5 luxurious wine hotels in Hungary

Hungarianwines.eu — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 08:31:02 +0000

Autumn is wonderful in Hungary, thousand colours delight our eyes and the autumn breeze carries the unmistakable scents of grape harvest. The weather is pleasant, ideal for long walks and even longer wine tastings. For those looking for a stylish place to stay, we recommend Barta Cellar with the mansion of an emperor, Gere Crocus Hotel with luxurious grape seed treatments, the renewed Hilltop Wine Estate with hedonic experience by the pool, Lajver Wine House with its state-of-the-art building and Bock Ermitage, the paradise for meat lovers.

1. Barta Cellar – the mansion of a prince

My sister was in love with Francis II Rákóczi, an important character of Hungarian history, the prince of Transylvania in the 18th century. She would stare at the photo of his portrait in the history book for hours. Guess how happy she was, when we stayed in Rákóczi’s mansion in Mád, watching the ceiling above the bed thinking of him, who might have watched the same ceilings 300 years ago… The house was completely ruined, I saw it before renovation, the restaurateurs did an excellent job!

– The best place for lovers of history.

– Where? Mád, Tokaj wine region, in the centre of the village.

– Extras: Cigar Room, Music Room, individually decorated suits.

– Wines: juicy white wines, outstanding, single vineyard Furmint wines, great Tokaji Aszú. There is a wine cooler in each suite.

– Don’t miss the stunning bottle fermented sparkling wine!

More about Barta Rákóczi-Aspremont Mansion

2. Gere A Winery – Hotel Crocus

When you enter Crocus, you can immediately feel the elegance in the air. The whole interior is so subtle, so refined, you feel like touching the walls, the upholstery of the furniture. The restaurant – called Mandula – offer seasonal dishes and degustation dinners, the terrace is ideal for a large breakfast. The spa section of the hotel is splendid with vinotherapy using Andrea Gere’s cosmetic line called Grapelove. “The extra virgin grape seed oil, granules and extracts are made from organic estate grown grapes by applying the winery’s in-house developed technology; these products have long been used at the Spa for vinotherapeutic treatments. Following three years of meticulous development in Switzerland Andrea Gere’s cosmetics line GRAPELOVE was introduced in November 2019 marking a new direction for beauty treatments.”

– The best place for spa lovers.

– Where? Villány, in the centre of the town.

– Extras: free standing bath tubs.

– Wines: lovely aerated rosé and white wine, outstanding aged red wines with icons like Solus and Kopar.

– Don’t miss Fekete Járdovány, a true rarity!

More about Gere Crocus Resort & Spa

3. Lajver Wine Estate – peaceful or buzzy

The estate building of Lajver Wine House fits into the surrounding hills and grape terraces, seamlessly, the valley is spectacular, the tasting hall is an astonishing, spacious place and even the cellar visit offers modern beauty. The chef of the wine bistro is creative and passionate, the staff is friendly, the wines are impressive – and it is worth asking the young winemaker about the latest experiments. The rooms are furnished with the use of the most natural materials: glass, stone, wood, concrete, subtle textiles. There are only a few rooms, so it is ideal for couples or small groups. Lajver frequently holds vivid parties, check it before booking: you might find yourself in a buzzy festival.

– The best place for lovers of modern architecture.

– Where? Near Szekszárd (accessible only by car), surrounded by beautiful terraces of vines.

– Extras: amazing view of the rooms.

– Wines: a wide range of wines from the easy-drinking whites or rosés to the serious red wines, like Signum, the premium Bikavér of the estate.

– Don’t miss the “blanc de noir” wine of the estate, Incognito!

More about Lajver Wine House and Wine Hotel

4. Hilltop Wine Estate – want to sleep in a barrel?

An ideal solution for those, who do not want to drive far from the capital, but look for a hotel with every amenities. The hotel has rooms with view of the river Danube, some other suites in an adjacent guest house for families, and the latest and coolest are definitely the two “barrel rooms”, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Both are suitable for a couple (available in twin or double bed format). Staying in a barrel is guaranteed to be quiet, since there is no electricity in the barrel (a solar lamp is provided).

– The best place for lovers of modern architecture.

– Where? Not far for Budapest (accessible only by car), only an hour’s drive.

– Extras: barrel rooms, open air pool.

– Wines: all the wine labels show the aroma profile of the wines, thus we can learn while drinking…

– Don’t miss Kamocsay Ákos line of the winery, premium wines of the chief winemaker of Hilltop.

More about Hilltop Wine Estate (at the moment in Hungarian, but google translate can help…)

5. Bock Cellar – Hotel Ermitage

Finally I recommend another hotel of Villány, where – obviously – I have stayed a couple of times. The rooms are cosy and recently they have been renewed, there is a lovely wellness department, the cellar is magnificent it is literally under the hotel, but the best is the kitchen. If you need some treat that reminds you of your childhood (like the famous Disney movie’s restaurant critic needed it in Ratatouille), Bock Óbor Restaurant is your place. Heart warming, soul healing dishes with a large selection of venison, since József Bock is an active – and skillful – hunter himself.

– The best place for epicureans.

– Where? In Villány, close to the centre of the town.

– Extras: hotel, cellar, restaurant, wellness, large garden – all in one place.

– Wines: a wide selection of wines with superb barrel aged red wines and icons like Magnifico.

– Don’t miss 70+ blend, the latest success story of the cellar.

More about Bock Ermitage and Óbor Restaurant