I recently visited the beautiful city of Budapest on a long weekend, and I realised that I would need a hotel. One that kept popping up was the Radisson Blu Béke Hotel.
Constructed in 1913, this building is a historic hotel (of course). And being that it was built in 1913, you just knew it had some pretty incredible stories; it was bred for it.
The more I looked into it, the more I saw nothing but five-star reviews everywhere. I doesn’t take me long until I finally booked it online.
And here’s my honest review about it!
Checking In
When I walked into the Radisson Blu Béke Hotel lobby, I gawped.
High ceilings, marble floors and giant pillars made me feel like a queen. Colored light flooded in from the massive stained-glass windows. Fine frescoes covered the walls and ceilings, painted by the Hungarian artist Jenő Haranghy.
The happy-faced person in the lobby checked me in, he was talking so fast about room lock boxes and fire doors that I was even more psyched to see the room.
I wheeled my suitcase to the vintage elevator with the bars around it and to the 5th floor.
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Entering my Room
I had booked a Superior Room with a city view. Crossing over to the wide windows, I drew back the drapes. I gasped – the panorama of Budapest was breathtaking! From this vantage point, I could see the Danube River, Buda Castle, and Pest.
The grand Radisson Blu Béke envelops guests in all that is first class for the perfect stay.
My Superior Room included a luxurious bed with soaring, white material, a marble bathroom, the works. There was also a minibar, flat screen television, bathrobes, slippers, a coffee maker, safe, and blackout drapes.
In the hotel, I never lost my connection, thanks to Wi-Fi that was free and fast, courtesy of Le Meridien. And if I needed to send some work from the road, the hotel’s 24-hour business centre had computers I could use as well as printing services.
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The Facilities
Indoor Pool
My first port of call was the 2nd floor swimming pool, which was indoors (meaning it had an explicit gym-for-hotel reception).
I knew I’d love this place. The pool was blue and untouched, surrounded by palm tree backdrops and plump milky lounge chairs.
After changing into my bathing suit, I slipped into the pool and sank gratefully down into the warm water. I swam laps in the twenty-five-metre pool then paddled over to the built-in chairs that line the infinity edge where I enjoyed the views of Budapest from an angle that was even more breathtaking than from the terrace.
I could have stayed for hours under the perforated glass ceiling. And there was so much more to see in the hotel’s spate of new features.
Fitness Center
On my third day, I headed to the hotel’s second floor to try to burn some calories from all the delicious Hungarian food I had been sampling. Row after row of high-tech Technogym equipment filled the expansive air-conditioned space of the fitness centre. I started on a treadmill and started a fast-paced power walk as I looked out in front of me through floor-to-ceiling windows.
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Then, I headed to the weight machines to work on my arms and legs. Finally, I put in some time in the eucalyptus-scented steam room; the heat was heavenly on my sore muscles. Afterwards, I returned to my room for a shower.
The fabulous fitness facilities ensured that I never had to venture outside the property to make my heart rate rise – and boy, did it ever. What a joy to have it all right there.
Elegant Meeting Rooms
Besides leisure guests, business travelers are drawn to the Radisson Blu Béke by its extensive meeting facilities. There are 14 event spaces totaling almost 1000 square metres.
Grand reception rooms retain the hotel’s faded grandeur with high ceilings, crystal chandeliers and antique furnishings. They are suitable for conferences, weddings, banquets and more, and the largest holds up to 300 people.
I walked here and there, looking through doorways into meeting rooms. Any type of corporate event could be held in these rooms.
This particular hotel’s historic spot married with all the technical wizardry required for a modern audiovisual setup and videoconferencing.
Living Experiences
Convenient Central Location
Luckily, the Radisson Blu Béke is well located for enjoying central Budapest, right on Teréz krt, with stellar prospects out of most of the windows, and a few easy steps to the city’s top sites in the super-handy 6th district.
I could easily walk to places like:
- Andrássy út – Budapest’s Champs-Élysées, lined with cafes and upscale shops.
- Hungarian State Opera House – Home to opera and ballet performances.
- House of Terror Museum – Exhibits about Hungary’s fascist and communist regimes.
- Heroes’ Square – Iconic plaza featuring statues of Hungarian leaders.
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The hotel is also within 7-minute walk from Nyugati Railway Station, providing a direct access to the metro, city trams, trains and buses for exploring Budapest.
During my stay, I hardly took taxis. The amazing location of my stay gave me an instant access to the beautiful sites of Budapest.
Breakfast at the Zsolnay Café
On my last morning, I skipped the breakfast service downstairs and went straight to the Zsolnay Café off the lobby; it is open for breakfast every day, plus lunch and dinner.
I asked for a cappuccino and traditional Hungarian breakfast. It arrived with slices of toasted bread, cheeses, cookies, and vegetables.
They were all fabulously fresh and flavourful, and next to me a chef cooks up made-to-order omelettes and other hot items for order.
Coloured light seized the day through the stained glass as I was finishing my coffee. I didn’t want the café breakfast in itself or the overnight stay at the Radisson Blu Béke to not exist any more. They would live on in my memory long after I had left.
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Hospitality
In their day-to-day practice, they minimize their ecological footprint by doing the following.
- Responsible energy and water usage
- Waste reduction and recycling
- Sourcing local, organic foods
The hotel also donates and volunteers to the local community in Budapest, and hires and trains staff to promote diversity, inclusion and equality.
It was by turns cozy, otherworldly, and insightful; I was grateful for the chance to encounter a hotel so dedicated to social responsibility and environmentalism, and it added immeasurably to what was already a spectacular stay.
Exceeding High Expectations
When I had made the booking, the Radisson Blu Béke felt almost too good to be true. How could an 106-year-old hotel combine old world style with modern luxury?
Now, I can safely conclude that this legendary Budapest hotel could not have been more perfect.
The level of service, the offer of amenities, the central location and the architectural beauty – everything was impeccable.
Yes, it has its critics – inconsistencies in housekeeping (as in other reviews), for example. But everything else about this historic hotel gets it spot-on.
Needless to say, I share The Telegraph’s praise of the ‘early 20th century charm’ of the Radisson Blu Béke, and I can honestly say that this hotel is a must-stay for every visitor to the Hungarian capital.
Book your next Budapestian break at this awesome heritage property!