Corinthia-Budapest-Newsletter

your CORINTHIA CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST corinthia.com INTRO

INTERVIEW

PROGRAMS

CSR

awards we are proud of, a photo what we love and a prominent guest whom we have hosted not long ago.

interview with nikoletta Kovács front office manager on her evaluation of the past and plans for the future.

plan your programs with us! we have listed a great number of events for you to enjoy. also, our 10th anniversary is coming up!

corinthia hotel budapest sets example by supporting ill children in cooperation with the magic lamp foundation.

welcome FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER > after the chilly days of

february we all await the first rays of sun with particular excitement, yearning for the scents and sounds of spring. although the weather may not always allow one to spend a day, or even an afternoon, out in the fresh air, we would still like to suggest some programs that will have an invigorating effect on both body and spirit. during the month, corinthia hotel budapest is offering several programs that guarantee pleasurable leisure time in the afternoon and evening. we have arranged the first Jazz series – Join the band in le bar, where we welcome you not only to sit back and listen to jazz but, if the mood takes you, join the band for some jazz jamming. march 8 marks international women’s day, and we have put together something really special for the occasion: the royal spa has a ladies’ spring skin rejuvenation treatment program running throughout the month. what’s more, our executive chef has come up with some gourmet and yet easily prepared recipes for dinners with friends and family. in addition to the programs on offer in the hotel, i would like to draw your attention to the various events and opportunities that the wonderful and historical capital of budapest has to offer. finally, i trust that you will enjoy the march edition of our newsletter and that you will find within its pages programs that are very much to your taste.

Thomas m. fischer | general manager

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

cooperaTion wiTh The magic lamp foundaTion

The ’gasTronome of The year’ award > on february 4, 2013 Tibor

meskál, the senior duty manager of corinthia hotel budapest was awarded as the ’gastronome of the year’ by the national association of hungarian gastronomy at the 21th Tourism season opening gala. This prize was presented as recognition of meskál’s outstanding work in 2012, and also his 13 years of effort to improve the quality of hospitality in hungary as chairman of the grand hotel royal’s hospitality club. he has been the senior duty manager of corinthia hotel budapest since 2002 and the host of the regular wine Tasting dinners at the hotel. The award was given by norbert csizmadia the minister of state for economic planning at ministry for national economy and viktória horváth vice minister of state at ministry for national economy. congratulations mr. meskál!

> our hotel’s spa we are especially proud of.

abouT corinThia hoTel budapesT

supporTing children

> corinthia hotel budapest is an

maximum guest satisfaction, being a role model in the area of corporate social responsibility is a primary commitment. at the end of 2012, we finalized a strategic cooperation agreement with the csodalámpa (magic lamp) wish fulfilling foundation, now in its 10th year of operation. we have a common purpose: to help people in need.

The magic lamp wish fulfilling foundation makes the wishes and hopes of children who suffer from life-threatening diseases come true, giving them unforgettable experiences and breaking the dull routine of hospital treatment. The foundation – with the generous, support of individual and corporate sponsors – has been fulfilling wishes since november 2003, in which time it has made the dreams of around 2,000 seriously ill children come true. corinthia hotel budapest is pledged to support this worthy cause and brighten up the lives of needy children in 2013.

award-winning member of the corinthia hotels brand. The hotel originally opened as the grand hotel royal in 1896 and was entirely renovated and, in parts, rebuilt, in 2003, following its acquisition by corinthia hotels. among its many attributes, the hotel features a majestic grand ballroom and the ‘royal spa’- itself an extensive renovation of an original 19th century spa which adjoined the original hotel - that has once again regained its rightful place as budapest’s most luxurious spa.

