Boutique Hotel Zara

Class: First

Style: Stylish alternative

Rooms: 74

No, the Zara is nothing to do with the Spanish fashion chain of the same name — just the same catchy couple of syllables. But a case could be made that there’s an accidental similarity between the clothing brand and the Budapest boutique hotel. After all, it’s sharp and modern, with plenty of basic black, and looks just as good on business as it does on a night out.

This sort of thing is not at all common in Budapest, at least not yet. One forgets which cities have or haven’t done time as the “next Prague,” but it’s an undeniable fact that there’s something still exotically Eastern and thrillingly un-modernized about the Hungarian capital. So here a stylish and contemporary boutique hotel, with friendly personalized service and design-magazine looks, is still quite a novelty.

And it’s executed with assurance. There’s a laptop-sized safe in your business-friendly room, and free internet access as well, plus custom-packaged toiletries in your swanky minimalist bathroom. The location is central, on the east side of the Danube, just a block from the river and surrounded by the cafés, restaurants and shops of Váci street. Contemporary, attractive and easy on the budget — it’s hard to imagine asking for much more.