Top Filming Locations - Hotel Gellért in Budapest

Last updated on January 17th, 2022

The iconic Gellért Hotel opened in 1918. It was one of Hungary’s most luxurious hotels due to its stunning Art-nouveau architecture, its symmetrical glass and mirror entrance and panorama restaurant terrace, which overlooks the World Heritage Danube Panorama featuring the beautiful Szabadság bridge. The extraordinary Gellért Bath is also part of the building, which’s thermal water has been used since the Middle Ages. The Hotel has charming terraces and balconies overlooking the Danube, the baths and the green hill next door. The interior of the Hotel is a unique mixture of Art-nouveau and the Sixties, Soviet-era design. For example, while there are charming, a hundred years old wrought iron elevator decorations there is also a variety of quirky, sixties wood paneling and wall decorations. According to one of his interviews, Wes Anderson was greatly inspired by experiencing this layering of history. It was under this influence that he finalised his ideas for creating The Grand Budapest Hotel. In 2022 the location has unfortunately come to an end in this form, as the hotel's new owner has decided to give the place a complete refurbishment and remodeling. The building itself is a listed historical building, so its facade will probably stay untouched, but the interiors will change completely.

Symmetry is a characteristic of both Hotel Gellért’s interior and exterior

The interior of the Hotel is a unique mixture of Art-nouveau and the Sixties, Soviet-era design

The extraordinary Gellért Bath is also part of the building

Wes Anderson was greatly inspired by experiencing the layering of history in Hotel Gellért

This ornate wrought iron work is a good example of the building’s stunning Art-nouveau style

The hotel became a home to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton who spent a spring here

Hotel Gellért

This hotel is highly popular among filmmakers, both as accomodation and as a filming location. For example, the hotel became a home to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton who spent a spring here, while filming in Budapest. Scenes from the movie I Spy (2002) were shot here, as well as parts of Mephisto (1981), the first film directed by a Hungarian to win an Oscar. In 2018, the building doubled as the CIA’s Russian base in the Cold War spy movie Red Sparrow. Progressive Productions has also shot here when working on a Neffos commercial and with Prada while shooting their SS19 collection.