Hotels in Budapest?

Here is a list that I think are located in the right location. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/budapest-updated-hotel-list

From that list I think that these two meet your requirements:

• Medosz Hotel Budapest (4.2) = 87€ / night https://medoshotel.hu/
• Collect Residence (4.8) = 83€ / night (no breakfast): https://www.collectresidence.com/
• 12 Revay Hotel (4.5) = 99€ / night (no breakfast) https://12revay.accenthotels.com/en

For some reason, no one looks at Ibis. The Ibis chain, found throughout Europe, is inexpensive and utilitarian. Ibis Heroes Square was quite reasonable last I looked. And there is an elevator (we too are selecting hotels with that feature, as we are mid-70s).

The Ibis at Heroes' Square is not an unreasonable choice. Ive only been in the lobby and it looks fine. It wold come down to price for me. If I could get it for 20€ / night less than the others I listed, I might do it. ibis Budapest Heroes Square (4.2) = 72€ / night https://all.accor.com/hotel/6564/index.en.shtml

Naturally all my suggestions are biased around what I enjoy and how I travel.

• I often want to return to the room during the day, so close the where I will be is good. The one point in the city that is almost equal distance (in travel time) from everything worth seeing in Pest is Deak Ferenc ter. Anywhere along the Andrassy ut and on the M1 metro fits that bill of being close pretty well.
• I dont quit at sunset, I like to walk the beautiful parts of the cities in the evenings, see the lights, maybe have a drink, just sort of soak it all in. For that, here, the most ideal place is Andrassy ut and the streets close to the Opera.
  

The Ibis to the Opera is 15 minutes on the metro or a 35 minute walk. But it is just one ride on the M1 so thats not as terrible as it sounds. The others on the list are closer is all. But, again, if the Ibis were 20€ / night less than the others I listed, I might do it.

I suggested the 3 star hotels because of the way the request was worded, but there are some 4 star hotels that can be about the same price at times (varies a lot with the date), and are as well or better located. Or might just cost you 10 euro more for a lot nicer experience. Its worth checking just to knpw all the options.

The date of the stay and the length of the stay might also change what I think is a good idea. With two nights i would stay at the river. With 6 nights I would get the apartment hotel maybe. Winter definately Andrassy ut and definatley close to the Opera.

Hi, Sheila, I was in Budapest in October of last year and stayed at the Hotel Medosz, which Mr. E mentions above.

Below is a link to my trip report, and if you will scroll down just a couple of paragraphs, you will see a review of the hotel (along with some recommendations for really good restaurants and cafes).

I liked it a lot, and the price couldn't be beat. It was little under $100 per night for a very large room with a huge breakfast included, and located just a block or so from the opera. FWIW, I am female, age 70, traveling solo and felt very secure and comfortable here. Yes, it did have an elevator; several, in fact. 😊

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/budapest-mini-trip-report-the-opera-the-scenery-the-food-the-catastrophe

Here is another that is worth checking out:

Hilton Garden Inn (4.5) 131€ / night
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/budccgi-hilton-garden-inn-budapest-city-centre/?SEO_id=GMB-EMEA-GI-BUDCCGI

Thank you, Mr. E, Paul of the Frozen North and Mardee!
This is very helpful information, and I appreciate your replies.

I am waiting on laundry to finish so I can go to bed, so:

The Hotel Medosz is one of the better located hotels for a first time visit to Budapest. https://maps.app.goo.gl/o5QNfdf5SCT5yrCN7 It is also the least expensive hotel that I am aware of, that is anywhere near as well located. My only argument against it regarding cost could be that in Budapest 4 Star hotels can cost less than equally well situated 3 Star hotels in Vienna or Rome or Paris or London; so, Budapest could be an opportunity to up your game if it mattered at all to you. For pricing I recently checked the Medosz 3 months out and 9 months out and even though the 3 months out was in the shoulder season and the 9 months out was Christmas Market time, the 9 months out was quite a bit less expensive so they do use dynamic pricing so book early.

The Hotel Medos is also the Hotel Medosz when seen in Hungarian marketing. I only point this out as it’s a first lesson in Hungarian. An “S” in Hungarian is pronounced “Sh” unless the “S” is followed by a “Z”, then its more like an American S.

Okay, so the hotel faces on to Jókai tér (Jókai was a Hungarian writer and ter = square). The neighborhood, for the most part, is 4 to 5 story late 18th and early 19th century apartment blocks with commercial space on the first floor. The one glaring exception is the 10 story Medosz hotel that was constructed in the early 1970’s; and yes, the style is somewhat of the better end of what you would expect of communist architecture of the time. For those who want charming, this isn’t the place; efficient yes.

Google gives the hotel a rating of 4.2, Booking.com says 8.5 and Trip Advisor says 4.0 and rates it 119 out of 384 hotels. I’ve never stayed there; I have been in the lobby and it’s what I would expect from a 3-star hotel in a post-war building. Counting Mardee I have known 4 RS tourists that have stayed there. Mardee and one other share the same positive opinion for the most part. The other two indicated it was very okay, but next time maybe not (which I didn’t take negative).

Out the front door and to the left, and facing the park, is a nice wine bar called Champion Wine https://maps.app.goo.gl/igZxvCcZSuocdPYNA where you can try some of the famous Hungarian wines. Out the front door and on the right, facing the park, is a nice example of a Hungarian Presszó (cheap beer and food joint, sort of a pub) called Kiado Kocsma, which literally means “Pub for Rent” https://maps.app.goo.gl/QnB1a1fVgFtpQiCH7. Next door is a small theater for children. You will be in the Theater District so do get out and see a play, a musical and the opera. The productions are good and the venues are spectacular.

