10 of the best hotels in Budapest, from palace stays to artists' studios

Often dubbed ‘the Paris of the east’ for its architectural grandeur and thriving cultural scene, Budapest also has good-value, characterful accommodation in spades.

An air shot of Budapest's decorative castle with the Danube river sloping past.
On either side of the Danube river in Hungary's capital, the city stuns with impressive architecture and a romantic cafe culture.
Photograph by Nick Ledger, AWL Images Ltd
ByZoey Goto
September 3, 2025
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Budapest is a city of two acts. The Danube River splits the stage, with lively Pest buzzing on the east and leafy, laid-back Buda reclining gracefully on the west. Most of the action unfolds in Pest, home to the artsy Palace District and some seriously stylish bars. Across the river, cobbled lanes lead from stately Buda Castle to thermal baths and traditional restaurants. Characterful hotels crop up on both sides, from luxury digs in former palaces to guesthouses in revamped artist studios. And stays remain refreshingly affordable, especially when compared to cities like Paris, to which Budapest is often likened for its grand architecture and cafe culture.

(10 of the World's Most Unusual Hotels)

A view into a clean double hotel bedroom with big windows and minimalistic decoration.
Everything at the Matild is polished to perfection, including the sophisticated bedrooms.
Photograph by Matild Palace
A masterfully arranged plate of white seafood crudo on a spiced sauce, topped with plump caviar pearls, cubed cornichons and colourful herbs.
Matild's in-house restaurant Spago is spearheaded by none other than Wolfgang Puck, and serves luxurious dishes like delicate fish crudo with plump caviar pearls.
Photograph by Matild Palace

1. Matild Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel

Best for: fine dining
Armed with a blank chequebook and a love for belle époque architecture, Her Royal Highness Maria Klotild of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha commissioned twin palaces in 1902: Matild and its mirror image across the street. Damaged during the Second World War, Matild Palace languished for decades before a five-year restoration saw it transformed into a luxury hotel in 2021. Maria Klotild would no doubt approve of Spago restaurant, helmed by lauded chef Wolfgang Puck. Overlooking the Elisabeth Bridge, it’s a showcase for haute-Hungarian cuisine, such as a stew of braised beef cheeks. The 130 rooms, meanwhile, are a study in restrained elegance, with muted tones punctuated by the odd forest-green armchair. Rooms: From 130,275 HUF (£279).

The interiors of a quirkily designed 70s-style hotel lobby with a bronze elk statue in an open cage.
Arriving at the Kimpton Bem already sets the tone for the rest of the stay: playful, warm and confident.
Photograph by Gergley Jancso
A standard double hotel bedroom with a floral wallpaper that mirrors the leaf-print carpet.
The bold Danube View Rooms at Kimpton BEM Budapest allow guests to wake up to a stunning riverscape.
Photograph by Gergely Jancso

2. Kimpton BEM Budapest by IHG

Best for: design aficionados
Dutch design maverick Marcel Wanders brings his playful vision to Buda, reimagining a 19th-century neoclassical palace as the Kimpton BEM. The grandeur of the original building is layered with oversized stag sculptures, handmade tiles and corridors illustrated with mythical beasts. Rooms are compact and cleverly styled, with furnishings from Wanders’ Moooi interiors line, while the show-stealing suite has a terrace larger than the hotel’s rooftop bar, Fennen. AGOS is a bright modern restaurant serving Hungarian classics, such as boar goulash, alongside Mediterranean favourites like grilled octopus.Rooms: From 79,809 HUF (£171).

Street view onto an impressively decorated building with three flags hanging above the clean kept entrance.
The Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel carries its grandeur from chandelier-hung interiors through to its the impressive street views.
Photograph by Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel

3. Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel

Best for: maximalists
Built in 1894 as the lavish offices for the New York Life Insurance Company, the Anantara in Pest is now monument to a fabulously OTT design aesthetic. Step into the courtyard lobby and you feel like you’re inside a wedding cake, with six stories of ornate arches and creamy belle époque grandeur. Just off this grand space lies the New York Cafe. Cherubs frolic on frescoed ceilings, gold drips from every ledge and chandeliers sparkle like Liberace’s wardrobe. The 185 pared-back guest rooms, decked in chocolate tones, offer a calming antidote to all the breathless opulence. Rooms: From 114,402 HUF (£245).

A head-on view inside a glamorously decorated function room with tall ceilings, heavy velvet curtains and arched room frames.
The pompous art deco style inside the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace allows for time-travel in comfort and glam.
Photograph by Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest

4. Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest

Best for: old-world luxury
The former HQ of the Gresham Life Assurance company retains many of its original art nouveau features, with the sweeping staircase and wrought-iron elevators meticulously restored when Four Seasons took over in 2001. The hotel group’s additions include an indoor infinity pool, rooftop spa, creative cocktail bar and a French bistro serving dishes like Burgundy escargot. It’s on the Pest side, beside the Chain Bridge, and half of the chic, spacious rooms overlook the Danube, with Buda Castle beckoning across the water. Rooms: From 201,296 HUF (£431).

