Mövenpick Hotel Budapest Centre

Every journey begins with curiosity about the world, a desire for change, and a longing for new experiences. While we bring back hundreds of photographs from our travels, only some memories stay with us forever — those of places we remember with all our senses.

Designed by Tremend architects, the interiors of the Mövenpick Budapest Centre, located in a historic building dating back to 1911, become the setting for a multi-sensory journey where the soft elegance of the Art Nouveau era meets a contemporary understanding of comfort.

A relic of the Art Nouveau era
The building, dating from 1911, is situated in the very heart of Budapest, just steps away from such iconic landmarks as the 19th-century Keleti Railway Station, the Hungarian State Opera House (Magyar Állami Operaház), and the Great Market Hall (Nagycsarnok). Now part of the international Mövenpick brand, the hotel has welcomed travellers from around the world for over a century.

In 2025, the historic property underwent renovation and modernization, restoring its former splendour and revealing its Art Nouveau beauty. The interior design concept was developed by Tremend architects, whose project combines the elegance of the past with the highest contemporary standards.

An experience that engages the senses
The interiors of the Mövenpick Budapest Centre become a setting not only for a journey through time, but also for a journey through the senses — rooted in the nature, landscape, and cultural heritage of Hungary.

This journey begins upon entering the reception area and representative lobby. The building’s architecture and interiors form a cohesive whole, telling a unified story. Guests are guided through it by historical architectural elements — stained glass, ornamentation, original balustrades, and lighting fixtures. Its contemporary chapter has been written by Tremend architects.

The studio was commissioned to design the interiors of the entrance zone, including the reception and lobby, as well as the bar area and hotel rooms. The colour palette transitions from lighter, sandy tones in the daytime areas — which dramatically reflect the light streaming through the historic glazing — to deep, chocolate browns in the joinery details and upholstery of the more intimate, nighttime spaces. Subtle accents in shades of paprika, saffron, and herbs appear like an aroma — unobtrusive yet memorable.

Where history meets contemporary design
Just as aroma shapes the first impression of a dish, the lobby plays a similar role within the hotel. It serves as a calling card, an introduction to the project’s narrative, and a preview of the experience awaiting guests. In the case of this over-century-old building, it is also — perhaps above all — an integral part of its identity.

For this reason, Tremend architects sought to preserve its original character while introducing a sense of contemporary, lifestyle-oriented lightness. An earthy colour palette, natural fabrics, organic furniture forms, and lush greenery soften the monumentality of the space. Warm, layered lighting that highlights architectural detail brings a more human scale to the lofty interior.

While the historic structure defines the spatial framework, the design is based on the idea of fluid functional transitions. The check-in area seamlessly flows into the lounge, the lounge into a coworking space, and further into the dining area. Boundaries dissolve through contemporary modular furniture arrangements, soft divisions created by light, and the differentiation of space through materials and textures.

Historical elements act like base spices — defining the character of the space. New interventions — a reception desk with a simple geometry, contemporary lighting fixtures, and soft seating — function as subtle additions that allow the original features to resonate.

It is a space of encounters: between people, between the hotel interior and the city, between past and present. This is where the journey begins — and where guests first sense that the suitcase of memories they take from Budapest will be filled not only with images, but also with atmosphere and emotion.

Design: Tremend architects
Photography: courtesy of Tremend