Apartments in Budapest

Stayed at 7 Seasons Apartments for 10 days in October. Were very happy. Well-located, clean, modern. Book on their website. They offered free pick up at airport, bus station, etc.

AirBnB and VRBO are just listing agencies. Use them if you think they provide added value. Many of the vacation rental apartments will be listed on several platforms. The one I stay in when in Budapest is listed on 4. So what you do is find an apt. you like, then Google the name or a very specific phrase out of the listing (like "magnificent river view" for instance) and see the offers from the various listing agencies.

More important in my mind is location. In Budapest in particular a poor location can really be a burden.

Also some apartments on booking.com as well. We stayed at Liszt Studios near Octogon metro stop last spring, going back next month. Nice owners!

To prove my point I googled for Budapest apartments and picked one with a unique name, then googled that name. This is how many booking companies have the listing (actually more, this is where I stopped)

http://budapestapartmentservice.com/apartments/studio-six/
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/948781
http://www.budgetplaces.com/budapest-apartment-23939-studio-six.html
https://www.only-apartments.com/budapest/391848
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=116OzkMlw05qovmU2IlxY7uHOHFM&hl=en&ll=47.50510600000001%2C19.061987000000044&z=17
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=116OzkMlw05qovmU2IlxY7uHOHFM&hl=en&ll=47.50510600000001%2C19.061987000000044&z=17
https://www.tobook.com/Hungary/Hotels/Studio-Six?citypname=Budapest
http://studio-six-hotel-budapest.booked.net/
https://www.flipkey.com/budapest-condo-rentals/p1175945/
https://www.bedandbreakfast.eu/bed-and-breakfast/budapest/studio-six/2106167/

My favorite part of Budapest and the location I stay is within the boundaries: https://goo.gl/maps/YCu5wfcensK2

Thanks, all. (Interesting research on those alternative sites for one property!) It looks like I have my day's research cut out for me!!

FWIW, after I showed 7seasons to my husband last night (it reminded me of the place we used in our Rome stay & I was very happy with that one), my husband said he wanted me to find "something on the River" ... The 4 Seasons came immediately to mind. (No, we aren't 4 Seasons kind of travelers.) I'll see what I can find.

If someone says they will spend one or two nights in Budapest I say stay on the river at either the intercontinental or the Marriott. Otherwise stay somewhere near the M1 metro line which runs down to the river. That way you get to live in the real town, but have access to the river for all of its beauty ......... and tourism........ The 7Seasons sort of fits that bill, but I don't know anything about the place. Love the street it is on.

And the criteria have changed ... he wants not only a "River view" but a view from the Buda side, i.e., a view of the Parliament building.

All the places I've looked at so far (including within James' perimeter) have been on the east (Pest) side. Are there any issues with staying on the Buda side?

Just the transportation time traveling to Pest for 85% of what you are there to see. Besides, the view from Pest is better.

I sent you a PM with some photos....

The Pest side can be much more intimate, and the corso has restaurants and places to sit and enjoy the view. The view of the Castle District and the Chain Bridge is stunning. The best view in town is from the top of Gellert Hill in Buda, but that's a destination for the view and then you go home. The view of the Parliament is rare from any place of great comfort. Again, its a destination view and you move on. But it is beautiful and worth the effort, especially after dark.

Still, everyone should stay in Buda on their 3rd or 4th visit; just to see the other half. We did it once about 6 years ago.

James, Thanks for the photos and video. We spent the day looking at options on the Buda side. There are certainly many ways to tease out a river view in the booking photos! Whew!

How many hours will you sit looking out your window. The weather is generally cool but suitable for being outside; so look for an apartment near a restaurant or bar with a view. I am certain there are some in Budapest but I am not as familiar with that side of the river.

The photos show a nice place near the end of the M1 metro in Pest. Ignore photo quality, I'm no photographer. The video was with my cell phone.

How many hours will we sit looking at a view? Quite a few!! We are serious walkers when we get to a new city, and typically start early each day. By evening we are ready to plop down and watch the world go by.

We don't typically obsess over a view (which is why I was surprised this time for the criterion of a view, and a particular one at that). But in a couple of places (e.g., Cinque Terre and Istanbul) we did look long and hard for "just that view."

IAC, the deed is now done & booked. I even went with airbnb, in spite of my vow to avoid them after bad experiences 2 trips back. (For anyone curious, just google "airbnb budapest Beautiful flat with Parliament view.")

And a BIG mahalo to all for the ideas shared here. I feel I have 'walked' through many Budapest neighborhoods already.

Admittedly I tend to get a little overly .... well you know. Have a great time!

OK, I looked it up. That place is drop dead gorgeous... Worth the effort!

James, You have been helpful beyond expectations. We will certainly walk around the neighborhood you so cleverly outlined on google-maps.

I hope you will also be haunting the Prague and Malta communities (and, sadly, perhaps Paris too) as we wrap up the planning for 2017.

Malta? Never been, but with Ryan Air flying for $44 nonstop from Budapest, just might do it this year.
Prague? Haven't been in 6 years.
Paris? Love it. Try and get back every 3 or 4 years.

This year way too many plans. We did Scotland/Budapest for New Year. May we are just doing Budapest and maybe Pecs (love Pecs). The hard trip is the one in the fall. I want to go back to Ukraine (one of my most favorite lands), but I also want to see more of Montenegro and Albania; but I only have two weeks.

From your apartment at Bem rkp 38 it is about a 5 minute walk to Batthyány tér. Here is a somewhat interesting market hall and the M2 Metro Line to Pest.

You can take the M2 to Deák Ferenc tér. For the full trip from your apartment figure 15 minutes including up and down in the metro stations. Deák Ferenc tér is pretty much the center of all the things to see and where the M1, M2 and M3 metro lines cross. From Deák Ferenc tér most of the sights will be within a 10 minute walk / tram or in a few cases Metro line trip.

To get to Castle Hill in Buda you walk to Batthyány tér and get on the 41 tram to Clark Ádám tér from which you climb or take the Funicular up. About 20 minutes all together if you take the Funicular. Your Travel Card will not work on the Funicular. There is also a bus (cheaper than the Funicular) or you can walk it (pretty steep walk); but all routes are going to take about 20 minutes. No matter how you get up, you want to walk down and see the neighborhoods.

Batthyány tér is also the head of the H5 Commuter Train which will take you to Aquincum in about 25 minutes and Szentendrei in about 45 minutes.

I will send you a PM with a few other things....

Bem rkp. 38

James. Thanks for all your helpful pointers.

Before I leave this thread to work on Malta does anyone here know which Community on RS deals best with Malta? I see that it's in both "General Europe" (which it really isn't, since it's a specific, not 'general' across Europe, topic) and "Beyond Europe" (which also isn't right, since it's part of Europe, yes?) I found Rick's audio puts it as part of "Italy" so that's where I'll start looking unless I hear other directions.

Thanks again, everyone. We're excited about Budapest and 5-nights no longer seems a long stay!

Ken's rental across the river has an incredible view, and is a solid buy. We really like it.
We rented an apartment 1/2 block from the ballet just off Andressy and 2 minutes walk from the Opera metro station starting the day after Easter. My wife's had mid foot arthritis limiting her walking, and we're trying to stay on ground floor. She cannot handle 77 steps above the Argentine steak house on our last visit to Budapest.
Thanks again James for your knowledge of our new favorite city.