All five stars of Budapest

Tourism infrastructure makes Hungary a hot European travel destination

Introductory text by Carolyn Bánfalvi

Contributors:
Adri den Broeder, Carolyn Bánfalvi, Tamás Róbert Galambos, Ruth Ellen Gruber, Zoltán Haszán, Nóra Lakos, Shaun McKenna, Andrew Princz, Károly Szilágyi

Landmark buildings painstakingly renovated into 21st-century luxury, as well as newly constructed modern five-star hotels have brought a new quality to the architectural landscape of Budapest. Long gone are the days when travelers complained about the dearth of quality hotel rooms in Budapest, or the lack of hotel beds in general.

Budapest is now home to several world-class hotels run by top international companies, and the number of four- and five-star hotels in the capital has increased dramatically since the late 1990s. Budapest’s 12 five-star hotels now account for more than a fifth of the city’s total number of hotel rooms, according to the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH). And the five-star sector is set for new arrivals in the coming years.

High front-end expenses
Things are not always easy in the luxury hotel market. These high-service hotels have high front-end expenses, according to the American Embassy’s Commercial Service, and investment recovery timeframes that are typically four to five times longer than comparably sized office buildings. These two factors make for cyclical booms in hotel construction.

The 2001 terrorist attacks affected the industry as well. “The last quarter of 2001 and the whole of 2002 were very challenging years for hotel operators around the world,” global consulting firm KPMG said in a report. “Hungary and its capital were no exceptions.”

Four- and five-star hotels in Budapest, however, fared better than other hotels in the country in 2004, according to KSH, with a 70 percent average occupancy rate-ten percent higher that the national average. And the high-end hotels are already off to another good start this year. According to KSH, four- and five- star hotels again had the highest occupancy rate in January. In fact, since 2000, Hungary’s five-star hotels have led all other categories in occupancy rates. The five-star hotel segment was also the overall winner in Hungarian tourism in 2004, with 25 percent more guests than the year before.

Meeting and conference centers
Globally, meeting and conference travel has become one of the fastest growing sectors in the travel industry, and Budapest is winning much of that business. Conferences are essential in helping keep Budapest’s five-star hotels filled.

Budapest is ranked 9th in the world as a conference destination, part of a global preference for European cities, according to the International Conference Association (ICCA). In 2004, a quarter of all five-star hotel guests came to Hungary because of a conference. The Union of International Associations (UIA), which looks primarily at larger conferences, ranks Hungary as the world’s 29th most popular destination for international conferences.

Budapest may continue to profit from its ability to attract conferences and their visitors, if Hungary follows the same path as other new European Union (EU) members have. Since EU accession, Austria’s conferences have increased 20 percent almost every year, and conferences in Sweden and Finland have doubled. With more five-star hotels to be built, keeping Budapest in the running as a top conference destination will be even more important.

Until Budapest’s first modern hotel building boom in the late 1970s and early 1980s, almost half of the city’s tourist accommodation was in the form of private rooms. Tourism picked up when border crossing and visa restrictions were loosened, opening possibilities for further hotels. The second building boom in the luxury hotel market came along with the new millennium, and is still underway.

Budapest’s luxury hotel market is set to expand further over the next few years. The Italian Boscolo chain has been renovating the New York Palace for the past few years, and will open it as a five-star deluxe hotel later this year. There are more hotel projects under discussion, but details are still fuzzy about when construction will actually begin. Plaza Centers hasn’t yet begun construction on the majestic Drechsler Palace on Andrássy út, the former home of the Hungarian Ballet Academy, which has stood empty for years. A Blaha Lujza tér hotel with 160 rooms and 80 apartments is planned. And, France’s Bouygues Group has expressed interest in building a mixed-use facility at the old Kerepesi út race track, which will include a 500- to 600-room luxury hotel.

