Kimpton BEM Budapest

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). 

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 incorporate energy efficient systems, waste reduction measures, and a commitment to local sourcing. Wellness is also central to the hotel, with a tranquil spa and treatments influenced by the city’s thermal history and heritage.

Lemongrass Marketing, a B Corp-certified travel communications agency, delivered international PR for Kimpton BEM Budapest - Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants' first property in Hungary and in Eastern Europe.

Also: recognition in the Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards (US and UK), and five top-tier international press trips in the first year of contract.

Build international awareness of Kimpton BEM Budapest across key source markets post-launch, positioning the hotel as a standout luxury lifestyle property for discerning travellers - strengthening awareness of its design, location, dining, heritage and brand personality.

We tailored outreach market by market

The strategy spanned the UK, US, Germany, France and Spain, with outreach adapted to each market's media landscape and traveller interests rather than distributing a single translated release.

France delivered 21 pieces against Germany's 8 - a spread you only get by treating them as separate campaigns with separate angles.

We took the hotel to US media in person

A dedicated US media roadshow in New York and Miami built direct relationships with influential travel and lifestyle journalists. For a Budapest property with no existing US profile, face-to-face introduction does what no email can.

We used a new flight route as the US hook

The launch of the new Philadelphia–Budapest flight in May 2026 gave us a timely, concrete reason to pitch the US market - improved connectivity turning an interesting hotel into a reachable one.

We targeted resident freelancers for review stays

Alongside market-by-market outreach, we targeted international freelance journalists living in Europe for first-hand review stays - efficient, lower-footprint, and effective at generating coverage across multiple markets from single visits.

51 pieces of coverage across four markets - 21 in France, 14 in Spain, 8 in Germany and 8 in the US - plus recognition in the Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards in both the US and UK, and five top-tier international press trips delivered in the first year.

How does international hotel PR differ from single-market PR? Each market requires its own media strategy, angles and relationships rather than a translated central campaign. Kimpton BEM Budapest's programme spanned five markets with tailored outreach, producing markedly different results per market.