Radisson Edwardian Grafton (London, UNITED KINGDOM)

After spending a little over a week in Eastern Europe (Austria, Czech, Slovakia and Hungary), it was time for us to go back to where we first started the trip - London.

We took the subway from Heathrow all the way to Warren Street. Luckily, we didn't have to drag our luggage very long as our hotel was just a stone's throw from the station.

After a pretty nice stay at another Radisson Edwardian establishment last year, I was a little hooked to this chain.

They don't have the most spacious or luxurious rooms (not that we could afford it anyways) but I love their contemporary decor with the occasional Asian twist. This one called Radisson Edwardian Grafton, however didn't have the modern decor like the rest of the hotels in the chain. But I could live with it cuz of its super convenient location.

We managed to squeeze in a number of attractions before dinner including a brief visit to Regent Street. Looks like the entire city here is ready for the New Year celebration!

Rating: ❤❤❤
Price: £££
Address: 130 Tottehnam Court Road, Bloomsbury, London, United Kingdom
Closest Tube Station: Warren Street
Tel: +44 20 7388-4131
Website: www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/radisson-blu-edwardian-london-grafton

Café Kör (Budapest, HUNGARY) ★★★★☆

Hidden behind these rustic walls is one of most lively cafes in all of Budapest. Café Kör started off as a small bar years ago but quickly established itself as one of the most popular restaurants in the heart of Budapest among the younger generation.

If you are into pure fine dining, Café Kör may just not be your cup of tea. But if you are into a cozy and bistro-like atmosphere with a lighter fare, it may be exactly what you are looking for.

Located just steps away from the famous Basilica of St Stephen, Café Kör is conveniently situated on Sas utca, home of some of the hippest cafes and coffee shops in town. Grilled goose liver with caramelized apple and steak tartar are must-try dishes that are not to be missed. Service here was good and prices were more than reasonable. Enough reasons to warrant a spot on the "The World's Best 100 Restaurants" list (No. 88) in 2007.

Food Rating: 6.6/10

Price: €€

Address: 1051 Budapest, Sas Street 17, Hungary
Closest Metro Station: Arany János utca
Tel: +36 1311-0053
Website: www.cafekor.com

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Mercure Budapest Buda (Budapest, HUNGARY)

We arrived at Budapest from Slovakia rather late last night and other than the meal at a local McDonald's, we didn't have much to eat. But we did crash early in order to wake up right around dawn. Our accommodation in Budapest was a place called Mercure Budapest Buda in the "Castle Hill" area.

Honestly, I didn't remember much about my room other than the fact that the light was really dim. Another area of improvement came from the bed, or more specifically the mattress. It was so thin that it made my back hurt the next morning.

But of course, there was a reason why we were staying here in the first place. 

The hotel was just a 5-minute ride to Halászbástya, or Fisherman's Bastion, a 19th century fortified castle up on the hill.

The lookout towers, and there were a few of them, provided stunning panoramic view of Budapest and Danube River from different angles.

This was really well worth the early morning call.



Built in 1982, the entire Mercure Budapest establishment Buda badly needed a facelift and they finally got it in 2019.

Rating: ❤

Price: €€

Address: Budapest, Krisztina krt. 41-43, 1013 Hungary

Tel: +36 1 488-8100