Schön! alive 3 | underwater love

Budapest has always attracted admiration for its grand architecture, thermal baths and cinematic views along the Danube River. However, in recent years, the city has also developed into a destination for design-led hospitality. Set directly across the river from the neo-Gothic Parliament building, Kimpton BEM Budapest offers a fresh experience in the Hungarian capital: contemporary, welcoming and effortlessly luxurious, with sustainability seamlessly integrated.

From the moment guests arrive, Kimpton BEM sets a warm and welcoming tone with complimentary champagne in the lobby and charcuterie boards, fresh fruit and macarons in the room. The rooms themselves are surprisingly spacious for a city centre hotel and flooded with light, while generously sized walk-in showers, high quality bath amenities and plush bedding ensure every stay is comfortable. Balconies overlook a courtyard garden or the river and the city, providing a peaceful place to take in Budapest from above. With their clean lines, soft tones and thoughtful lighting, the interiors balance modern elegance with subtle references to the city’s layered history, creating spaces that feel polished without being formal.

Sustainability is central to the hotel’s identity. As part of IHG’s Low Carbon Pioneer programme, Kimpton BEM operates without on-site fossil fuels and uses renewable energy to power its operations. Solar panels, an all-electric kitchen and heat pumps are set up behind the scenes, allowing guests to enjoy luxury without compromise. This commitment doesn’t feel performative, but rather a part of how the hotel functions.

Dining is also a vital part of the Kimpton BEM experience, and the hotel’s culinary offerings cater to both guests and locals. AGOS, the on-site Mediterranean restaurant, gives fresh, flavour-forward dishes with subtle Hungarian influences. The menu encourages exploration, and everything feels thoughtfully prepared, making it a simple choice for both quiet, relaxed dinners and celebratory occasions. The selection at breakfast, meanwhile, is impressive. There is something for everyone, including pho and vegan-friendly options.

Fennen, the hotel’s rooftop bar with sweeping views of the city, is ideal for drinks. With greenery, moody lighting and expertly crafted cocktails, it’s the kind of place that stays with you long after the trip ends. The drinks are bold and balanced, made to be enjoyed slowly while watching the city lights come alive. Bar Huso has a more intimate atmosphere, drawing inspiration from the Danube’s mythical depths. With rich materials and an inviting ambience, it’s an ideal stop for a pre-dinner drink or winding down at the end of the evening. For anyone looking for relaxation beyond the dining experience, the hotel also has a spa, fitness centre and wellness facilities, making it easy to rest between days of exploring.

The hotel is on Bem Square, the city’s second district, sitting at a crossroads of old and new. To one side lies the historic Buda Castle District, home to Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church; to the other, the Danube flows toward Pest, where Budapest’s skyline lights up at night. It’s a setting that feels both central and calm, which is ideal for first-time visitors and seasonal travellers alike.

This location makes sightseeing very easy. The Parliament building, one of Budapest’s most iconic landmarks, sits directly across the river and nearby, Buda Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion offer breathtaking panoramic views over the city, while Margaret Island provides a peaceful escape just a short distance away.

Whether exploring historic streets, admiring river views or soaking up the rich cultural atmosphere, Kimpton BEM Budapest serves as a refined yet comfortable home base. It’s a hotel that understands modern travellers, especially those who value comfort, experience and design in equal measure.

Find out more about Kimpton BEM Budapest here.

words. Naureen Nashid

editor. Huma Humayun
images. Courtesy of Kimpton BEM Budapest

The mountain has a new tenant with a significantly better dress sense following the official opening of Mantis Hiddn in March. Schön! was there to dive deep into the experience just as the South African autumn began to settle over the landscape, where the horizon behaves like an infinite loop. Set 72 kilometres from Gqeberha, the 800-hectare private eco retreat within the Addo Elephant National Park prioritises personal connection over traditional lodge formalities. Visitors find themselves paired with an Experience Guide long before their boots hit the Eastern Cape soil, ensuring every stay adapts to individual rhythms.

Sustainable timber forms the skeleton of the buildings, where curved beams mirror the arc of a rhino horn to frame the valley below. Solar energy and water harvesting systems keep the environmental footprint light while jasmine climbs slowly to cover the walls and provide natural shade. These eco-conscious choices extend to the interior, where warm metals and hand-carved woods fill the rooms without steering into anything overly precious. Outside, reclaimed wildlife trails allow the ecosystem to breathe again, encouraging the land to return to its original, wild state.

Ten standalone suites sit along the ridge, and two four-bedroom villas are set apart for groups seeking more seclusion. Private decks host handcrafted KolKol wood-fired tubs for starlit soaking, while indoor fireplaces provide warmth during the crisp autumn evenings. Bathrooms feature deep tubs and rain showers stocked with products infused with foraged rooibos and buchu, while the larger villas operate as private playgrounds, complete with infinity pools and dedicated chefs who cook without the constraints of a formal dining room.

Spontaneity truly defines the culinary experience, where chefs draw upon fire and wind to prepare meals based on the mood of the day. Riverside picnics and botanical mixology replace standard hotel routines to celebrate the flavours of the Eastern Cape. This connection to the landscape continues through wellness rituals that utilise ancestral wisdom and wild-harvested plants. Between guest experiences such as guided nature walks and starlight photography, a sense of social consciousness ensures every stay supports the surrounding community through profit-sharing, training schemes and youth programmes.

Find out more about Hiddn here.

photography. courtesy of Mantis Hiddn
words. Gennaro Costanzo

If her career was mapped “passport stamps,” Montana Brown’s journey would read like a series of unexpected destinations. Known to many from television, Brown has since built a multifaceted career as a hospitality entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and modern voice on motherhood, continually evolving her professional identity with intention and curiosity.

