Hotels – hee bune diaries

Budapest

May 9, 2025May 10, 2025Posted in BudapestTagged Budapest, europe, Hotels, hungary, microguide, restaurants, sightseeing, travelLeave a comment

Harbour view towards the Buda of Budapest

Budapest: A Micro Guide 🇭🇺

Budapest is a city split by the Danube and stitched together with history, design, and thermal waters. From grand architecture, cool cafés, playful parks and world-class culture, here’s a curated micro-guide of where to stay, eat, explore — and just enjoy the city.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Stories Boutique Hotel

Eclectic, colorful, with a cozy courtyard. Located in the lively Jewish Quarter and with all the good restaurants just around every corner: Stories Hotel

Vernon House

Modern, minimalist, and peaceful. Perfect design entusiasts and great location: Vernon House

Moments Hotel

Elegant hotel on Andrássy Avenue with spa and comfortable rooms and a also close to everything. Andrássey Avenue was inspired by Champs Elysee in Paris and is home to the main international fashion houses: Moments Hotel

🍽️ Eat & Drink

Fleischer Restobar

A beautiful little spot serving elegant dishes and (good) local wines. It is a mix between tapas and Asian fusion, and we absolutely loved it. Very small. Get there early or make a reservation: Restobar

Costes Downtown

Michelin-star dining in a light, relaxed setting. Recommended for an amazing lunch: Costes

Mazel Tov

Lush ruin courtyard with greenery, lights, and delicious Middle Eastern food: Mazeltov

Franziska

Bright, modern brunch spot in Buda with healthy dishes and good coffee: Franziska

New York Café

Gilded and dramatic — come for the atmosphere, stay for the cake: New York

Gelarto Rosa

Because gelato as a rose is always a good idea: Gelarto Rosa

🖼️ Museums & Culture

Museum of Fine Arts

From ancient Egypt to 20th-century masters, all housed in a stunning neoclassical building: Szepmuveszeti

Lumiere Hall

Immersive digital art experiences in a striking industrial space: Lumiere

👀 Things to See & Do

• Parliament Building – Neo-Gothic beauty right by the river.

• Buda Castle Funicular – Ride the old cable car up Castle Hill for views and charm.

• Fisherman’s Bastion – White stone lookout towers with panoramic views.

• Chain Bridge – Budapest’s most iconic bridge, glowing beautifully at night.

• Heroes’ Square – Monumental statues and a gateway to City Park.

• City Park (Városliget) – Green space with lakes, playgrounds, and castles.

✨ Local Highlights (that we did not get to try, but is on the list for our next visit)

Széchenyi Baths

Baroque-style thermal baths — We heard you should go early morning or near sunset for the best experience.

Margaret Island 🏝️

A traffic-free island in the middle of the Danube with fountains, bike rentals, and shady walking paths.

Boat tour on Danube 🚤

We just stayed 3 days and though we could have spend more time, I would sat that 3 days is enough that you get a good feel of the city. Till next time, Budapest ❤️.

Mary Hill, Southern Sweden

February 27, 2025February 27, 2025Posted in Hotels Sweden, SwedenTagged Boutique hotel, europe, Hotels, Mary Hill, Mary Hill Estate, Skåne, Sweden, travel, weekend getawayLeave a comment

There is just something about Mary…

High above the landscape, with breathtaking views of the Øresund, lies the Mary Hill Estate – a boutique hotel that combines relaxed luxury with modern design and scenic surroundings. Located on the former historic estate of Örbrön, the place is made for those seeking a high level of aesthetics and an experience where time and pace are allowed to merge.

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Trakt Forest Hotel

February 12, 2025Posted in Hotels Sweden, SwedenTagged europe, Forest Hotel, Hotels, nature, Sustainable hotel, Sweden, Trakt Forest Hotel, Trakt Hotel, travel, treetop hotel, winterLeave a comment

Trakt Forest Hotel – Simplicity, Nature an Nordic Magic

Deep in the Swedish woods, we found a little hidden gem—Trakt Forest Hotel, a small, family-run retreat that feels like a true escape from the noise of everyday life. My husband and I, along with our three girls, spent a few days here, and we fell in love with the simplicity and closeness to nature. It’s a 4 hour drive from Copenhagen, but felt literally felt like we went “off-the-grid”.

The five cabins, that are beautifully designed with sustainability in mind, blending into the forest with large windows that bring the outside in. They are designed by reknown Swedish architect Gert Wingårdh, the hotel’s five forest suites creates the feeling of being in the treetops, providing panoramic views of the surrounding wilderness. The suites provides everything you need, no more and no less. There’s no WiFi in the cabins (only in the main building, which also serves as the hotel’s restaurant), making it easy to slow down and just be present.

For the main part, we just stayed in the area and went for walks and logget off. Which meant seeing a moose and a morse calf in the woods (incredible experience). However, Vimmerby is very close, so the Astrid Lindgreen World is just one hours drive away.

We enjoyed every part of the experience—the fresh forest air, the incredible local and organic food, and the outdoor hot baths, where we soaked under the trees as the evening light faded. Even though Trakt isn’t specifically a family hotel, kids are more than welcome (as we have experienced with most Swedish hotels). Our toddler, Ellen, were thrilled to find toys and a kid-friendly menu in the restaurant, making the stay feel effortless for all of us. There were baby chairs and a very friendly staff every evening for us.

If you love nature, simplicity, and beautifully designed spaces, Trakt is the perfect place to reset and reconnect.