When I planned this itinerary, I would never have guessed that it would be a relief to leave the Palais Coburg and head southeast to Bratislava. Just an hour from Vienna, the Slovakian capital languished for decades behind the Iron Curtain, and communist planners did not treat the city kindly. They ran a freeway between the historic center and the castle, knocking down all but two buildings of the former Jewish quarter, and on the opposite side of the Danube, a neighborhood of single-family homes was replaced with countless anonymous concrete apartment blocks. But it is Bratislava’s compact old center and the idyllic surrounding countryside studded with hilltop castles that will truly enchant the visitor. Known for centuries as Pressburg, Bratislava served as the capital of Hungary for almost 300 years. Nobles erected numerous palaces during this period, many of which still stand on car-free squares and cobbled lanes. I never saw a single vehicle in the main square, where only café tables, pedestrians and the odd bicyclist came between me and the Renaissance, baroque and art nouveau architecture.
The main pedestrian street of Ventúrska, culminating in the onion-domed Michael’s Gate, has dozens of bars and restaurants with inviting outdoor seating.
The main pedestrian street of Ventúrska, culminating in the onion-domed Michael’s Gate, has dozens of bars and restaurants with inviting outdoor seating. And perpendicular to it, leafy Hviezdoslavovo Square is a less crowded version of Barcelona’s La Rambla. There, one of my favorite restaurants in the city, KOGO, serves tasty Italian food at shady outdoor tables and on a glass-covered patio. Indeed, Bratislava has many good restaurants, where food ranges from delectably sophisticated to simple and satisfying. A wooden bowl full of homemade halušky dumplings topped with fresh sheep’s cheese and lardons makes an excellent lunch for two.
Bratislava does not have any blockbuster attractions, which means that it draws far fewer tourists than its more famous neighbors. But that is not to say it is devoid of interesting sights. My favorite stops were the Pálffy Palace, which has changing exhibitions of modern and contemporary art; and the Národný Salón Vín cellars, which offers tastings from its curated collection of the year’s 100 best Slovak wines. All eight I tried were delicious. Indeed, fine local wines can be had all over town, and beer lovers can hop from brewpub to brewpub. Starosloviensky Pivovar has a pleasant garden in the back, but newly opened Le Šenk Craft Beer Café has the most stylish interior. The old quarter has its problems, including graffitied side streets and numerous unrestored buildings, but even unpromising-looking façades often conceal surprisingly chic restaurants and bars. The lanes beneath the castle are full of them.
I could happily have spent a week relaxing in Bratislava, which has at least two hotels worth considering. My favorite was the Arcadia Hotel, on a quiet pedestrian street in an ideal location a two-minute walk from the main square and Michael’s Gate. Renaissance arcades surround the bright lobby, but parts of the building date to the 13th century. The 34 accommodations are charming, if not outright luxurious. Done in red, gold and cream, our Junior Suite had vaulted ceilings, amber glass chandeliers and sconces, and an attractive if slightly cramped seating group. The room had other minor problems, such as a rainfall showerhead too large for the stall and an inexplicably small amount of storage in the walk-in closet, but otherwise, the Arcadia made for a very comfortable base. The barrel-vaulted restaurant served an ample and fresh breakfast buffet; the Library Bar offered a cozy space for a digestif; and the basement spa had memorably dramatic black-and-white mosaics and blood-red Murano-style chandeliers. Most important, the staff were unfailingly personable and polite.
AT A GLANCE
LIKE: The medieval and Renaissance architecture; the very friendly staff; the central location; the charmingly vaulted ceilings.
DISLIKE: The crowded furniture in our Junior Suite; the lack of views.
GOOD TO KNOW: The restaurant serves well-prepared new Slovak cuisine, but it is frequently empty at dinner.
Arcadia Hotel 90 Junior Suite, $340; Deluxe Maisonette Suite, $750. Františkánska 3, Bratislava, Slovakia. Tel. (421) 2-59-49-05-00.
On the other side of the Old Town, the 28-suite art nouveau Tulip House Boutique Hotel provides a close second choice. Its location is almost as good as the Arcadia’s, and we received a complimentary upgrade to the Luxury Suite, a giant one-bedroom apartment with Swarovski crystal-studded furnishings, a guest bath and a full kitchen. It was quite comfortable, but minor problems added up, preventing me from recommending the property wholeheartedly. Attention to detail was not the Tulip House’s strong suit. At turndown, our curtains were drawn, but our bed remained covered by a decorative blanket and numerous throw pillows. And when some technical issues arose, the problems were only half-solved.
AT A GLANCE
LIKE: The airy and spacious accommodations; the pretty art nouveau building; the daily English news printout.
DISLIKE: The inattention to detail; the occasionally sloppy housekeeping.
GOOD TO KNOW: The hotel’s street is under major construction that won’t be finished for some time.
Tulip House Boutique Hotel 88 Deluxe Suite, $325; Luxury Suite, $530. Štúrova 10, Bratislava, Slovakia. Tel. (421) 2-32-17-18-19.
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