Few things are more refreshing than arriving at the romantic Gombás Mansion after a day-long bike trip or a wine tasting. Compared to the bustle and constant motion of Balatonfüred, it almost feels as though time has stood still here. The historic building, which houses a hotel today, is located around 800 metres from the beach, close enough that you can catch a whiff of the Balaton if the wind blows from the right direction. The Tuscan-terrace vibe is amplified several times by the spectacular view of the Hungarian sea.
The oldest manor house in Balatonfüred and the entire Balaton Uplands region, the Gombás Mansion can be found at the foot of Tamás Hill, by the so-called old “Roman Road”, 800 metres from the Balaton. The building, which was erected at the end of the 18th century, bears the characteristics of Zopfstil and late Baroque, and was previously used as a wine house and a summer house. The intimate vibe of the romantic hotel blends harmoniously with the modern, 21th century interior.
The latest full-scale renovation and restoration was carried out in 2007, for which the building was awarded the Podmaniczky Prize. With its Hungarian-Tuscan style courtyard, parquet covered bar, arched wine cellar, reception hall and wellness facilities, this has become one of the most popular hotels in the area.
The main building can accommodate about 30 people in eleven twin and double rooms, while each of the two cosy outbuildings in the yard house a small apartment with kitchenette. 100-square metre luxury apartments are also available, if that is what you are after.
All the conditions are present here for a good time: a low stimulus environment has been created on purpose, with none of the common rooms containing television sets or projectors, letting guests fully unwind.
This place adheres to the “live and let live” philosophy, which is reinforced by the hotel policy presented to guest upon check-in. Guests are asked to refrain from loud behaviour due to the noise-sensitive acoustic properties of the building. In addition, most rooms and community spaces are non-smoking areas.
Keeping these simple rules in mind is not hard at all, and it is a small price to pay for the familiar atmosphere you will not want to leave behind. The owners, Gábor Pósvári and his wife Ildikó, contribute to the friendly vibe, coming up to everyone to have a little chat, and asking guests if there is anything they need, something only perfect hosts would do. When we visited, Gábor appeared with a tray full glasses of rosé fröccs, and we didn’t even have to ask him for it.
After clinking our glasses, we naturally struck up a conversation: he told us that the most important thing was for everyone to have a good time here, so all guests are treated equally, regardless of financial or social background, or the number of past visits. That is why it is possible for a college student, after scrimping and saving to treat his girlfriend to a few nights here, to later on become a regular visitor of the hotel.
During the night we gained first-hand experience of the kind of noise-sensitivity mentioned above: we could hear every sound coming from the street, which was compensated by the comfy beds, the beautiful bathroom and the breakfast. You can choose from different kinds of freshly prepared scrambled eggs and cold cuts platters put together by Ildikó based on individual demand, but you’ll also find on the table fresh bakers’ wares, homemade jams, poppy seed bread pudding (called mákos guba) and curd cheese dumplings made in line with a secret recipe.
