Guest Experience
We Love Budapest’s Guest Experience series profiles Budapest hotels that invite our staff to visit at no charge, but with the understanding that we may include negative impressions in our coverage. Hotel management is not allowed to review these articles before they are posted.
Before Fashion Street was fashionable or even existed, the Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest opened its revolving doors. The Gresham, the Corinthia, even the Marriott, all these were yet to be converted, modernised or even habitable.
Budapest was just emerging from four decades of Communism, the Yugoslav War was raging south of the border – and Hungarian architect József Finta was at the top of his game.
Cutting his teeth in Dunaújváros, Salgótarján and Bratislava, working on the Duna Intercontinental back in 1969 and the Hotel Volga in 1971, by 1991 Finta could let his creativity canter, albeit in stylishly understated flinty tones and graceful curves. This C-shaped building carried the first initial of its namesake, Matthias Corvinus, Renaissance king of Hungary.
While later competitors were forced to fill an existing space or, even more challengingly, a revered landmark, with a hotel to meet contemporary needs, the Kempinski was raised from the ground up as Finta saw fit.
Whether the half-moon sweep of windows and tower standing guard over Fashion Street or somewhat sterner main entrance facing Erzsébet tér, these façades bear very similar resemblance to how they would have looked to the first visitor, aptly German, to sign the guest book on 1 July 1992.
The Berlin-based Kempinski group, too, was just spreading its wings. Dubai, China, Croatia, none of these had happened yet in terms of luxury tourism. As you acknowledge the friendly greetings of the door staff, the revolving cabins of the Big Wheel reflected in the gleaming metalwork of the revolving door, it’s hard to appreciate just how pioneering the Kempinski was at the time.
For, as your eye wanders amid the tapering columns, smooth lines, fresh flowers and piano-key design of the marble floor, the lobby hardly seems dated, although this impression is helped along by a revamp in 2013. Your other immediate thought is just how graceful this all is, yet you’re standing at the gateway to 314 rooms, 37 suites, three restaurants – one opened by Robert De Niro – a gym, a conference area and, currently closed for Covid reasons, a high-end spa.
To the right, an informal concierge desk is ready to deal with every request and question, no matter how curveball. To the left, Blue Fox The Bar has a whole lotta shaking going on, from an inventive menu, too. Ahead, beyond the open-plan reception, lie the Living Room dining area and ÉS Bisztró. The Nobu of De Niro lore will have to wait until another day. It’s time to check in.
Stay in Style is the alliterative title given to the Kempinski’s staycation package, involving a welcome drink upon arrival, a private tour of the suites, a perusal of that guest book otherwise kept under lock and key, an in-room breakfast worthy of a honeymoon and free parking in the underground garage. Room upgrades are offered if available. The offer currently runs until 27 December.
Smooth, efficient, swiftly dealing with the pandemic rigmarole as easily as the obligatory temperature check at the entrance, your receptionist rapidly arranges a plastic key with the immediate offer of another in case you need one. Newspapers, once the ignored but welcome luxury of top-notch hotel stays, are now reduced to a QR code at the bottom of the informative letter you are also handed. Details of spa treatments (still available!) and in-room dining are also given in dotty cube form.
You are not gestured to the lift alongside but guided there with a click-clack of heels, a smile and a demonstration of how to use your key on the number code so that you’re whisked up to your floor. So far, so effortless.
There’s never a second chance to make a first impression, as the old maxim goes, and your first sensation will be one of space. Your room is, well, roomy. A large, comfortable bed doesn’t even begin to fill your line of vision as you take in the couch, the desks, the pull-out table (for breakfast, which we’ll come to), a TV the size of Ontario and a long rectangle of curtain.
Pulling back the drap... GOOD GRAVY! That’s the Big Wheel! There, almost in front of your nose, turning as if to say, ‘Hey, everyone, the city’s still going!’, this particular tourist attraction is backdropped by another, the 115-year-old outline of St Stephen’s Basilica.
Turning on the lights – not powered by the key card, just click the switches – you investigate the bathroom, its rain shower and water for the separate deep bath tub kicked into gushing life by a single button, rather than an unseemly grapple between boiling and icy with mixer taps.
Towels are soft and pristine white, the dressing gown is always a welcome addition, slippers provide that home-away-from-home touch as later attested by Madonna in the guest book. The sound from the English-language news channel on TV is carried over and broadcast into the bathroom, echoing somewhat loudly around the tiling but a useful feature if you don’t want to miss any of the current political debate.
