Professional Documents
Culture Documents
corinthia.com
INTRO
awards we are proud of, a photo what we love and a prominent guest whom we have hosted not long ago.
INTERVIEW
interview with nikoletta Kovcs front office manager on her evaluation of the past and plans for the future.
PROGRAMS
plan your programs with us! we have listed a great number of events for you to enjoy. also, our 10th anniversary is coming up!
CSR
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 womens 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. whats 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.
meskl, 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 meskls 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 royals 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 viktria horvth vice minister of state at ministry for national economy. congratulations mr. meskl!
guestbook
canadian acTor donald suTherland
supporTing children
> corinthia hotel budapest believes that, as well as guaranteeing
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 budapests most luxurious spa.
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 csodalmpa (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.
Nikoletta Kovcs,
FRONT OFFICE MANAGER
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.
contemporary hungarian writers and journalists, including Jen heltay, sndor hunyadi, lajos nagy, and gyula Krdy. The royal soon became a favorite topic of journalists. The first screening in budapest of a motion picture by the lumire 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 hotels cour dhonneur. several classical concerts were held in royals ballroom, and bla bartk, 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 hrsfa 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 ballrooms 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 todays hotels on the danube bank had been established yet. istvn Janky, architect of the reconstruction, reconsidered the buildings 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 visitors 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
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 pragues 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, caf, 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, caf 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.
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 csodalmpa (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 childrens 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.
traditional easter customs such as welcoming guests with a glass of plinka, 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.
royal cocKTail
> acquaint yourself with the hotels 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!
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
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. its a real evening of marvels and mystification. if you really would like to experience a glamorous magical evening, lets join us.
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 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 csodalmpa (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!
programs in march
RECOMMENDED BY THE
reservaTions: +36 309 48 64 48 www.orfeumclub.hu www. facebook.com/orfeum Located next to the hotel with direct entrance from the hotel Lobby. Admission is free for our hotel guests.
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
The second annual macaron day at budapests akvrium 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.
> creaTive crafT fair
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 adl 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 Tth, 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 adl csobot, finalist of X-factor hungary 2012 23 march at 21.00 - The best of funky from the 70s and todays hottest soul and rnb 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
MADCH THEATRE
on march 9-10 the creative craft fair and workshop welcomes craftsmen and experimental visitors at budapests millenris 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 hungarys 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.
> naTional philharmonic orchesTra
hotel budapest
The budapest state opera premiers wagners parsifal and masterpieces such as puccinis Turandot, mozarts don giovanni, bachs and mendelssohns matthauspassion, mascagnis cavalleria rusticana, erkels bnk bn and Tchaikovskys onegin. evenTs aT palace of arT a series of outstanding performances are scheduled this month at the bartk bla concert hall at the palace of art.
> laTin passion!
by elena urioste and the mv 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 shouldnt miss the richard strauss capriccio either, on march 11.
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 lszl 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.
eXhibiTions
> The naTional dance TheaTre > weeKend of oldTimers
will host the famous ballet pcs 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.
> The professional hungria folK ensemble will give you insight to the traditional hungarian folk music, dance and costume heritage of hungary in budapests beautiful danube palace from march 9 on every saturday and also every day during the easter period.
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, dont miss this event! The large-scale exhibition is going to be enlivened by many outdoor programs including the railway museums own, spectacular interactive programs.
> 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.
photos by
Budapest Spring Festival, Pl Csillag, Jonathan Nimerfroh, Kenneth Ruona, Balzs Gldi
> sT. sTephens 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.