You gaze up at one of Budapest’s most spectacular historic palaces—surrounded by classical statuary and carefully manicured greenery—from the modern comfort of a glass-enclosed Jacuzzi. Whether it’s after an afternoon of exploring the city’s UNESCO-listed Andrássy Avenue or before enjoying a decadent massage, this is a sight you can witness from the spa at Budapest’s new Mystery Hotel.
The experience—a confluence of grand tradition and innovative luxury—epitomizes today’s Budapest. And you can find this mix throughout a crop of the city’s stylish new hotels. Offering guests first-class entrée to the city’s highlights, these properties cater to the increasing number of discerning travelers who are discovering Budapest’s magic.
Here are three new hotels that will help make your Budapest experience even more magnificent.
Párisi Udvar Hotel Budapest
Set in the vibrant downtown hub of Budapest’s 5th District—home to cultural treasures like Vigadó Concert Hall, St. Stephen’s Basilica, the Danube Promenade, and the shops and restaurants of Váci Street—this newly debuted hotel occupies one of the grandest heritage buildings in the city. Featuring gorgeous fin-de-siècle architecture that incorporates Arabic, Moorish, and Gothic elements, the property originally housed Budapest’s first and finest luxury shopping arcade; in May of 2019, after a meticulous four-year restoration, it was reopened as part of Hyatt Hotels’ exclusive Unbound Collection.
Today, the property’s breathtaking main atrium, with its soaring glass ceilings and elaborate gilded archways, now contains the elegant reception area, boutiques, and a chic café and cocktail bar. Its 110 lavish guest rooms and 20 suites—all of which are unusually spacious—include design components that nod to the building’s Art Nouveau history, like curved windows, parquet floors, and recessed ceilings. All are also equipped with deluxe marble baths and rainforest showers, and furnished with exquisite feather-down bedding that insures a luxuriant night’s sleep.
Hotel Clark
This brand-new, sleekly modern hotel sits in one of Budapest’s most iconic locations: Adam Clark Square, the literal center of the city, with its Zero Kilometer Stone marking it as the place from which all local distances are measured. Adjacent to both the majestic Buda Castle, the Buda Hill Funicular, and the dazzling Széchenyi Chain Bridge (which spans the Danube), the circular plaza was already one of the city’s most visited sites—it has only become more buzz-worthy since the March 2018 opening of the hotel.
With style that offers a striking counterpoint to the elaborate, 19th-century neo-Renaissance palaces surrounding it, the hotel has a contemporary and minimalist façade, set with panes of curvilinear glass. Inside, the clean-lined aesthetic is echoed in the 86 guest rooms, many of which have unparalleled views over the Danube riverfront (all also feature a recurring motif of lion imagery, which pays homage to the famous stone lions that guard both entries to the Chain Bridge). The hotel’s trendy, creative-Hungarian restaurant, KIOSK Buda, has become one of the city’s most fashionable culinary destinations; and its slick, upscale rooftop bar, LEO, serving up artisanal cocktails and panoramic city views, is so popular that advance bookings are a must.
Mystery Hotel Budapest
Occupying an eclectic, 19th-century palace that originally functioned as a lodge for Hungarian Freemasons, this hotel, which opened in March 2019 in the city’s 6th District, prides itself on maintaining an air of enchantment and mystique. Ensconced within its stately exterior are several ornately built gathering spaces, including a sumptuous, chandelier-lit restaurant in what was once the Masonic lodge’s Great Hall, and a Secret Garden Day Spa where guests are pampered amid Baroque fountains and sculpture. Atop the building, there’s also a secluded roof bar, The Sky Garden, with lush plantings, Doric columns, and a spiral staircase to a viewing platform that overlooks the domed towers of the nearby Nyugati railway terminal and beyond to Gellért Hill and Buda Castle.
The hotel’s 82 guest rooms are inspired by Ancient Greek architecture and named after the traditional Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian column styles. All are decorated with extravagant wallpaper and rugs, as well as quirky wall-art portraits that meld—appropriately enough—both vintage and modern-day references.
Now that you’ve picked your hotel, explore all the amazing things to do in Budapest at SpiceOfEurope.com.
