An EU-funded hotel refurbishment is helping an historic town in central Hungary welcome an increasing number of visitors, address contemporary tourist expectations and boost local job prospects.
Bükkös Hotel provides a healthy addition to the local Hungarian economy
- 13 October 2015
The Hadnagy family recognised that they could turn round the deterioration of the market position and condition of the Bükkös Hotel only with a complex large scale expansion and the introduction of new services. With co-financing from the European Union, the services of the hotel have been expanded and, using a loan, taken outside yet parallel with the project, capacity has been expanded.
Bükkös Hotel & Spa has been welcoming guests to the beautiful Hungarian town of Szentendre since 1988.
Located less than 10 kilometres from Budapest, a recent refurbishment – part-financed by the EU’s European Regional Development Fund – has transformed the facility into a four-star hotel complete with health and wellness facilities and conference suites.
Bringing visitors to Szentendre
The refurbishment project was launched in response to a lack of adequate hotel capacity in the town of Szentendre, which is otherwise rich in tourist attractions. The town is known for its art museums, galleries and historic architecture, which have made it a popular day trip for tourists staying in Budapest.
The introduction of wellness services – including a massage pool and Finnish sauna –, conference facilities and a kitchen capable of catering for 100 people should help entice visitors to stay in town a little longer.
The hotel will be open throughout the year, with services available outside the main tourist season.
Creating new jobs
A number of local jobs were created during maintenance operations, while staff requirements will increase as more guests arrive. In total, around 15 new jobs have been created. Local contractors were involved in the building works and as suppliers of material. Following the successful implementation of the project, the complex intends to join the Life Balance Hotels chain.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Development of services of Bükkös Hotel” is EUR 645 000, of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund is contributing EUR 322 000 through the Operational Programme “Central Hungary” for the 2007 to 2013 programming period.