I evaluate conference venues for my clients. Here’s a brief review
of a hotel I visited, viewed from a conference perspective.

Curb appeal: We came into town ‘fresh’ off an overnight train from Slovakia by way of Vienna, so I’m sure my first impression was colored by exhaustion. However, the location is outside the business and tourist sections of Budapest. The surrounding neighborhood is safe, but decidedly blue collar.

Property name: Boscolo Budapest
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Purpose of visit: Site check

Lobby Love: Once you enter the hotel, however, everything changes. Grand and opulent come to mind. It truly is one of the most impressive lobbies I’ve seen. It may lack warmth, but it makes up for that in beauty. Impressive. Very impressive.

Front Desk warm n’ fuzzy: Initial experience was professional. Each interaction after was always cordial and helpful.

Guest room at-a-Glance: A beautiful room. No complaints at all. Amenities were top notch.

Awesome place;  great breakfast spread.

Fabulous F&B? (room service, restaurants, bars). Breakfast each morning was served in the stunning New York Cafe. We drank enough complimentary eight-euro coffee concoctions to cover our room charges. Breakfast spread and service were exceptional. Your attendees will be absolutely awed. We didn’t sample the bar, but it looked as beautiful as the rest of the hotel.

Memorable Meeting space? Yes. This is some truly unique meeting space. Evidence of the Italian owners was everywhere in the sleek and stylish design. Not your usual ‘old Europe ballroom’ feel. I did not hold a conference here, so I can’t speak to the level of service. But the quality of the space was obvious.

Parting thoughts? Budapest is a wonderful city. Some years back, I produced a conference on the Buda side, and attendees loved the location. This hotel, on the Pest side of the Danube, is a true gem, and I have zero complaints about the property. However, the location, which is far away from tourist sites, would require careful planning of offsite activities and an efficient transportation plan both for arrivals and departures. But, you’d be hard pressed to find a more beautiful conference location in Central Europe.

Recommended, with some small locational reservations.

Questions? I'd love to help. Just contact me.