A visitor loved this imposing Art Nouveau white palace (1918) of 'faded charm'. 'Perfectly positioned' on the right bank of the Danube, it has 'slightly echoey' public rooms, marbled halls, stained-glass windows, wrought ironwork, a splendid stairway. 'With its wonderful baths, it felt like an old-fashioned seaside hotel. Staff were (mostly) charming.' The best, spacious front bedrooms, with old-fashioned furniture and big windows, have 'wonderful' views of the river, but their double glazing does not quite blot out the clanging of trams. Some other rooms can be 'poky'. The coffee shop is a local meeting place. Rich local dishes are served in the restaurant. Hotel guests have access by a lift to the famous thermal baths: these are separately managed, often crowded, and entry is only free for hotel guests for their first visit (but with a 50% discount thereafter). There's an outdoor pool. 'Sun terraces built into the hill are well protected from the winds that often blow up and down the Danube.' 'The anonymous chain or fashionable boutique hotels nearby may offer more modern comforts, but only at the Gellért will one feel truly at home in Budapest,' says a regular visitor. Some find that rooms are in need refurbishment, however; others enjoy the faded charm and character.