5 nts Prague: Hotel Kampa Garden vs Aparthotel City 5? 4 nts Budapest?
 

Oct 5th - 14th are my tentative travel dates. Hello folks. I posted last here a few years ago and am finally going to Europe, solo. I was thinking of visiting Prague and Budapest this time around. I was torn between Sweden or Denmark or Norway (I'd be going in October) but thought it might be really cold there then and not as much light as in the summer. Never been to Scandinavia but I'd prefer to go in the heart of the summer.

Then I thought - Hmmm, Germany or Amsterdam - great museums and cool history, but decided in the end that Prague and Budapest would be the best bet for me. I researched "cheap" hotels a bit and narrowed it down to 2 for Prague...

Hotel Kampa Garden vs Aparthotel City 5 in Prague. It's hard to trust reviews but they both seem to be well liked. Hotel Kampa Garden is $84.50 night vs. $75 a night for Aparthotel City 5. Any help here with these? Pros and cons of each?

Why I'm going? I like to go to museums, take long walks through cities, see the historical sights, eat great, inexpensive food and see movies at night (with english subtitles) if there are any available... At one point I thought it would be most fun to go to Munich (instead) for the BMW factory tour and museum (I'd love to see this one day) and then to Stuttgart to see the Porsche factory tour and museum. It's still in the back of my mind to go there instead of Prague but at the moment, I'm pretty set on the Czech Republic.

I was thinking of doing 4 nights in Prague and 3 in Budapest but bumped it up to 5 and 4. I was going to leave on a Wednesday night from Maryland and spend Thurs-Tues in Prague, then Tues - Friday night in Budapest and head home on Saturday morning back to Maryland.

Unless I only need 3 nights in Budapest and can get home a day earlier to do laundry and chill. Any thoughts regarding the amount of nights to stay in Budapest? I found the Ibex Budapest Centrum for $67 a night. Seems like a pretty good deal for a single room in a decent hotel. Anyone stay here?

This part of Europe seems less expensive than I'm used to paying for the level of hotel you get. I don't want to use Priceline but prefer to just book directly with a hotel. Then if there's an issue, I can leave a couple days early and it's less messy and problematic. Sometimes I decide to change my plans half way through a vacation and leave a city early to check out somewhere else or a city in the country near where I am. If you pay everything in advance this is more difficult to do.

I cut and pasted lots of stuff on Prague from that long thread on Fodors and will do the same for Budapest.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you have on the hotels I picked and on the time per city I've allotted. At one point I thought of adding in one more place like Vienna but now I'm not sure if that's such a good idea even if I add another day or so. Lastly, I'm guessing it's best to fly into Prague and out of Budapest?

Seems like airfare is around $1100 RT flying into Prague and out of Budapest, about the same as if I fly in and out of Prague. Is it better to wait on flights till later in the year? I just went on Kayak.com to check and that's what I found.

Cheers,
Steve
Gaithersburg MD

If it is between the two hotels you mentioned for Prague,I would take the Kampa Gardens Hotel.

Thanks for your reply. The Hotel Kampa Garden does look like a nicer hotel in the pics for just a bit more money. Is it better to be down by the bridge on that island in that area than where the Aparthotel City 5 is? And is 5 night too many nights for Prague as a single person visiting a city? I'm only there to do the main sights and then move on...

Steve

Yes, it is better to be at Kampa Gardens, you are more closer to everything.

Well, 5 nights . means four days, so... NO ,4 days is not too long for a place like Prague.

It depends how much you want to see and what you want to do.

You can do the "Main" sights in 3 days, again I am guessing at what your "main " sights are.

I was there for a full week and was going from early morning till night!!

You want to wake up about 5-6 AM and be at the Charles Bridge . It is always crowded during the day and evening .

This is great information. It's so hard to know how long to stay somewhere or where to stay. In Rome, Florence or Paris, there's unending museums and sights to see... I'm sure I'll find tons of stuff to do in the Czech Republic when I get there, things that aren't even on my list.

