Case Study: Four Seasons Hotel achieves quiet, comfortable luxury in Budapest with Thornton Tomasetti acoustic engineering

Four Seasons Hotel reduces guest-room noise with Thornton Tomasetti at a 200,000 ft² Budapest renovation

Four Seasons Hotel faced the challenge of renovating the historic Gresham Palace in Budapest into a luxury hotel while preserving its character and ensuring modern acoustic comfort for guests. The project required sophisticated noise and vibration control solutions for issues ranging from street traffic to internal mechanical systems. Thornton Tomasetti was engaged to provide acoustic engineering services for this complex conversion.

Thornton Tomasetti implemented a comprehensive acoustic solution that included designing a new floor system for structural capacity and sound isolation, specifying thermal double glazing to reduce exterior traffic noise, and creating specialized constructions to contain noise from a sixth-floor spa and a diesel generator located above a guest room. They also specified sound-absorbing, tinted spray-on plaster for public spaces like the lobby to meet both acoustic and aesthetic requirements. The successful renovation resulted in the hotel opening in 2004, achieving the client's goal of a luxurious and peaceful guest experience within a historic landmark.

Four Seasons Hotel