Her most recent and defining chapter is Saltmoore, the North Yorkshire coastal retreat she co-founded with her partner. Set between the rugged moors and the North Sea, the property blends wellness-led hospitality with a deeply personal sense of place — shaped by local landscape, thoughtful interiors, and a focus on human connection at every touchpoint. With accolades including Two MICHELIN Keys and recognition as one of the UK’s leading new hotels, Saltmoore has quickly established itself as a destination rooted in both vision and atmosphere.

In Schön!’s Passport series, Brown reflects on the defining “stamps” that have marked her path, the inspirations behind Saltmoore, the destinations that have influenced her vision, and more.

Many people know you from television, but your career has evolved far beyond that. When did you realize your passport was heading toward entrepreneurship and hospitality?

I actually worked at a hotel in Ras al Khaimah in the Middle East during my placement year at university, so I always had a love and admiration for people who worked in hospitality, as it’s relentless. I think from then on, I have always had a lot of respect for the people who ensure hotels run well. My partner came home very excited about this project, so I was the last to know I was heading towards entrepreneurship and hospitality.

Saltmoore feels like a destination in its own right. If Saltmoore had its own passport stamp, what would it say about the spirit of the place?

It’s definitely wild, the moors, the sea and the nature.

You co-founded Saltmoore with Mark O’Connor. What was the first moment you both looked at the property and thought, this could become something special?

It was actually my partner who visited for a day with his dad and business partner. They got a fish and chips in the bay, loved the community, and they put an offer in! That was how quick it was, so I didn’t have much choice. However, as soon as I went to visit, it hit me what Mark was talking about. It’s like nowhere I’ve ever been. The people are so warm and charming. The views are expansive and breathtaking.

The hotel sits on the North Yorkshire coast — a landscape with its own energy. What did that setting teach you about designing a wellness-led experience?

We wanted to tap into the natural environment and incorporate that into the colours of the hotel. All of the rooms are inspired by local Yorkshire flowers such as Gorse and Heather, so we have a lot of yellows and purples, which is unusual, but it feels extremely homey when you’re there.

You were deeply involved in everything from interiors to wellness programming. Which part of building Saltmoore felt most personal to you?

I made sure a lot of the rooms have bathtubs. I know it sounds simple, but that is something that really allows me to switch off. The Nest Suite is by far my favourite because it has a huge silver BC Designs Bath (aka, a bath of dreams) and I could sit in there for hours. It’s so tranquil. I also thought it was really important to have the rooms feel like home, so we have lots of photo frames, random bowls, chairs and antiques, so really give the rooms a lived-in feel.

Saltmoore has already earned two MICHELIN Keys and been named Best Beach Hotel in the UK by The Times & The Sunday Times. What did that recognition feel like so early in the journey?

It was such an honour and a complete testament to the team that is running the show up there. We have an incredible leadership team that is managing a very big team, and they do it so well. They take everything in their stride, and it’s a big job to have the hotel running smoothly. We also have a fantastic Executive Chef, Adam Maddock, so the food is to die for!

If your passport told the design story behind Saltmoore, which hotels or destinations around the world would appear as inspiration stamps?

Our hotel is country and coastal, so I would say the only design stories are from the British Countryside and landscapes in the North.

Are there specific coastal destinations — perhaps in the Mediterranean or elsewhere — that influenced the atmosphere and pace you wanted to create at Saltmoore? 

I don’t think you can get this kind of landscape anywhere else in Europe. It is very unique, being between the Yorkshire Moors and the rough Ocean.

When you travel, what kinds of places leave the biggest impression on you, and how have those experiences shaped your vision for Saltmoore?

I always really enjoy the little details. It’s the dimmed lights when you come back from dinner; if a member of the team remembers what coffee you had the day before, it’s all about the employees and people for me.

Your passport now includes motherhood as one of its most important chapters. How has becoming a mother reshaped the way you approach ambition and balance?

With my son, I took a lot more time out, and it took me about 4 months to leave the house. It took me a lot longer to adjust, and I really didn’t have the headspace to think about work with the sleep deprivation. I felt I was in survival mode. Then, after my second birth to my daughter, I felt a bigger pull to get back to work quicker. I think because I really wanted to feel like myself. I want my children to see me working, that’s really important to me. I am at home a lot, but I have made a lot more space for work opportunities too, as it’s important for me to feel good too.

Between running a hotel, hosting red carpets, and raising two children, how do you create moments of stillness for yourself?

I recently saw an energy healer who taught me the skill and insight into tapping. I have been trying it for about a week and it’s incredible how quickly it works. I take 3 minutes in the morning to do my tapping. Also, since suffering from insomnia, I read for an hour before bed, and it really helps me wind down.

Are there hotels, retreats, or destinations around the world that inspired your vision for Saltmoore?

We had gone to visit Heckfield and The Newt, which we both felt had a warm and homely feeling. We wanted to have the same feeling but a bit more relaxed. We also took inspiration from Beaverbrook. I am a huge fan of what they have done with their interiors, and we have a similar layout with cabins/accommodation surrounding the main hotel.

And if the next chapter of your passport were stamped tomorrow — whether in hospitality, wellness, or something entirely new — where would it take you?

I am really passionate about health and wellness. Since becoming a mum, I have been looking into biohacking and aligning myself with brands associated with it. I would love to do more in the children’s wellness and health space, as I don’t think people are speaking about it enough, and the foods we’re giving our children.

Book your stay at Saltmoore at saltmoore.co.uk.

saltmoore photography. Claire Menary
portrait photography. Pip Bourdillon
fashion. Julia Sokele
hair. Andrew Dylan
make up. Valeria Ferreira
interview. Kelsey Barnes