Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Budapest Has a Grand New Hotel

Budapest Has a Grand New Hotel

As the 19th century careened into the 20th, the population of Central European cities exploded. So, too, did the number of imaginative—mind blowing, really—buildings that to this day make Prague, Vienna, and Budapest some of the most beautiful cities in the world. Buildings were made of elaborately carved stone, tiles in shocking colors, and architectural elements right out of a Mucha illustration.

Matild Palace

While we think of the Austro-Hungarian nobility at this time as stuffy and stuck in the past, some were not and got in on the action. The Archduchess Maria Klotild was one, snatching up two lots at the end of the century on either side of the road at the end of a major bridge crossing the Danube in Budapest. She hired Kálmán Giergl and Flóris Korb, two of the most significant Hungarian architects at the time who also worked on the iconic New York Palace Hotel. (If you have some time the New York Cafe inside is worth checking out even though it’s extremely touristy). The archduchess’ twin buildings were groundbreaking for their time both in terms of construction—steel clad in stone—and comfort—elevators. They featured shops and cafes on their ground floors with residential units above, and the two buildings were capped at the corner by a fetching Neo-Rococo tower.

Like much of Budapest in the aftermath of Communism, the magnificent buildings looked like they had seen better days. But this spring Marriott’s The Luxury Collection finished its top to bottom restoration and redecoration of one of them, Matild Palace, making it the the latest selection in Beast Travel’s series on exciting new hotels, The New Room With a View.

Matild Palace


When you enter, you are welcomed with a massive Néo-Baroque iron framed entrance that leads to a lovely hall running the length of the building. You’ll be headed back here even after checking in at the front desk because the corridor also leads to Wolfgang Puck’s Spago restaurant and the Café Cabaret Matild.

Spago, of course, is Puck’s iconic Los Angeles restaurant that over the years has popped up all over the world, often in signature hotels. After spending a couple months in Paris before coming to Budapest, I must admit I didn’t mind getting some international food rather than something “local.” (And given how sweet a martini often is in Paris, to finally have a good one was a godsend.) I tried the signature smoked salmon pizza with caviar which, yes, was as good as it's been hyped to be. And there were some tastes of the region—I finished with an Austrian “crêpe-like” dessert, a reminder of the chef’s origin.

Matild Palace


The Café Matild is another great reminder of the history of the building. Built at the same time as the hotel, it was a favorite of the author of Adventure of Sinbad, Gyula Krúdy, who would come often, making sure to have a table facing the action to write his novel about food, beverages, and women. Its physical restoration is hoped to be a restoration as well of Budapest’s famous café culture in the Belle Epoque era. At night it turns into a cabaret playing Hungarian and international shows.

Matild Palace


If you can, get one of the front-facing rooms, which provide views of the river and its bridge that become particularly spectacular at night. (Rooms start around $500 a night.) It’s a setting that I would recommend taking in while ensconced in a bubble bath in the cave-like bathroom covered in shiny blue and gold tile. The fourth-floor rooms were originally used as artists’ studios: Huge angled windows allow in lots of light and dramatic views.

Matild Palace


The hotel’s updated decor is what I would call decadent international—modern chandeliers, lots of white with pops of electric blue chairs and couches, and rooms with sleek wood accents and backlit headboards. While much of Budapest can still feel stuck in time, the hotel once you step inside is very much of the moment.

There’s no avoiding the ugliness of some of Hungary’s recent politics, and as a gay man it was very much on my mind during my visit, but Budapest will always be a must for travelers because of its beauty, and the restored Matild Palace will very much be part of that allure.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Japanese Customer Sways from VW to BYD after “Unbelievable” Test Drive amid Dealership Expansion
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
White House Eyes Budapest for Peace Talks
Cave Diving Beneath the Streets of Budapest
Another American Restaurant Chain Opens in Budapest
Hungarian Opposition Politician Supports Ukrainian Commander
Opposition Leader Threatens Media Outlets
American Airlines Adds New Flights to Budapest
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix Wraps Up
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
U.S. Trade Representative says Washington still negotiating trade deals after court rules tariffs illegal
Von der Leyen says Europe drawing up 'precise' plans to send troops to Ukraine
Kremlin accuses Europe of hindering Trump’s peace efforts in Ukraine
×