VAT tax free | semi-scam?

You'll see signs like this in store windows throughout the European Common Market. The signs promote tax-free shopping with the promise you'll get a portion of your VAT tax back. All you need do is get the form (supplied by the store at purchase) stamped at the airport before you leave the Common Market. But here is where the process becomes complicated and semi-scammy.

What follows are two true stories, one with a hopefully happy ending (still to be determined), the other with a most frustrating conclusion.

My (hopefully) happy story... My quarter-century-old watch had been losing time, and I had been actively looking for a replacement. Walking past the Jacques Lemans store in Vienna, just around the corner from the Bristol Hotel, I saw a beautiful black ceramic watch at a quite reasonable price. I walked into the store, tried it on, and made the purchase. The sales associate completed the paperwork for me.

Next task: get the forms stamped and mailed. After leaving Vienna, I spent two nights in Budapest. On the morning of my flights back home, I took the form to the VAT refund desk at the Budapest airport ... and here's the rub. Because my flights connected in Paris, the customs agent in Budapest would not stamp my form. I had to get it stamped in Paris. Read on...

Fortunately, I had a nearly four hour layover at CDG. Unfortunately, there's no place within the secure area of the airport to get this administrative rubber-stamp of a task done. It required me to exit the secure area of the terminal and search for the tax refund office, to show the agent my outbound ticket to SFO, and to show him the watch's packaging (which I had with me in my carryon). He then stamped the form... but then I had to search for the yellow plexiglass box in which to deposit the stamped form. Was there one next to the office? No... that would be too easy. I eventually found the box in the check-in area at the front of Terminal 2E. I deposited the envelope, then had go back through security. The entire process took about 75 minutes from the time I left the plane until the time I was back airside. (Note: the 33€ credit has not yet hit my credit card).


The sad story. My friend Addie, part of our Brownell Travel group, also had a VAT tax refund. She likewise was told in Budapest to get it stamped at CDG. Unfortunately, she had a very short layover in Paris — not nearly enough time to accomplish the bureaucratic necessities and make her flight. (In point of fact, she had just barely enough time to make her flight to Atlanta). Addie left the Common Market without getting her form rubber stamped, thus losing out on the tax refund to which she was entitled.

Scam or semi-scam? The Common Market encourages foreign travelers to make large purchases under the promise of "tax free" shopping. But they make it difficult to collect your tax refund. Why can't your get the refund before the first flight on your itinerary? Why can't you get the refund if you leave the EU by train or car? Why aren't there VAT refund desks airside in every airport terminal, beyond security?

Is all of this intentional? Have they, by design, made it difficult to get the rubber stamp on your form? Is the promise of tax-free shopping an example of bait and switch, baiting consumers with the promise of VAT refunds but then making it logistically difficult, if not impossible, to collect on the promise? My hunch? Yes, this is all by design ... and that's why this tax-free shopping scheme is at least a semi-scam. That's just my opinion.

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

the best views in Budapest

Girl from Buda (c) 2018 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Only guests at Four Seasons Gresham Palace enjoy a better view of the Chain Bridge and the Buda Hills beyond. This six meter statue, created by Israeli artist Eran Shakine, will grace this spot looking across Chain Bridge. This photo shows the view through the front doors of the Four Seasons, but the view from my third floor room is even more stunning. I awoke this morning to a complete panorama — unobstructed views from the Buda Castle to Matthias Church.

Four Seasons Preferred Partner guests at the Gresham Palace enjoy exclusive value-added amenities — complimentary breakfasts, hotel credits, and more. While I'm not permitted to detail them on a public web page, just email us to learn how you can save hundreds of dollars on a typical stay at any Four Seasons hotel or resort anywhere in the world.

copyright  (c)  2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit our website.

where in the world in 2018?

I begin 2018 very thankful that I have the opportunity to pursue my vocation! Being a luxury travel advisor, my job requires me to learn about destinations and research hotels on behalf of my clients. I invest considerable time and funds flying to distant places and doing site inspections. Why?

Whether you have questions about hotels in cities like Paris, London, or New York or resorts in Hawaii, Bora Bora, or the Maldives, I've most likely been inside the very hotels you're thinking about. We can discuss their location, the room product, but especially their "look and feel." What do you prefer? Traditional or contemporary? Boutique or larger hotels? Formal or laid back? Minimalist or elaborately decorated?

Or you may be wondering about why to visit a region or country. It helps me immensely to have visited that country and seen its attractions with the assistance of experienced guides. How could I describe the valleys of Bhutan without having personally traveled from Paro to Thimphu, to Punakha, to Gangey, and to Bumthang on the twisting and sometimes muddy road that winds its way across the country from west to east. I am so thankful to Amankora for introducing me to Bhutan.

