# Duna szálló



## Novanas

Dear Friends, I came across the name "Duna Salo" in a novel I was reading.  It was the name of a hotel in Budapest in the 50's.  Whether it was a real hotel, I don't know, and if it was, whether it still exists, I don't know.

At any rate, I assume the name is Magyar, though I could be mistaken.  I would be grateful if anyone could tell me what the name actually means.


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## L'irlandais

Hi Seneca the Duck,
The Mercure Hotel in Budapest is called Duna, perhaps a reference to their local river.

Here's an example of "_duna sola_" in context :
Which I think it may mean something along the lines of "*Danube Salon*" ;  inspired by this online translator for Hungarian to English.  ( Only about one word in ten, on that webpage, seems to be Hungarian however.  :~ )
(But given I don't speak a word of any Eastern European language you may well wish to wait for a native speaker.)


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## Novanas

Thanks for your reply.  This is helpful.  I'm not great on Eastern European languages myself, but I do know a few words: Spartak Moscow, Dynamo Kiev, Steaua Bucharest, etc., etc.


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## hunbirch25

I think "salo" was originally "szálló", and there was a "Duna szálló" ("szálló" means hotel) in Budapest in the fifties; later it was called _Duna Inter Continental_ and now it is - as L'irlandais wrote - _Mercure Budapest Duna_ --- it is centrally situated on the Pest side of our capital, close to the banks of the Danube river, and offers superb views of Gellert Hill and Buda Castle.


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## Novanas

Many thanks for this reply.  It satisfies my curiosity.  It also sounds like a nice hotel--well outside my price range.


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## JMMX

BTW-

_Duna_ is the Hu word for the river Danube which divides Buda and Pest.

Finally, if you will be traveling there, you should be aware that the letter S is pronounced as english SH - hence BudapeSHt is proper pronunciation. Eng S sound is SZ in HU. 

As for online, I use:
http://szotar.sztaki.hu/ 

sok szerencsét!

(Note:  feleségem magyar)


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