Ah, beautiful Budapest: grand, elegant, and old worldly. It stuns with enchanting castles, ornate palaces, tree-lined boulevards, and that shimmering blue Danube. But venture to either end of its iconic Chain Bridge and you’ll find a spate of high-design hotels and hip, gastronomic pubs spilling even more character into this cool and exotic city. 
The Prestige Hotel
Once a 19th century apartment building, this now 85-room boutique hotel has been restored to former glory with an utterly romantic 6-story atrium fringed in lace-like wrought iron balconies around the all-white interior courtyard. In the center, a ginormous Swarovski crystal chandelier dangles for miles via a mod curvy chain from the skylight above, while apricot accents give the neoclassic lobby a punch of vintage plush. Glass-walled elevators zoom you up to airy rooms dressed in velvety couches, soft shaggy rugs, and hand-painted silk wallpaper. And when you’ve satiated your design cravings, indulge your taste buds at the adjacent Costes Downtown helmed by Portuguese star chef, Miguel Rocha Vieira, who recently garnered Hungary’s first Michelin star for its uptown sister eatery. 
Baltazár Budapest
It’s a hotel and an eatery and you’d be hard pressed to say which wows you more. Set on a quiet cobbled alleyway in Budapest’s enchanting Castle District, this 11-room hideaway wins you over with hipster suites loaded with rock star personality. Expect exposed brick walls donning Keith Herring-inspired illustrations that dance chalkboard-style above your bed; while cool industrial-style furnishings—like upcycled luggage trunks, giant flux capacitor-esque lights (a la Back to the Future), retro travel posters, and faux cowhide mod chairs—complete the designy digs. But don’t get too cozy: with Hungarian owner Roy Zsidai’s bistro grilling up gastronomic delights just below your nose, your stomach is going to want to make a beeline downstairs to this local fave. 
Hotel Palazzo Zichy
Cool, local neighborhood? Check. Interior fit for a loungey nightclub? Check, check. Fun “Zichy” name you can’t stop saying? Definitely. This 19th palazzo-turned-hotel has a lot going for it starting with its Palace District setting surrounded by outdoor cafes, leafy cobbled streets, and that authentic Budapest vibe. But inside will stop your luggage in its tracks with romantic columns, neoclassic details, and a stunning 2-story exposed brick wall backdropping a stylishly contemporary lobby. And it’s all capped by a cathedral glass ceiling revealing the building’s stunning old world shell above. You can savor haute Hungarian design and on-the-house coffee and tea to your heart’s delight in the red- and black-hued lounge. Or hit the chic white-on-black chill space with dangling raindrop-like lights and low-slung mod couches: an ideal spot for sipping a local vino before a night on the town. 
Kempinski Hotel Corvinus
The design of this luxe hotel is as exotic and eclectic as the diverse cultures of its far-flung guests. And while the look might not appeal to everyone’s design palate, the lobby certainly makes a grand Budapest statement with a floor-to-ceiling wall of windows, hourglass-shaped columns, and a curvy mod staircase that breaks all molds of the traditional grand staircase. Elevators are tripped out in the latest digital key technology, while rooms are luxurious and plush with insane views of the Budapest Eye and St. Stephen’s Basilica. Not to miss: the trendy ÉS Bisztró with hand-lettered chalkboard walls and an umbrellaed patio perfect for chowing on Hungarian-Viennese cuisine and people-watching the mix of locals and tourists strolling the popular promenade.
