Jetsetters know where to find the next hip scene and for 18 years the Buddha-Bar has been such a place. Whether it’s their entrancing electro-ethnic lounge music or their uber-cool restaurants around the world, Buddha-Bar is known for creating an erogenous vibe.  Well, that same level of sexy is now in their chain of hotels that are springing up in international hot spots such as the recently launched Buddha-Bar Budapest Klotild Palace.

Budapest is arguably one of the most exciting cities in Europe. Once called the Paris of Eastern Europe, it’s now a hot destination especially in the spring and summer.  It was part of the Austria-Hungarian Empire and vestiges of that grand design and haute lifestyle remain in the baroque architecture and ornate facades of the buildings around the city.
Images courtesy of Buddha-Bar Hotels

The Buddha-Bar Budapest Klotild Palace is located in the midst of the main tourist area of Budapest. Many of the major landmarks are nearby and the Danube River and promenade are a stone’s throw away.  Hotel guests are front row on the most popular tourist destination and walking street, Váci Street, so expect to take a few hours to visit the shops and funky boutiques on the side streets as well as a coffee and an hour or two of watching the sites walk by.

The Buddha-Bar Budapest Klotild Palace is a wonderful contrast of the far east and Europe as well as the contradiction of the vintage with the Avant guard. The Klotild Palace is one of two magnificent palaces that face the Buda side of the Danube River and the Elisabeth Bridge which is a few blocks away. It was built at the turn of the last century by Archduchess Klothilde Maria Amalie, daughter-in-law of Austria Emperor and Hungarian King Franz Joseph. The neo-baroque style of architecture of exaggerated opulence with ornamental statues and sculptures is incorporated in the design which adorns the building. Indoors there are alabaster marble staircases with dramatic arches and ornate ceilings.  In 2012 this treasure was brought back to life and merged with a sleek Asian-colonial design. Now the indoors are exotic and sultry with scarlet red and black marble as the dominant surface with large Buddha’s and oriental art. The mood is a mysterious yet Zen-like atmosphere with Buddha-Bar music adding to the ambiance.
The guest accommodations are like a dragon’s lair, with lipstick-red walls and furnishings contrasting with monochrome grays, blacks and whites. The ubiquitous red dragon is located throughout and nowhere more prominent than the 20’ motif emblazed on a glass wall separating the bath from the main space. As this was originally a Victorian-era building, expect 20’ ceilings and the accompanying floor to ceiling windows which let in copious amounts of natural light during the day.  Many of the rooms also have baroque era balconies that run the length of the accommodations and overlook the bustling shopping and pedestrian streets below.

There are 75 rooms and 27 suites with vary in size, décor, features and amenities. The Junior Suite is spacious at 500 square feet and the vaulted ceilings add to the roominess. The rich Asian inspired décor is bold and sexy as intended. The technology is top-notch as well with the latest in electronics and sound system perfect for playing the Buddha-Bar music collection. Beyond the red glass wall, the black marble bathrooms are made for lovers with an enormous square black and white bath with a rain shower head for two.
The Buddha-Bar restaurant, like its many other outposts around the world, are the place to dine like a rock star. It’s not just the fantastic Asian fusion cuisine but it’s the whole dining-entertainment package from the electric vibe, music and the uber-sexy décor. One inside the scarlet red walls and dragon catch your eyes until you see the 20 foot gilded Buddha dominating the interior space of the room. The cuisine is an eclectic mix of Japanese, Chinese, Thai, and Indian with a few French influences as well.  Romantic couples dine over incredible sushi as well as groups of friends feast on signature dishes of salmon or black cod. The music tempo escalates as evening turns to night and the DJ spins pumping lounge music.