Check in Paris-meets-modern-Asia is the theme at the new Buddha-Bar Hotel Budapest Klotild Palace (Váci u 34, +36 1 266 1291, buddhabarhotelbudapest.com). Expect buzzy bars filled with beautiful people and 100 bedrooms decorated with dragon motifs and dark red and purple furnishings. Doubles from £240. For a city classic, the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace (Széchenyi István tér 5-6, +36 1 268 6000, fourseasons.com/budapest) combines elegant style in a restored Art Nouveau building with amazing views across the Danube and the Buda district. Doubles from £356. The Palazzo Zichy Hotel is a 19th-century palace on the Pest side of the city and marries striking contemporary design with historic ambience. British Airways offers three nights bed and breakfast, including flights from London Heathrow, from £319* per person based on two sharing. Contact ba.com/budapest or call +44 (0)844 493 0758.
Dig in The tiny but charming Rózsavölgyi (Királyi Pál u 6,
+36 30 814 8929, rozsavolgyi.com), down a small side street in Pest, sells the best handmade artisan chocolate in Hungary. Brilliant for tasting and presents.
Onyx (Vörösmarty tér 7-8, +36 30 508 0622, onyxrestaurant.hu) is a dramatically decorated restaurant in the neo-Baroque style where waiters wear gloves and Michelin-starred food includes goose-liver tortes.
On the radar No Budapest trip would be complete without taking to the water. Gellért Baths and Spa (gellertbath.com) are some of the most famous. The complex includes indoor and outdoor pools (some decorated with beautiful old mosaics), plus salt chambers and massage therapists.
Below the radar Innio Wine Bar (Október 6, utca 9, +36 70 311 1010, innio.hu) serves quality wines in a casual café atmosphere. Raw brick, concrete walls and soft lighting make it a cool but welcoming pre- and post-dinner spot.
BA flies to Budapest from London Heathrow. *For departures until 30 September, including flights from Heathrow and UK taxes.
