Hungary’s most luxurious hotel—the Gresham Palace, meticulously restored with a €100 million investment

Text and photos by Ding Yi, excerpted from *My Journey, My Stay: A Healing Trip Starting from Hotels*, published by Times Publishing

Frozen notes of elegance

Four Seasons Gresham Palace
Budapest, Hungary
Budapest, Hungary

“Travel shapes not only people but also architects.”

This quote comes from the Japanese-born master architect Tadao Ando. In his early years, he loved exploring hidden cities, big and small, wandering through streets and alleys, searching for the lifeblood of a city amid the tension and disorientation of getting lost.

I’m not sure if Mr. Ando has ever visited Budapest, Hungary, but I am truly captivated by this city. Right after landing, I unexpectedly encountered two admired figures by the Danube River—German writer Goethe and the world-renowned Austrian musician Johann Strauss II.

Lost in thought, listening to the lapping of the river, I felt as though I could hear the soul of Strauss lamenting softly on the water. That sparked a whimsical thought: if, as Goethe said, architecture is frozen music, what kind of architectural form would Strauss’s waltz *The Blue Danube*, composed in 1866, take?

Exploring the seven bridges over the river, I eventually found the hotel where I would be staying at the end of Chain Bridge, near District V of Pest. This iconic building from the height of the Austro-Hungarian Empire—the Gresham Palace—still retains its former glory, though it has long shed its historical burdens and now shines brilliantly as part of the Four Seasons hotel group.

Restored and adorned with nearly €100 million, the Four Seasons Gresham Palace has been ranked among the world’s top ten best hotels by *Travel + Leisure* magazine. It also tops the lists of “Most Exceptional Hotels in Northern Europe” and “Most Luxurious Hotel in All of Hungary.” Standing before this Art Nouveau masterpiece, I struggled to find the right words to describe it. I could only look up in silent admiration, holding back compliments for fear they might sound arrogant or excessive. I think silence is perhaps the deepest tribute to this architectural wonder.

A classic masterpiece, executed flawlessly

As I stepped slowly into the palace, the awe-inspiring grandeur of the reception hall immediately took my breath away. Unable to contain my excitement, exclamations burst from me one after another. The ingenious T-shaped layout draws your gaze straight to the center of the T as soon as you enter. Above the hall, layers of stained-glass ceilings allow soft daylight to pour in, casting gentle, flickering shadows that dance like ballerinas gliding lightly across the water. At the center of the dome hangs a handcrafted crystal chandelier imported from Czechoslovakia, twinkling above the counter like a squirrel tail strung with halogen bulbs.

Beneath my feet lie over a million individually crafted mosaic tiles. The peacock iron doors at the three entrances and the stair railings are the artistic creations of master blacksmith Gyula Jungfer, who also crafted all the ironwork decorations for the Hungarian State Opera House, St. Stephen’s Basilica, the Parliament Building, and Buda Castle. In the hallway of the hall stand three approximately three-meter-tall untoppable bronze sculptures (more like lollipops) created by Armenian sculptor Mamikon Yenglbarian. The entire reception hall is breathtakingly beautiful—any fairy descending to earth would surely linger here.

As the Cubist painter Picasso once said, “The quality of a photograph is determined the moment it is taken.” Similarly, the grandeur of a hotel is judged the moment you pass through its reception hall.

Window views as picturesque as postcards

The Four Seasons Gresham Palace is an architectural gem. Even before officially checking into a suite, the lobby already makes a strong impression. An old yet elegant elevator takes me to the fourth floor. As I open the door and push aside the window, the Danube River comes rushing into the room. The view outside the balcony is so stunning it’s as if someone placed a giant postcard right in front of the window. The window perfectly frames Chain Bridge, and just beyond it lies the UNESCO World Heritage Site on Castle Hill in Buda.

The window view is already dazzling enough, so the suite’s decor avoids being overly flashy, sticking to a cohesive color scheme of beige, light gray, and soft brown. This extends to the classic sofas and chairs, the plush king-sized bed, and the down comforters. I draw the curtains to clear my mind and shake off the travel fatigue. After taking a hot shower, I notice that the bathrobes and slippers come in both adult and children’s sizes—a thoughtful touch that earns praise for the hotel’s attention to detail. Even kids get to enjoy VIP treatment, with a special children’s menu in the restaurant. During breakfast, colorful pancakes, popcorn, and chocolate-dipped strawberries are served, making every child feel like a little emperor.

