The Buddha-Bar Hotel Budapest does not describe itself as a luxury hotel, but a compelling luxury 5 star hotel. The hotel’s motto echoes this description saying it’s not just another place to stay, but a lifestyle.
Exact Hotel Motto: “„Not just another hotel, it’s a lifestyle”.
I was intrigued to find out whether the Buddha-Bar Hotel will live up to this description. I was already accustomed to Buddha-Bars in Monaco, Paris and London where they serve heavenly cocktails and scrumptious food. You must visit if you are ever in any of these cities.
Pre-Arrival
Prior to my arrival, I received a detailed email from the conceriege service with PDF attachments detailing the luxurious chauffeur service available and a brochure of the Spa treatments and amenities, which were very tempting. They also included details of things to do, and places to eat and nightspots to visits around Budapest, which was right up my street.
Arrival
On arrival, check in was swift and hassle free. I was provided with the WIFI code and the WIFI connectivity was excellent during my entire stay. I took in my environment, and I must say, I was wowed by the attention grabbing décor of red, black and gold with Buddha’s of all shapes and sizes dotted around.
The plush carpet, made me feel like a movie star walking the red carpet:) Trust me, I am not easily impressed, but 10 minutes into my stay. I knew I will be pleased. Please read on.
I was escorted to my room on the 2nd floor by one of the hotel porter. As we left the lifts, I was greeted by this court yard of calm oasis with more Buddha’s.
My Room
The porter proceeded to open the door to my room and my oh my, where do I start. The gorgeous red, black and gold theme from the foyer area continued in the room with charcoal flooring, red silky curtains, red and black accessories around the room. Even the telephone was not left out of the urban chic theme.
The room was a Superior double room with high ceilings, which added to the huge sized room and the calming ambience. The king sized bed was inviting and looked very comfortable. The tall lamp shades at each side of the bed, made the bed feel like a poster bed. The pillows of different sizes cushioned my head and I slept like a baby.
The room also boosted a sitting area with boxed shaped chairs and square tables which contributed to the contemporary flair and geometric elegance of the room. The room featured a functional LED-HD TV with a multi-media connectivity hub, two bottles of complementary water was also provided.
A glossy red wall with push to open technology was home to the spacious wardrobe, a well-stocked pull out minibar, Nespresso coffee machine, Safe and more storage. The storage area with no handles on the doors definitely complements the ultramodern design, which I love.
The surround system in the room was worth taking note of. I though people were talking outside my door, but it turned out to be the surround system in the bathroom from the TV. For some reason, I couldn’t get the sound on the television to work in the room, it was probably too technical for me. The walls of the room were heavily insulated, I could not hear a pin drop outside. I was cocooned away from the world. The entire interior design of the room coupled with the red and black theme made for a modern artistic retreat in the heart of Budapest. Loved it:)
Bathroom
The Bathroom was equally large with a deep bath, with both an waterfall and telephone shower. There was Noir Shampoo & Conditioner, body lotion, shower gel and soap by the White Company, which I am glad they provided, as I prefer soap to shower gel.
I was fascinated by the toilet, which had a heated seat and a control panel with lots of interesting options.
There was under floor heating throughout the bathroom and the room which was welcoming considering the cold temperature outside.
Buddha Bar
I made my way to the trendy low lit Buddha Bar, via a glass footbridge, where the atmosphere of elegance and sophistication continued. As to be expected, there were more Buddha’s around.
I sat at the bar and sampled a few cocktails (3 to be exact), which were divine and very affordable, compared to London prices. It was interesting to watch the mixologist’s attention to details when mixing the drinks and adding garnishes to create a stylised ensemble.
The bar can also be accessed from the Vaci Utica entrance via these grand staircase.
There was a DJ on decks and a drummer serenading the crowd to different genre of mid tempo music.
The bar was busy and the ambience alluring. Their was a mixed crowd of people who came for drinks and guests staying at the hotel.
Dinning Options
Buddha Bar
I slept through breakfast on both days of my stay, but I had the opportunity to have lunch on two occasions at the signature Buddha bar restaurant. On entry, I was captivated by the gigantic Buddha, the centre piece of the restaurant, which was about 5 metres high, you could see the Buddha from the Bar upstairs.