> corinthia hotel budapest believes that, as well as guaranteeing

guestbook canadian acTor donald suTherland

your CORINTHIA CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST corinthia.com

The grand story

meeT The sTaff

of corinThia hoTel budapesT

INTERVIEW WITH

BY TIBOR MESKÁL, MANAGER ON DUTY

Nikoletta Kovács,

The beginning - Chapter 2

FRONT OFFICE MANAGER

> after its opening, the royal became a popular, regular haunt of

contemporary hungarian writers and journalists, including Jenô heltay, sándor hunyadi, lajos nagy, and gyula Krúdy. The royal soon became a favorite topic of journalists. The first screening in budapest of a motion picture by the lumiére brothers also took place at the hotel and later became highly successful as a regular exhibition. in 1909, the first hungarian airplane was exhibited at the hotel’s cour d’honneur. several classical concerts were held in royal’s ballroom, and béla bartók, the world famous hungarian composer, frequently conducted music there. from the very beginning this magnificent room hosted a number of elegant balls. with the growing popularity of the motion picture, the ballroom ceased to exist as a part of the hotel when it was reconstructed as the royal apollo cinema and after the second world war it reopened its doors as the red star cinema with its entrance on hársfa street in 1959. actually the operation of this cinema even survived the operation of the old royal, which was closed in 1991. after years of decline, the ballroom’s legend was reborn in 2002 when the whole property was reconstructed and even this room was restored to its original state. it was laid with italian limestone and spanish marble, framed by the expertise of hungarian craftsmen: their fabulous plaster work puts the final touch on the hotel and their gilded scrolls elevate the beauty of the grand ballroom. from the second world war until 1953 the royal served not as a hotel, but as an office building. in 1953 the building was restored into a hotel, but three years later the roof was destroyed by fire. This unfortunate event forced the architects to reconstruct the whole building in 1956. The royal was intended to be a hotel representative of the age, since none of today’s hotels on the danube bank had been established yet. istván Janáky, architect of the reconstruction, reconsidered the building’s interior as the ‘space idealism’ of his age. Today, no remains of the original interior can be found. The demolition and reconstruction in 1956 destroyed every trace. in 1961 the royal was re-opened as a hotel, with 367 guest rooms. over the years the hotel became obsolete and finally, it was closed in the autumn of 1991, although the cinema remained in use until the autumn of 1997. The original visitor’s book contains the signatures of some of the most important people from around the world. Just a few examples are max reinhardt, asta nilsen, saljapin, valdemar psylander, professor barnard, roberto benzi, mario del monaco, anna moffo, renata scotto, elisabeth schwarzkopf, amerigo Tot, valentina Tereskova. This year the restored and rebuilt grand hotel royal celebrates the 10th anniversary of its reopening on april 30, 2003 as the corinthia hotel. several additional historical periods and chapters will be presented to the readers in the coming issues to commemorate this magnificent hotel.

To be continued…

corinThia hoTel prague > corinthia hotel prague is a

modern upscale business and leisure hotel with fantastic conference facilities and a wonderful top floor spa offering stunning views over the city of prague. less than five minutes away from prague city center, this corinthia hotel is a landmark in itself, standing atop one of prague’s seven hills and offering outstanding views of the capital city. The hotel features 306 superior and 145 business rooms. in addition, the property boasts 66 executive rooms and 22 suites on the top 3 floors. all rooms are air-conditioned and feature flat-screen satellite Tvs, high-quality furniture and luxurious fabrics, not to mention unique views of historic prague, including the prague castle. an impeccable hotel service is complemented by superb amenities including a beauty parlor, café, bar, an array of restaurants such as: the award-winning rickshaw restaurant offering full spectrum of far eastern cuisine from Thailand, china, indonesia and malaysia in an intimate and oriental atmosphere, offering all-day dining The grill restaurant with specialties from the char-coal grill, café praha offering a range of coffees and teas with scrumptious homemade cakes and freshly prepared snacks throughout the day, and blue note bar setting the jazzy mood later in the day with its aperitifs, perfect cocktails, fine cigars and unique collection of whiskies. for relaxation, the top floor apollo day spa provides the ideal venue including a swimming pool located on 26th floor with spectacular views, modern equipped gym, sauna, steam room, solarium, beauty parlor or wide range of massages. stay in, or go out, Tourist or business, corinthia prague hotel is simply the best choice.

