In a city with so many sights and dining options, it's hard to pick a highlight. Castle Hill is a truly unique "neighborhood" that will fascinate history buffs, and the Turkish baths are quite exotic if somewhat akward for Western tourists. My favorite pastime in Budapest, however, is wandering the streets and people-watching. The city is unlike nearby Prague and Vienna in that it has better preserved its timeless quality, that indulges dreamers and romantics to believe they have escaped the 21st century for a short while. The coffee house culture seems more prominent here than in Vienna, and there is a distinctly youthful feel to this very old town.

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There are a few hotel suites that are all superior in quality if not bargain in price. The nicest featured a bath tub situated with an amazing view out the window. The decoration and furnishing of these rooms were oppulent to say the least.

There are multiple restaurants, bars, a wine cellar, fitness center and conference facilities to accommodate the needs of guests. But besides the unique design of old and new and the hotel's central location there is one quality that is certain to please any of the Hilton's visitors: the amazing views of the Danube below.

There are balconies for most of the rooms in the hotel, and eight ambassador suites have living rooms and additional amenities. A full service restaurant off the lobby serves terrific food and the service throughout the hotel is attentive and courteous.

The lobby is slightly off key, but the interior design of the rooms and hallways is pleasant and inviting. All rooms have beautiful art deco accents and either a aqua and cream or black and gold color scheme. Over 1000 pieces of Hungarian art is in the hotel's collection; a temporary exhibit featuring the work of Zoltan Hus was prominently displayed during my visit.

The fitness center is quite comprehensive, though like many luxury hotels admission is not included in the price of your room. Prices are fairly high to access their gym, coed (and nude) sauna, massage areas, and small swimming pool with resistance current.

Excellent meeting rooms and facilities make this a great choice for premium business gatherings or incentive travel. A full service restaurant, classy pub, and late night bar provide guests with a number of dining and entertainment options within the complex.

Service is exemplary and friendly to boot. All the staff have a much better command of English than other luxury properties I visited in Budapest. The fitness center has a medium-sized weight area that should meet the needs of most travelers, a fabulous though small recreational swimming pool in an atrium setting, a jacuzzi, a steam room and a sauna. Massage is available with a reservation.

Downstairs is a small and somewhat unimpressive business center that offers internet access. Like more and more luxury hotels internet access is available in guests' room, though the clerk informed me that I probably had cabling issues in my walls after he tried unsuccessfully to get my up and running for fifteen minutes. Either way the cost is prohibitive, particularly when compared to prices in the internet cafes merely a block away from the hotel.

A fine restaurant, Le Bourbon, is available for meals throughout the day. Adria Palace Bar offers live entertainment in the evening, usually a jazz vocalist. Conference facilities and the ballroom are top notch. It's no wonder that this property is recognized as one of the best hotels in the world.

With over 600 pieces or original art by American artist Donald Sultan it is also quite startling in appearance, with canvasses and objects everywhere you look. There is no sense of clutter, however, as generous amounts of natural light seep in to the property on even rainy, overcast days (such as when I visited).

Rooms are very simple in furnishings, yet feature bold colors and design choices. Every room has an outlet for connecting a laptop computer and its own voice mail system. A business center was almost ready for completion at the time of my visit, and a full service restaurant, the Chelsea, offers delicious meals.

The location makes the Ruszwurm ideal for a break when exploring Castle Hill and it's sights (Matyas Templom, Fishermen's Bastion, Magyar Nemzeti Galeria). Cake slices are small though relatively inexpensive, making it easy to sample multiple offerings (it's my duty as a journalist, I'm afraid…).

The inexpensive building tour is enlightening and fun, and will allow those who are not interested in attending a performance the chance to witness the Allami Operahaz's grand architecture and interior design. But of course performing arts fans will want to make sure and catch a show, particularly as the prices are ridiculously low for such high quality productions. I was only able to catch a ballet rather than an opera production, but sitting near the front of the orchestra was a special treat. After resigning myself to standing room in the back of the Met in New York it was fabulous to sit and relax!

A smaller opera performing space is coordinated by the same organizations and also offers top notch vocalists, if somewhat less exciting production values. This Erkel Szinhaz is located further out in the eighth district of Budapest.

While you are in the area make sure to walk along the eternal Andrassy Boulevard with its magnificent architecture, as well as through the City Park. It features a zoo, an amusement park, lakes, trails and plenty of other diversions appropriate for the whole family. You might also use this time to dine in the sumptuous Gundel restaurant nearby.

Dating back to the 1200's, Matyas Templom has been host to a number of important historical events and has undergone quite a few changes over the years. A significant reconstruction occurred in 1896 resulting in much of its physical appearance today.

The "highlight" of the church, if you will, is a mummified hand of King Stephen. Apparently it was a natural mummification, rather than a treatment with chemicals or ointments. This is apparently a clear indication of the saint's holiness, and the hand is paraded around each year to appreciative audiences.

It's called the Fishermen's Bastion as the area was used as a marketplace by the local fishers in medieval times. While in the area check out the nearby Ruszwurm patisserie.

The Byzantine-Moorish architecture is rather dramatic, with two domed towers looking almost Russian in flavor. The ornately decorated interior is dazzling and indicative of the major financial support the synagogue has received from Hungarian Jews all over the world.

Adjacent is the Zsido Muzeum, or Jewish Museum, displaying a number of interesting artifacts that illustrate Hungary's Jewish history.

Highlights of the Hungarian National Museum include the Lapidarium, an underground room featuring Roman archaeological finds centered around an ornate tiled floor mosaic, the Hungarian coronation mantle; and a multi-room display of the chronological history of the Hungarian state. Another collection of rooms is employed for temporary exhibitions, one of which had lines wrapping around the coat check area the day I came to visit the museum.

Admission is around $5 for adults, and you will have to pay extra if you'd like to take pictures inside. Like many museums in Hungary, the Hungarian National Museum is closed on Monday.

Outside and around the back of the synagogue is the Wallenberg Memorial Garden, which honors the Swedish man who saved countless lives during the Nazi occupation. When the Jews were being deported to Auschwitz, Wallenberg found ways to rescue tens of thousands from near certain death. And when Hungary was finally "liberated" by the Soviet army, it is believed that Wallenberg was imprisoned by the Soviets and killed in their gulag. Wallenberg's memorial is an interesting sculpture of a willow tree that bends in the wind and lightly tinkles music when the metallic leaves touch. Each leaf is inscribed with the name of a local family that was killed by the Nazis.