A bridge between the ancient soul of Hungary and modernity...

If one were to choose a single word to best depict the city of Budapest, it would have to be "bridge". Indeed, the Hungarian capital is the result of the unification in 1873 of the towns of Buda and Pest, located on either side of the Danube. For over a thousand years, it has been at the crossroads of Western and Eastern cultures. Turkish bath rituals and their Ottoman-inspired architecture illustrate the persisting influence of the Orient in the town. Most of the edifices built after the 1873 unification are of neoclassical inspiration and bear witness to the confidence felt by the Hungarian middle classes in their future and their nation's values. Among these, the Best Western Premier Hotel Parlament, built in 1892, is a splendid example of the Neo-Gothic style, also exemplified by the nearby Houses of Parliament.

The hotel miraculously escaped the terrible destruction wreaked by the Second World War that left three-quarters of Budapest in ruins. It too is worthy of the term "bridge", by its successful marriage of 19th century architectural traditions and resolutely contemporary interior decoration. The building's rehabilitation is a masterpiece of skill and good taste, as the facade illustrates, today adorned with the sumptuous stucco embellishments of its origins.

The interior decoration is also an inspiring example of impeccable good taste, depicted by the choice of beautiful, noble materials. The generous proportions, characteristic vaulted lobby and the mosaics in the Internet corner are all original. Elsewhere, the stamp of the hotel's talented designers can be seen throughout this outstandingly elegant and peaceful establishment. Light, cleverly relayed and reflected by judiciously positioned mirrors, floods in from a huge conservatory whose mezzanine level leads to a lounge bar, breakfast room and library corner. The latter is particularly appreciated for its quiet, cosy comfort. From the mezzanine, gaze down on the tables laid for breakfast before admiring the immense work of art, a homage by the hotel to Hungarian men and women whose artistic and scientific talents have contributed to the country's well-earned international renown: Franz Liszt, Béla Bartok, George Solti, Eva Marton, Joseph Pulitzer, Elie Wiesel, Imre Kertész, Robert Capa, Michael Curtiz, Paul Newman, Tony Curtis, etc. True to the city's traditions, the hotel is equipped with a wellness centre built around a superb Jacuzzi of turquoise blue mosaics.

The handsome parquet-floored rooms feature that distinctive, yet increasingly rare luxury, of uncluttered space, without for an instant forgoing any of the proverbial elegance or comfort sought by hotel guests. Some of the rooms, located in the hotel's tower, lead onto balconies adorned with finely worked wrought-iron railings. All the rooms boast lovely large windows that flood them in light. As you open the windows, the city's innumerable charms seem to entice you out into the streets. It is sheer bliss to explore this city, gazing up to admire its architectural splendours, smiling at the young, friendly inhabitants, sniffing the mouth-watering scents rising up from the terraces beneath shady trees on Franz Liszt Square, lingering in front of the enticing shop windows down Vaci Street, turning your face to the breeze off the fast-flowing Danube or pricking up your ear to catch the notes of the gypsy melody that seems to echo throughout the city. The city's countless bridges, both symbolic and real, are, without doubt, one of its highlights. Few cities in the world offer such an opportunity to easily sample the varying delights of a Baroque cathedral or a synagogue, an old-fashioned spa resort or mysterious marshlands, a "belle Epoque" café or Eastern spices. Chain Bridge is, rightfully so, a 3-star attraction, but visitors would also do well to take the time to cross over the faultlessly elegant Liberty Bridge, before heading back to the Best Western Premier Hotel Parlament, which is, after its own fashion, also a highly attractive bridge...

Best Western Premier Hotel Parlament

Kalman Imre utca 19, Budapest, HU, Budapest, Hungary - 1054

Phone: +36 1 374 6000 Fax: +36 1 373-0843