Hotel Review: Budapest’s Boscolo Hotel

Byglenn

While it would be great to stay in the fictional Grand Budapest Hotel, I had to settle for a close second with a stay at the Boscolo Hotel in downtown Budapest.  This hotel is part of the Autograph Collection from Marriott.  The motto of the autograph Collection is that every property is unique (just like an autograph).  It has quite the imposing edifice.

a building with a clock on top

Originally constructed in 1897 with a Baroque architecture, it was renovated in 2007.  Not sure why they renovated it since I always say “if it’s not Baroque, don’t fix it.”  Hey, that’s a Dad joke if I ever heard one and I’m a Dad so what do you want?

a sign on a stone wall a plaque on a wall

I had never stayed in any Autograph hotel, but I really enjoyed the old architecture.  Shown here is the original dedication plate for the hotel.

a statue on the side of a building a group of people walking on a sidewalk

I rather liked the satyrs holding up the lamps, but it seemed a little strange given the typical meaning of a satyr.

a glass roof of a building a building with many windows

a high angle view of a building a large room with a large sofa and a large table

The atrium of the building is wonderfully ornate.  My only issue is that it is not air conditioned.  That is fine on the first floor, but, since heat rises, by the time you get to the fifth floor, it was 90 degrees!  Another flaw was that the exercise room was in the alcove shown in the middle of the fifth floor photo.  You would have to work out in that 90 degree temp on their (admitted first class) machines.

a hallway with a rug a bed with white sheets and a lamp

a room with a bed and a television a living room with a couch and a coffee table

a table with a lamp and a tray on it a tv on a table

The room itself was spectacular.  A foyer with a closet opened up into a large bedroom with a King bed and plenty of space.  I should note that I was upgraded since I am a Marriott Gold.  I kind of liked the classic mini-bar under the TV.  Haven’t seen one of those in a while.

a bathroom with a mirror and sinks a shower with a glass door

a bathroom with marble walls and a bathtub a white robe on a hook

The bathroom was very nice with both a shower and a tub.  Of course, it also had to have the obligatory thick fluffy bathrobe!

a group of people walking down a staircase a large ornate building with many people

a balcony with a red railing a room with tables and chairs

a large ornate building with columns and a clock a ceiling with a painting on it

These photos are of where I had my complimentary breakfast (again for being a Gold).  I felt like I was in the Sistine Chapel!  Of course, there was a string quartet playing the whole time.  Now I know what it must have been like to visit the Austro-Hungarian Empire back in the day.

All-in-all, a great stay.  Believe it or not, this hotel was within Per Diem and booked on DTS.  So if you get a chance to go to Budapest, try it out for yourselves.

 

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