The charming Hotel Sissi, less than 500 meters from the Museum of Applied Arts, offers a few extra touches uncommon among hotels in its general price category. Along the way, it maintains its dedication to Budapest's favorite 19th-century princess without getting too frilly.
Thanks to inspiration found within the lifespan of Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie (a.k.a. Sissi), the hotel features a few 19th-century touches. The Sissi balances a romantic impulse with sleek sophistication. In the entry, we encountered a cabinet displaying St. Louis crystal colored glasses above a shoe shine machine. Dansk collector plates are sold in the lobby and little framed etchings of women in hoop skirts hang on the walls.
The one and only "Sissi" room is inspired by the Victorian era, with lacy pillow shams and lamp shades in a Laura Ashley mold. Surprisingly, the other 44 rooms of the Sissi are 1960s modern, featuring floral print bed covers and furnishings in blue hues that match the wall trim. The Sissi's singles, doubles, and triples resemble sets from the film "Pillow Talk."
Rooms facing the front Angyál utca are quite peaceful, as are (no surprise here) the doubles facing the greenery behind the hotel. The hotel's terrace offers an inviting retreat just a few blocks from bustling Pest.
The Hotel Sissi shares a backyard with the
Corvin Hotel next door.