In the heart of Budapest, on the elegant Erzsébet Körút avenue, stands a hotel that borrows from the past to nurture the present and the future. The five stars were achieved at a leisurely pace, the result of an exacting and meticulous construction process that was finalised in 1894, and has since become an architectural and cultural masterpiece, known for housing one of the most beautiful cafés in the world. Lost amidst Baroque details and centuries-old antiques, we visited the Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel, the meeting place for intellectuals and lovers of Epicurean philosophy.
Inspired by the Belle Époque period, the décor invites us to close our eyes and imagine the sound of shoes gliding to the rhythm of waltzes played by the orchestra at palace balls. You can imagine the scent of French perfume, delicate and feminine, which seduced tall men in suits and top hats. This reverie can be blamed on the presence of classical columns, chandeliers, round arches, domes and frescoes. Or on the lavish colours and the predominance of the Rococo style. The façade of the Anantara is also suggestive, made of marble and adorned with magnificent sculptures. The clock tower adds to its height, recording the building’s longevity, using the hours and minutes to tell the story of those who also decide to pass through the hotel.
