Hotels

Budapest's accommodations run the gamut of categories from beautiful, historic gems, those that have sprung from the ground up, and those that have remained the same from the beginning.

A few new hotels such as the Hotel Zara and Atrium opened in 2006 and 2007, while more hotels are being built as of this writing. The most distinctive of the Budapest hotels include the historic Gresham Palace Four Seasons, Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal, and Castle Hill's Hilton Hotel, being among the city's most elite lodgings.

Lodging rates in Budapest have risen considerably in the last few years, becoming more comparable to the rates of other European capitals.

With the addition of so many new hotels, Budapest has become much more attractive as an international conference venue, filling properties with conference enrollees. Due to this and the increased accessibility to the city via budget airlines, this has further instigated seasonal rates.

During the high season from April or May to the end of September, it can be difficult to get your first choice of a room in your first choice of hotel. During the Hungarian Formula One weekend or the Sziget Festival both in August, it can be quite difficult to secure a hotel or pension room or even a hostel bed, so make reservations and get written confirmation well in advance of your stay.

When booking, bear in mind that many European standards call a room with two twin beds a double. If you want a double bed, you will need to request it specifically. Extra beds or cots are generally available also. Hungarian hotels often blur the use of the words apartment and suite to describe bedrooms with a living room in it or connected rooms including a bedroom and living room. Some have a kitchen, while others do not. In these listings, we have specified if there is a separate living room area and/or kitchen facilities.

Air-conditioning can be a major concern during the summer months; the small hotels, pensions, and hostels are less likely to have it than the larger and more expensive places.

Budget Lodgings -- There are a number of recommendable budget accommodations in Budapest. Travelers have the advantage of choosing from a wealth of perfectly acceptable, options. Small pensions, rooms in private homes, and a number of good youth hostels make the city inviting to travelers on any budget. Remember the realtor phrase: location, location, location. The location of your accommodations is a significant factor in cost. Normally, one can expect to pay more for the location, the history, and the reputation of a hotel; being in the center of the city will add to the inflated cost. Note that with construction of the new metro 4 line, many transportation services on the Buda side are being diverted or stopped. This can make it trickier to get to your hotel and make it difficult to get to the tourist places. Returning late in the evening in some parts can be more difficult than in the past. Question the transportation options carefully. There is nothing worse than having to end a pleasant evening early just to catch the last bus back to your room. Remember, time is precious and you don't want to spend too much of it on public transport.

Accommodations Agencies -- The most established accommodations agencies are the former state-owned travel agents Ibusz, MÁV Tours (tel. 1/182-9011), and Budapest Tourist (tel. 1/117-3555). Although newer private agencies continue to bloom, the older agencies tend to have the greatest number of rooms listed. There are agencies at the airport, in all three major train stations, throughout central Pest, and along the main roads into Budapest for travelers arriving by car. You can also reserve online through many of the agencies listed below.

The main Ibusz reservations office is at Ferenciek tere 10 (tel. 1/485-2700; fax 1/318-2805; www.ibusz.hu), accessible by the Blue metro line. This office is open year-round Monday through Friday 9am to 6pm.

Seasons -- Many, but not all hotels and pensions in Budapest divide the year into three seasons. High season is roughly from March or April through September or October. Easter week and the period of the Budapest Spring Festival (mid- to late Mar) are also considered high season by some hotels. Special season includes the weekend of the Hungarian Formula One in August, and New Year's. Low season is roughly November through February, with the exceptions above. Some hotels discount as much as 30% in low season, while others offer no winter discounts, so be sure to inquire.

Price Categories -- Most hotels and pensions in Budapest list their prices in euros. Listing rates in euros is not just intended as a means of transition to the EU currency (Hungary is expected to adopt the euro sometime after 2010), it is also a hedge against forint inflation (though the forint has had its highs and lows over the past few years). All hotels in Budapest accept payment in Hungarian forints as well as in foreign currencies. Where prices are quoted in euros, I provided a dollar and a British pound conversion. The euro exchange rate as this book goes to press is 1€ equals $1.30. Exchange rates fluctuate over time, of course, so the price of a room in dollars will change as the euro-to-dollar exchange rate changes.

All hotels are required to charge a 12% value-added tax (VAT). Most build the tax into their rates, while a few tack it on top of their rates. When booking a room, ask whether the VAT is included in the quoted price. Unless otherwise indicated, prices in this book include the VAT.

Hotels in Hungary are rated by the international five-star system. In our view, however, the ratings are somewhat arbitrary and are not included in our entries for that reason. You can find an explanation of the Frommer's star ratings used throughout this guide in the front matter.

Note: I have discovered that just about every major hotel has some Internet specials or packages on its website. Just like the airlines, hotels continually gauge their occupancy and change rates according to room availability; but they all say that the early bird gets the biggest discount. Unless noted otherwise, the hotels listed have Internet deals, so check their website. Once you have booked, confirm the rate and the room desired and get a confirmation number.

I have found that the websites of smaller hotels and pensions are frequently inaccurate with respect to rates if they don't have online booking capabilities, so make sure to call them to confirm. If you can book online, the rates should be current and accurate.

The Buda Hills

Unless you have some special reason to want to stay in the Buda Hills, be aware that you will be using precious time to travel to the Pest side where the lion's share of sights are located. These accommodations take two transport connections to reach the center.