Forget the “Little Paris” moniker that has haunted Budapest for decades. The majestic capital of Hungary, from the wooded and sedate hills of Buda with its old town and royal castle, to the buzzing ruin bars, grand palaces and shopping streets of downtown Pest across the broad Danube that divides the city, is so much more than just another pretty central European city. Here contemporary cool and old-school grandeur mix effortlessly, and all with a distinctly Hungarian flavor. To use another tired phrase, here there is something for everyone, whether you want to admire the most astonishing art nouveau and secessionist architecture in Europe, party all night at a grand 19th-century thermal bath, sip cocktails on a rooftop bar, or eat dinner while cruising down the moonlit Danube. And with several exceptional stays opened in the last couple of years, you may just find yourself falling in love with the best hotels in Budapest.
What is the best part of Budapest to stay in?
While the Buda side of the Danube may be the smartest part of town for wealthy residents looking for peace and quiet, Pest is where the action is and is packed with historical buildings and great places to eat, drink, shop and stroll, and this selection of the best new openings and old classics for you to lay your head down to rest in concentrates on the central Pest districts, where reaching the central landmarks is easy.