Saturday Lunch
For starters I had a selection of meat dim sum. I had an Asianpolitan cocktail made with Sake and Cranberry Juice to drink, which looked and sounded divine on the menu. It was strong and not entirely to my likely. The waitress asked me how it was and I told her I did not like it and she offered to change it, which I thought was a nice touch. For my main course, I ordered beef in black bean sauce with rice, which was quite tasty. The two course meal and a cocktail cost approx. £21.
Sunday Brunch
There was a wide variety of hot and cold starters and main courses in the Asian Buffet with a live Sushi station making the richest selection of sushi. The waitresses were very helpful and explained the different options available. I had the Classic Brunch option which included a welcoming cocktail, which went down nicely with the meal. The Classic Brunch cost approx. £20.
Gorgeous selection of dessert, so pretty I could not resist.
Lebanese restaurant
Also located on the ground floor is the recently opened Baalbek Lebanese restaurant. It had a gorgeous Arabian atmosphere and is the only place in Hungary serving authentic Lebanese food I was told. Each time I walked past the restaurant was busy, so they must be doing something right:) You could give it a try when you visit.
Siddharta Café and Lobby bar
On the Ground floor via the lobby area was the Siddharta Cafe which connects the 2 sides of the building via the beautiful historical portico, and also encompassing an outdoor summer terrace. The Café offers a wide selection of light bites, cakes and drinks. A good place to hang out while waiting or if you want a light bite.
Central Café
The Central Cafe is a few steps away from the hotel and it’s worth mentioning. Budapest is well known for its delicious cakes and pastries served in Cafés. The Central Café was recommended by the concierge at the Hotel.
I arrived to a dimly lit establishment late in the evening, with live music from a Piano. I settled for the Exotic ginger mousse sponge cake filled with tropical mousse and ginger blood orange purée, which was absolutely delightful. A must try, when you visit.
The Spa & Gym
Budapest is known for its spas and thermal Baths. So I had high expectations when I visited the Spa at the Hotel located in the basement. I was underwhelmed by the facilities, which lacked the wow factor in other parts of the Hotel. Moreover, there was no one at the spa reception desk to attend to me, so I did not get the opportunity to discuss treatments and have a look at the other facilities. Maybe next time.
Final Thoughts and wrap up
The Hotel is absolutely stunning, I love the contemporary design, it was refreshing and the staff were very hospitable. The Hotel was calm and very relaxing. I spent most of my first day in the hotel, forgetting to go and check out the tourist sites:) From a rating perspective, I will rate The Buddha-Bar Hotel five out of five star on a number of factors, which includes:-
Affordability – You will not get many 5 star Hotels that truly live up to the 5 star rating at these prices. A 2 night stay in a Superior double room, cost £196 based on exchange rates at the time of booking made via Booking.com, Visit the hotel website for current rates.
Location – A stone throw from key attractions like the Elisabeth Bridge, Vaci Utica the renown pedestrian shopping district and within walking distances to the famous Chain Bridge, Danube River and major Budapest Landmarks. You also have easy access to a Metro station and bus stop which is in front of the Hotel and also walking distance to a Tram stop for you to hop on and explore what Budapest has to offer.
Accessibility – Approximately 30 minutes from the airport. For airport transfers, you can use the concierge service or the airport shuttle service which can be booked by the hotel.
The opulent décor, ambience, cocktails and food were all impressive. Little touches made the difference for me like the bendy bedside lamps and sockets near the bed. I hate it when the sockets are miles away by the door.
Free excellent WIFI connections and 24 hour room service were also a bonus.
Will I visit again? Most definitely and I think you should experience this fine establishment when you book your trip to Budapest. True to their word, The Buddha-Bar Hotel Budapest is not just another 5 star luxurious hotel. It’s a lifestyle and I am hooked:)
The Buddha-Bar Hotel Budapest Klotild Palace, housed in the unique historic Klotild Palace is a 5-star luxury Hotel, which opened in June 2012.The unique historic building has stood on the corner of Váci Street since 1900. The hotel has 102 supreme rooms, including 27 luxurious suites. The Buddha-Bar Hotel Budapest Klotild Palace is operated by Mellow Mood Hotels Group.