Budapest’s luxury hotels-particularly the royal and presidential suites-attract movie stars, rock stars, prime ministers, and royalty. Many guests from Sophia Loren’s son’s celebrity-studded wedding last summer, stayed at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace, and the Kempinski is known to be the first stop for celebrities, like Michael Jackson, when they come to town. Regular international visitors to the city are known to stay at their ‘regular’ hotels, each of which has its own distinct personality. Such diversity among Budapest’s luxury hotels presents a problem for the potential guest: choosing just one from the bunch.

Last month, our journalists visited a selection of Budapest’s five-star hotels to discover what sets each apart from the rest. We spent a night or two in these hotels, being pampered, truly tasting the best of Budapest’s service industry. While the amenities and services offered by hotels in this category are quite standard, we discovered it’s primarily the atmosphere that differentiates them. In the pages to follow you will find our experiences!

Hotel Four Seasons Gresham Palace
Walk into the Hotel Four Seasons Gresham Palace, and you might think that you’ve just stepped into a snazzy film. The grandiose hotel, built in 1906 in the Art Nouveau style, overlooks the Danube and Budapest’s signature Chain Bridge. The Gresham was known as one of Hungary’s most luxurious residences in the early part of last century. Following the recent restoration, the building has regained its luxurious allure.

Upon arriving, we were awed by the humbling proportions and the stately elegance of the grand entrance hall. The vast reception almost melted away in the palatial, airy foyer, whose walls of exquisite Zsolnay tiles rise to reveal a glass and wrought iron dome.

Colorful stained-glass windows lined the halls as we made our way to the room – our residence for a weekend. The solid and painstakingly refined woodwork of the cherry-wood doors was reminiscent of a time when craftsmanship was revered.

Flowers and pleasing perfumes were nice touches found on each floor. Upon entering our room, we were pleasantly surprised to discover a letter of welcome from the hotel’s General Manager, Julien Carralero. The interior of the room was elegant, but not extravagant, with the lines always understated and refined. The bathroom was expansive, with red and brown marble floors that would suit the tastes of a princess. The grand room made us feel we were right in the heart of the city as we stepped out onto the solid stone balcony to drink in the breathtakingly romantic view of the Danube.

Ascend to the hotel’s top floor, walk up a flight of candle-lit glass stairs, and you’ll find a health club, across from which is a long, ceramic pool – space to indulge in a sauna, whirlpool, massage or steam bath.

The jewel in the hotel’s crown was the Páva restaurant, where we enjoyed a three-hour, six-course meal! The friendly Italian General Manager, Andrea Colla, guided us through a dinner in which four kinds of wine accompanied truly sumptuous Italian cuisine – our favorite being the ‘Eggplant tortelli with spicy tomato, prawn ragout and mint oil’, served with a 2003 Pinot Grigio – Borgo Conventi, Friuli.

Hotel Corinthia Aquincum
Our stay began with a “wellness brunch” at the hotel’s Apicius Restaurant, whose Mediterranean flavors and terra-cotta colors posed a satisfying contrast to the grayness of mid-winter Budapest. A well-situated, youngish clientele mixed and mingled and helped themselves to delights that included light fish dishes, western European-style roasted poultry, and a surprisingly wide assortment of salads, fruits and vegetables. For those looking for a light meal, yet requiring the flavors of fine cuisine, this was a fortuitous stop.

Beginning the day this way was merely an overture to what was to come. The hotel itself emanates a soft, Mediterranean feel, with airy, light corridors. It is situated at the foot of the most notable remains of the Roman Empire in Hungary, Aquincum, whose ruins reveal the heritage of a truly Mediterranean civilization that included baths and palaces.

We stepped into our room adjacent to the Executive Club, which offers the comfort of an exclusive restaurant and coffee shop, allowing us and our guests to discreetly remain secluded from the outside world. Our room’s expansive windows revealed a view onto the flowing Danube River. Our host, hotel Director Jo Gowie made sure that on entry a big fruit basket and a charming selection of Hungarian souvenirs awaited us. Reminding us of the true value of healthy living – and weight-watching – our room even included an electronic scale.