How long have you worked here and in which areas have you been active? i joined the hotel with the launch team on 16 september 2002 as a member of the concierge section. after four and a half years, i transferred to the executive reception section, where i learned about a new part of the front office as a receptionist. The year 2008 held many changes for me; i debuted as guest relations manager, and i won the employee of the year prize, which was a great honor. later, i was able to supplement my job with assistant front office manager duties, and in may 2010 i was appointed front office manager. i have been managing this 45-person team for nearly three years.

How would you evaluate the performance of the Front Office in the past year? it is my experience that every year brings something different: in 2012, for the first year since the economic downturn, we were able to initiate innovative investments and developments, not to mention staff growth in order to maintain our 5-star service standard. The concierge Team has been upgraded (introduction of ipads), we continue to replace the bellboy carts, and new equipment has been installed in reception. we are able to devote ever more time to training in order to ensure maximum guest satisfaction. we would like to implement even more daring and innovative plans this year, because our constantly changing guest profile drives us to change as well.

What was the highlight event of 2012, the one you have the greatest pleasure in recalling? when bringing staff onto my team i always try to select the type of people who love the profession, and do their upmost for guests with modesty and dedication. This is why i am most proud of winning the best service hotel award from one of the biggest travel portals, Tripadvisor. although this is, naturally, the result of team work, from the aspect of service the staff of the front office has the greatest contact with our guests, so i feel that this accolade is to a large extent due to us.

This year marks the 10th anniversary celebrations. How is the Front Office taking part in this commemoration?

The very first impression guests have on arrival is the greeting from the bell staff, and the last is the farewell they receive from reception on checking out, so it is certain that we will have a large part to play in the 10th anniversary and all activities affecting guests. it will be the task of our colleagues to help in making arrangements, providing information and promotions to guests, as well as presenting our hotel, something we do with pride. we are one of the sections of the house which has retained the greatest number of staff from those who started in 2002 (20%), so a little bit of nostalgia fills us with pleasure. after all, we can remember the state of the hotel when it was only half ready, the opening day, and welcoming the very first guests.

WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THE DREAMS OF SICK CHILDREN COME TRUE

supporTing children > for one whole year corinthia hotel budapest, currently celebrating its 10th

anniversary, is sponsoring – with a series of programs – the activities of the csodalámpa (magic lantern) wish fulfilling foundation, a charity also in its tenth year and dedicated to making the hopes and dreams of seriously ill children a reality. The partnership agreement was reached with the aim that during 2013, the 5-star hotel would host events that on the one hand promote the work and campaigning of the foundation, and on the other hand generate revenue from events to make further dreams come true. since 2003 the magic lantern foundation has been endeavoring to ease suffering and bring happiness into the everyday lives of seriously ill 3- to 18-year-olds by fulfilling their wishes. in the last decade the magic lantern foundation has brought a smile to the faces of nearly 2000 kids. young children often ask for toys and games, older children are interested in computer equipment for their studies or simply unusual experiences. Thus far, for instance, there have been trips of a lifetime for children who travelled to eurodisney, others have swum with dolphins, had the chance to meet celebrities or even drive a locomotive. corinthia hotel budapest has, in fact, been helping the work of the foundation for many years, since it has made it possible to organize cookery classes for charity on several occasions: donations made at the classes went towards fulfilling wishes. in 2013, continuing the previous tradition, an all-year cooperation program series is arranged, the revenue from which will go to help the work of the foundation. in conjunction with the press briefing a collection box has been set up in the hotel reception; donations made by guests will similarly go to this good cause of bringing a smile to the faces of children. furthermore, the hotel will be hosting several conferences and programs that promote the campaigns of the charitable foundation. one such example is the exhibition of a supersize mosaic entitled “faces of the future”; the display has been put together by magic lantern foundation from several thousand children’s pictures as well as fulfilled wishes. one of the pediatric hospitals will receive the picture based on the votes of visitors. The hotel intends to contribute further to the fulfillment of wishes using its contacts, volunteers recruited from among the members of staff, and where possible with the guest services of hotels both in hungary and abroad.

your CORINTHIA CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST corinthia.com

recipe of the month The chef recommends

our offers - sunday brunch brasserie & atrium restaurant • every sunday from 12:00 until 16:00 hours cosT of The sunday brunch: adulTs huf 7900 children up to the age of 14 years get 50% discount; free for children under the age of 6.

