Budapest hotel question

Well, if they are the same price, and your wife is a "prima donna" then maybe the Meridien would be better. Anyways, it is only a few minutes walk from the Gerloczy, so you can still have breakfast there. I'm not sure, but I doubt the Le Meridien comes with a free breakfast. Both are well situated, steps from Deak Ter which is the main metro transfer point.

No question, go with what your "prima donna" wife wants. After all, you want a pleasant vacation, yes? :) Seriously, if it were me in the quandry, I'd likely opt for Le Meridien. We stayed in a small, quaint hotel in Budapest (along with similarly-styled small hotels in dozens of other places), where the room was charming enough (complete with creaky floors), breakfast was the usual fare served in the community breakfast room filled with other tourists, and the only "locals" we came into contact with were the woman who checked us in/out and the breakfast server person. Our next stop was Vienna, where we stayed at Le Meridien. The room - especially the shower - was sleek and modern, lots of toiletries, and we found the knowledge of the (local) concierge to be a HUGE asset toward planning our sightseeing time/routes. Breakfast was not included but it gave us the opportunity to seek out local cafes in the morning where we could have a bite surrounded by locals in a lively scene rather than the awkward quietness the breakfast rooms of small hotels/pensions sometimes have. Where, by the way, you are far more likely to sit next to someone from Chicago than Budapest. I'm all for supporting small, local establishments (and we usually go that route), but if a place like Le Meridien is available at a competitive price, the lure of the amenities that comes with it would be too much for me to resist. After all, at the end of the day both places will be staffed with "locals." And you'd have a happy wife.

The Gerloczy is in a cute little nook on the Pest side, nice newly laid brick road with marble side walks. We walked past it on one of our RS walks. Not sure were the Meridian is or if we saw it. We stayed on the Buda side at Belvue B&B so I have a bias as to where I would stay but since this post is about you (not about me), I will give kudos to the Gerloczy for its cuteness and nice location.

Actually I rechecked the prices and it turns out they did not include the taxes in my wife's price for the Meridien. The comparative cost is now $170/night at le Meridien not including breakfast vs. $133/night at the Pension including breakfast. Should I still do it the Prima Donna way? :)

Hi Robert, If I were married to your wife I would opt for le Meridien. However, my wife and I both enjoy small places which don't cater to business customers so I will select the pension.

Hmmm, well now we are talking about money, and potentially REAL money if there are multiple nights involved. While this would change things enough for me to opt for the pension, really only you and your wife can determine what your budget allows. FWIW, we stayed at Le Meridien in Vienna because we were able to get a rate of $90/night ($104 incl. tax) from Priceline.com. If you think your wife truly would not be happy with the Gerloczy, you might want to consider looking into Priceline for Budapest and "bidding" on a 4-5 star hotel. We've used it several times and have always had great success. Good luck!

Well I thought I'd share the follow-up. I took the (vast) majority advice and supported my wife's desire for a 5 star hotel instead of the Pension I liked. At her suggestion we used Priceline and got the Hilton Westend for $75 a night ($281 after taxes and fees for 3 nights). It sounds decent and is near the Parliament building, but the sort of soul-less Western type place I was trying to avoid. Score one for the Prima Donna :)

Well, the good news is you got a fantastic rate, and the even better news is that when you step outside of the hotel, you'll be in Budapest! It's a wonderful city, among our favorites in Europe. By the way, if you like garlic, make sure to Google "langos" before you go. The one we had was on the second floor of the Central Market Hall - it's a bit of heaven. Thanks for the update, and hope you have a fantastic trip!

Langos, mmmmmmmmmmmmm. They really are a bit of heaven! However, sold right next door is a fish stew that looks great, but I hated. And I love fish!

Robert, I just returned from Budapest 2 weeks ago. We loved the Andrassy Hotel/MaMaison on Andrassy ut. Just a few steps from the Metro, Heros Square and Gundels. Great value. I would give this hotel 4 stars, great breakfast,great in house restaurant. Clean, spacious great decor in a very elegant,quiet neighborhood. The staff at MaMaison is very helpful. Can't say enough good things about this hotel. I've stayed at Meridien before, this compares equally in every respect.