At the heart of the hotel complex lie pools of the warm medicinal waters that ooze from the thermal-water springs found just below the surface. The notoriety of these springs is nothing new – they have been recognized as far back as the days when the Romans ventured on what was then called Pannonia. The wellness services offered today at the hotel include saunas, steam baths, massage, aromatherapy chamber, oxygen treatments and even the most modern cosmetic cures.

The finale was a dinner at the by then familiar Apicius Restaurant – whose chef Gyula Harangi was awarded the prize for “Best Young Executive Chef” by the Hungarian Association of Chefs in 2004. The menu featured a mix of nouvelle cuisine and Mediterranean, and accompanied by some of the finest Hungarian wines.

Hotel Kempinski Hotel Corvinus
While the Kempinski Hotel Corvinus is named after the ancient Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus, one night here gave us an insight into how modern kings spend their nights abroad.

The building’s design has made it a modern landmark. Located on Erzsébet tér in the heart of Budapest, it stands out from its neighbors. Glass curves and a sleek façade extend past the front door and into the hotel’s lobby. In contrast to the steely grays and blues outside, the lobby and its curvaceous balconies are warm and filled with greenery, allowing today’s royalty to relax in the lobby lounge to the sounds of a live pianist and flutist.

The Kempinski completed a slew of renovations in 2003, but the true showpiece may prove to be the Asian-inspired wellness center opening this month, offering all kinds of regal pampering.

Upon entering our room, we were struck by how spacious and bright it was. Decorated in golds, a wall of windows filled the room with natural light. The bathroom was also large and the tiles were cozily warmed by floor heating. We couldn’t resist stretching out on the bed and taking some time to collect our thoughts.

Relax time didn’t last long, however, as there was too much to do downstairs. On the way to dinner we took a stroll in the hotel’s art gallery, which currently features the paintings of Zoltán Nagy-Sándor. The hotel has over 1,000 pieces in its collection and they line the halls of the entire facility.

There were three restaurants to choose from for dinner. The Bistro Jardin features Hungarian and assorted international dishes, and the Kempi Brauhaus serves authentic Bavarian fare. Our host, Sebastian Kramer, director of sales and marketing at the hotel, recommended we try the Italian menu of the Ristorante Giardino. We feasted on salmon with Savoy cabbage wrapped in strudel dough and covered in a cauliflower sauce. We also indulged in an appetizer from the Bistro Jardin’s menu, and enjoyed a delicious cream of forest mushroom soup.

Completely satisfied by our dinner, we grabbed a nightcap at the Corvinus Bar before heading back to the room and slipping into the terry-cloth robes provided by the hotel. A quick soak in the large tub was a royal remedy for forgetting the chaos of the city outside.

Hotel InterContinental
Your name doesn’t have to end with Onassis to feel like a star staying at this five-star hotel! Any savvy business traveler or a respected CEO would likely agree when staying at this luxury hotel on the shores of the Danube. Upon entering our room, there was a comfortable silence – as if we were totally sealed off from the busy world beyond. A jet-lagged traveler arriving from overseas would not be hard pressed to appreciate the thick carpets and soundproof doors. The around-the-clock room service and [FITNESS?]recreation area was just another reassuring touch, reminding us that we were being cared for.

What of the space itself? The colors in our room were shades of green, brown and yellow, in harmony with the palette used throughout the hotel, which included reds and classical shades of brown – all warmed by the daylight, and an impressive view of the Danube River. The room itself was spacious, and included a sofa with accompanying armchairs, making us really feel at home.

We rested in our spacious room-with-a-view, and not ten minutes later a basket of fruit and a bottle of red Hungarian wine arrived – a discreet touch on behalf of the hotel management.

Later, we ventured to the main floor for a meal at the Corzo restaurant, which serves international cuisine. Our waiter was truly at our beck and call, and knew every detail of all the dishes, from how they were prepared to the spices used. That gave us a feeling of trust as we sampled, for example, such exotic and unique treats as a spicy coconut soup, which was followed by the main course, a succulent steak.

