Inner City / Elisabeth Bridge

Matild Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Budapest

★★★★★

Matild Palace is the most glamorous of Budapest's new generation of luxury hotels, and its building is a piece of the city's history. It occupies one of the twin Klotild Palaces, two ornate Belle Époque buildings that flank the Pest end of the Elisabeth Bridge like a gateway. They were commissioned by Archduchess Maria Klotild of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, construction began in 1902, and they were designed by the architects Giergl and Korb with towers, domes and lavish decoration in the style of the age. After a long period of decline in the twentieth century, the northern palace was meticulously restored and opened as a Luxury Collection hotel in 2021. It has 111 rooms and 19 suites, many with views of the Danube, the Elisabeth Bridge and Gellért Hill, decorated in an elegant style that pays tribute to the building's era, with rich colours, fine fabrics and modern comforts. The hotel's restaurants are a destination in themselves. Spago by Wolfgang Puck, the Californian chef's first restaurant in Central Europe, serves fine dining in a grand room, and its Sunday brunch is a fixture of the Budapest social calendar; advance reservations are essential. Cova, the historic Milanese pastry café, runs an all-day café and serves breakfast. The Duchess, a hidden bar and liquor library on the rooftop, offers cocktails with panoramic views over the river and the Inner City, and is for adults only. A spa with thermal therapies and treatments and a 24-hour fitness centre complete the picture. The address, Váci utca 36, puts you on the Inner City's famous pedestrian street, between the Great Market Hall and Vörösmarty tér. It is a hotel for travellers who want history, style and a sense of occasion, with excellent food on site.

Location: the Elisabeth Bridge is at the door, so the Rudas Baths and the paths up Gellért Hill to the Citadella are a short walk across the river. The Great Market Hall is about ten minutes south along Váci utca, Vörösmarty tér and the Danube promenade ten minutes north, and the Chain Bridge and St. Stephen's Basilica fifteen to twenty minutes. The Ferenciek tere metro station on the M3 line is a few minutes away, and the trams along the embankment connect you with the Parliament.

Choosing the room: book a Danube-view room or a corner suite in a tower if you can; the views of the river and Gellért Hill are superb, and the tower suites have unusual layouts and character. Rooms facing the city are quieter but lack the river. Reserve a table at Spago ahead of arrival, especially at weekends, and save an evening for a cocktail at The Duchess, which has one of the best rooftop views in the city.

The trade-offs: the bridgehead location means traffic, though the rooms are well soundproofed; and the area around Váci utca is busy with visitors. Rates are at the top of the market, though often a little below the Gresham Palace. For a stylish city break, a celebration or a food-focused trip, Matild Palace is an outstanding choice.