The Danube Express (above), billed as the "first five-star hotel on wheels to be launched in central Europe for almost 30 years," just completed its maiden voyage from Budapest to Berlin. The Express' classic train cars were retrofitted with hand-built wood-paneled sleeping compartments with en suite baths at a cost of $200,000 apiece, the London Times reports. There's also a VIP compartment with velvet and copper accents that was formerly the private quarters of Hungary's last Communist president, which costs $5,000 for the journey. Other destinations including Prague, Vienna and Istanbul will be added soon.

Paris Hilton is in trouble again but this time, I can't really say is is her fault. The Sunday Times reports that winemakers of northern Italy are fighting to defend against what they say are two threats to their industry, one from Hungary and one from Paris Hilton. The battle with Hungary is over the term "Tokai" which the European granted Hungary exclusive rights to use to describe sweet wine made in the Tokaj region of Hungary. Italians say that wine makers in Friuli-Venezia Giulia have been using the term tocai for centuries. The terms "Tokai, Tokaj or Tocai" are all protected under the same umbrella. The Italian Tokai, is a very different wine from the Hungarian wine, it is light and slightly tart.

The Paris Hilton scuffle has to do with her promotion of Rich Prosecco, she's actually been promoting the fizzy drink in a can since 2006 but the recent ad campaign showing her wearing only gold paint has focused new attention to the drink and its name. Italians are angered that the drink, which is not being marketed in Italy, is being called prosecco which generally refers to the Italian sparkling wine made of grapes grown in Veneto, Valdobbiadene and Conegliano wine regions. The Rich Prosecco is, at least according to their website, made of these grapes, but putting the drink in a can and mixing it with fruit juice is considered sacrilege. Winemakers are considered that the Paris-powered beverage could give end up tarnishing the entire Prosecco range of Italian sparklers which are often considered another option to Champagne.

Lánchíd 19, Budapest's sexy new boutique hotel is now open. The hotel, which is the first Hungarian member of design hotels features the work of Hungarian architects and designers. The hotel's facade, created by Nextlab, is a changing glass artwork which provides pictures at night which shine out over the Danube riverbank. The movement of the glass lamellas are painted with tiny graphics to follow the flow speed of the Danube. During construction the medieval walls and remains of a water-tower were excavated and the archaeological remains are visible from the lobby through glass flooring. Each of the 45 rooms and 3 suites have an individual look and all have views of the Buda Royal Castle. More information on the process of creating the hotel can be found on their blog.

Are you ready for Zwack? Zwack is a Hungarian liqueur which is now being rolled out in the states courtesy of Diego North America. The liqueur was test marketed in Buffalo, New York and will be distributed in Ohio starting March 1. Zwack is known as Unicum in Hungary and has been made since the 1790s. It contains more than 40 herbs and is aged in oak casks aged for at least six months. It has a dark amber color and smells of herbs and citrus. It can be served as an appertif or a digestif and according to Internet Wines, which is selling it for $34 a bottle, the Hungarians steep prunes in it and serve the prunes with it. I'm guessing it probably tastes like a spicier version of Chartreuse. Anyone out there tasted Zwack yet?

The New York Palace Hotel in Budapest opened this week after undergoing an €80 million renovation that not only updated the interior, but built on an entirely new wing. The hotel was originally an office building, built in 1894 for a New York insurance company. It was purchased from the Hungarian government in 2001 by Boscolo Hotels for only €8 million. The redesigned luxury hotel is extremely elegant, with a glassed-over courtyard and walkways full of gilt and marble. According to Boscolo, all of the textiles and furnishings come from Italy. The Hotel's New York Cafe has reopened as well, offering guests a taste of history, as it was a famously popular meeting place for artists and writers before World War II. Rooms start at €290 and the two royal suites start at €2,500 per night.

The addition of the new wing, which is still not entirely complete, will bring the total number of rooms up to 180 from the current 107, as well as adding conference facilities and a parking garage.