Curious about what was going on in the real world, we checked e-mails with a broadband Internet connection, right in our room. When we were done, we took one of the hotel’s private cabs, like having our own chauffeur, as we set off to research a story.

Then we returned to our haven. Perhaps to indulge in a massage, or enjoy the fitness club, with its picturesque view of Budapest’s Castle Hill…

Hotel Le Meridien
From the outside, the smooth white stone building with wrought iron balconies looks rather austere. It was, after all, the police headquarters during the Communist era. But entering the building from Erzsébet tér, the interior is anything but austere, with fine architectural details throughout. Beautifully renovated before it opened at the end of 2002, the lobby is full of Corinthian pilasters, gilt baroque chandeliers, marble floors, Oriental rugs, and plush leather and corduroy sofas.

Built between 1914 and 1918, the Adria Palace originally housed an Italian insurance company, and it held more than a dozen apartments and luxurious shops. It was badly damaged by bombs and nearly burned down during World War II. Today it is one of Le Meridien’s most successful hotels. Although there are nearly 200 rooms, the hotel pleasantly felt much smaller than it actually was, with staff addressing guests by name.

The hallways on the upper levels have wrought iron railings and overlook a central courtyard with a dramatic blue stained-glass dome at the bottom that crowns the breakfast area. Our room was furnished with the same elegance and lushness that characterized the rest of the hotel — thick plush carpeting, gorgeous fabrics, mahogany furniture, and a bathroom fitted with marble floors, shower, and sink top.

Our room was also conveniently on the same level as the spa and fitness center. The swimming pool and jacuzzi area is topped with a glass ceiling, making it full of natural light, and is lined with elegant mosaic tiles. Below, there’s a small sauna, and a eucalyptus-scented steam room.

After our grueling afternoon at the spa, we enjoyed our dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, Le Bourbon. On street level with windows facing Deák utca, the restaurant is also popular with locals, according to our waiter. The crispy tart topped with onion relish, mushrooms, and arugula that French Executive Chef Laurent Vandenameele prepared was delicious with a glass of Vesztergombi merlot. It was seafood night at Le Bourbon, so we had scallops for our main course, followed by a mille-feuille stuffed with layers of strawberries.

The Budapest Marriott Hotel
“Enjoy the view!” is the mantra echoed by the concierge, waiters and managers at the Budapest Marriott Hotel — and with just cause. Upon entering our cozy 9th-floor room, we immediately stepped out onto the balcony to gaze at one of the world’s most dramatic city skylines, from the rolling hills of Buda, to the imposing Castle, the sparkling bridges over the unforgettable Danube. Each and every room features the magnificent view, as do the restaurants, the fitness club, the ballroom and many of the conference rooms.

The spectacular view, as well as free drinks and sumptuous seafood hors d’oeuvres, drew us to the 10th-floor Executive Lounge in the afternoon. The sun slowly set over the Buda hills, a glowing orb sinking behind cumulus clouds, and the cityscape changed to a velvet darkness warmed by the lights of the Chain Bridge, the Castle and the Freedom Statue atop a snow-covered Gellert Hill. We marveled at the panorama, drinks in hand, picking out landmarks along the river from Margaret Island all the way south to the National Theater.

The view again welcomed us at the Duna Grill restaurant on the ground floor, where the attentive waiters recommended this month’s Hungarian specialties, with accompanying wines. We enjoyed one of our favorite Hungarian mainstays, Hortobágyi palacsinta, a spiced pork-filled cr?pe with creamy paprika sauce, as well as an exquisite soup called “essence of mushroom.” Our continental main dishes, steak and garlic-lemon chicken with goat cheese, respectively, were also excellent, as were the Kadarka and Kékoportó wines. After we finished a refreshing semi-sweet lime sorbet, the staff was kind enough to send our dessert, a coconut cr?me brulée, up to our room so we could turn in early.

The restaurant’s breakfast buffet featured scrumptious American staples such as banana pancakes, sausage and hash browns, as well as a grand array of fruit, breads, cold cuts and even baked pepper salmon, for an outstanding start to the morning.

