Autumn accommodation in our favourite wine regions

The Szőlőhegy Guesthouse in Sümeg promises stylish relaxation in the heart of nature, in the Káli Basin – also known as the “Hungarian Tuscany” –, at the foot of the Sümeg Castle Hill. The house boasts a panoramic terrace and a Jacuzzi with views of the vineyards and castle, can accommodate up to 4 guests, and offers authentic local wine.

Even if you want to get to know the local wine culture better, you don’t have to go far. For example, in the cellar of the Sümeg Bishop’s Palace, one of the centres of the Balaton-Highlands wine region, you will find the Egly Vineyard and Winery’s restaurant and museum, where their own wines are on display. Their main grape varieties are Furmint, Italian Riesling, Blaufränkisch, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The Pálffy Wine Terrace & Pálffy 59 Guesthouse, famous for their volcanic wines, and the Capári Winery are also nearby, where you can also enjoy exciting wine tastings. In Sümeg, you should also visit the cheeses made by Kalla Natural Foods. Roland Kalla studied cheese making in Switzerland and now uses his knowledge on his farm in Sümegprága, where his products can often be found at the farmers’ markets in Fonyód and Káptalantóti.

The Kreinbacher Estate opened its doors in 2015, offering unique rooms for those who want to discover Somló and one of its most lavish wineries. The 15 modern-designed rooms of the Estate combine rustic, urban elements with the charming rusticity of the countryside, crowned by vineyards and mountain views. The estate also boasts a bistro, which has been one of the region’s top restaurants for many years and will receive a Michelin recommendation in 2022, offering a unique gastronomic experience for visitors, and a winery with a range of activities for visitors. On the wine-tasting estate tour, you can see the sophisticated processes of wine and sparkling wine production using the most modern technologies, and on the vineyard tour, you can visit the Kreinbacher plots, the Barát Rock, the Kőkonyha (‘Stone Kitchen’), Taposó Well, the wine and wine history museum, the old vineyard houses and the chapels of Somló.

One of the jewels of the Tokaj wine region is the Count Degenfeld Vineyard and Castle Hotel in Tarcal. The Count Degenfeld family has been making wine at the château-style estate centre since the mid-1800’s, with a few decades’ interruption, and has been welcoming guests since 1999. With sophisticated antique furnishings, old paintings and Venetian chandeliers, the interiors evoke a 19th-century atmosphere, and the services cater for a wide range of needs, whether for a family holiday, a romantic retreat or active relaxation. On the Tarcal wine tour, you can wander through the region’s wonderful vineyards, and visit the Basilicus Vineyard in addition to the Gróf Degenfeld Vineyard. At the wine tastings and wine dinners, you can taste the outstanding wines of the region, including, of course, Tokaji aszú and Szamorodni, as well as the dry wines of the wine region.

In the wine region of Neszmély, surrounded by 250 hectares of its own vineyards, Hilltop Wine Estate and Restaurant on the top of Melegeshegy offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Danube and a variety of gastronomic experiences. Their á la carte menu offers a variety of modern cuisine, as well as classic Hungarian dishes, mainly seasonal, with new seasonal specialities available for a limited period only. The estate also offers special self-organised programmes for visitors, including Cinema Picnics on the hilltop, Live Music Dinner Nights, as well as Saxophone on the Panoramic Poolside and Tuscan Cooking programmes. The on-site infinity pool can further enhance your relaxation, and the surrounding area is full of exciting attractions: You can visit the remains of the medieval rectangular tower on the Castle Hill, hike to the King’s Fountain and visit the Danube-side Boat Harbour Museum, where prestigious veterans, such as the steamship Zoltán, which served for 100 years from 1869, and the winged boat Vöcsök, which has been sailing the Vienna-Budapest route since 1977, are stationed.