CNN's Nathan Kay has been selecting the best of Budapest for the past five years and makes no exception with his latest piece - a look at the iconic Matild Palace.
Kay writes that from its golden era in the early 20th century to the present day, the Matild Palace was a place where people came to be seen and bask in the glory of its luxurious surroundings. Before the empire dissolved in 1918, Europe’s rich, royal and famous would flock here to socialize in the palace’s public café, which back then was a star of Hungary’s famous café culture. But despite surviving two world wars and enjoying a 1950s renaissance, the Matild Palace declined under communist rule and post-Soviet era revival attempts never quite restored its former glory. Following a five-year transformation led by world-renowned interior designer Maria Vafiadis and local architects Puhl Antal and Péter Dajka, the Matild Palace has once again reclaimed its status as a jewel in Budapest’s social scene. It reopened its doors as a 130-room, luxury five-star hotel in 2021 - the Marriott-branded Matild Palace, A Luxury Collection Hotel - marking the latest chapter in its rich and vibrant history.
Read the full CNN Travel article here.