Four Seasons Gresham Palace views

The Four Seasons Gresham Palace is one of the world's great hotels. Built in 1906, this art nouveau masterpiece was originally the headquarters of the Gresham Life Assurance Company. Suffering serious damage during World War II, the Gresham Palace was nationalized by the government of Hungary after the war and turned into an apartment house. However, falling into a hopeless state of disrepair, Four Seasons was hired in 1998 to oversee its transformation into a luxury hotel. After a six year renovation project costing $110 million, the new Four Seasons Gresham Palace Budapest was unveiled.

Even if you're not staying at the Four Seasons, it is worth seeing the lobby and its restored glass domed roof, its mosaic floor (with over 1 million small tiles), and the wrought iron peacock gates. For a special treat during your stay in Budapest, book a Danube view room at the Gresham Palace. (Some of the rooms have small balconies, with larger balconies on the first floor). These rooms feature spectacular views across the beautiful Chain Bridge to the Royal Palace across the river. With everything lit up at night (see the picture above taken from my window), this will be a memory of Budapest you'll continue to enjoy for a lifetime.

Special values are available to guests who book through a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant — including room upgrades upon arrival if available, a complimentary daily continental breakfast for two, and one lunch for two during your stay.


Four Seasons Gresham Palace, Budapest (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Prague | the Jewish museum

When in Prague, you should definitely plan a visit to the Jewish Museum. This is not a traditional museum in a single building. A visit involves walking through the Jewish Quarter of Prague and visiting exhibits in a number of the old synagogues of the city. The Maisel Synagogue is used for exhibition space. The Spanish Synagogue is an incredibly beautiful building currently in use, said to be the second largest Jewish house of worship in the world (just one inch smaller than Temple Emmanuel in New York). The Old Jewish Cemetery is an impressive site with nearly 12,000 tombstones.

The most impressive site in the Jewish Museum, however, is the Pinkas Synagogue which serves as a memorial to 80,000 Jewish victims of the Holocaust from Bohemia and Moravia. The names of these victims have been hand-painted on the walls of the synagogue (see the picture at the top of this article), and the sight of this seemingly endless list of names is an truly awesome experience. In the realization of the brutality of which humans are capable, we are reminded of our capacity for goodness and of the need — especially in these days — to embrace our common humanity. Travel becomes a transcendent experience for me in moments such as these.


copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Prague | unique pasta and pizza restaurant

When you come to Prague, you will of course want to try the local cuisine. I had a great potato soup for lunch one day and an incredible dinner one evening created by the Michelin-starred chef of the Four Seasons' Allegro. But for a very different kind of experience, try Ristorante Pizza Nuevo, part of the Ambiente group of restaurants. It's said that John Travolta loves this restaurant.

Although you can order off the menu, you'll probably want to choose the Degustazione Alla Campania, the "try as much as you can" pizza, pasta, and antipasti buffet. After a sampler plate at the antipasti buffet, the wait staff keeps bringing around all different varieties of freshly prepared pasta and pizza. The atmosphere is fun, the food is delicious (and filling), and you definitely will not leave hungry.

This is not a restaurant that tourists know about, but it's only a 5 minute walk from the main square of Prague. Even at 3 p.m. in the afternoon, the place was filled with locals, always the best restaurant recommendation. Ristorante Pizza Nuevo is a fun, good, and non-fussy pizza and pasta place to enjoy with your family or go out to with friends.


Ristorante Pizza Nuevo (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Prague | a magical city

"It's like Disney, but it's real."

I was text messaging with my daughter last night from Prague. Through the wonders of internet technology, I was able to download pictures from my camera, edit them in iPhoto, post them in my gallery on MobileMe, and talk with her about them real-time on iChat. After seeing some of the night shots of Prague, she said "it's like Disney, but it's real." That is precisely my own insight about this magical city.

The picture above is taken from within the elaborate library of the Strahov Monastery in Prague. Containing 280,000 titles, these are some of the most fabulous rooms you'll ever see. Off-limits to the general public (the vast majority of tourists can only peer through a small doorway at the far end of the two rooms), our group was able to walk through the library at leisure, look at the ancient books up close, and generally experience these impressive spaces.

One of the most interesting features of the library is a polished antique wooden table; our guide showed us how the table converts into a step ladder that can be used to access books on the higher up shelves. We were also able to see up close the globes and stained glass windows throughout the room and hear explanations of the artwork on the painted ceiling.

How did we get into a place not normally open to the general public? The Virtuoso network includes local experts who can set up exclusive access to special VIP experiences in virtually any destination on earth, giving a whole new definition to luxury travel. Contact a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant to learn what might be possible in Prague — or in any destination you might want to visit.


