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Quick Update from Budapest

Oct. 02, 2011
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4 min read
Quick Update from Budapest
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Budapest is an incredible city. It's unbelievably gorgeous and the nightlife has been a blast (to say the least) as well. Day 1 was spent roaming around, going to the Four Seasons Spa and of course ... the Britney Spears concert - which was an experience.

First off; the Four Seasons Gresham Palace is a stunning hotel. That being said, it's expensive and the room I booked ended up being on the first floor with an interior view so I ended up paying more to upgrade to a suite which has a small balcony and showstopping views of the Danube (I'll save the full story on that for the review post).

The Britney concert was fun and the Starwood Preferred Guest tickets were phenomenal - we were 3rd row in section 102, which was right off the stage. Considering I got both tickets for 5,000 Starwood points via SPG Concerts, I consider it a very good redemption. Lori who is clearly the bigger Britney fan also had a great time and considering this is her birthday weekend, I consider it a success.

Some notes from the concert: Britney's art of lip-syncing is as strong as ever. She has really mastered the craft and it showed. She was also extremely lethargic. Seriously, I felt like she was in slow motion - especially because her massive crew of backup dancers were amazing.

The show itself was entertaining and I found it interesting that no one was dancing or even standing up at the concert. I'm not sure if that's a Hungarian thing or whether people were dazed that the show was basically Britney's CD blasting at full volume with some slight shimmying on stage. We were seated next to a couple in their 60's - I'm betting a Starwood road warrior who took his wife - who seemed to have a good time, but sat stone-faced the whole night.

We got a late start Saturday, and had breakfast and coffee in the area around the hotel while browsing several unique stores. After grabbing Hungarian for lunch it was off to the Gellert baths in the afternoon, which was a really nice experience. The Four Seasons concierge (who has been nothing short of amazing) set up our Gellert trip and prepared us bath bags; which included towels, shampoo/soap and slippers. The weather has been fantastic here, so we spent some time at the outdoor pool area and also did the indoor co-ed thermal baths. We split up to try out the inner mens/women-only pools, which had ornate tiling. Besides a little confusion around how to get my locker to work and where we had to buy swimming caps, it was a really fun experience.

Today we have a reservation at the Marriott for their famed brunch on the terrace (thanks to TPG reader John's recommendation) and 2-hour Segway tour of the city which should be interesting as I've never been on a Segway before. The weather seriously cannot be better - sunny and mid/high 70s so I'm looking forward to zipping around the city.

More to come!

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 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.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    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.