Spruce and ready for action, you head down to Blue Fox The Bar, still operating with a reassuring buzz, guests apparently poring over some esoteric board game. This is, in fact, the cocktail list of 11 special originals, the names (‘Taste of Moon’, ‘Taste of Pine Forest’, ‘Street After Rain’) meriting exploration and a roll of the dice, as it were, as you venture into the esoteric world of porcini-infused rum, leather-aged amaro and poppy-seed bitters.
Norbi – the informative gent in the plastic face shield, almost suitably lab-like – and team can also mix you a classic, and your free welcome drink needn’t be this elaborate or even alcoholic.
From here, it’s 20 paces to the ÉS Bisztró, the curved walkway also a gallery showing colourful examples of the 1,000-strong collection of original Hungarian art owned by the hotel. (You’ll also see statuettes, paintings and figurines in the corridors and public areas.)
With autumn now upon us, the otherwise lively terrace overlooking Fashion Street is now the domain of cigarette smokers, blankets and umbrella heaters provided for the hardy. Urban and funky, the interior is done out in stencilled names, each reflecting duality, as in the theme, Budapest and Vienna. Some of these work (‘WINE & BEER’, ‘ROCKY & RAMBO’), some don’t (‘BEATLES & ROLLING’), but, given the snappy phrases and chalked map of Hungarian wine regions, they lend an air of informality.
The meat, though, is serious business, the dry-aged rib eye, sirloin or fillet, prepared in a Southbend oven used by high-end grill restaurants across the States. Ask nicely, or even show casual interest, and expert carver Gyuri will show you round the preparation area and collection of handmade Fontenille-Pataud Laguiole knives from Thiers, France.
Regulars may opt for the three-course Tafelspitz (6,990 HUF), whose consumption is an art in itself, first-time visitors and those watching the forints would do well to investigate the fortnightly specials list, currently featuring sautéed deer loin (5,880 HUF), and herb-crusted catfish (5280 HUF). Let’s hope that the lamb ragout soup (1,690) remains part of the selection for a while longer as it’s divine. The wine list is extensive and advice well-founded.
The temptation to splurge, given the months of home-office penury and pasta-yet-again lunches, is almost overwhelming but do bear in mind that at a time chosen by yourself tomorrow morning, a brief, polite knock on your door will bring breakfast.
Actually, ‘breakfast’ is underselling it. This is a multi-tiered cornucopia of wedding-like proportions, each – cold cuts, fish, cheeses, fresh fruit – painstakingly presented. A basket of bread and pastries complement the spreads, coffee, milk, yummy yoghurt and freshly squeezed juices, and you’re just contemplating how on earth you’re going to eat even half of this between now and noon when your friendly, bemasked server delves below the trolley to present – ta-da! – a hot dish of Eggs Benny. 'Feast', in fact, would be underselling it.
Tips for the day ahead come thick and fast as your table is pulled out and plates arranged, breakfast in bed another option. The hotel also provides its own recommendations, by staff themselves, in the brochure My City, My Guide, with suggestions for walks, tram rides and even jogging routes.
With all this talk of food, it would only be correct to mention that the fitness centre with its Technogym machines is open 7am-9pm to three guests at a time, register a time slot with reception.
The final guest experience at the Kempinski is, in fact, an appreciation of the experience of other guests, famous ones, as you’re given a tour of the suites and a study of the Biblioteca Corviniana. This is neither a library nor a medieval landmark but the hallowed guest book, boxed and bound, in which film stars, pop heroes, politicians and seemingly every Formula 1 driver under the sun have inscribed their thanks.
Madonna, Mick Jagger and a humorous Brad Pitt were obviously in good moods that particular morning but pride of place goes to Michael Jackson, whose famous wave to fans in 1996 later saw the unveiling of a themed tree just outside, on a corner of Erzsébet tér.
Pride of place would go to Jacko, in fact, if Tom Jones hadn’t cheekily usurped his status as the King of Pop and placed his own photograph and autograph on the initial left-hand page – but the MJ inscription is the one his followers come to see and even have tattooed on their arms.
Check-out is as smooth as check-in, the farewell as friendly as the welcome.
Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest
District V. Erzsébet tér 7-8
Stay in Style example rates for 2: €200-€350
