in adventure river cruising.

Backroads and AmaWaterways have unveiled a lineup of more than 120 Danube, Douro, Rhine and Seine cruises for 2019 and 2020, including nine full-ship charters and select sailings onboard AmaWaterways' innovative new ship AmaMagna. Marking their fourth year of partnership, the companies also announced "expanded capacity" sailings which bring together more than 60 cyclists on a single ship to be led by Backroads trip leaders -- providing for a larger community of riding companions.

"We're excited to introduce new options with Backroads and to welcome even more active travelers onboard our ships . . ." said Gary Murphy, vice president of sales and co-owner of AmaWaterways. "2019 is going to be a banner year for AmaWaterways, and we're excited to continue our valued partnership with Backroads during this very exciting time."

After a nearly sold-out 2018 season, these companies made the jump to expand the partnership in 2019 and 2020. In 2019, Backroads will offer a total of 68 departures -- some tailored specifically for couples, families and solo travelers -- including bike tours along Europe's Danube, Douro, Rhine and Seine Rivers and walking tours along the Douro River.

In order to meet growing demand for adventure trips on the rivers, Backroads has announced 73 total departures for 2020 with six full-ship charters and additional group sailings on the one-of-a-kind AmaMagna. On the cruises, Backroads groups are noticeable as subset of the cruisers onboard an AmaWaterways ship, with the typical Backroads group size averaging around 26.

I have sailed on two of these trips, both on the Danube River, doing a cycling itinerary and a fun hiking route, too. They were both as fun as they were challenging.

Read about: 
My Biking Cruise with Backroads and AmaWaterways
My Hiking Voyage with Backroads and AmaWaterways
The popular full-ship charters -- known as "Full Ship Celebration Cruises" -- will have two trips on the Danube and one on the Douro in 2019 (including departures for families with older teens and kids in their 20s). In 2020, there will be three full-ship cycling voyages on the Danube and three on the Douro. During these cruises, 100 to 150 fellow biking enthusiasts come together on one of the largest active group tours in the world.

Every Backroads river cruise trip features four or more expert trip leaders on ship and on shore, dedicated support vans and innovative itineraries with a choice of cycling and walking routes for all abilities. Backroads bike tours also feature custom-designed titanium bikes for all rider types --performance, touring and electric-assist -- and include fully loaded GPS routes.


"For almost 40 years, Backroads has been taking guests on expertly supported, highly flexible and individualized active vacations across the globe," said Tom Hale, Backroads founder and president. "Our active river cruises offer a one-of-a-kind experience where we take guests not only along the rivers but beyond, creating opportunities for a deeper dive into the region's culture and history with authentic local connections and the freedom to explore at your own pace."


Backroads will also host several departures onboard AmaMagna, which is set to debut in May 2019. AmaMagna will measure nearly twice the width of a traditional European river cruise ship and offer and new amenities, such as the expansive Zen Wellness Studio, complete with a newly expanded AmaWaterways' Wellness Program.


Thanks for reading and happy active sailing!

JR
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2 Comments

We Were the Only Americans on a German Cruise Ship

8/17/2018

3 Comments

 
And we had an amazingly fun time . . .
AIDAperla cruise ship
AIDAPerla sits in port at La Havre. AIDA's ships are known for flirtatious eyes and pouty lips on the bow of the vessels.
By John Roberts

Colleen and I took a cruise on AIDAperla.

This sailing was a little different for us, as we were the only passengers from the United States on a ship that was sailing with 4,000 German cruisers. Further, this cruise line is a huge hit for families with kids, especially in summer.

There were more than 1,400 kids onboard during our trip.

Our cruise was a roundtrip voyage from Hamburg, Germany. AIDA Cruises is a German line that is a member of Carnival Corp. You know, the cruise company that owns famous lines like Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn and Cunard.

We had heard a lot about AIDA cruises, so we thought we would check it out to see what it's like as a non-German passenger. We found this voyage to offer a great cruise value. The overall experience was one of our best surprises yet. We didn't really know what to expect, but there were so many unique food options and a lot of fun spaces on the ship.

We have no kids and speak only a little German. But we are fairly outgoing and like to try new experiences.

So, I offer you a photo tour as a recap of our cruise on AIDAperla. This focuses on what you can find on the ship. We sailed to Southampton, U.K.; La Havre, France; Bruges, Belgium; and Rotterdam, Netherlands.
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The ship has a lot of cool open public spaces. This is a little theater space where they have cocktail-making demonstrations, wine tastings and other smaller events.
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We enjoyed a romantic dinner at gourmet specialty restaurant Rossini.
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We found our very favorite place within the first hours of embarkation day, though.
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Brauhaus is an onboard brewery. It's in an Oktoberfest-style hall, and you can find three craft brews made right on AIDAperla. It also offers traditional German meals like schnitzel, roasted duck, goulash and apple strudel. 
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We made a good friend in Hansel, our waiter at Brauhaus. He is from India and speaks a bit of German, of course, but he said he liked being able to chat in English with American cruisers. He was surprised to hear we were onboard from America as AIDA ships rarely get such travelers, he says.
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The entry to Brauhaus, with the large beer tanks just outside.
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We sailed in the North Sea. Passengers enjoy the walking track and the seating area at the aft of AIDAperla.
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AIDAperla has a large indoor waterpark and movie screen under a glass dome. It was constantly filled on sea days with families enjoying the water activities. There is a little lazy river, water slides, ropes course and spray cannons.
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Our stateroom had a balcony, which featured something I have never seen on a cruise ship before: a hammock!
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Our favorite onboard venue, Brauhaus, is also a popular spot for nighttime activities and shows, like trivia contests, talent shows and karaoke. We also liked to cap off our evenings here with a beer and the best desserts you can find on the ship.
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The Patio Deck on AIDAperla is for suite guests and offers a serene spot for lounging and two infinity-style hot tubs. We loved the views up there as we were able to read and relax. There are plenty of spots out of the sun, too.
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We also treated ourselves to a morning in a private spa suite at The Organic Spa facility on the ship. It comes with a breakfast of fresh fruit and pastries, as well as juices, tea and water. You get a whole space to yourself that features a sauna, jetted tub, waterbed, shower and massage tables. You can order massage treatments in the room if you like. We decided to give each other massages.

Check out these other cool things on AIDAperla . . .

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The ship's main theater is part of the atrium. It spans Decks 6, 7 and 8, and is the heart of the ship, surrounded by bars, viewing screens and all kinds of seating so passengers can enjoy shows, informational talks and other performances throughout the day and night. Here, cruisers take part in the talent show "The Voice of the Sea."
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The ship has a funky disco, D6.
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Also, a dining experience KochStudio, where you can attend cooking classes and help prepare your own gourmet meals. 
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Hungry for a quick tasty snack? You'll love the curry wurst "food truck." 
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The ship has so many eye-catching pieces of decor.
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We had a fun and relaxing time on AIDAperla. I hope this gives you a good idea of what this cruise ship has to offer if you are considering sailing with AIDA Cruises. Happy travels!
-- JR
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