Budapest hotel recommendations, must see sights, and restaurants
 

Hello from Pekin, IL- we are three couples who will be taking a Danube River cruise aboard the Viking longship Njord next May. We are flying into Budapest a few days early and would like some hotel recommendations, restaurant ideas, and sights we must see, We are hoping our hotel will not be too far from where the Viking docks are but have discovered that Budapest appears to be a very walkable city. We are considering the Marriott, the Sofitel and the International Continental. Any preferences?

Any sightseeing suggestions and places to eat will be so very appreciated. We can't wait to see this beautiful city.

Thank you so much. Melissa Troutman

We liked this place, although it was a few years ago: http://www.bellevuebudapest.com/inde...en&faz=1&aaz=0

The hosts speak fluent English and are very helpful.

I am a travel agent and have clients who stayed in the Marriott prior to a Viking cruise this September. They liked it and the location.

For hotel, I would consider bidding on Priceline. While you won't know which hotel you will end up with, all of the higher-end choices appear to be quite good (based on the recent post on Bidding for Travel, you are likely to end up with the Marriott or the Sofitel. A few years ago I ended up at art'otel and paid less than 50% of the Expedia rate.

<<sights we must see>>

And your interests would be: __________________?

(Fill in the blank to get better sightseeing recs).

Fodors has a Budapest page. Timeout.com may too. Those will list the major sites.

There are others, especially if you want to learn about important people who have touched Budapest over the last 75 years be they good (Wallenberg, Lutz, Nagy. the nearly 800 Hungarians listed among the Righteous Among Nations), bad (Khrushchev, who is still a villain in Hungary today), or evil (Eichmann, Stalin).

The reccommended Belleview certainly is in a good location if you are interested in it!! Have stayed at the Kempinski, lovely but $$$. If you want a big hotel look at priceline as suggested!

I've read of people here on Fodor's getting the Marriott (right on the river) for about $75/night USD on Priceline. It's a great hotel, I've stayed there using points. All rooms have views of the Danube and the Buda side. Hotel is located on the Pest side.

We were just in Budapest and stayed at the Intercontinental. We had a River view room that looked at the castle across the river. The room was typical intercontinental and our rate included buffet breakfast which was the largest selection we have ever seen.
The location was fantastic I think better than the Marriott. It was right at the Charles bridge which you can walk over to get to the Buda side and old town. In fact, we saw Viking boats moored near the hotel.
We loved Budapest!

We stayed in the Marriott apartments - not quite the same location as the Marriott hotel but still central. If you had a 3-bed apartment with communal sitting room that might be a nice way to stay and a lot cheaper than the hotel?

Definitely recommend the Hotel Zenith! Great price and location! Wonderful staff!

http://budapest.zenithoteles.com/

Another vote for an apartment. I stayed in one of these my last trip: http://www.budapestvacationrentals.c...n_Rentals.html

Very highly recommended, the apartment had everything I could want, and the owners provide loads of info on things to do in Budapest, including recs for cafes.

That said, I would imagine the Marriott has good views, but it would just be a Marriott, you could be anywhere.

We've stayed at the Gerloczt Hotel three times and are booked there for next year's wine festival. The best way to describe it is that it's a fun place to stay, and if there is a downside, it's that the food is so good that you could have every meal there and not miss anything ---> http://www.gerloczy.hu/

1. We wouldn't go to Budapest without going to one of the baths. This is our favorite so far ---> http://www.szechenyifurdo.hu/

2. Wine is Hungry is so good that it's nice to do a wine-tasting. The one in the Faust wine celler is very good but you should make reservations ---> http://www.budapest-tourist-guide.co...llarbudacastle

3. At the very top of the Fisherman's Bastion is a small cafe ---> http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a1...D550/ry%3D400/
Try to set aside an hour to have a drink there if only for the views
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a1...D550/ry%3D400/

4. And on a nice day you can walk all the way up Gelleret hill. There is a tavern about half-way up canlled IIRC La Terrasse de Palinka where you can rest and have lunch.

5. And be sure to visit Margeret island and the Central Market. You can combine these, buying the ingredients for a picnic at the latter and enjoying it at the former ---> http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a1...D550/ry%3D400/

Pjk

A few years ago we stayed at the Hilton on points in an executive room. Hard to beat a free room but this had some additional perks. From the outside the Hilton is not very attractive. By staying inside we did not have to look at it. The view from our room was the towers of the Fisherman's Bastion with Parliament directly across the river. Executive perks include breakfast, snacks, canapes and cocktails.

Within walking distance was the Cafe Pierrot which was excellent.

Personally, I would not stay in Buda... So the castle district is out for me. My landlord owns the cafe Pierrot, which I think is crazy expensive for what it is (they own 3 restaurants right together). There are, for me, better options.

I love the Bellevue B and B... I live near the owners ( they live in pest!). My husband and I always stayed there before we moved here. We are walkers. It is a bit less convenient for what you want. It is very inexpensive.

I would consider the marriott. I love the location of the gerloczy.

There are lots of nice restaurants. I like Cafe Kor on SAS. ... What kind of food do you like?... Throw us a few more hints.

dac, I think you mean the Chain Bridge? It'd be a heck of a walk from the Charles Bridge! ;-)

I agree with ce about staying on the Pest side. That way you get to admire the view of Buda, the transport system is much better, the ground is flat for walking, and there are many more options for eating and drinking.

Thank you all so much. Your suggestions will help us a lot. I believe we are leaning towards the Marriott- really will only be there two nights before our cruise so won't be spending a lot of time in the hotel. We want to taste the cuisine of Hungary as much as possible- Hungarian goulash, wine, sausages, whatever else the city has to offer. I am making a list and as we explore the city, if we walk by one of the suggested restaurants and are hungry, that will be the place we stop. We may try for one very nice evening meal on the night before the cruise. I appreciate this website and the forums. Thank you again.

Ok... Here are some from our "go to" list:

Cafe Kor on SAS near St. Stephens - hardly a secret. Nice wine list. Big appetizers that are meals. I get the sliced duck on arugula. ( I no longer eat a lot of Hungarian food!). Cash only

Kadar etkede in the Jewish area on klauzal ter. Fantastic Hungarian food with a Jewish twist. Lunch only. I might guess cash only ( cheap ). Have a drink at the nearby szimpla kert... The mother of all ruin pubs.

Kiskakukk on Pozsonyi... Lovely street in the 13th (in pest, near where you cross the Margot hid). Hungarian options, great old world charm. Strudel place across the street (tiny, take away). Nice dessert places next door and all around this neighborhood ( I live very near here). A bit further down is a cheap and very Hungarian restaurant - right on the corner. Cash only. Very hard to get into. Also does lunch. I will write down the name when I walk by today.

We eat between the Marriott and the market hall at trattoria Toscana or cafe Dionysus across the street from each other on the river. trattoria Toscana does lunch. We are going there today.... Both very popular.

When we go to the opera, we eat at Menza on Liszt Ferenc Ter... There is also a nice Thai place behind the opera.

You will need reservations at all of these except kadar.

Ah, and if you eat in the 13th, stand on Margot hid at night... The best view IMO

We stayed at The Berg which is directly across from street for the castle thing that Viking will bus you to and close to the Hilton I believe. Lots of shops, great view of the river and when all of the tourists leave you have the castle thing to yourself. There is also a wonderful museum close to it.Can see the chairn bridge and walk down the hill to it.