Four Seasons Gresham Palace

Luxurious Art Nouveau

Four seasons Gresham palace is one of the most beautiful hotels in Budapest.

The building was built in an Art Nouveau style during the early 1900s.
The site was designed by a local architect called Zsigmond Quittner for Gresham Life Assurance Company (a company from London that decided to open an office here).

This is one of the most luxurious hotels in Budapest , located just in the middle , close to the chain bridge (on Roosvelt square) and with a splendid view over Buda castle and the Danube.

There are 179 rooms in this hotel.


Unique Quality: Great view , Very luxurious.

• Opinion of Price: most expensive
• Related to: Luxury Travel

Four Seasons Gresham Palace

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Probably the most luxurious hotel in Budapest

I've only been to the cafe a few times, but if I was a wealthy tourist in Budapest, I think that's where I would stay - the hotel is in a beautifully renovated historic building, and the view from the rooms overlooking the Danube are probably the best in the city.

Unique Quality: The Art Nouveau building has been really beautifully renovated. The view is great. The hotel has received lots of different awards - for example, it was voted the best hotel in Europe by the Conde Nast Traveler's readers in 2006.

• Opinion of Price: most expensive
• Related to: Luxury Travel, Architecture, Arts and Culture

Four Seasons Gresham Palace Photo: The Four Seasons Gresham Palace

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Lobby and Public Spaces ( 3 photos )

The public spaces of this hotel are truly magnficent. Entering through an iron gate with a glassed peacock motif, one finds a lobby several stories tall with marbled walls, mosaics on the floor, and giant vaulted glassed ceilings lighted from above. The public access restrooms on the lobby floor are marble masterpieces. We loved the sweeping staircases with their shimmering chandeliers and multi-story stained glass windows, often foregoing the lifts to walk up and down.

There are 2 restaurants - the more haute is Pava with a Mediterranean menu. The lesser offers breakfast, lunch, and full dinners in a more relaxed atmosphere. Expensive.

• Opinion of Price: most expensive

Four Seasons Gresham Palace

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The Rooms ( 4 photos )

The large luxurious rooms are furnished in a deco style, with dark wood furniture including a massive headboard above a white duvet-cover bed. There is plenty of closet space, the usual technical advances, and linens with a super-high thread count - such soft sheets. The bathrooms are of Spanish marble with glass shower enclosure, deep sunken bathtubs, and inlaid sinks. Oddly, the commodes are in open atrium and not closeted. This is one of the finest rooms we have ever stayed in.

• Opinion of Price: most expensive

Four Seasons Gresham Palace

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Ultra-Luxurious Art Nouveau Masterpiece

This spectacular ultra-modern landmark hotel is unquestionably one of the most luxurious we have ever visited. It was constructed between 1904-6 as the overseas office of the British company Gresham Life Assurance from plans by Zsigmond Quittner and also served as apartments for the upper class of Budapest. After WWII, it was occupied first by Soviet soldiers and then used for apartment building falling into disrepair (and disrepute). During the revolution of 1956, it suffered considerable damage which went unrepaired. In 1990 the Hungarian government took control and sold it to the Gresco Investment Company in 1999 for development as a luxury hotel. The restoration and upgrading is perfect.

There are over 190 very expensive rooms and suites, vaulted ceilings and extravagant stairwells, a beautifully decorated lobby, two upscale restaurants, and a classic art nouveau facade highlight by gold mosaid tiles. Location on ter Roosevelt is the best in Budapest overlooking the chain bridge, the Danube, and the Castle Hill and Fisherman's Bastion in Buda. It is a very short walk to the ter Vorosmarty metro and the pedestrianised Vaci Utca shopping and dining area. The Gresham Four Seasons has it all - and compared to similar luxury venues in other cities (including other Four Seasons and especially Prague) - relatively reasonable in price.

• Opinion of Price: most expensive

Four Seasons Gresham Palace

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Exemplary.

Facilities. Perhaps not Budapest's foremost example of art nouveau, but damn near close. And in terms of restored art noveau, it just doesn't get any better. The facade and entry are immaculately stunning.

Service. Exemplary. Even if:

(a) United Airlines hadn't lost our baggage (which the concierge desk tenaciously pursued for three days until its arrival); or

(b) our plane hadn't been delayed over 5 hours (causing us to miss our concert at the State Opera House, upon which the Four Seasons employed their considerable weight to acquire balcony seats to a sold-out concert the following evening),

I'd remain perfectly convinced that we'd received the best patron service to date.

In the pre-planning stages, Four Seasons was helpful in procuring dinner and event reservations, not only for our stay in Budapest, but also for our cycling tour in Northern Hungary. Speaking of cycling, they tolerated our road bikes (and the accompanying sizable bike cases), conveniently storing both without being asked. While my husband and I were off cycling, the Four Seasons graciously kept our excess baggage until our return. And upon our return, we found thoughtful gifts, including champagne to celebrate our first anniversary. Chocolate covered strawberries, cookies and other Hungarian treats appeared each night thereafter.

My husband and I could only be classified as "difficult" clients at best and the Four Seasons rose to and superseded the occasion.

The only downside. If you crave immersion in decadent art nouveau, the experience ends once you leave the ground floor. Yet, pains of "art nouveau" withdrawal are felt only for a moment. The bedroom and bathroom offer modern luxuries that more than compensate.

Unique Quality: Location. Perfect. Situated on the Pest side, within minutes you can reach the Chain Bridge, cross the Danube and find yourself wandering the Buda side. The best of Budapest's markets, theaters, night clubs, museums and restaurants are all within walking distance.

Advice. Even if capable and willing to do the groundwork and make reservations (as I am), request that the Four Seasons make the reservation on your behalf. The hotel is highly respected within the community and as such, their clients are treated exceptionally well. We were cared for as royalty everywhere the Four Seasons had made our reservation.

• Opinion of Price: most expensive
• Related to: Luxury Travel, Spa and Resort, Architecture

Four Seasons Gresham Palace Photo: Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace

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If you like Art Nouveau, that's the place for you!

• Opinion of Price: most expensive

Four Seasons Gresham Palace

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A luxury hotel facing the Danube

The Four Seasons Gresham Palace Hotel was built into the former building of the Gresham insurance company, who built the house in Art Nouveau-style in 1907.
The building is on Roosevelt Square / Roosevelt ter, just opposite of the Chainbridge.

Unique Quality: This building looks really great with lovely arcades, lifts, Art Nouveau-windows and various sculptures in the facade. The big hall is used for restaurants and bars today - quite an expensive, but also a very special place to have lunch or dinner.

• Opinion of Price: more expensive than average

Four Seasons Gresham Palace Photo: Four Seasons Gresham Palace

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Gresham Hotel

Gresham Palace in Budapest is one of Europe's finest art Nouveau buildings.

Unique Quality: The hotel has a number of stained glass windows.

• Opinion of Price: about average

Four Seasons Gresham Palace Photo: Stained glass windows

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