Baltazar Hotel, Budapest

What do Jan Vermeer, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Vivienne Westwood have in common?  They are the inspiration behind the Baltazar Hotel’s 11-individually themed rooms and suites, each an explosion of creativity at this boutique property in Budapest. It is this offbeat pursuit of an ultra-cool aestheticism that characteristically describes this hotel in a city still pulsing with change and ever evolving.

Sitting upon the 13^th century Buda Castle, a former fortress and royal palace, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Baltazar exudes the contrasts of a country seemingly caught between two worlds. This former Eastern Bloc nation was earlier a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and since the lifting of the Iron Curtain in 1989 it has been striving to reinvent itself.  As such, Budapest has been experiencing an ongoing renaissance of sorts and with this renewal comes an appetite for expression.

Enter the Zsidai family, the Baltazar’s proprietors, who have been propelling this movement ahead with their gastronomy empire, owning eight award-winning restaurants in town.  Passionate about traditional Hungarian cuisine, their vision has been to make it shine in its old world glory. Considering the success of their epicurean dynasty, opening the Baltazar Hotel and Grill was a natural next move.

The first glimpse at the hotel’s imaginative slant is its welcome lobby, serving as both reception and bar to the Baltazar Grill, a French brasserie. From the foyer’s modern, stylistic details accented with flashes of red to the industrial chic décor of the restaurant, both a compelling contrast to its historic neighborhood, it’s clear that the Baltazar does not shy away from eye popping design; it embraces it.

As well the guest quarters speak a loud language of their own. Take Room 12, a funky Keith Haring inspired New York City loft, or Penthouse 43, a Nordic style top floor suite with vintage leather furniture and wrap-around terrace.  And how about Room 33, affectionately called ‘Scarlett,’ where Vermeer’s ‘Girl with the Pearl Earring’ stares down on a sumptuous boudoir? If only she could tell us what she has seen.  These audacious touches aside, amenities include the finest bed linens and down duvets, adjustable mood lighting, a MP3 docking station for your iPod or smartphone, huge Hansgrohe rain showerheads and L’Occitane toiletries.

In lieu of a concierge, each suite has a ‘Room Concierge’ – a custom listing of the hippest happenings in town from museum exhibitions, art fairs and concerts to restaurant recommendations, nightlife and even thermal baths and spas (Budapest is famous for its baths promoting wellness and health benefits).

And let’s not forget the Zsidais are serious foodies.  Meals at the Bar & Grill, which are decidedly gourmet, are prepared by one of Hungary’s most decisive chefs, Zsolt Litauszki.  The restaurant boasts “the world’s best handmade charcoal grill, the Josper of Catalunya, Spain,” organic vegetables and poultry from farms in the countryside, imported USDA prime from South Dakota as well as dry aged pork from Styria, Austria. Duck liver, a mainstay on the Hungarian table, comes from a family supplier in the Southeast and even the grill’s charcoal is imported from Argentina. Termed “gourmet street food”, each of the menu’s dishes is done with innovation, whether it’s a simple brioche breakfast sandwich or a spicy tuna burger.  Notable wines from the Carpathian Basin and several top shelf gins exemplify the selective spirits behind the bar.

The Baltazar Hotel & Grill is located on the historic ‘Buda’ side of Budapest.  A few blocks away is Fisherman’s Bastion and Mathias Church where an impressive view of the Hungarian Parliament building alongside the Danube River will dazzle even the most jaded onlooker.

If you are lucky enough to get to Budapest, go to Baltazar and experience the feeling of two worlds colliding.  Isn’t that what great stays are all about?