Continental Hotel Budapest (ex Continental Hotel Zara)

Located on the site of the historic Hungária Spa, this imposing 4 star hotel is well placed in the centre of Budapest. It’s under 300m from the nearest Metro stop. Lovers of fine architecture will be blown away by the blend of art nouveau, art deco, and modern design. As well as 272 rooms, it boasts a restaurant, cafe/bar, wellness centre, gym, plus a rooftop pool and garden. It’s an ideal choice for a romantic break, family weekend away or a visit to the city’s annual Christmas Market.

The hotel’s Araz Restaurant is open for breakfast from 7-10:30am and lunch from noon to 2.30pm. From 2:30 until 10:30pm an a la carte menu is available, allowing you to sample traditional Hungarian cuisine. In the summer there’s a bi-monthly BBQ night, while during other seasons of the year there’s a Sunday family brunch twice a month. For an evening of fine dining, make sure your stay includes the last Thursday of the month, so you can join the wine duet dinner. As well as being served six courses of skillfully prepared food, five of them will be expertly paired with a delicious wine.

Gallery Cafe offers drinks and light bites from 10am to midnight. So you can treat your loved one to a cheesecake and coffee, or the kids to a brownie and lemonade. For a light meal there’s sandwiches, soups and salads. The bar serves a wide selection of wines, spirits, beers and cocktails.

Make your way up to the top floor for the spa, boasting a Jacuzzi, Finnish sauna, infrared sauna and an indoor heated pool. You can also take your relaxation to the next level by booking a massage. Please note only guests aged 14 or over can use the sauna and children can only use the pool if they are accompanied by an adult.

The air conditioned rooms include soundproofed windows, satellite TV, a minibar, safe and pillow menu. Standards and Superiors can accommodate two adults in either double or single beds, as well as a maximum of one cot. Three adults can share an Executive room or a Suite. Room service is available from noon until 10pm. It includes a wide selection of starters, mains and desserts.

Continental Hotel is in the Pest area, 1.5km from the River Danube. You’ll be just a short walk from the history museum, the Jewish quarter, markets, plus an abundance of theatres, cafes and restaurants. The world famous Grand Parliament Building is just over 2km away. Make the 3.5km trip across to Buda for stunning views of the city from the Fisherman's Bastion. Afterwards, don’t miss Buda Castle, hosting over 20,000 art pieces. All three sites are easily accessible using the city’s Metro system. If you’re exploring the green way you can make use of the hotel’s bike storage facility and the e-bike charging points.

While there’s loads to see and do in Budapest, if you’re staying for longer there’s an extensive range of day trips available. And getting to other Hungarian cities is a breeze thanks to the nearby station - just 1.5km from the hotel. A one hour train ride takes you to Esztergom, famous for its basilica on the hill, the largest in the country. Alternatively, the cobbled medieval streets of Gyor, close to the Austrian border, are just 75 minutes away. If you have a late flight home, make use of the luggage storage facility at Continental Hotel.