Budapest is on the list of my favorite weekend travel destinations as it boosts high-rated hotels and top gourmet restaurants. Middle of October I was in need of a getaway from Vienna, so I booked a 2-night weekend stay at Hotel Palazzo Zichy located close to downtown on Pest side.
Overview
Palazzo Zichy dates back to the 19th century and was the residence of a famous Hungarian noble, Count Nándor Zichy. The historical neo-baroque building has been ingeniously re-designed and turned into a chic boutique hotel.
What strikes most about Palazzo Zichy is the unique combination of ancient grandeur with modern luxury. The reception hall, the lounge area and the bar are all sleek and stylish decorated and create an impressive contrast to the hotel’s entrance, renovated and kept in the old style.
Rooms & Suites
The Corner Suite conveys a refined and warm atmosphere. It’s designed to offer comfort and relaxation. Bed is soft and most importantly….huge!
I truly enjoyed the breakfast buffet – a lot of fruits, vegetables, juices, fresh baked breads and wonderful pastries.
My short stay at Hotel Palazzo Zichy was wonderful: great hotel in a vibrant city – I’ll definitely return for more discoveries!
WINING & DINING
Being an avid foodie and a massive fan of Robert de Niro – in my opinion the greatest American actor of all time – I couldn’t help booking a table at NOBU Budapest, the world-famous luxury Japanese restaurant. De Niro, a partner in Nobu, attended the grand opening in October 2010 and since then the high-end restaurant flourished and became a hot spot for the gourmet travelers from all over the world.
Nobu offers a different style of Japanese cuisine experience redefined with South American flavors – a tribute to Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, the chef proprietor of Nobu and Matsuhisa restaurants located across five continents. So if you’re a foodie like me, getting that overwhelming feeling of joyful excitement while reading a menu… you’ll have a hard time deciding what to order first.
For an appetizer, I ordered the Wagyu Mini Burger – Wagyu being the most prized beef on the planet and a treat for meat lovers. For the main course you should order the Japanese Wagyu Ribeye Steak A5 Grade – make sure you check the daily market price first 🙂 – and it will forge memories that will stay with you forever!
Check out these Oysters with Choice of 3 Sauces!
As I was leaving the restaurant, I couldn’t help thinking this was the best Japanese restaurant I’ve ever been to. I will definitely keep an eye out for further Nobu Restaurants around the world. If you go to Budapest, give it a try!
expattrip.com 