Inside Marcel Wanders’ Budapest Masterpiece: Kimpton BEM Budapest

Inside Marcel Wanders’ Budapest Masterpiece: Kimpton BEM Budapest

Kimpton BEM Budapest, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ luxury and lifestyle portfolio, is the city’s newest boutique landmark, designed by internationally acclaimed Dutch designer Marcel Wanders. Renowned for his unconventional and imaginative approach, Wanders has created a hotel that both honours Hungary’s rich folklore and celebrates the vitality of its capital through Maximalism and bold Expression.

The hotel is named after the Polish General Bem, who helped Hungarians during the Independence War of 1848 and it’s set within a restored 19th-century mansion on the Buda side of the Danube. Kimpton BEM Budapest houses 127 guest rooms, including 8 suites, alongside three innovative dining restaurants. Positioned moments from the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Castle District, the property offers guests front-row access to Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, the Chain Bridge, and the city’s famed thermal baths. 

A Design Rooted in Folklore and Storytelling

For Wanders, the design brief was more than architectural - it was cultural. Determined to capture Hungary’s spirit, he and his team immersed themselves in local libraries, historical archives and met with Hungarian Artists. The result is a hotel infused with myth, magic, and timeless storytelling. 

From the Golden Stag, a guardian figure of Hungarian legend, to motifs of native flora such as poppies and tulips, folkloric symbols run throughout the interiors. In the Turul Room, a private dining and meeting space, the mythic bird of Magyar tradition spreads its wings across the walls, rooting the modern design in centuries-old lore.

“We wanted (guests) to truly wake up in Hungary and Budapest, not somewhere else,” says Wanders. “Every element was created to touch the fibre of (this) nation and culture. Marcel invited local Hungarian craftsman to bring his wooden door and detailed floor designs to life. “It’s important to create something that belongs somewhere,” he says. “If you make a chair it can land anywhere, but interiors don’t have feet - if you make a hotel, you know exactly where it lands.”

Design Highlights

• Ornate Lobby Desk: A ceramic centrepiece adorned with green and purple mosaics, handcrafted to depict folkloric motifs - an artistic fusion of beauty and functionality.
• Agos Restaurant Chandelier: A large chandelier composed of multiple assembled lamps, reimagining grandeur through eclectic complexity.
• Art Deco Echoes: Subtle nods to the building’s early 20th-century history are interwoven with Wanders’ fantastical detailing

Each of the guest rooms carries its own identity, with varied palettes of rich, mature tones that go beyond simple, contemporary hues. “There’s a clear sense of individuality in every space - you’ll remember exactly which room you stayed in,” Wanders notes. For the penthouse suite, he reached higher still, creating a celestial interior that “aims for the stars” with an otherworldly, cosmic feel.

A Hotel with Personality

Kimpton BEM Budapest is intentionally bold. Wanders insists that design should spark individuality: “The whole point of the interior is that not everyone should like it… we want open-minded people”

With its imaginative interiors and cultural depth Kimpton BEM Budapest stands as a landmark of Budapest’s evolving design landscape- a place where Hungarian folklore meets maximalism under the visionary hand of Marcel Wanders.

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Rates at Kimpton BEM Budapest start from € 200 per night. The rate is based on double occupancy. 

About Kimpton BEM Budapest

The opening of Kimpton BEM Budapest in September 2024 marked Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants’ first boutique luxury hotel in Hungary and their first property in Eastern Europe. Set within a restored 19th-century mansion on the Buda side of the Danube, the 127-room property – including 8 suites – has been designed by Dutch visionary Marcel Wanders (one of just ten fortunate hotels he’s designed in the last two decades of his career, with Kimpton BEM Budapest being his final project). The hotel’s interiors draw inspiration from Hungarian folklore and yet are contemporary in design, with features ranging from upside-down egg-shaped reception desks to a glass atrium showcasing a golden stag. Kimpton BEM Budapest offers views across the river to some of the city’s most iconic landmarks and places guests within easy reach of the UNESCO-listed Castle District, Fisherman’s Bastion, and Budapest’s famed bathing culture. Three inventive dining concepts form part of the experience, underpinned by a strong sustainability ethos that incorporates energy-efficient systems, waste reduction measures, and a commitment to local sourcing. Their restaurant AGOS has been awarded two Toques by Gault&Millau, and is amongst the Top 35 Restaurants in Hungary.  Wellness is also central to the hotel, with a tranquil spa and treatments influenced by the city’s thermal history and heritage.

As part of IHG’s Low Carbon Pioneer program, Kimpton BEM Budapest leads the way in sustainable hospitality with energy-efficient systems, eco-certified suppliers, and a deep commitment to local sourcing and environmental responsibility. They have also been awarded One MICHELIN Key in 2025 and have been chosen as Tripadvisor’s number one Luxury Hotel in Hungary.

Rates at Kimpton BEM Budapest start from € 200 per night. The rate is based on double occupancy.

UK Press Enquiries:

Kristie Crozier, Elinor Fresson and Magda Maslanka at Lemongrass Travel PR

E: KimptonBEMBudapest@lemongrassmarketing.com

T: +44 (0)1865 237 990

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