Budapest
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Hungary's capital, which typically sees 12 million annual visitors, needs no introduction. The city — including the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle, and elegant Andrassy Avenue — is a bona-fide UNESCO World Heritage Site. And this summer, two new hotel arrivals, Matild Palace and Kozmo, are added incentive to hit Europe's ninth-largest city. Now part of Marriott's Luxury Collection, the 130-room Matild Palace was built in 1902 in the height of the Belle Epoque days along with its sibling, the Klotild Palace, which together were meant to be a gate onto the Elisabeth Bridge. Today, rooms at the Matild Palace feature dark wood furnishings, turquoise velvet armchairs, marble baths and more. The property also debuts the first outpost of Spago by Wolfgang Puck in Europe, as well as a rooftop bar. In the rapidly changing Józsefváros neighborhood, Kozmo — part of Leading Hotels of the World — marries a historic brick facade with minimalist interiors. Rooms, 60 in all, including 24 suites, are bright and sprawling by European standards, with classic details like panel molding and parquet floors. Walk to the Central Market nearby, or take a dip in the spa pool. —Tanvi Chheda
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County Kildare, Ireland
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Close enough to Dublin and also surrounded by grassy expanses, County Kildare combines the best of all worlds. Visit the fairytale setting of the Donadea castle and the surrounding forest; amble along the Grand Canal; and catch a race at the Curragh (the area's horse-breeding reputation precedes itself). If that's not reason enough to put County Kildare on your radar, the 169-room Carton House, opening this summer after an extensive two-year renovation, will be. The gorgeous Palladian-style main house goes back to 1739, while the estate (measuring a whopping 1,100 acres) dates all the way to 1176. Along with preserving original features such as the stucco plasterwork ceiling in the Gold Salon, the reimagined property adds four restaurants and bars, including the book-flanked Whiskey Library. Nearby, along a private one-mile stretch of the River Liffey, the 140-room K Club, renowned for its golf courses, welcomes new owner Michael Fetherston, who is keen on investing in the property, starting with the new terrace restaurant, The Palmer. —Tanvi Chheda