Our latest business opportunities call for an increasing amount of travel, among them to Budapest, Hungary. Budapest is special in more ways than one, including the fact that it is my birth city and coming back even if for a short time is always a pleasure. Last week’s trip was a combined business/holiday affair and we drove “home” in the company Chrysler Grand Voyager. You may look on that car with a disapproving eye from an environmental point of view but in terms of comfort and the ease when you need to haul people and gear, it has no equal in its category.It was of course only natural that we should be staying at the Airport Hotel near Ferihegy. BluSky Services, my company, has a corporate arrangement with the hotel and so we get a great rate but even if you have to pay the normal price, you get excellent value for your money.
It was very late evening when I pulled into their spacious parking lot which has slots also for cars hauling a caravan or which are themselves longer than your usual passenger vehicle. Plenty of parking space there so you will never end up having to find a slot on the street even in the busiest months.
Our room was also spacious and well appointed and there was no problem at all with finding space for our gear. The beds were very inviting but I know from experience that after having driven 13 hours it is best to take some time to relax before trying to sleep. We were also hungry so we went down to the restaurant that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No matter how late or how early you walk in there, a friendly crew and a full menu card awaits you. The kitchen is a nice combination of international and Hungarian and the food is excellent. Not at all the kind of characterless stuff so many hotels offer you at exorbitant prices. The Airport Hotel in Budapest serves you great food at moderate prices any hour of the day or night.
If you look at the map, you will see that this hotel is not exactly in the city center. They aim for business people and travelers for whom the nearness of the airport and associated companies is more important than downtown attractions. So what does one do after a long working day? After a great dinner in the airport restaurant you can take a walk and in about 5 minutes reach the Market Central shopping plaza, a kind of open air shopping center surrounded by stores of all kinds, including a huge Tesco supermarket that is open day and night. We were lucky because the weather was excellent and even at midnight it was around 24 centigrade under a starry night and full moon. The plaza has several benches where you can sit and just enjoy the night… or the day as the case may be. Those small trees will grow quickly and then the plaza will be an oasis of cool even on the warmest summer day.
I know a lot of people hate air conditioning but the solution chosen for the rooms in the Airport Hotel will make them change their mind. Their system is almost completely silent and instead of blasting cold air like mad, it works like a whisper that you notice but do not really care about… The rooms are kept at a pleasant temperature (which you can set yourself) but there is almost no perceivable source of the cooling stream of air. Lovely!
Friday morning came all too quickly and we were down and loading the van at 3.30 a.m. A little after 4 I went to pay our bill and was greeted by receptionist Kata Arany who was all smiles in spite of the unholy hour. In most hotels you cannot get breakfast so early but the Airport Hotel in Budapest is special even in this respect. True, hot items were not yet available but otherwise the buffet was more than complete and we were even offered an extra cappuccino to make the experience nicer still.
As I turned the nose of the Chrysler west once again, I was thinking about this hotel and how they managed to combine excellent business facilities and a sphere that is truly holiday like when that is what a guest is looking for. The hotel is being run by an obviously young crew and you feel their enthusiasm in what they are doing at every turn.
Thanks a million for a great stay and we will be back!
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