The reviews for Aparhotel City 5 are ridiculously good so I wasn't sure if I should stay there instead. When review after review on Trip Advisor say "THIS IS THE PLACE TO STAY. The owner will make your trip perfect", I get swayed pretty easily.

Cool deal. Very excited. I figured staying at Kampa Gardens would be the better location.

Steve

The owner at Aparhotel may very well make your trip perfect.

But Prague is a walking place.

I can assure you that whatever you have on your "main sights" list , it willbe expanded as you start walking around.

And take a River Boat ride but NOT one of those evening dinner included cruises down the Vltava River.


Just a simple boat ride will do.


Here is the names of some nice buildings to see within 1-2 blocks on Kampa Island

1. Lichenstein Palace ( No, not the one at the Prague Castle Complex)
2. Kitty corner from here is the Estonia Embassy ( Blue Fox over the doorway).

3.Grand Priory's Mills ( Waterwheel,still functioning)
4.Grand Priory Square
5. John Lennon Wall

6. Next to John Lennon Wall is French Embassy ( nice building)
7 Back of French Embassy is Nostitz Palace ( it is now the Ministry of Culture BUT it is a lovely picture taking building

8. Next is the Japanese Embassy Building
9. Half a block further down is the Maltese Square...with a nice statue of St.John the Baptist.

10. As you face the staue ...to your RIGHT ( 1/2 block ,you can see it ) is the Church Under The Chains.

11. Next to the Church is the Embassy of the Knights of Malta.
it is joined to the Church building.

12. And finally straigh ahead 1/2 block is the House at the Golden Unicorn..... walk up to the building and take a picture of Beethoven Plaque on the wall.....

Beethoven livedhere for a while while he did some concerts in Prague.

So you see just within a 2 1/2 block radius from your Kampa Hotel , you have lots to see ,and I bet not one of these places is even on your list.

Enjoy Prague :)

Percy,

You are a gem. I've cut and pasted everything you listed and look forward to seeing it all. Any suggestion then for inexpensive Budapest Hotels or Apartments? It's just me going but I don't want a Hostel.

Is this place in the heart of things or too far on the outskirts? http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-...um/index.shtml

Thanks,
Steve

This hotel in Budapest is in an okay location.

You will be very near Calvin Square and just a few blocks away from the Lovely Hungarian National Museum.

Go to the Museum just to take a picture of this building.

Then from Calvin Square walk straight towards the Danube River.

Right at the River is a Square called Fovam Square, BUT
look across the Square at the huge lovely Great Market Hall building.... go inside ,just to walk about and see the market.

The building next to the Great market Hall and beside the River is the Corvinus University.

Just stand here for a little while and look around.

That green Bridge across the Danube is the Liberty ( Freedom) Bridge.

Straight across the bridge is the Gellert Hotel , the Rock Church and a Statue of St.Gellert half way up.

Now look further up, higher , higher, ...that is the Liberty Statue on the top of Gellert Hill and that huge building is the Citadel... go uo there the views are terrific.

The Bridge further down to your RIGHT is the Elizabeth Bridge...and the

Bridge further down again is the famous Chain Bridge .

Here's are our five days in Prague (with a day trip to Kutna Hora and Sedlec Ossuary) in 2008 (with photos). I'll add in our day in Cesjy Krumlov. It should give you some good ideas. Have a great time.

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/Tom_...ath_March.html

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/Tom_..._Explored.html

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/Tom_...26_Sedlec.html

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/Tom_...In_Prague.html

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/Tom_...y_Krumlov.html

((H))

Of course, I meant Cesky Krumlov.

((H))

maitaitom

I enjoyed your Prague pictures.

Did you stay at Hotel U Zlate Studny ( as in the picture)?

Thanks percy. No, we stayed at an apartment in Malá Strana.

((H))

Okay Thanks....

because you had a nice picture of the U Zlate Studny and that is where I stayed for a week !

