Premium Hotel Panorama

I enjoyed five nights in the Hotel Panoráma, Siófok. With a high season full house, all facilties and staff were of top quality. There has clearly been heavy and effective investment in all public areas, grounds, bedrooms, restaurant and the kitchen. Unlimited stocks of sunloungers, with guests parking themselves under plane trees or moving wide parasols to follow the shade, in the 34° C sunshine. Only three or four brought pet dogs. I swam in the 120 cm-deep indoor pool, 33° C, and in Lake Balaton, also 33° C. The clean freshwater lake has a sandy bottom, and is shallow to about chest-high for 200 metres offshore. This provides plenty of space for occasional big inflatable unicorns, swans etc. The adjoining municipal strand was cleaned each morning, and featured a beach snackery with ice creams. The hotel bar offered a choice of payment by room tab, or card, or cash. Unlimited Wi-Fi. Each room has a safe, a minibar, a balcony to dry swimwear, and a hairdryer. There is a shared ironing room in the wellness centre. The staff coped well with hotel English and German. Vast choice of quality dishes, fruit and pastries at breakfast and dinner buffets, inc vegetarian. A sign forbids bikinis in the restaurant. A guest invited me into the penthouse suite for a private function: great views, and a kitchenette. In hot weather, do not walk from Siófok station, 1.8 km. There is an hourly bus to the hotel, or take a taxi (4,000 Forint in 2024). The cheap 81-minute train from Budapest-Déli is often full each way, so buy a ticket and seat reservation in advance from the multi-language machines. Not all trains include 1st class. The station also displays times of next bus and Balaton ferry services.