‘Ideal place’ near Budapest

On a trip to Europe in May ’11, we wanted to take a break from our itinerary for a short stay in a quiet place with clean air and mountain views. We found the ideal place near Budapest, Hungary.

Hotel Silvanus (Fekete-hegy, Visegrád, H-2025, Hungary; phone 011 36 26 398 311) is located on a mountainside about 40 kilometers from the city. The rooms have nice views, either to the Danube Bend, itself a tourist attraction, or toward the forest.

The hotel has an outdoor pool plus three covered pools, including a Jacuzzi, with varying temperatures to cater to every need, children included.

Rooms, with meals, run in the $160-to-$270 range. Including breakfast and dinner for two, we paid $250 per night for a suite with a terrace and a view of the Danube.

The food was well prepared, with a big selection of dishes served mostly buffet style, which let us taste the many area specialties.

The hotel was well managed. The staff was very courteous, spoke English and helped to arrange sightseeing trips to nearby attractions.

About 10 minutes’ walk from the hotel are the restored remains of the famous fort of Visegrád, with exhibits on royal life there from the 12th century, and at the bottom of the mountain, in the village of Visegrád, are the restored remains of the Royal Palace, built in the Middle Ages.

About 20 kilometers away, above the Danube River, is Esztergom, with the largest basilica in Hungary.

Originally, we intended to stay only a few days, but, because of the pleasant and attentive atmosphere, we spent six days at this hotel.

GEORGE FROYTON
Scarsdale, NY