Agree w Percy to stay at the Kampa Is. hotel. Is the Aparthotel called "City 5" because it's in Prague 5 district? Always stay in Prague 1. Most museums are closed on Mondays, so that may be a day trip day to Terezin or ____.

Four days in Budapest is a minimum. Not liking your hotel location much but if you're willing to hop around on the local transport you should be ok. Closer to Deak Ter and north of it would be better. You are far south of Deak Ter, St. Istvan's, Parliament and the Imre Nagy memorial, Andrassy Utca, and fairly far south of Dohany Utca and the Jewish Quarter; far south and east of the Castle and environs; and far south and west of Victory Park, the KGB museum, Liszt Ter, and Embassy Row.

The Liberty Statue is ironic - it was built by the Russians after they "liberated" Hungary from the Nazis. Hungarian agreement with the concept of "liberation" is exemplified by the 1956 Uprising. The Hungarians saved much of the Soviet era statuary in Szoborpark, which you can visit on your own or take a guided tour. Hungary has the unwanted distinction of losing two World Wars without wanting to enter either - it was the VERY junior partner of the Austria-Hungarian Empire and collaborated with the Nazis to stave off invasion until the Nazis decided to invade anyway. It also suffered the effects of the Holocaust later than any other country taken by the Nazis but its Holocaust death toll was second only to Poland's.

One of those reviews you read of Kampa Gardens may well have been mine. We stayed there for 7 nights split into 4 - visit Vienna - then 3 more. I also see we are nearly neighbors.

Here is the lowdown on Kampa Gardens:
Pro
The location is perfect. It is on Kampa Island which is just under the Charles Bridge. That means you can be up on the bridge whenever you want and it is an easy walk into old town. It is also an easy walk to most everywhere else except perhaps the castle area which is all uphill. However there is a tram nearby that will take you there.

The location is quiet. Old town can be pretty noisy. Not so Kampa Island - we found it a quiet oasis yet in the middle of everything.

It is 100% non smoking. If you are a smoker that would be a con.

The rooms are pleasant with good bathrooms. Think of the furnishing as IKEA and you will get the picture. The rooms in the back overlook a small stream and park area. The rooms in front have either spectacular views of Old Town across the river or no view at all - mainly of the back wall of a consulate, so ask. For our seven nights we experienced 3 rooms. Our first night was in the room designed for people with disabilities - see below. We moved then to a second floor room in the back of the hotel. Upon our return from Vienna we were in a top floor room. It was a bit smaller and had a slanted deiling but we loved the view from the room.

Because we booked for seven nights, they picked us up at the airport, no charge. We only had to ask. Maybe they would do the same for you. They were also very good about getting us from the train station to the hotel upon our return and getting us to the airport. For those we paid of course, but the price was very fair.

The hotel is next to a park which is pleasant after a hard day touring. Sit down in the evening on a park bench along the river and watch the city light up.

There are several good restaurants around the Island's square (looking from the bridge, the hotel is on the far corner of the square). We particularly like the one at 14 -or was it 15 -Kampa, the side of the square opposite the hotel about in the center. The is a nice pub/restaurant just across the square from the hotel with outdoor seating on the river.

One room is fully wheelchair accessilble. The downside is that the shower floods the bathroom floor because there is no sill. The upside is that it has a great view and is extra large.

Cons:
Seeing it from the outside for the first time, you might wonder why you booked there. On the other hand, the rooms are quite nice.

No lobby to speak of.

Breakfast is OK - nothing special but there is as much as you want to eat. Think yogurt, bread, hard boiled eggs, packaged pastry and so forth.

Bottom line - we loved the place.

Good points about Budapest BigRuss.

Because stever says in his first posting that he "likes to take long walks through cities to see historical sites"....

I figured okay, being at Calvin Square is okay, you just have to walk all the way to the Parliament Buildings and you see a lot on the way going there IF you know where the places are... then

cross the Chain Bridge and walk (or take the funicular up to Buda Castle.... move over to Fishermans Bastion and St. Mathias Church and area.