> Joel Khalil, executive chef of corinthia hotel budapest joined the hotel having already established himself as a highly skilled professional on a number of continents. his last appointment was the position of the executive chef of sofitel macau in asia and prior to that he was working in dublin, switzerland, Tel aviv, london, brunei and hong Kong. his international career experiences have inspired him to create some exciting, easy-to-make recipes. we invite you to cook with us and try Joel's favorites.

> enjoy a truly authentic hungarian feast in the brasserie and atrium restaurant with hussars in full dress uniform. apart from culinary enjoyment, our memorable celebration would not have been complete without the experience of tasting traditional hungarian delicacies and wine straight from the barrel. Kids can immerse and learn how to make a fancy cockade and there will be a poetry reading show ensuring real entertainment.

Joel Khalil | Executive Chef

24 march iTalian and seafood sunday brunch

10 march women’s day brunch > celebrate women’s day in style during the course of a sublime brunch. Join us in a world of sparkling wines, elegance and chic sophistication including a make-up service and the chance to try refined fragrances from international perfumeries.

17 march naTional sunday brunch

> immerse yourself in italian ambience and experience genuine italian flavours. our live station al dente offers a wide range of pastas, risotto and seafood. enjoy sliced prosciutto with its smoothness on the palate, delicate taste and leanness. experience the wonderful combination of cheeses and olive oil with recommendation of our chef. meet with ancient romans in legionnaires’ uniform make sure the mood is truly mediterranean and you can even order a caesar salad from Julius caesar himself!

31 march easTer sunday brunch > The brasserie and atrium restaurant are putting on a special easter brunch: menu of typical easter dishes,

traditional easter customs such as welcoming guests with a glass of pálinka, sprinkling the ladies, egg painting, hunt the egg, face painting and bunny pampering. celebrate a truly family feast with us.

10Th anniversary > corinthia hotel budapest, which this year celebrates the 10th anniversary of its reopening, presents several

major events in keeping with this red letter occasion. at the end of april, with the support of the hungarian museum of Trade and Tourism, the hotel will organize a history exhibition, which will also be the start of the jubilee program series. on april 28 the hotel will host an open day – the first in the history of the hotel – when the public will be given a glimpse into the life and operations of the hotel, and relive historically significant moments and events. more details on our program series can be found at corinthia.com or on our facebook page.

ORANGE & PUMPKIN MARMELADE PREPARATION TIME: COOKING TIME: NOTE:

20 min 45 min Always prepare the fruit before weighing.

INGREDIENTS (for abouT 12 poTs) • • • • •

3 kg of peeled pumpkin flesh 4 oranges peeled untreated (or washed) 2 peeled lemons untreated 100gr fresh ginger 2.5 kg of sugar

PREPARATION • cut the pumpkin into cubes.

• discard the white skin of the oranges and lemons and divide into slices.

• peel the ginger and grate it, this will give a nice little flavor.

• put all the ingredients in a covered container with the sugar, mix and let to infuse for 24 hours.

• The next day put all ingredients together in a heavy sauce pan and stir while the sugar dissolves and the liquid reduces.

• bring to the boil and reduce the heat, then leave for 40 min on low heat.

• stir the marmalade very often as it sticks easily to the bottom of the pan.

• check the consistency of the jam so it is not too liquid.

• blend the cooked fruits using a blender, then bring to a quick boil again and put in jars.

• place jars upside down and leave to cool. if you are going to store this jam on a shelf to use at a later date you need to go through the process of sterilizing the jars and perhaps even a pressure canner / water bath.

royal cocKTail > acquaint yourself with the hotel’s very latest cocktail, into which we have poured out heart and soul.

