Juhász Gyula - Szántó András: Hotels - Our Budapest (Budapest, 1999)
struction taking place in the early eighties. The hotel is still in operation. Since 1997, the Nemzeti has been a member of the Mercure chain. The full redecoration of its interior was completed in summer of 1999. The Hotel ROYAL No. 45-47 Erzsébet körút, district VII Raised to plans by Dezső Ray Sr and opened in 1896, the hotel was the pride of the Grand Boulevard. The street front was decorated with cast-iron statues imported from Paris, representing the four seasons. The building was a famous attraction throughout the period of the dual monarchy. It was studied by a host of visiting experts, as every facet of advanced technology was applied here- there was even a swimming pool in the basement of the neighbouring building. With its splendid suites, concert and banqueting halls (one of which was later converted into a cinema), its tropical garden, various restaurants and café, the hotel could accommodate several hundred guests at any one time. During World War II, most of the building was burnt out. When fully reconstructed in 1961, it was provided with the fashionable equipment of the period and thus, with its 367 rooms, the establishment became the largest hotel in the country. Its shell-shaped armchairs and abstract ceramic wall mosaics, which are historic applied arts monuments, were the pride of the building at the time of its opening. Quality dance and jazz music was played by the Gyimesi-Tatár duet in the tropical garden on the street front overlooking the Grand Boulevard. After the renovation of 1985, in the course of which the frontage itself was partially restored to its original The Hotel Royal in the early 1900s 28