Vietnam has been on my bucket list for a long while. I've heard so much about the culinary adventures it affords ... and having watched Ken Burns' documentary on the devastation Vietnam War, I'm looking forward to connecting with the Vietnamese people who have become our friends. After touring Hanoi, I'll experience two resorts — Four Seasons Nam Hai and Amanoi — before finishing in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Myanmar was formerly known as Burma and has been in the news of late in a not-so-favorable light. I will be traveling with A&K Myanmar and will visit Yangon and Inle Lake before spending three evenings cruising aboard the Sanctuary Ananda. I really don't know what to expect, but landscape photography is a passion, and I'm sure I'll have many opportunities to indulge. My time in Myanmar ends with a day visit to Belmond Governor's Palace in Yangon.

Seoul, Korea ... Our overnight flight from Yangon arrives Saigon at 7:35 a.m. A&K has arranged a morning tour of Seoul — Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village, followed by lunch at a local restaurant — before our 4 p.m. flight back to San Francisco.

Paris ... though I've visited many times, the hotel scene in Paris is constantly changing with new openings and renovations. On my way to Vienna, I'll stop off in Paris for more hotel site inspections. I'll be staying both at the newly renovated Crillon (now a Rosewood Hotel) and with my good friends at the Plaza Athenee (a Dorchester Collection property). I'm especially looking forward to a site inspection of Hotel Lutetia which has undergone an entire renovation and which, I predict, will become a highly popular Virtuoso hotel on Left Bank. And, of course, no trip to Paris is complete without a scoop of ice cream at Berthillon.

Vienna ...  I'm returning to Vienna as a participant in this year's Brownell 1887 Club trip. The group is being hosted by the Ritz-Carlton, Hotel Imperial, and the Bristol ... and I'm also interested in seeing the new Park Hyatt and Kempinski properties which weren't open during my previous visit. Oh ... and I may taste a torte or two!

Budapest ... Continuing on to Budapest, I'll be enjoying my second stay at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace. I'm also looking forward to seeing the Ritz-Carlton (formerly Le Meridien). Of course, there's more to experience in Vienna and Budapest than hotels, and our visits are being curated by our friends at Exeter Travel.

The Cotswolds and London. Though I've been "in" the Cotswolds and been driven "through" the Cotswolds, I've never really experienced this area of England. Another bucket list trip, I want to stay in a few picturesque towns, wander their streets, enjoy some scenic walks, and become familiar with its opportunities (taking advantage of the expertise of another travel partner, Celebrated Experiences). I'll finish up in London with stays at two hotels I've previously visited but at which I've never stayed, 45 Park Lane (Dorchester Collection) and ... a hotel still to be finalized.


So I begin 2018 with three big trips already planned and the possibility of surprise opportunities that might "come up." I highly recommend planning ahead — if you wait until the last minute, there will be less availability, the best guides will already have been booked, and award flights harder to find. That's why we're here, to help you turn your bucket list into the trip of a lifetime. 

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

luxury hotels in Budapest

Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities you'll ever visit. The blue Danube flows through the middle of the city, dividing Buda on the west and Pest on the east. Buda is the hilly residential area of the city while Pest, much flatter in topography, is home to most business and nightlife. The four luxury hotels in Budapest covered in this review are all found in Pest.

Four Seasons Gresham Palace deserves its reputation as one of the finest hotels in the world. Originally built in 1906, the Gresham Palace was a magnificent art nouveau masterpiece built for the Gresham Life Assurance Company. It suffered serious damage at the hands of the German Army in 1944. Later nationalized by the government of Hungary, it was turned into an apartment house. Over time, however, the building fell into a state of disrepair. Finally, in 1998, Four Seasons was hired to oversee the conversion of the palace into a hotel; $110 million dollars and six years later, the hotel was unveiled in 2004. The glass domed roof of the lobby was restored (pictured at left), as were stained glass windows throughout the building, the mosaic lobby floor (with over 1 million tiles), and the the wrought iron peacock gates.

The whole point of the Gresham Palace is to stay in one of the Danube rooms on the front side of the building. These overlook Chain Bridge and the Royal Palace. Lit up at night, views from these rooms are spectacular (the picture above was taken from the window of my Danube Deluxe room at dusk). For complimentary breakfast, room upgrades upon availability, and more amenities, simply book through a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant.

Le Meridien is a very fine alternative for travelers seeking a lower priced alternative to the Four Seasons. Facing Elizabeth Square, the hotel lobby offers a classic European feel. Next to the lobby is a large, round atrium in which guests have breakfast; the ceiling of this room is a large stained glass dome (pictured above) - very impressive.