This unique creation, the nobly named royal cocktail, is being served in le bar.

The recipe is attached to this unique drink and you can try making your own royal at home!

JaZZ series – Join The band 11-16 march, from 21.00 until midnight. > Join our Jazz band in le bar. enjoy this interactive evening while you are welcome to have a go on any of the instruments like xylophone, cymbals, gong, hang, guitar or even piano. musicians can teach you the basics to get you jamming along with the band. artisan cheeses and fine wine served up during the evening. magic aT dusK 29 march, from 20:00 until 23:00 > magic weaves its way through the hotel on this evening. it’s a real evening of marvels and mystification. if you really would like to experience a glamorous magical evening, let’s join us.

royal spa re-energize and renew your skin after a long cold winter with one of the following phytomer facials: purifying: moisTuriZing: sooThing: anTi-wrinKle:

an ideal treatment to make your skin look perfectly clean, clear and healthy. a hydrating treatment to supply intense moisture to dehydrated skin. also nourishes and softens skin. helps to restore the healthy-glow and radiance. your skin will feel soft and fresh. ideal for skin that shows signs of wrinkles and fine lines. delivers smooth, toned and radiant skin. each treatment is a 60 minute facial and provides optimal relaxation with the help of a detoxifying self-heating back mask.

price of one treatment: huf 24,500 as part of the cooperation agreement between corinthia hotel budapest and csodalámpa (magic lamp) wish fulfilling foundation – both celebrating their 10th anniversary this year – 10% of the cost of this treatment will be contributed to making the dreams of a seriously ill child come true.

Thank you for your support!

Table reservaTion and furTher informaTion: +36 1 479-4800 or cuisine.budapest@corinthia.com facebook.com/corinthiahotelbudapest

your CORINTHIA CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST corinthia.com

programs in march

reservaTions: +36 309 48 64 48 www.orfeumclub.hu www. facebook.com/orfeum

RECOMMENDED BY THE

corinThia hoTel budapesT

Located next to the hotel with direct entrance from the hotel Lobby.

Admission is free for our hotel guests.

CONCIERGE TEAM a rich paleTTe of classical and modern concerTs, operas and opereTTas, and dance shows are offered This monTh Tamás ungár Chief Concierge

For further information and reservations, please contact the Concierge.

ORFEUM PROGRAM OFFER > vince budapesT

The second annual macaron day at budapest’s akvárium Klub on march 20 will surely please those with a sweet-tooth. The program includes a macaron fair and competition, programs for kids and lots of delicious pastries, in addition to baking instructions.

7 march at 21.00 - Tibor Kocsis, winner of X-factor hungary 2011 in concert 8 march at 21.00 - music journey through time with adél csobot, finalist of X-factor hungary 2012 12 march at 21.00 - beatrix gyurki, the candidate of The voice hungary 2012 in concert 13 march at 21.00 - Jazz, funky & soul live with vera Tóth, the voice of 2004 14 march at 21.00 - This is rocKabilly! one night, two concerts and one dJ. 16 march at 19.00 - interactive mystery night in hungarian 19 march at 19.00 - interactive mystery night in hungarian 21 march at 21.00 - swing and boogie with group'n'swing - The greatest hits of the big band era 22 march at 21.00 - music journey through time with adél csobot, finalist of X-factor hungary 2012 23 march at 21.00 - The best of funky from the ’70s and today’s hottest soul and r’n’b hits 29 march at 21.00 - a brand new production with the best of cole porter 31 march at 21.00 - reggaeton vs. r'n'b party | 2 fantastic parties, 1 venue! reggaeton, r'n'b, funky, etc.

5 april at 21.00 - musical tribute to barbra streisand. live concert with andrea malek, a true musical diva

> creaTive crafT fair

MADÁCH THEATRE

on march 8-10 promises to be a great wine event for professionals and amateur wine lovers alike. held in the corinthia hotel budapest, vince will host wine tastings, masterclasses, competitions and interactive workshops for professionals and the public. > macaron day

on march 9-10 the creative craft fair and workshop welcomes craftsmen and experimental visitors at budapest’s millenáris park. no less than 100 professional exhibitors will be presenting the latest trends and the most popular techniques in handicrafts today.