I walked a lot in Budapest and I have a feeling sever is much younger than me :)

But I would not try walking to Hero's Square (down Andrassy Street) but who knows maybe he is 25 years old and would jog there :)


basingstoke2:

I agree I am sure Kampa Island is much quieter.

I stayed right in downtown Old Town..2 blocks from the Charles Bridge ...and when I stepped out of the hotel it was like a beehive of people everywhere everyday .!!

I got up very early in the morning to go to Charles Bridge to take pictures before the hoards of people came, because you never get a decent picture otherwise.

You folks should write travel guides! Wow, I'm cutting and pasting more stuff galore. So, I'm 51 years old but I like to walk for exercise. Plus, I'm training to do the highest points in all the 50 states so walking keeps me in shape. I'm at 43 now, attempting Mt Hood OR next week and Kings Peak UT Labor Day weekend. So basically, I'm in shape to walk.

But - PLEASE recommend a better hotel then for Budapest, closer to the cool stuff but also quiet and I'm THERE. I'm shooting for $65 a night or less. Can that be done in the better situated area? Where would you choose to stay? I'm putty in your hands...

I am definitely set on Hotel Kampa though for Prague. So much to do... I wonder if I should take more days off work for this? Hmmmm....

Steve R
Gaithersburg, MD (Kentlands) :o)

If you are hiking the high points in each state then the walk up to the castle will be a piece of cake. It sounds like you are on a budget so a few tips for Prague. For what may be the least expensive good meal in Prague follow these directions. With your back to the Astronomical Clock in the Old Town square you will see a narrow street straight ahead. Walk down that street for a few blocks until you get to a fair sized intersection - sorry I don't have the names but the cross street begins with an H and you will have passed a restaurant on your right with a green awning called the Mucha shortly before the intersection (If you reach Wenceslas Square you have gone a block too far but that sausage stand you will see as you enter the square is pretty good too). Don't cross the street that begins with an H but turn left on it and you shortly see a cafeteria. It is a local, workingman's type place with good, hearty Czech cooking and prices that are rock bottom. IMO the best value in town - they are not open late.

That Mucha restaurant you passed on the way is also good, but not cheap - I would call it moderate in price. You will also have passed a vegetarian restaurant run by 7th Day Adventists on the right before the Mucha when walking down the narrow street.

Beer - Czech beer is arguably the best in the world and is cheap- cheaper than a soft drink or wine or even bottled water. Try all the varieties. The local Bud has nothing to do with American Bud and is excellent.

Between Prague and Budapest is Vienna which can be reached by bus very cheaply. The trip is not much longer than going by train because the bus leaves you off in the center of Vienna. I would not call the buses as comfortable as many inter-city buses you would see in Western Europe but they are comparable to Greyhound and Peter Pan bus lines in the US.

I see you are in Kentlands. I work nearby just off of Shady Grove in the Kings Farm area.

I don't think you should change your mind about the Ibis Centrum; it's in a good location.

The Ibis is on Raday utca, which is restaurant alley. I never got a memorably good meal there (to be fair, neither was anything memorably bad). There is a lot of good food to be found in Budapest.

The cool stuff is a bit spread out, and even if you like walking, you should learn to navigate the tram system, and you should make at least on trip on metro line 1, said to be the oldest line in continental Europe, which I think it is really nice. It takes you to Heroes Square and the wonderful park behind the square.

A visit to the House of Terror is informative and sobering.

House of Terror = the "KGB Museum" I mentioned above.

If you're into climbing, then walk up Gellert Hill. We did that by mistake and it was a bit tiring. We arrived at the "Freedom Statue" and then walked down to the disappointing graffiti-covered Gellert statue (in the intervening years, maybe the graffiti has been removed?) which depicts the bishop holding a cross, presumably to ward off the vampires from Romania. I have a travelogue from our trip - it's old but still good - if you want a copy, just give an email address (e.g., stever[nospamyoubuggers]@climbinggaithersburg.com) and I'm happy to send.