OUR STAY: THE FOUR SEASONS, GRESHAM PALACE- BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Oct 01, 2018The Four Seasons Gresham Palace
Address: Budapest, Széchenyi István tér 5-6, 1051 Hungary
Phone: +36 1 268 6000
Web: http://www.fourseasons.com/budapest/
When anyone, from friends at home to chatty European cab drivers, asks us which hotel in Budapest we stayed at during our recent trip, their response when I tell them is always the same: “That’s the best hotel in the city!” The Four Seasons Gresham Palace has an international reputation and once we arrived, it didn’t take long to see why.
The Four Seasons Gresham Palace
Situated along the Danube River, overlooking the famed Széchenyi Chain Bridge, this impressive Art Nouveau building has endless aesthetic intricacies that make it a one-of-a-kind example of remarkable, early twentieth-century architecture.
Danube River
Széchenyi Chain Bridge
The building’s unique ironwork, masterfully-mosaicked tiled floors and colorful stained glass windows, make Gresham Palace an art exhibit in itself. Originally, home to the London-based Gresham Life Assurance Company, the palace wore many hats before becoming a world-renowned luxury hotel. Serving as a barracks to the Red Army after World War II, and then as an apartment building during the People’s Republic of Hungary, it wasn’t until the 1990’s that the palace became a tourist accommodation. Under management of The Four Seasons since 1999, it was rebuilt in 2001, restoring many of the palace’s original details.
The Grand Lobby
The Four Seasons Gresham Palace today is sumptuous, providing a true five-star experience for its guests with artistic beauty around every corner. With an exceptional staff, superlatively comfortable, elegant rooms, a rejuvenating spa, and a top-rated Michelin-starred restaurant, it’s no wonder the hotel is consistently voted one of the best in the world. Our room had a balcony which gave us a picture-perfect view across the Danube, including the Chain Bridge and the Buda Castle.
Everything from the beds, linens, the bathroom marble and the padded carpeting so thick, it makes you feel like you’re walking on air, was top-of-the-line. At full capacity but always quiet, roaming the halls of the hotel was an enriching course in history, as Gresham Palace retains some of its original characteristics, including one of the extravagant marble staircases and the building’s black-iron gate.
Needless to say, Ryan and I were enthralled. The children were just as much in love with the hotel as we were, as they kept asking to extend our stay. It helped that the Budapests’ Four Seasons’ employees were great with the kids, greeting them with a treasure chest full of toys to choose from, which of course made a lasting impression.
KOLLÁZS Brasserie and Bar, the on-site restaurant, was also a big hit with our family, serving delectable, fresh and hot breakfasts (order the Belgian Waffle or the Hungarian Scrambled Eggs), as well as lunch and dinner, where Chef Árpád Győrffy has created an array of European, French and Hungarian dishes- not to mention countless innovative cocktails which the restaurant bar is known for.
There was also a patisserie at the entrance of KOLLÁZS that offers take-away coffee drinks and displays all sorts of delicious pastries and fresh breads, including mini cakes, tarts and cookies. The kids were wowed by the pastry chef’s Macaroons and I discovered Pogascas, savory Hungarian Cheese Biscuits, which were out-of-this-world, full of flavor with an incredible moist and chewy texture…I will definitely be trying my very best to recreate the recipe at home.
KOLLÁZS
Ryan took advantage of the spa’s infinity-edge lap pool by using it daily before the rest of us even got out of bed. As Budapest proudly holds the title of “City of Spas,” The Spa at Gresham Palace adds to the nickname offering a variety of relaxing treatments, such as The Omorovicza, and The Classic Hungarian Body Wrap. The Omorovicza body treatment combines the proven effects of Hungary’s mineral-rich thermal waters with the science of mineral cosmetology while the Body Wrap includes a mineral-rich Hungarian Moor mud that is used to detoxify the body while supplying the skin with a number of essential and beneficial nutrients.
The Four Seasons in Budapest is one of my favorite hotels that we have stayed at so far and it’s evident why it’s so well received around the globe. The sheer beauty in its architecture coupled with the unsurpassed service and hospitality toward its guests of all ages, makes it the perfect place to stay when looking for comfort and elegance in Budapest. For us, Gresham Palace quickly became a home away from home where we could relax in the city, between all of our exploring. Our stay could not have been any better and by the time we checked out of the hotel, leaving the employees was like saying goodbye to old friends.
A traveler since childhood, Juliana Fraioli Wilson has always had a love for exploring. She is a published writer and an accomplished business owner with a background in music and art. Join Juliana, her husband Ryan, and their two kids in Wanderland! Follow along as they share tips, tricks, recipes and reviews from some of the most beautiful travel destinations in the world.