33. budapesT spring fesTival hungary’s most prestigious arts festival will be held on march 22 - april 7 with over 50 performances and exhibitions to choose from during the 10 days. a multitude of venues throughout the city will welcome hungarian and international performers.

only 2 minutes walk from corinthia

hotel budapest

MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT BY ERIC IDLE AND JOHN DU PREZ > since its debut in september 2009, the musical comedy, which is based on the world famous film „monty python and the holy grail” and has won three Tony awards, has become a great success for the madách Theatre.

The musical has already celebrated 100 performances. whereas the production is characterized with an abundance of witty verbal quirks so typical of english humor, its specialty lies in the specific direction, costume design, stage craft and choreography, due to the rights the english authors have given the madách Theatre to stage the nonreplica version of the musical.

performances in march 2013 > naTional philharmonic orchesTra

14 wednesday 15 friday 15 friday 16 saturday 16 saturday

The budapest spring festival also celebrates the 132nd anniversary of one of the greatest hungarian musicians, béla bartók, with a concert to be performed by the national philharmonic orchestra on march 25, in the palace of arts.

21:00 15:00 19:00 15:00 19:00

> sT. sTephen’s basilica invites organ concert fans to share the passion with three different themes, the cathedral organ concert series mondays, ave maria Tuesdays and classics from danube string orchestra fridays. in addition to organists the concerts traditionally feature singers and instrumental musicians whose contribution is in itself the guarantee for the high level performance.

evenTs aT palace of arT a series of outstanding performances are scheduled this month at the bartók béla concert hall at the palace of art.

> abba The show

The world's biggest and most authentic abba – The show, featuring original band members, including ulf andersson and roger palm, is on a world tour again and will perform in the papp lászló budapest sportarena on march 7. featuring classic songs such as waterloo, sos, mamma mia, dancing Queen, money money money, and many more, this promises to be the must-see event.

> laTin passion!

by elena urioste and the mÁv symphony orchestra is a mixture of classical and latin music on march 21.

Kurt elling and his quintet will showcase the The brill building project on march 5. you shouldn’t miss the richard strauss – capriccio either, on march 11.

eXhibiTions > The naTional dance TheaTre

> weeKend of oldTimers

will host the famous ballet pécs on march 13 with the unique and provocative lisztmania - The ballad of loathing, and the szeged contemporary dance company on march 17 with the innovative philosophy of bodies.

vintage car lovers are welcome to the weekend of oldtimers in the railway museum on march 15-17. if you have an eye for beautifully restored veteran, antique, nostalgia and classic vehicles, don’t miss this event! The large-scale exhibition is going to be enlivened by many outdoor programs including the railway museum’s own, spectacular interactive programs.

> The professional hungÁria folK ensemble will give you insight to the traditional hungarian folk music, dance and costume heritage of hungary in budapest’s beautiful danube palace from march 9 on every saturday and also every day during the easter period.

> ludwig museum - museum of conTemporary arT

- pushes taboos with the naked man exhibition, opening on march 22. The exhibition follows how the meaning of the male nude has altered in the past hundred years, how male artists approach their own nudity - bravely, though full of doubts, with curiosity about new life patterns - and also how female artists have conquered a theme that had long been forbidden to them.

Table reservaTion and furTher informaTion: +36 1 479-4800 or cuisine.budapest@corinthia.com facebook.com/corinthiahotelbudapest

photos by

The budapest state opera premiers wagner’s parsifal and masterpieces such as puccini’s Turandot, mozart’s don giovanni, bach’s and mendelssohn’s matthauspassion, mascagni’s cavalleria rusticana, erkel’s bánk bán and Tchaikovsky’s onegin.

Budapest Spring Festival, Pál Csillag, Jonathan Nimerfroh, Kenneth Ruona, Balázs Glódi

> budapesT sTaTe opera