If you stay at the Medosz hotel then you will be a 2-minute walk to Andrassy ut. Your lifeline for tourism will be primarily the M1 Metro and to a lesser degree the 4/6 Tram. From the hotel it is less than a 5-minute walk to the Oktogon stop of either. The most convenient place to wander in the evening, have a drink, eat dinner, just enjoy what I think is the most beautiful spot in Pest when the sun goes down (except maybe the riverfront) is Andrassy ut at the Opera House. That is less than a 10-minute walk.

Now, I know you guys love to walk, so, once, you must do the 30-minute walk down Andrassy ut and on to the river. After that, because there is so much else to see take the 10-minute ride on the M1 to go home. Likewise, you should walk Andrassy ut the other direction to the bath house. That will take you closer to 40 minutes. The M1, again will get you home in 10 minutes. But walking all of Andrassy ut, once, is important as this is a very beautiful avenue. It’s what the French had hope the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, but never panned out as well.

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I am one of those people Mr. É references who has stayed at the Medos and probably won’t again (unless circumstances dictate). I was there for a week last Oct.

That being said, it does all the things you have asked for: quiet, clean, elevator, well-located, and usually well-priced. I love this area, close to the Oktogon metro and the 4/6 tram. I will be the first to admit the main reason I won’t plan to return is that there is simply so much gorgeous architecture in Budapest that I don’t want to stay in the building itself. In any other city, I wouldn’t be concerned with that. I did NOT stay in one of the more expensive rooms. Mine was fine, with enough room for 2 people, but felt a little bit like one of the actual nice dorm rooms I have stayed in elsewhere. Breakfast was decent, with plenty of food. (Unlike Mardee, I was satisfied but not really impressed. We are all different.) My prejudice is that I love the apartments I find. That would not be everyone’s choice.

So given what you have said, I would say it satisfies what you are looking for. Other hotels would as well - they just might be more expensive or less well-located.

TTM, have we met? Hmmmmm. I did say that the Medosz was not “charming” but it does work. Unfortunately, I don’t know of any well located 3-star that is charming. I will keep looking because that would be wonderful.

You know I am not a huge fan of short-term rentals, but I get your point. No ethical dilemma as the housing issues in Budapest aren’t like the ones attributed to the evilness of Airbnb. Just not my cup of palinka. You have been to Budapest, what, like 1000 times, and you know your way around. With District VI (the Andrassy ut / M1 corridor) being closed to short-term rentals the choices for a first-time visitor are a bit less agreeable. You either end up a bit remote, which I know works for you and I understand why; or you end up in tourist heII. There are some good pockets, but it is a lot harder to define on this forum than saying Andrassy ut.

So, let’s tear apart a few more well-located hotels. The OP said “next Fall” in another post so that’s 23 September until 21 December and the midpoint is 6 November, but I will presume that the OP is talking about October at the latest.

15 – 19 October

Using the Medosz as a benchmark: Medosz Hotel 106€ / night | 1 day cancelation | no breakfast. There just are not any 3 star that begin to compare, so these are 4 star.

• FIRST CHOICE: Three Corners Avenue (4star & 4.8 on google): 132€ / night | 1 day cancelation | includes breakfast (easily worth 20€ for two guests, so 112€ equivalent. For location it is the best listed here. It’s a smaller hotel that occupies most of a classic old building. The renovation retained a lot of the original building feel, but is still modern and clean. Not a bad mix of old and new. It is 2 minutes from Andrassy ut and 5 minutes from the Opera and the M1 metro stop. A number of great restaurants and wine bars within just a few minutes walking. Of the three this is the best location bar none. For the dates that I checked they did not offer a room with no breakfast. When you check, if they do, skip the breakfast. There are just too many good places “in Budapest” and close by. Start the day in the city, not the hotel. Here is the street that the Three Corners is on. https://youtu.be/70FQfS-yYcw?si=bbM7_IDfNLMDGRip AND https://youtu.be/ush5p6604kE?si=s6XM_-6_pMOfY4x6
• SECOND CHOICE: UpHotel (4star and 4.7 on google): $137€ / night | 1 day cancelation | no breakfast. This one only if you are staying at the weekend. I would stay here just for the opportunity to get up and walk out and see the Saturday morning market in the park in front of the hotel. A quiet area a few blocks off Andrassy ut, but less than a 5-minute walk to the M1 Metro on Andrassy ut. A classic building that fell victim to too much renovation. Looks very modern inside; but suites my taste just the same. Beautiful, but not classic. Here is the Saturday outside market at the market hall across the street from the hotel: https://youtu.be/qFV6WszVpdM?si=UJHw5_Gi1MzDrV7k
• THRID CHOICE: Oktogon Hotel (4star and 4.8 on google): 131€ / night | 1 day cancelation | no breakfast. Maybe the most classic in atmosphere of this list. But for the price and the location not as good as the others, it is last in my list. But it is a beautiful hotel. Do look.
  

We stayed near Deák Ferenc tér and really liked the location. It was central, easy to walk everywhere, and still quiet at night. Our hotel was simple, clean, had an elevator, and felt very comfortable for a longer stay. I’d definitely recommend looking in that area.