In addition to the view, we were most impressed by the kindness of the staff, from the manager’s personal welcome note in our room, to the housekeeper’s evening visit to bring Godiva chocolates and ask if we needed anything. b

Hilton Budapest Westend
The Hilton Budapest Westend’s principal aim is to attract businesspeople, and therefore it’s no accident that it is located in the heart of the city’s new business district. What is unique even in the international Hilton network is that Westend Hilton is built directly adjacent to Budapest’s largest shopping mall. A unique setting, but indeed very practical.

Hidden away into the Hilton Westend are elegantly decorated modern interiors. They reveal a combination of fresh, modern furniture with black-and-white photographs of Budapest. Arriving on our floor – where the executive suites were to be found – were complimentary refreshments, drinks, cheese plates and sandwiches.

The hotel always seemed busy, and on each of the four floors we found something quite extraordinary. On the first floor we ventured to the main restaurant, Arrabona, serving light, healthy Mediterranean cuisine in a modern interior with soft colors. Accompanying the delicious meals was an ever-so-kind waiter who explained in great detail about the smooth dry white wine we were about to taste.

As we finished dinner, we continued to snoop around the hotel and ended up dropping into a very elegant golf party near the restaurant. On the same floor there are an extraordinary 25 conference halls, each named after the best wine regions of Hungary. Just beside the restaurant, a smaller conference room undergoes a transformation every Sunday, as suited businessmen are replaced by a red-nosed clown, who arrives to play with the kids while their parents dine.

For us, of course, the 4th floor was the most interesting as home to our room, the second-largest type among the 230 rooms of the hotel. There are small differences between the rooms – but ours was elegant and modern, with comfortable chairs, two televisions, a desk, and a giant mirror.

On the 4th floor there is also a snack bar that serves sandwiches, salads and drinks. There is also a wireless internet connection, and international daily newspapers. Between a conference and a snack, guests can also use the air-conditioned – and not crowded – fitness center, which also includes a sauna.

Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal
The Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal is a legendary landmark that embarked on a new, luxurious life two years ago. Located on busy Erszébet körút in the heart of Budapest, the hotel first opened in 1896. The façade and parts of the interior have been painstakingly restored to their original appearance, while elsewhere, original elements have been combined with modern style to create a sumptuous new harmony in tune with the 21st century.

Entering, we stepped into a soaring central atrium that rises six floors to a glass roof. Swirling patterns in the shiny marble floor pave the way to a magnificent carpeted staircase leading up to public function rooms, including the opulent, baroque-style Grand Ballroom.

A basket of fresh fruit, a box of chocolates and a letter from Rooms Division Manager Zoltan Géher welcomed us to the ample Executive guestroom, decorated in soothing neutral tones. A nice touch was a stereo CD-player incorporated into a desktop radio. The spacious bathroom in gleaming brown and tan marble boasted a huge tub and glass-encased stand-alone shower.

We avoided spending time in the hotel room, though – no matter how luxurious. The Executive Lounge, on the hotel mezzanine, soon became our favorite haunt. The subdued lighting, dark wood paneling, comfortable armchairs and sofas created a homey feel perfect for intimate conversations and informal business meetings alike. Refreshments are available throughout the day, and we even passed up the sumptuous breakfast buffet served in the hotel’s Brasserie Royale to enjoy the almost-as-sumptuous breakfast served in the lounge.

The Lounge has a computer corner with Internet access, but like all public areas of the hotel it is also equipped for wireless access. We spent a happy afternoon ensconced at a table at one of the Lounge’s picture windows, sipping tea, nibbling on cookies and watching snow swirl down on the Körút, writing.

That night, we dined on the Brasserie Royale’s casually elegant Atrium Terrace. We started with succulent pan-fried foie gras, in a sauce of winter fruits and Tokaji Aszú, followed by a delicate seared filet of black halibut with horseradish crust, served atop a mound of exquisite caviar mashed potatoes. And for dessert? We ended the luxurious symphony with a sinfully rich dark chocolate and plum pálinka mousse.

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