Hotel Review: Four Seasons Gresham Palace Budapest
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
I spend a lot of time on the road, so I really value unique hotel experiences. While a majority of my stays are in chain hotels that give me great elite perks, once in a while I like to splurge on a luxury hotel. While I usually use points to bring down the cost of expensive hotels or get really good advance/discount rates, once in a while I get the urge to throw caution to the wind and indulge at a non-points earning luxury hotel. While I sometimes feel guilty for doing it, travel is my passion, hobby and full-time job, so at a very minimum I consider it necessary to understand the full spectrum of the hotel industry.
When I decided to go to Budapest, I decided my splurge would be on the Four Seasons Gresham Palace, which is the hotel in Budapest. The location is unparalleled - right on the Danube on the Pest side of the city, but within easy walking distance to the historic Buda side. It's also right near top shopping and dining and having only opened in 2004, it's still relatively new and in pristine condition.
What also sealed the deal was that it participates in the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts program, which is offered to all Platinum and Centurion cardholders. I've never used this benefit, so I decided to give it a whirl. The daily rates were comparable to what was being offered on Fourseasons.com and the benefits I would receive were: 12pm check-in, 4pm checkout, in-room amenity of wine and fruit, free breakfast and a space-available upgrade.
I ended up booking a mid-level Gresham Room for 390 euros per night (for 2 nights - my third would be spent at Le Meridien Budapest on a heavily discounted advance rate of 129 euros).
Upon check-in the agent greeted me by name and explained my Gresham room was ready and it was on the first floor with a courtyard view, which wasn't really what I was expecting. At a minimum, I thought we'd get a room with a nice view of the river on a higher floor. I had checked online and the hotel was selling every room type, so I knew it wasn't a soldout weekend.
When I inquired about upgrades due to booking via American Express FHR, she seemed put off and told me they were soldout of all upgradeable rooms. Interesting since I knew that wasn't true. I pushed back a little bit and she offered to look into it and mentioned that suites were available for an upgrade fee. I decided to check out my room before making any decisions and told her I'd call her back. To be honest, Lori and I both thought she was being a little shady, though I don't know if it was just the language barrier.
The Gresham Room was spacious and nice, but it had a terrible view of the inner courtyard. It was decent, but not really what I was expecting for 390 euros. I decided to call back and see what my options were - but before doing so I loaded up Fourseasons.com to confirm that rooms were still for sale and indeed they were in every category. (At this point I started feeling like I was at an SPG hotel arguing for a Platinum upgrade!).
She finally gave in and said I could have a Danube view room, but mentioned that it wouldn't be available for 2 hours and it was smaller than the Gresham Room. She also said if I paid for the Danube View room, she would upgrade me to a suite with a balcony and great views. She quoted me an upgrade of 300 euros per night, which was more than I wanted to spend. I cross referenced the price of the Danube View room on Fourseasons.com and it was only 200 euros more (590) than what I was currently paying and she agreed to do it for that price.
I felt guilty for spending 590 euros ($788) per night, but I'd rather have an awe-inspiring spacious suite for $788 than an unmemorable regular room for $521. The Park Suite was going for 1,120 euros per night ($1,497) so I still felt like I was getting a decent deal. My motto in life is "go big or go home" and this was definitely one of those moments.
The third floor suite was indeed gorgeous, though it wasn't really a suite - more like an oversized room with a living area. However, the mini-balcony and views of the city were just incredible. On Saturday night I hosted a group of friends who live in Budapest for drinks, so the extra space definitely came in handy.
I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, but overall the Four Seasons Gresham Palace experience was flawless once we got the room situation sorted out. We used the gym/sauna and got spa treatments which were actually done in converted hotel rooms because the spa is under construction.
After I blogged about using FHR, several friends who are Four Seasons Preferred Partner travel agents scolded me for not booking through them, because apparently they can get better rates and the amenities are better. I'll have to try them out next time to compare, because I don't think I'll use FHR again anytime soon. The most important benefit to me is a nice, spacious room which is why I highly value top-tier hotel elite status. While Four Seasons are nice, I'm not in the position to be able to pay $800 a night every time I want a hotel suite! Though I have to admit, it was fun to splurge and the Park Suite was the perfect staging grounds for a quick and most definitely memorable weekend trip to Budapest.
[card card-name='Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express ' card-id='22035076' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']
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Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.