Your palace awaits! In Budapest, a UNESCO World Heritage site gets a luxe new hotel

What does one do with an out-of-use palace in the heart of Budapest, Hungary, steps away from the Danube River, in a castle-filled quarter listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site? Turn it into a luxury hotel, of course. That’s what Marriott has done with Matild Palace, which is set to start welcoming guests at the end of the month.

The neo-Baroque building was built back in 1902, alongside its companion manor, Klotild Palace, at the request of the Archduchess of Austria, Maria Klotild of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The royal wanted to create a show-stopping scene — and a social hub — for visitors arriving to the city via the Elizabeth Bridge.

The palace’s five-year transformation into a hotel called upon award-winning interior designer Maria Katsarou Vafiadis and her firm, MKV Design, and the vision honours the building’s rich history. Porcelain pendant lights at the entrance pay tribute to traditional Zsolnay Hungarian art, and the lobby features an ornate chandelier modelled after the duchess’s jewelry collection. The colour palette of glimmering gold, copper and teal nods to Budapest’s signature architecture.

There are 130 lavish guest rooms at Matild Palace (from $707), 19 of which are suites. Most offer city views and high ceilings with art nouveau-inspired details. Hungarian culture can be seen in features like the traditionally handcrafted headboards, embroidered cushions and fishbone parquet flooring. Bathrooms evoke a spa feel with heated marble flooring, turquoise glass mosaic tiles, and Italian tubs and rain showers.

For the best views, request one of the loft rooms, located on the top floor and characterized by huge sloping windows. If you have a palatial budget, opt for the fifth-floor Crown Tower Suite, which sprawls across three floors and has access to a 48-metre-high tower with panoramic views of Budapest, or the Maria Klotild Royal Suite, a reimagining of what the duchess’s apartment would look like.

Like its original iteration, Matild Palace wants to be a go-to spot for entertainment and dining in Budapest. That’s why world-famous chef Wolfgang Puck was enlisted to launch an outpost of his two-Michelin-starred Beverly Hills restaurant Spago, bringing Hungarian twists to seasonal California cuisine.

The Austrian-born chef will also oversee other on-site dining concepts, including Matild Café & Cabaret, a modern version of the beloved historical café Belvárosi Kavéház, and the Duchess, a hidden rooftop bar that will no doubt be the place to see and been seen.

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