Seasonal, local, and organic cuisine

I also discovered that there are nine varieties of honey to choose from for spreading on croissants. The ones that left a deep impression on me include acacia, linden, elderberry, sedge, and herbal honeys—all carefully selected. The rest of the ingredients are sourced entirely from local small-scale farmers, grown without pesticides or artificial fertilizers, with chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep raised in free-range conditions.

The hotel’s chefs believe that to truly savor authentic flavors, one should use seasonal, local ingredients. While supermarkets may stock seasonal produce year-round, it often tastes as if it’s out of season—blame the large wholesalers who dictate what farmers grow. The Four Seasons bypasses middlemen by purchasing directly from farmers, supporting local agriculture and organic farming.

At dinner, the Gresham Restaurant dazzles, a stark contrast to the understated elegance of breakfast service. The waiter pours me a glass of Sauska champagne as an aperitif. I’m told this exclusive brew can only be tasted here. With the first sip, my taste buds are bathed in nectar, as a wave of fragrance spreads across my tongue and straight to my heart.

I also ordered Hungary’s national dish—beef goulash. The soup is rich and thick, with the distinctive flavor of paprika deeply infused. It’s mixed with tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions, black pepper, sea salt, and parsley, creating a fragrant medley. The beef is tender and juicy, suffused with the subtle aroma of paprika. In other EU countries, the downfall of beef goulash often lies in its spiciness, sometimes blamed on the quality of the paprika. But I believe Hungary’s mineral-rich water is the secret ingredient.

Inside and outside the hotel, relaxation abounds

Due to its high levels of bicarbonate, magnesium, and calcium, Hungary has naturally become the spa capital of the world. Countless underground thermal springs abound—coming here without a spa treatment would be a lifelong regret. The award-winning Four Seasons Spa is located on the top floor, tucked away in a serene spot. From the indoor pool, you can overlook the courtyard atrium. It’s the perfect midday retreat after a massage.

Guests looking to explore can try the hotel’s bike service, following scenic routes to soak in the ancient city’s charm at a leisurely pace. The lush, shady Margaret Island is nearby, while the National Gallery or the Budapest History Museum on Castle Hill are worth visiting. For those with more energy, head up to the Liszt Memorial. Along the way, stop by any charming café or snack shop that catches your eye for a relaxing break. A truly enjoyable journey takes time.

At dusk, when viewed from the other side of Chain Bridge, the Danube shimmers with a silky glow. The hotel’s colors deepen in the evening light, creating a magnificent sight. Chain Bridge seems to merge with the hotel, almost like two arms extending from the lobby, welcoming weary travelers.

Feeling the unseen architecture

Under the deep, quiet night sky, the ancient city of Budapest twinkles with countless lights. Drawing close to this Art Nouveau masterpiece, even upon closer inspection, it still leaves you in awe. I think of Michelangelo’s work—the Sistine Chapel, which he began at the age of 71. Standing before the altar wall and looking up at *The Last Judgment*, I let my creative thoughts swirl, ferment, and expand. Now, I feel as though I’ve rediscovered that overwhelming sense of being surrounded by a grand mythological world in Vatican City.

As Tadao Ando once said, to most people, architecture may seem like something "that is gradually organized and constructed out of nothing." Yet deep within it lies the hidden human elements of history and tradition, of the times and the region, which continuously expand outward — and these are not visible physical forms. It is precisely because of the invisible, deeper aspects of architecture that the "life of the building" can be reflected.

"The unseen architecture" cannot be grasped through sight alone, but must be felt with the heart.

Four Seasons Gresham Palace
Address: Szechenyi Istvan Ter 5-6, 1051 Budapest, Hungary.
Total Rooms: 179
Phone: +36-1-268-6000
Email: budapest.reservations@fourseasons.com
Website:www.fourseasons.com/budapest
Visit Date: 2013/09/28
Room Number: 403

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