Budapest’s selection of luxury accommodations will be expanded in the near future with a stylish new hotel in the historic Drechsler Palace on Andrássy Avenue, according to a January 18th press release stating that W Hotels Worldwide plans to launch the W Budapest there in 2020. Located directly across the street from the Hungarian State Opera House, the Drechsler Palace has stood empty for over a decade – but with the arrival of the W Budapest here, this stately building will house 162 guest rooms and suites, along with a restaurant and bar, a spa, a pool, and three meeting and event spaces.

Designed in a French Renaissance style by renowned Hungarian architects Ödön Lechner and Gyula Pártos, the Drechsler Palace was completed in 1896 and served many purposes over the years, most significantly as Budapest’s Ballet Institute between 1949 and 2002. Despite its prime location on Andrássy Avenue, the building fell into severe disrepair and has stood empty for years, but it has long been rumored as a possible site for a luxury hotel. With this fresh news of the W Budapest Hotel taking over this space (reported by BusinessWire.com), the remarkable building should be completely restored and refurbished before the hotel’s grand opening, scheduled for 2020.

For more details about the intriguing history of the Drechsler Palace, read our related article below: