Reviews – Page 27 – European Traveler

The Bellerive Au Lac in Zurich

By Don Heimburger

Ah….walking along the wide pedestrian walkways on Lake Zurich’s east side in Zurich on a bright, sunny day, is worth at least one trip to your stress doctor. It’s a pleasant walk, and the view is great. Down the street called Utoqaui, right on the banks of the lake, is a first-class hotel called the Bellerive Au Lac, part of the Steigenberger Hotel Group.

Situated about a mile from the center of Zurich, you can take a local tram to get there if you come in from the main train station or the airport (about 7 miles from the airport). The Bellerive Au Lac is not well seen from the backside or the street the tram takes you down, so you may have to ask for directions. With 47 rooms and four suites, it’s not an exceptionally large hotel, but it does include two very fine restaurants and a bar, as well as a winter garden area. The food, and wine, is delectable in the restaurant, and the winter garden atmosphere is tops.

For meetings, the facility offers six conference rooms for up to 60 people and limo service on request. Fitness area, sauna, solarium and massage are part of the wellness offerings of the hotel.

TripAdvisor posted two reviews from people who stayed at the Bellerive:

“We had a nice stay in this hotel. Our room was updated, clean, and our room had a fantastic view of the lake and downtown Zurich. The hotel’s location is a 10- minute walk along the lake to central downtown Zurich. The hotel staff was very friendly and as helpful as you needed them to be. The breakfast buffet was more than acceptable as was the service. Zurich is a beautiful clean city and the views of the lake are spectacular. We will definitely stay in this hotel during our next trip to Zurich.”

And another review states: “Just back from my tenth or so stay at the Steigenberger. Once again, from the moment of check-in to the time of departure, the reception staff was magnificent. The room was spotless, as always, and stylishly comfortable. Views over the lake were amazing, especially with a summer thunderstorm rolling in. Breakfast hearty and comprehensive, interent access via wi-fi fast, though pricy. Looking forward to my next visit to Zurich, a trip always enhanced by staying at this great little hotel.”

Rates for one double bed, 1920s-style textiles and design furnishings, balcony, internet connection, air conditioning, satellite television, direct-dial phone, safe, minibar, complimentary fruit bowl, bathroom with hair dryer, bathrobes and toiletries, non-smoking room, was quoted as $415 U.S. dollars.

For further information, go to www.zuerich.steigenberger.ch or e-mail to bellerive@steigenberger.ch.

The City of Beer and Fun: Munich; The City of Oktoberfest!

By Steve and Alison Ramsey

“Ozapft is!” exclaimed Munich’s Lord Mayor Christian Ude after opening the first keg of beer at noon on September 22, thus officially inaugurating the world famous German Octoberfest.

And following 16 days of beer, fun and Gemutlichkeit, the 2007 Munich Octoberfest closed its gates after 6.2 million people visited the biggest fair in the world.

This big city, with rural charm and friendly people, served 6.7 million glasses of beer, thousands of Hendl (chickens) and 104 oxen to the crowds that swarmed into the 14 large tents on the Octoberfest grounds right off of the Schwanthalerstrasse. As many as 10,000 people can be accommodated in some of the huge beer tents.

Alison Ramsey tasted and tested the beers at Octoberfest. A good reporter must get all the facts, and test all the flavors of beer before she files her report.

COLORFUL TENTS
The tents, which sometimes appear more like buildings, are highly colorful, and are decorated with painted murals, clouds and more to make them attractive to the visitors, some of which spend all day inside!

A special Octoberfest beer, brewed by Munich’s six major breweries, is served in the tents. The delicious draught is usually served with radishes, Obatzta (special cheese), sausages, roast chicken or grilled fish. And barbecue beef is a Wiesn specialty.

This year, as many as 80 different firms offered fair guests samplings of their foods, and more than 200 attractions greeted fair-goers as well, such as breathtaking rides like the Olympia Loop or the Power Tower, the Krinoline (merry-go-round), the Teufelsrad (Devil’s Wheel), the Toboggan and even a variety show.

HISTORY OF THE FAIR
The wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig–later King Ludwig I of Bavaria–and Princess Theresa of Saxony-Hildburghausen in 1810, started the fair when the royal couple invited the people of Munich to celebrate in the fields in front of the city gates. The fields were named “Theresienwiese” in honor of the princess, and locals later abbreviated the name to “Wiesn.”

The annual Munich celebration starts off with a parade featuring festive carriages bearing the land-lords’ families, the horse-drawn drays of the Munich breweries, showmen’s coaches, waitresses on decorated floats and the beer tent bands. It’s quite a spectacle!

The following day the Munich Costume and Rifleman’s Parade features groups in traditional costumes, marching bands, troops of bandsmen and trumpeters, amateur and mountain riflemen. Performers of all kinds, decorated coaches and flower garlands are always main attractions of the parade. And the parade goes on even if the weather is bad!

European Traveler’s Steve Ramsey tests one of the giant pretzels at the 2007 Munich Octoberfest. Got a beer to go with this?

ONE LAST WORD, AND A FAMOUS BREW
Of course, one of Munich’s famous trademarks is the 418-year-old Hofbrauhaus, where beer lovers gravitate throughout the year. It’s a fun establishment that holds up to 3,000 guests at the same time. The beer house even has its own beer, served, of course, at Octoberfest.

Stay tuned for more beer news. We had a great time in Munich, so it’s likely we’ll be back! Let’s see…when is next year’s fair?

Corinthia Grand Hotel

By Don Heimburger
Photos by the author

In the sea of humanity which is Budapest, there is an oasis of calm and sophistication called the Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal.

Situated at Erzsebet krt 43-49 in the city center, this posh five-star hotel presents a grand facade, behind which lies 414 rooms, including 98 executive guestrooms on six floors, six junior suites, 22 one-bedroom deluxe suites and even 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments.

From the Grand Ballroom, which features 72 tons of inlaid marble (a centerpiece of the hotel), to the plush lobby, to the quiet and well-staffed restaurant, this well-appointed hotel is tops.

As Rick Steves has suggested, a top hotel is where he likes to stay when in a Eastern European city because of the service, food and cleanliness. Certainly the Corinthia fits this category.

SIX-STORY ATRIUM
As guests enter, a sweeping six-story atrium tops out with a glass roof, and a broad statue-lined staircase soars upwards to the mezzanine. Light-colored columns, delicate trimmed railings, large flower arrangements and pleasant desk personnel add to the atmosphere.

Relaxing at the hotel isn’t hard. It offers a Royal Spa, the first of which opened in 1886, with all the latest spa facilities and treatments, plus its own 50-foot-long swimming pool, saunas, steam bath, jacuzzi, fitness room, mud/seaweed baths and more.

The rooms are nicely appointed, with laundry and dry cleaning services available, tea/coffee makers in the room, iron and ironing board, and room service is available. Elevators take guests to their floors. Terrycloth bathrobes are available for guests in the rooms.

Languages spoken by the staff include English, Hungarian, German, French, Spanish and Italian. A concierge is available, as is a currency exchange, non-allergic pillows and a safe deposit box at the front desk. Parking is also available. There is a 24-hour security staff, complimentary access to WiFi wireless internet access, and internet access in rooms.

The breakfast buffet, one of the highlights of the morning, includes a variety of breads, croissants, muffins, coffee, champagne, hot and cold meats (bacon, sausage), eggs (scrambled and fried and made-to-order), fruits, pastries, cereals, juices, cheeses, baked beans, hash brown potatoes, pancakes, waffles, fresh vegetables, yogurts, and more. I came away fully satisfied with the morning breakfast. Service in the restaurant was always fast and friendly.

The Corinthia features five restaurants/bars, a nightclub, a number of retail outlets and 26 apartments for long term stays.

Room rates at the Corinthia vary depending on the season, but one night in May 2009 would start at about $245 U.S.

The hotel first opened for the Millennium Exhibition in 1896, where Josephine Baker, Heinz Rühmann and many other celebrities stayed at the time. Over the years, many famous writers and artists have been guests at the hotel.

During the last renovation, the hotel had a $100 million facelift that virtually gutted the entire building, leaving a beautiful hotel in the central part of Budapest.

For more information, contact www.corinthiahotels.com or www.corinthia.hu. E-mail is budapest@corinthia.hu.

Meissen Porcelain Celebrates 300 Years

Photos courtesy Germany Tourism

Founded in 1710, Meissen Porcelain is one of the world’s most successful luxury brands. It stands for the timeless connection between past and present, classic design and hand-made quality. This year Germany is celebrating the 300th anniversary of Meissen Porcelain with more than 40 special events and exhibitions.

Some of this year’s highlights included these exhibitions: Triumph of the Blue Swords at the Japanisches Palais in Dresden, focusing on the first 100 years of Meissen, showing masterpieces that are not usually displayed in public; All Nations are Welcome in the nearby town and modern factory of Meissen (January 23 – December 31); Philosopher’s Stone, a collection in the original workshop in Castle Albrechtsburg also in Meissen (May 8 – October 31); and The Fascination of Fragility with 500 pieces from Dresden’s state collection in the Ephraim Palace in Berlin.

Porcelain in Meissen and Dresden is not only available to the public during this jubilee year. The Saxon nobelman Augustus the Strong’s permanent collection is housed in Dresden’s Zwinger Museum in the rooms beautifully restored by the New York designer Peter Marino. The modern production center, its connected museum in Meissen and the original factory in the Albrechtsburg, are only 45 minutes outside of Dresden and accessible by fast train to visitors throughout the year. You can dine on Meissen porcelain, participate in workshops, watch the production and, of course, buy the products.

Porcelain manufacturing and collection is a major attraction throughout Germany, with special routes, museums and production centers. Two porcelain routes link places of interest with the manufacturing of porcelain: Along the 340-mile-long route in the north-east of Bavaria visitors can discover famous factories, the European Industrial Museum of Porcelain, the Rosenthal Museum and the European Museum of Technical Ceramics.
www.porzellanstrasse.de

A second themed route in Thuringia features factories where porcelain is made and decorated and where visitors can visit factory outlets, demonstration workshops and several museums.
www.thueringerporzellanstrasse.de

Another highly acclaimed porcelain factory is based in Munich in the beautiful Nymphenburg Palace. For 260 years the Nymphenburg production center produced dinner services and figurines for the Bavarian kings. At the adjacent museum more than 1,000 pieces of Nymphenburg porcelain from different periods are exhibited. www.nymphenburg.com/us/nymphenburg

Milestone Hotel Unveils Package to Celebrate the Royal Wedding

Following the official announcement that England’s royal newlyweds will move to Kensington Palace in June, the five-star boutique Milestone Hotel in London, which overlooks the royal palace and gardens, will celebrate the arrival of the new couple with the Live Like Royalty package and the specially designed “William and Catherine cocktail.”

Guests can also enjoy a taste of royal life with the hotel’s “Live Like Royalty” package, staying in suitably named rooms such as The English Rose, The Kensington Palace Studio, The Regency Suite, The Princess Suite or The Buckingham Suite—with entrance to Buckingham Palace included. Also, in July, guests visiting Buckingham Palace under the Milestone’s Live Like Royalty package will be able to view the Duke’s and Duchess’s wedding cake and the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress, which will go on display for the summer.

Created by Head Bartender Markus Rottensteiner, renowned for inventive cocktails, the William and Catherine Cocktail combines the flavors of Williams Pear, Williams Pear Schnapps and champagne.

The Milestone’s package includes two nights’ accommodation in a bedroom or suite overlooking the palace, full English breakfast, champagne afternoon tea, and two tickets to either the Queen’s Gallery or the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace.

The Milestone Hotel is known for its sumptuous interiors and has just unveiled its recently refurbished master suite, the Tudor Suite. Comprising one bedroom and one sitting room, the regal Tudor Suite offers luxurious stays with features such as a gold four-poster bed, custom made ivory silk curtains and furniture and art sourced from Christies and the finest auction houses around the world.