A playful lobby taking inspiration from music, with a keyboard of tiles as the floor and stylish seating arrangements.
The keys to this star-studded hotel is keeping an open mind and perfect pitch.
Photograph by Aria Hotel Budapest

5. Aria Hotel Budapest by Library Hotel Collection

Best for: music fans
The musicians who’ve stayed at this 49-room boutique hotel in Pest have left their mark — quite literally. In the neon-lit bar, mirrored walls bear the signatures of Gregory Porter, Sting and Sam Smith. The theme continues in the lobby, where piano keys swirl across the floor, leading to four wings: classical, jazz, modern and opera. Choose your mood, then your room. Beethoven features a black loveseat and hand-blown Murano glass chandeliers, while Billie Holiday opens onto a courtyard-facing balcony. On the rooftop, the High Note SkyBar serves cocktails while resident DJs keep the tunes flowing. Rooms: From 106,004 HUF (£227).

A look inside the quirky, well-lit work corner of a hotel that alternates between lounging chairs and a solo-worker bar.
D8 Hotel is inviting to all ages, from the courtyard's ping pong tables to the sleek work corner indoors.
Photograph by D8 Hotel

6. D8 Hotel

Best for: families
Pest’s D8 stands out for its enviable location, fresh interiors and wallet-friendly rates. A buffet breakfast of meats and cheeses is included and served in the lobby cafe, which opens onto a courtyard where kids battle it out on the ping-pong tables. The 137 rooms are bright and functional, with denim-wrapped headboards and blocks of primary colour. Popular family suites accommodate four in separate sleeping quarters. Attractions like the Chain Bridge, guarded by its iconic stone lions, are just minutes away. Rooms: From 33,160 HUF (£71), B&B.

A scene inside a minimalistic hotel lobby, with simple leather armchairs and graphic tile accents on the walls.
The clean interior design takes reference from the building's past as a telecommunications headquarter.
Photograph by Kozmo Hotel

7. Kozmo Hotel

Best for: chilling out
Converted from a telecommunications building in 2021, this tranquil hotel is in a quiet courtyard just steps from Pest’s Grand Boulevard. Its 84 guest rooms are generously proportioned, with a monochrome palette and parquet floors. The most coveted stay is suite 603, a tower at the top of the hotel with sweeping city views. True wonders await in the labyrinthine spa in the form of Valmont massages and facials, plus a softly lit 52-foot-long lap pool. Rooms: From 81,240 HUF (£174).

8. Hotel Noble

Best for: couples
A former family townhouse turned adults-only, design-forward bolthole, Hotel Noble is close to Pest’s Jewish Quarter and a wealth of ruin bars. The 17-room boutique pad blends silk drapery, antique lighting and a dark, cinematic aesthetic. For romance, opt for room 14, with its onyx-black, claw-foot bathtub, city views and a bottle of Champagne on arrival. A tiny bar pours drinks late into the night, while a traditional Hungarian breakfast is served in a cosy dining room come morning. Rooms: From 46,211 HUF (£99).

The well-kept garden at the back of a stylish, modern hotel, with wooden garden furniture.
The outdoor space at Buda’s Bagatelle Gardenhouse invites for a peaceful moment in nature.
Photograph by Szabó Gábor, Gabriel Szabo

9. Bagatelle Gardenhouse

Best for: escapism
Few visitors venture to Buda’s 12th District, known as Hegyvidék or ‘the mountainous area’. The low-key neighbourhood offers access to some of the city’s best hikes, and is also home to family-run Bagatelle Gardenhouse. The six rooms in the renovated villa are individually styled with Scandi-type furnishings. The jewel in the crown is the garden, where breakfast is served amid magnolias and lavender beds. Some rooms feature verandas opening onto it: the perfect perch for pastries from the family’s bakery next door. Rooms: From 79,733 HUF (£171), B&B.

An intimate view into a dining courtyard with tall ceilings and rich vegetation.
The courtyard dining at Brody House takes its cues from the local, bohemian cafe culture.
Photograph by Brody House

10. Brody House

Best for: creativity
Budapest has been a cultural haven since the early 20th century, when political unrest and a glamorous cafe culture fuelled its literary and artistic scenes. The city’s bohemian energy lives on at Brody House in Pest, a former artist commune. Each room has been named after an artist connected to the hotel and features original artworks on the walls. Some showcase handcrafted touches like collaged lampshades or a kitchen whittled from salvaged timber. A lively bistro serves breakfast and brunch (and supper at the weekends) while the bar offers up inventive cocktails, local beers and fine wines. Rooms: From 63,435 HUF (£136).

Published in the September 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).

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