Short History of Hotel Charles Budapest in the perspective of other Budapest Hotels
Budapest, the "Spa City" lies on the two banks of the river Danube, with the slopes of the surrounding hills providing an unsurpassable panorama of the city. Budapest as the capital of Hungary, the country in the former Eastern Block but having the most freedom of all was always a favourite destination of tourists. For a long time the demand and the rush of tourists could not be satisfied because of the lack of hotels. Budapest had most of its hotels ruined during WW2, and the empty space could be filled only by paying-guest services from the 1960-es on. Private rooms were sold to compensate the lack of hotelbeds providing about the half of the total accomodation capacity together with the growing number of small private pensions in Budapest. Hotels in Budapest were constructed apart from a few early exceptions like Hotel Budapest Intercontinental only starting by the end of the 1970s. This lagging behind was tried to be solved by the construction of high standard hotels one after the other. To accomodate the tourists, and foreigners visiting fairs and sports events the following hotels were all opened between 1970 and 1985 like the Thermal Hotel Budapest, Hotel Forum, Hotel Hyatt, Novotel, Ramada, among several other well-known hotels.
Budapest Hotel Charles was founded back in 1991 by Károly Szombati first under the name Charlie's Apartment Service, later Charles Apartment House opening with 3 studios.
The second boom of hotel building in Hungary began in 1999. Hungary welcomed foreign capital investments with reasonable taxes. The investors could find a stable political, economical and monetary system furthermore. The number of 5star hotels in Hungary quickly rose from 7 to 11, 9 of which is in Budapest. Hotels development was concentrated mainly in Budapest, but a few 4 and 5 star hotels were opened in the provinces as well, like in Hévíz, Szeged and Tokaj.
This was the most expansive period in the development of Charles Apartment House too. The enterprise reached a 3 star category with the new restaurant, reception, business center and the 70 rooms under the name Hotel Charles.
The pace of the construction of hotels did not slow down after 2000. Investors preferred mostly the 4-5 star hotels but a few 3 star hotels were also opened lately in Budapest. Hotel Metropol, Novotel Centrum (4star hotels), Grand Hotel Corinthia, Le Meridien (5star hotels) were all opened in the last few years. Maybe the most beautiful hotel of Budapest seems to be the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham opening in summer 2004 after the reconstruction of the former Gresham Palace.
Further places of investment in Hungarian tourism are the building of conference centers, thermal and wellness projects, reconstruction of mansions apart from the construction of hotels.
Budapest meets European standards in the capacity of accomodation and services but the prices are well below that. You can find high quality services in the hotels in Budapest for half the prices of the accomodation travellers are used to in the capitals of Europe.
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