StarwoodGuy: Around the World With Starwood Hotels in 30 Days

The train from Bratislava was thirty minutes late but it was a speedy older train with the typical First seat organization of 1 - 2 seating. We arrived and I popped my head into the the Mav Lounge, the Hungarian First Lounge, pretty basic but I had a quick cake and cookie (yes I now seriously have a 4:00 pm snack problem) and made my way off to Le Meridien Budapest. Your Eurail ticket in First allows entry when coming in with a reservation from an International destination to this Mav Lounge as well as when leaving. I ordered my Uber and within five minutes the car arrived. Uber Budapest is only Uber X and well, it was very basic. No Prius, some car left over from the cold war, but it was very interesting. I could not follow what the driver was saying in the traffic, only a ten minute drive to the hotel, but it was a a great experience and he was very friendly and informative.to someone who spoke Hungarian, but not me see I speak none!

When we pulled up at the hotel I thought, this does not look like a Starwood Property. It was similar but there was something off. I went inside and up to the check in desk where I saw the pens. Kempinski. Backtracking out I found Le Meridian next door. The hotel is on a beautiful park and square at its front side with their version of the London Eye off to one area of the park and a massive bar, garden, and pool area on the other area, filled with young people drinking relaxing, and enjoying life. Inside it was a typical Meridien for Europe, very polished lobby, modern but not over the top, less clubby then the Vienna one, and a little more upscale then the Hamburg one. I was given an upgrade to a corner executive suite, and it was incredible. Three sets of French doors opened out onto the exterior of the building, two on the park and one to the side of the building. The electricity worked with my cursed and difficult adapter, there was both a coffee machine and a standard kettle, something I had dreamed of for making tea, a large closet area, sitting area, as well as a large entry way. I quickly showered and then made my way out on a long walk to the beautiful palaces and museums away from the river, then back past the train station and home. I knew these were beautiful locales but that the best was yet to come tomorrow so I called it an early night.

The next morning I woke up early and made my way down to the gym. Again only up to ten kgs weights but some better universal machines, so I did a cardio/weight mix before showering and heading down to breakfast. It was quite late at 10:00 am by the time I got to the lobby and breakfast was almost wrapping up so I did feel a little pressured since this was a business hotel and most people were up and out by this hour, explaining why I had the gym to myself and no the restaurant as well. The gym also has a lovely indoor pool and hot tub by the way, which I skipped since Budapest is the ‘spa city’ and I knew there were others out there. At the restaurant I got a lovely table at the window overlooking the pedestrian street. After, I headed out on a long walk along the pedestrians streets, then to the large Hungarian market before crossing the river to the Gellert Hotel and Spa. The weather was wonderful so I was planning on coming back later in the day to enjoy the outer pools and baths. I then did the large climb through the park and up to the lookout point with beautiful 360 degree vies over Budapest. Simply stunning. Then I wound my way through the park, and continued along the water passing the churches and the castle that were up the hill. I crossed the river again and walked along and around the stunning Parliament buildings before taking another pedestrian street back to the hotel. Sadly, there I found a great deal of work so my dreams of an afternoon at the Gelleret Spa were dashed. I worked in the room where my VPN had finally kicked in so I cleared out some shows on my Comcast DVR back at home while working for four hours. Eventually I needed something to eat and drink so I went down to the lobby bar. The hotel gives guests a free cappuccino or coffee per day and as an additional Platinum benefit a glass of wine, so I had both of these and obviously ordered their signature cake as well which was one of the best pastries I have ever eaten in my life, all while sitting at an indoor/outdoor mix table on the park side of the hotel. I then dropped my laptop in the room and did an hour and a half sunset walk along the river before returning to the hotel. I was tempted to head to the room and order room service but the weather was exceptional, warm and balmy with a refreshing breeze, it could have been Australia or Bali. I plunked myself down at the outdoor terrace of the hotel’s main restaurant on the pedestrian street and watched the people go by while having a beer and the cheese selection. I also abandoned work and my phone, finally giving in to the European life. In Canada and the US $15 to $20 US gets you three of four small cheeses and some crackers, here, a weeks worth of cheese for ten dollars with five mini breads. Wonderful! The waiter was engaging and wanted to know more and more about my life in Canada and the US, as well as my previous times in Australia. It is very communal seating with comfortable loungers and bean bag chairs. I met some lovely couples and we chatted for hours before I realized I could not live this European life forever, reality was setting in tomorrow and I had to start my journey home. But something nagged at me. Could I live this life?

My final morning in Budapest I woke up exceptionally early for me at 5:30 am, made coffee and tea in the room, and went on an hour long walk down the pedestrian streets and along the river to get some early mooring pictures and take in the city with the beautiful light. I made it back to the hotel for a quick cardio workout, a shower, had another wonderful breakfast, and then made my way out to the St. Stephen’s Basilica right at 9:00 am when it opens. The church is simply stunning, especially with the morning light and ahead of the tourist hoards. I am not a religious person at all, but well, in the morning with the light shining in this place, you do feel something. I walked back to the hotel along the river and grabbed my already packed bags and made my way to the lobby to check out. Just as I was leaving I saw the red flag and desk, time to go!

Le Meridien Budapest was really amazing. The location on both the park and the pedestrian street was excellent, as was breakfast, the lobby bar, and the restaurant at dinner, and especially my outstanding room. The waiter at the terrace was exceptional, between him and the service at the Club Lounge in Bangkok from a post that seemed like a lifetime ago, truly unreal. I highly recommend this hotel for any trip the the amazing city of Budapest. Allison wish you were with me this time as well!