The thing that made our trip to Budapest so memorable was not the city itself – although that was fascinating – but the hotel, which transported us back to the early days of the last century with its retro, opulent elegance and art deco grandeur. We stayed at the Grand Hotel Danubius and it was without doubt the highlight of our trip, and our travelling companions felt the same way. The ambiance and atmosphere in the hotel were unforgettable. It was old fashioned in the best possible way. The rooms were comfortable and tastefully decorated – even though the corridors did momentarily bring to mind the hotel in the 1980 film of The Shining, which added a surreal and exciting quality to our stay, and I half expected Jack Nicholson to appear wielding an axe. The staff were like those of another era, and to be serenaded by a band playing the Blue Danube at dinner was just magical. We all agreed that we would return to Budapest, not necessarily to see the city, but just to stay at the Grand!
