Places to stay in Budapest and Venice
 

My wife and I have 4 days to stay in Budapest and 4 in Venice in September. Any suggestions for nice places to lodge? (Around $150 per night).


T and T

If you're familiar and comfortable with Priceline bidding, you may want to try that for Budapest. A recent trip report by jrjcolllins indicated that they got the Marriott. The following is quoted from her trip report:

<i> From the Budapest airport we took a taxi to our favorite hotel on the entire trip: the Marriott Hotel Budapest. We had gotten it on Priceline for only $65(US). www.priceline.com. Go to www.biddingfortravel.com to learn how to bid on Priceline. We had asked for an upper floor near the Chain Bridge and they obliged. The hotel was located centrally, right on the Danube River. Our large room had one wall of windows overlooking the Chain Bridge and the Buda Castle on the hill. Both were lit up at night and the view was out-of-this-world.</i>

Full trip report here:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ng-history.cfm

150 USD doesn't seem much for Venice especially in a high season - september and for 4 persons, does it? Does the place have to be nice? ;-)

Try venere.com just to get an idea. For September I see 2* Hotel Addua has a quadruple room for USD161, that's the lowest. The room does not have a private bath. Is it a nice place? No idea. Perhaps you want to check on tripadvisor.com. On venere, it has mostly good reviews (+ bad ones here and there ).

For Budapest pricelien would work, not really for Venice.

kappa, I don't think OP meant 4 persons, but rather, 2 people for 4 days.

But you're right about $150 for Venice. If the OP can get the Budapest hotel for $80 or so a night, then he can spend the "leftover" money for a Venice hotel, bumping his Venice hotel budget to $200/night.

BTW, to the OP, Venice is very expensive, in my limited experience. If your budget is tight, you may want to consider renting an apartment for 4 nights. Apts can be more affordable, and you certainly get more space for your money.

I found excellent rates in Budapest (last year mind you) on the Sofitel website. They had some special offer making it a great find. Also prime location right next to the Marriot.

We stayed at the Hotel Pest and liked it. It is just off Andrassy Ave - one block from the Opera House. The bus and the subway are both right on Andrassy Ave so it is easy to go anywhere in Budapest. website shows 120 Euro but perhaps you can find it at a cheaper rate.

yk, thanks for the correction, I read in a hurry and completely misunderstood. A double room for €110 that's so much easier to get than a quadruple. I don't know what is OP's expectation but I can recommend 2* Mercurio from my 2 time stay. In San Marco area, 2 minutes walk to Fenice Theater. Very central. Some people might prefer other somehow quieter areas (Dorsoduro maybe, some part of Castello - I like both) but I quite liked Mercurio's location too. It's a nice budget option. (* No lift to the 1st floor = US 2nd reception). Rooms sizes vary. Air-con worked well.

In case interested.
http://www.hotelmercurio.com/

They usually give €5 - 10 discount if you pay cash.

We liked the K&K Hotel Opera in Budapest. Short walk to Deak Ter (main square in Pest), Liszt Ter (restaurants and nightlife), the Danube and Chain Bridge, St. Stephens, Jewish Quarter, Parliament (all less than 1km away) and the breakfast spread is huge.

Two charming little one-star hotels in Venice are:
the Hotel Riva, which is at the confluence of two little canals, and near St. Mark's
the Casa Rezzonico, which is in Dorsuduro (sp?).

Family members have stayed in each, and they are very nice and very well-priced.

Ca' Rezzonico, I recall as a 3* (could it be 2*?) hotel. Dorsoduro.

kappa, that's a different hotel. This is the one I'm referring to:

http://www.casarezzonico.it/

Thanks all of you for your timely and helpful responses.

T and T

Peace that's the hotel I mean. I should have written CASA Rezzonico. That's a 3-star hotel some site says "Self classified" though.

Try the B&B Bellevue in Budapest

http://www.bellevuebudapest.com/inde...en&faz=1&aaz=0

Thanks, Kappa. The website doesn't show it's star rating. We were there, and it is very simple. I don't know what's required to be a three-star, though.