Six days in Budapest

A forum search on each destination you mention - Eger, Pécs, Sopron, Bratislava - should bring up a number of discussions so that people don't need to repeat themselves.

Yes, there are good options in Budapest for apartments. I use them regularly.

• It feels like most are listed on Air bnb, as opposed to booking.com.
• Make sure it has a registration number (but I think most do now, with new laws).
• Be sure to filter for what you want, like air con, a washer, wifi, etc.
• I don’t think elevator is a filter, but if you are up a floor, you will want one. Each floor is about 2 flights of stairs.
• Most are in a building with an inner courtyard. Often the outside and hall may look a bit sketchy but the apartments have all been nicely redone. I have stayed in a number of them and they all tend this way.
• Personal opinion, but avoid Kiraly utca. It can get loud.

I have not made it out of Budapest much in all my time there, so can’t offer comparisons. I enjoyed my overnight to Gyor and visit to Pannonhalma Abbey. Once I did a full day trip with a tour around Kecskemet and lunch/horse show that I enjoyed (but I really like horses).

TexasTravelMom hits most of it on the apartments. The registration number is a big deal because you only want to rent legal. She says stay off Kiraly, I might say stay out of District VII and Kiraly utca below the 4/6 tram line (but there can be a few exceptions).

Those that see my posts know I like the Andrássy út / M1 Metro Corridor for a place to stay. Two blocks either side if fine from the end of Andrássy út to almost Heroes' Square. But again there are exceptions. And there are some other good and some other not as good pockets.

I have met a few RS types who have found some really great units in the past few years. Maybe they will provide the names or AirBnb number or ???. Post them here and I can maybe tell you about the area and connection to tourism. Beyond that I am not much help. I like hotels and I live here so I havent even done that much in recent years. But I do know the areas of town and what to do.

Depending on what you enjoy 6 nights might bore the heck out of you or it might be the start of a good relationship. I dont know you so I hazard to guess. I am starting on night 1472 and things are good.

The best two nights out of town is probalby Eger followed by Pécs.
The best one night out of town is maybe Győr/Pannonhalma or Lillafüred.
The best day trips are Szentendre, Kecskemet and lunch/horse show, Etyek and maybe Esztergom.
Worst idea is Bratislava (hey, I can have an opinion).
Longer out of town? Budapest is a hub for WizzAir and Ryan connects too; so much of Europe is an hour away. Montenegro comest to mind.

Budapest Stuff
- Favorite Tourism Video of Budapest https://youtu.be/1nd5AtZIrTk?feature=shared
- Anthony Bourdain describing how visually pleasurable Budapest is https://youtu.be/0nd9DuDGCz0?si=aa0c19KaJHEtabkX
- Hotel Thread: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/rs-forum-favorite-hotels-and-their-cost
- Restaurant Thread: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/restaurants-in-budapest-revisited
- Concert Venue Thread: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/concerts-in-budapest
- Crazy stuff thread:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/flight-time-over-the-hills-of-buda-a

Well, you know I went to Birmingham from Budapest for an overnight once…..

April is a bit far out for AirBnb so I looked for October. Both shoulder seasons and the rates should be about the same. For the areas I like a nice one will run $70 to $100 a night (and you can spend twice that). One that is on one level, has at least 350 sf, recently renovated and on the lower 3 floors will be closer to the $100 (or more). The nice thing about them here is that they are heavily regulated and inspected and licensed … and the city isn’t facing the same sort of housing challenges as some cities claim to have. No outrage and no tourist go home protests here.

If you were to consider a hotel, I checked the Medos https://maps.app.goo.gl/DjsdGMtufXkJkPs99 great location and well-reviewed in general and by several on this forum. It’s a 3 star, but a nice 3-Star. The cheapest room in April was 75€ then there are a few better rooms with the top of the line on the 10th floor with a private outdoor terrace for 135€ a night. The problem with 3-Star hotels in the area that I like is that there are not many … or at least many that I would recommend, and that’s a shame.

Another, but nicer, is the 4-Star UP Hotel https://maps.app.goo.gl/hL6W5cDmkDAzJdwF6 . Screwy name, but sweet location (especially if you are there on a Saturday morning) and a nice facility. Rooms run from 111€ to 190€ a night in April. The 4-Star Hotel Oktogon https://maps.app.goo.gl/vgF2MLy172aMCV9z7 that has been well reviewed by the RS folks runs from 100€ to 290€ in April. And if you just wanted to do something different, there is the Hotel Alice https://maps.app.goo.gl/wzVhdQh2PYKq2Knu6 140€ to 275€.

Thank you Tex and Mr. E for your very helpful responses!

The nice thing about them here is that they are heavily regulated and inspected and licensed … and the city isn’t facing the same sort of housing challenges as some cities claim to have. No outrage and no tourist go home protests here.

This is precisely what I was wanting to know. I won't start researching Airbnb options for a few months, but I am so glad to know I can do that without contributing a problem that is common in so many other cities.