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The best hotels in Buda, Budapest's historic district

Lánchíd 19's position on the Buda river bank makes it convenient for both the Castle District and the Belváros.
Lánchíd 19's position on the Buda river bank makes it convenient for both the Castle District and the Belváros.

An insider's guide to the best hotels in Buda, Budapest, including the top places to stay for historic character, chic interiors, lavish suites, superb food and drink, courtyard gardens and city views, in locations close to Buda Castle, Fisherman's Bastion, the Gellért Baths and Matthias Church.

Buda Castle Fashion Hotel, Budapest
Buda Castle Fashion Hotel, Budapest

Buda Castle Fashion Hotel

Budapest, Hungary

7Telegraph expert rating

The hotel sits on a peaceful street in the Castle District, atop Castle Hill on the Buda side of the river. It is a satisfactory blend of the old and new, evident from the very moment you enter. Above the lobby is a barrel-vaulted brick ceiling typical of the original 15th-century building, while the archway behind reception is now filled with clear glass – very much a modern touch – to give views through to the courtyard garden. The hotel’s colour scheme is neutral, typified by beiges and creams, and this ensures the medieval character is never overpowered by the stamp of the 21st century. Read expert review From £50per night Rates provided by Booking.com

Where to stay in Budapest: hotels by district

Hilton Budapest
Hilton Budapest

Hilton Budapest

Budapest, Hungary

7Telegraph expert rating

This hotel hogs the juiciest, most heart-thumping spot in the whole of Budapest, sitting on top of Castle Hill, among the pretty burghers’ houses and with the spires of the neo-Gothic Matthias Church alongside and the sweep of the Danube down below. It’s safe to say that the hotel’s Icon Restaurant wins – by a country mile! – the award for Budapest’s best dinner views. Don’t consider booking anything but a window table so you can drink in the glorious sight of the Parliament and Chain Bridge illuminated at night. Book a river-facing room to enjoy the splendid riverscape below. Read expert review From £111per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

The best luxury hotels in Budapest

Kalmár Pension, Budapest
Kalmár Pension, Budapest

Kalmár Pension

Budapest, Hungary

7Telegraph expert rating

The guesthouse is on the south-eastern side of Gellert Hill, rougly 300ft above the Gellért Baths at the Buda end of Independence Bridge. The Kalmár is all about character; its pale-yellow, turreted visage gives way to a sprawling set of guestrooms filled with antique furniture, old portraits and woven rugs. The Kalmár has 10 rooms in total, ranging from doubles to suite, and no two are the same shape or look. All are a decent size (and some are very spacious). You might find parquet flooring or marble tiles, wood panelling, vintage wallpaper, or a four-poster bed. Read expert review From £57per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

The most romantic hotels in Budapest

baltazar budapest, hungary
baltazar budapest, hungary

Baltazár Budapest

Budapest, Hungary

7Telegraph expert rating

Baltazár is ideally placed for those who want to base themselves in the city’s historic quarter on the Buda side of the river. This hotel is probably best characterised as boho-chic – funky, even quirky in places, but elegant too. The reception area sets the tone, the floor laid with bare boards, a red banquette running the length of one wall, travel trunks serving as coffee tables and a writing desk the place for check-in. The hotel aims to be relaxed and intimate, and it’s an aim achieved. The 11 rooms (including three suites) are each unique in design but share a creative, classy flavour. Its restaurant is top drawer. Read expert review From £78per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

The best boutique hotels in Budapest

Lánchíd 19, Budapest, Hungary
Lánchíd 19, Budapest, Hungary

Lánchíd 19

Budapest, Hungary

7Telegraph expert rating

A hotel that, while design-led, never feels forced or pretentious, and the position on the Buda river bank makes it convenient for both the Castle District and the Belváros. The décor is clean lined and contemporary, and each guestroom is given an individual stamp with artwork provided by a different arts student from a Budapest university. The establishment's river-facing exterior is covered with moving panels that can change colour; when fully closed, they come together to show a water-themed scene. Panorama Suites are very slick, with large whirlpool bathtubs from which you can look over the city. Read expert review From £92per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

The best hotels in Budapest city centre

Pest-Buda Hotel and Bistro, Budapest
Pest-Buda Hotel and Bistro, Budapest

Pest-Buda

Budapest, Hungary

8Telegraph expert rating

A boutique hotel of just 10 rooms on a quiet cobbled street in the Castle District, jammed full of personality. There is history here, for the building housed an inn as early as 1696 (you can still see original brickwork and marble seating around the central stairway). Today’s hotel incorporates classic craftsmanship in the limestone bathrooms and wood panelling with industrial touches like bare-bulb lighting and colourful works by Hungarian graphic artists. It’s not only characterful, but warm and welcoming. The restaurant has a French café feel to it, and there’s live accordion music in the evening. Read expert review From £60per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

The best design hotels in Budapest

St George Residence Budapest
St George Residence Budapest

St. George Residence

Budapest, Hungary

8Telegraph expert rating

The immaculately maintained St George Residence occupies an 18th-century building with high ceilings and wide corridors, set in the historic, cobbled heartland of the Castle District. You can feel the Baroque building’s rich history in its very stones. It once housed an inn called Goddess of Fortune, which had a famous café frequented by noblemen and Jacobin plotters alike. Austrian commanders stayed here during the 1848 Independence War, and there’s a cannon from that period in the courtyard. The 25 elegant suites come with golden drapes and bedspreads, chandeliers and romantic oil paintings. Read expert review From £114per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

The best budget hotels in Budapest