Budapest deserves to have a Ritz hotel
Bob Kharazmi, Global Operations Officer of Ritz-Carlton, said that the Hungarian capital deserves to have a Ritz hotel, where rooms can be afforded, not only by wealthy tourists, but by the residents of Budapest as well, origo.hu writes. As Daily News Hungary has previously reported, the opening of a hotel in Budapest was announced last year.
Kharazmi has recently visited Budapest for the opening of the city’s first Ritz-Carlton hotel; the building at Deák Ferenc Square used to give home to the five star hotel Le Méridien.
The Global Operations Officer emphasized that Budapest’s recent improvements in the past couple of years, its blooming cultural and gastronomic events, and its great connections to different cities via several airlines have convinced the leaders of Ritz-Carlton that opening a hotel in the city is going to be a great investment.
The hotel chain’s goal is to shape the Budapest hotel according to the city’s taste, and to preserve its unique atmosphere and architectural design. Rooms should be affordable for the residents of Budapest as well, not only for tourists from around the world.
Opening the Budapest hotel is only the first step in establishing hotels in the Central European region, where 
tourism is blooming.
As metropol.hu has reported, many of the building’s architectural design elements have been preserved, but nevertheless, it underwent some major constructions. There are 200 rooms instead of 218; 170 rooms and 30 expanded suites. The eighth and ninth floors are private Club Levels, and all rooms come with a concierge and special services (such as 0-24 food and drink service).
The building’s interior is clear and modern, and the colours were inspired by the Danube. All rooms come with a bar offering special drinks, and guests are greeted with souvenirs. The building’s restaurant still operates under the name “Deák St. Kitchen” and there’s an open area from spring till autumn. The restaurant offers Hungarian specialities made from local and seasonal ingredients.
During the opening ceremony, Farah Willey, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Ritz-Carlton, Budapest, said that Budapest is one of the most attractive cities in Europe with its blooming tourism. Also, the hotel’s location is excellent, and the chain expects to have a 60-70% booking ratio in the first year.
The hotel is in a listed building, and it’s not owned by the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company; the company, which is a subsidiary of the Marriott International hotel chain, only signed an operating agreement.
Photo: ritzcarlton.com
Copy editor: bm
Source: origo.hu, metropol.hu