Originally built in 1914-1918 as the office of an insurance company, with some shops and luxury apartments, the building suffered damage during World War II. At the end of the war, it became the police headquarters and, following the fall of Communism, was converted into a luxury hotel with 218 rooms, opening in 2000. Room choices include Superior Rooms (one window with adequate space) Deluxe Rooms (two windows and very nice space), as well as Junior Suites which are spacious corner rooms with three or four windows. Free internet is provided in the Deluxe category and higher. Bathrooms are of moderate size but do provide separate tubs and walk-in showers.

Andrassy is a part of Mamaison Hotels and the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. A very nice four star hotel with 68 rooms, it is well located near the Opera, the Budapest Art Museum, the Zoo, and the Thermal Baths. This property does a good job of providing exactly what a four star hotel should. With a clean and interesting Bauhaus-style interior design, guestrooms are visually appealing and appropriately sized — Superior at 270 square feet, Deluxe at 375 square feet, and Junior Suite (pictured) at 430 square feet. Attractive tile bathrooms have tub/shower combinations. The hotel's restaurant, Bakara, features the cuisine of its young Hungarian chef. Though not luxurious at the level of the Four Seasons, Andrassy provides exactly what it promises, attractive accommodations at quite affordable rates.

Kempinski Corvinus, although it is just 16 years old, feels very dated. There was a black Mercedes SUV on display in the hotel lobby. Granted the hotel industry is facing some hard times, luxury hotels usually do not double as new car showrooms. It takes away from any ambiance that the hotel might have offered. I felt claustrophobic just walking through the hallways of this property. Long, winding corridors are decorated in shades of yellow and pale green (yuck) with no natural light, no decorations or anything else to take away from their plainness. The air was stale, and I was happy just to get out of the hotel at the end of the site inspection. Given these feelings, it really doesn't matter what the rooms were like.


luxury hotels in Budapest (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
.

Budapest | Parliament Building

One of the most magnificent architectural masterpieces I have ever seen, the Budapest Parliament compares to Versailles and the Imperial Palace in Bangkok in terms of the sheer extravagance of its design. When the National Assembly decided to build a fitting Parliament building in 1880, a competition was held, and architects were invited to submit their designs. Out of all the entries, the Gothic Revival design of Imre Steindl was selected. Interestingly, the winning design — along with the second and third place finishers — were all constructed. It's an unique experience to see the top three finishers of an architectural competition together around one square!

A tour of the Budapest Parliament is a memorable experience. Tourists enter through security, then climb an immense ornamental staircase leading to the central sixteen-sided Dome Hall. The photograph above can only suggest how ornate this room is. 96 meters high, the building's height is an historical allusion to the date of the origin of Hungary in 896. The Hungarian Coronation Regalia is displayed in the center of the hall. Around the room are the statues of 16 great Hungarians in history (including one woman, Maria Theresa).

After viewing Dome Hall, tours go towards either the Lower Chamber (which represented commoners) or Upper Chamber (which represented the aristocracy) — although the Upper Chamber is no longer in use for legislative purposes. (It is available, for a price, for private weddings if any of my readers are so inclined!) Numbered cigar holders can be viewed in the corridor outside these chambers. Legislators typically engaged in lobbying before entering the legislative chamber where smoking was not permitted. Rather than extinguishing their expensive cigars, they "parked" them in a numbered spot in one of the holders, then retrieved them — still burning — after the close of the legislative session.

Guided tours in a number of languages are available, or contact your travel consultant to arrange for a custom private tour of Budapest.

Budapest Parliament (search here on Google)


photograph and article copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
.

Four Seasons Gresham Palace views

The Four Seasons Gresham Palace is one of the world's great hotels. Built in 1906, this art nouveau masterpiece was originally the headquarters of the Gresham Life Assurance Company. Suffering serious damage during World War II, the Gresham Palace was nationalized by the government of Hungary after the war and turned into an apartment house. However, falling into a hopeless state of disrepair, Four Seasons was hired in 1998 to oversee its transformation into a luxury hotel. After a six year renovation project costing $110 million, the new Four Seasons Gresham Palace Budapest was unveiled.

Even if you're not staying at the Four Seasons, it is worth seeing the lobby and its restored glass domed roof, its mosaic floor (with over 1 million small tiles), and the wrought iron peacock gates. For a special treat during your stay in Budapest, book a Danube view room at the Gresham Palace. (Some of the rooms have small balconies, with larger balconies on the first floor). These rooms feature spectacular views across the beautiful Chain Bridge to the Royal Palace across the river. With everything lit up at night (see the picture above taken from my window), this will be a memory of Budapest you'll continue to enjoy for a lifetime.

Special values are available to guests who book through a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant — including room upgrades upon arrival if available, a complimentary daily continental breakfast for two, and one lunch for two during your stay.


Four Seasons Gresham Palace, Budapest (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
.