As one of the most exciting new hospitality projects marking the Hungarian market entry of Marriott’s lifestyle brand Moxy, the 281-room Moxy Budapest Downtown has opened on Kazinczy Street in Budapest, developed by Forestay Group. The interior design concept of the hotel’s distinctive Saddle & Sky Budapest rooftop bar was created by our studio, este’r partners. The project introduces a fresh, experience-driven hospitality approach to downtown Budapest, where the hotel functions not only as an accommodation destination, but also as a vibrant social and cultural meeting point.

The development was realized on the site of the former Hungarian Dance University building, preserving and contemporarily reinterpreting the character and history of the location. The overall interior design concept of the hotel was created by Austrian studio BWM Designers & Architects, reflecting in a playful and experience-focused way on the iconic Empress Elisabeth of Austria, Sisi, through creative references to the worlds of dance and horseback riding.

The rooftop bar is one of the hotel’s most distinctive destinations, offering breathtaking 360-degree panoramic views over downtown Budapest and Gellért Hill from its rooftop terrace. The skybar concept connects to the hotel’s dynamic atmosphere through bold and characterful design elements, while also operating as an independent destination open not only to hotel guests but to the wider public as well.

Further developing the hotel’s overall concept, the rooftop bar was also inspired by the theme of Sisi, unfolding into several interconnected conceptual layers. Alongside the image of Sisi as the riding princess, the playful and nostalgic world of amusement parks and carousels became a key source of inspiration for the space. The aim was to create a bar where a 21st-century Sisi would go out to party, resulting in an interior concept filled with subtle references that evoke her character and essence. One such element is the central column of the bar, designed as a reinterpretation of the iconic illuminated structures of carousels, while the open rooftop terrace features an installation inspired by Sisi’s hat, serving not only as a sculptural landmark but also as a distinctive new selfie point overlooking the Budapest skyline.