The Mathild Palace is a neo-Baroque confection dreamt up in 1902 as a social hub for the city by Habsburg Princess Maria Klotild of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. As befits a Unesco world heritage site, this Luxury Collection hotel on the Danube plays on its history, extravagantly enhanced after a five-year makeover that pays homage to its Belle Époque spirit. Bedrooms have lofty ceilings and parquet floors, set off by soft whites and regal tones of purple and peacock blue, and bathrooms echo the blue-and-gold mosaics and marble of the Gellért Baths across the river. Dining-wise, chef Wolfgang Puck, who hails from Vienna, has sprinkled Hollywood stardust on proceedings by bringing Spago to Budapest. A home from home for A-listers filming in the city, Mathild Palace is once again a place for stylish entertainment.
LOCATION: Budapest, Hungary
BOOK IT: Doubles from £380, including breakfast
WEBSITE: marriott.com