Strahov Monastery, Prague (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Piccadilly Circus, then and now

The faded picture of Piccadilly Circus (see the March 16th article below) was taken in the summer of 1969. I was then a high school graduate enjoying my first trip to Europe. I took the picture above tonight, March 24.

Lots of things have changed in the last 40 years, not the least of which is our ability today to take a photograph and instantly publish it for the world to see. When you compare the two photographs, what strikes you as being similar and dissimilar?

Certainly Coca Cola is a constant, but otherwise the roster of advertisers has changed from 40 years ago when the billboards advertised vermouth, ale and lager beer, rum, cigarettes, Bulova watches, and London theatre. The old billboards were static images. Today's displays contain video graphics advertising technology brands such as Sanyo, Samsung, and TDK.

What's the same? Piccadilly Circus remains a busy intersection with its own tube station. It attracts tourists day and night to see the Shaftesbury memorial fountain and statue of Anteros. London is a great tourist destination, and I'll be publishing in the days to come about the 17 hotel site inspections I'm due to complete over my three days here.

Piccadilly Circus (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2008 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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last minute planning for a trip

Seven days from now I'll be on a plane, somewhere between San Francisco and London. Hopefully, I'll get be getting some sleep - although getting quality sleep on a plane is always difficult. Between now and then, during this final week before a trip, I'll be going through my last minute trip planning.

What do you do to get ready to travel? I travel a lot — it's part of my job description as a travel consultant — and I find it helpful to have a plan. Here are some things you should do seven days out:

1. Reconfirm your flights. Sometimes reservations mysteriously drop out of an airline's computer system or flight schedules change. Call the airline with your confirmation number in hand, make sure your frequent flyer number is in the record, and get seat assignments.

2. Do your connections make sense? If schedules have changed, make sure you still have enough time for any connecting flights. If you don't because of a schedule change, this is one time you can get the airline to change your flights without penalty.

3. How are you getting to the airport? Now's the time to make your limo reservations, not the night before. What time do you want to be picked up? I always build extra time into my schedule so that even if rush hour traffic is terrible, I can arrive at the airport in plenty of time to check in for my flight.

4. Get your itinerary in shape. Include your flights, your airport transfers, your hotel confirmations with confirmation number and room rate clearly indicated. Make a day-by-day schedule with any tours you've planned, any trains or busses or rental cars you'll be taking.

5. Find your passport and put it in your carryon. Make sure the expiration date is at least 6 months beyond your date of return, and ensure that you have empty pages. Find out if you need any visas for foreign destinations.

6. Call your credit card company and let them know where you'll be traveling. That way, you're much less likely to have charges rejected while you're a continent away.

7. Put out your suitcase. While you don't need to be packed a week ahead of time, a suitcase on your bedroom floor will remind you of things you'll want to bring along. Whenever you think of something, stick it in the suitcase.

8. Develop a personal packing list. List everything you want in your carryon and accessories you'll need for your computer, cell phone, and camera. What toilet articles will you want to bring? Why invent the wheel every time you have to pack for a trip? Develop your own packing list and keep it on your computer.

9. What details do you need to take care of while you're away? Someone to watch your kids? bring in your mail? take care of your pets? Make sure they remember. Any bills you need to pay? Need to stop the paper? You can schedule all of that now!

10. Remember to have fun! It's been said that only two things are absolutely necessary in life: to breath in ... and breath out. With that in mind, get your final plans in place, and then enjoy your trip!


last minute planning for my trip (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Travel Horizons meetup in London

I will be in London in a couple of weeks (departing SFO on March 23rd), and as per a suggestion made by one of my readers, I'd like to invite Travel Horizons readers who live in London — or may be visiting London — to a meetup.

          Date: Thursday, March 26th
          Time: 5 p.m.
          Place: The Rivoli Bar at the Ritz London

Please RSVP to me by March 22nd (click here) so that I can make any necessary reservations.

(Note: Jackets and ties are required at the Rivoli Bar, and jeans and sports shoes are not permitted).

My agenda in London? I will be doing site visits of sixteen hotels: The Ritz London, Rocco Forte Brown's Hotel, The Stafford, 51 Buckingham Gate, The Goring, 41, Egerton House, The Milestone, The Baglioni, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, The Dorchester, The Berkeley, The Lanesborough, InterContinental London Hyde Park, The Connaught, and Claridge's. These constitute virtually all of the Virtuoso hotels in London (with the exception of the Four Seasons London which is currently undergoing renovation) along with several of the Red Carnation Hotels in London.

And after leaving London, I will be visiting Prague and Budapest, a couple of brand new destinations for me. I'll have lots to write about after my return on April 2nd.


Virtuoso hotels in London (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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