BrunoTraveling

“Boscolo or Prestige which hotel and location better?”
“Boscolo or Prestige which hotel and location better?”

brunotraveler7480 · 29 forum posts
Rochelle Park, New Jersey
Dec 05, 2015, 9:50 AM
Me and my husband are traveling to Budapest for the first time and are torn between which hotel to stay at. We will be coming from Kraków and going to Vienna by train after our stay. We are a fun young couple in our 30s we would like to see the main tourist places, cute cafes and ruin pubs as well as one or two of the baths.

We like the Boscolo hotel because of the NY cafe and the hotel looks beautiful and has a cigar bar for my husband. Our main concern is its too far from the main area of the city and we are not sure if the area is dodgey or the perfect cute cafe type area.

We like the Prestige hotel's location according to the forums it seems like the most central point. But is it a sleepy area at night? Are there cute pubs and restaurants in the area or more touristy type places?

Also what are your preference regarding the two hotels in general.

thanks so much for any advice u give.

bilboburgler

Boscolo is too far from most things you might want, but the city is not large and you are not in a dodgy area.

Prestige is much nicer, I'd go there or to others over towards to the Opera.

A cigar bar, they still allow smoking indoors?

Christina

Many countries that have anti-smoking laws allow it in places nominally considered "private" and not public (eg, they could call it a private club and include membership in your hotel fee or something), and I suppose if a place is specifically made for smoking, it's not like people who didn't want it would be exposed to it.

However, I have read that the cigar bar in that hotel actually does not exist any more due to the new smoking laws in Hungary (it is still there but not called that and smoking isn't allowed), so the OP should check with the hotel or else knock that reason off the list as a reason for preferring it. In fact, I don't think you see any mention of a cigar bar on their website.

BrunoTraveling

Wow I truly appreciate your comments. They were very helpful.

okszi

Hi,
I am also do not think the cigar bar is still open.
I do take tourist over there quite frequently and I have not seen it functioning recently, however I can call them tomorrow and check.
Also I do not think the Boscolo is too far away from anything. For instance it is way too closer to the Hero's square and the Szechenyi Spa.
There is a major subway station 1 minute from the hotel and also a significant number of buses running from there as well. By public transportation it is 5 minutes downtown, by feet 10-15 minutes.
The Gozsdu court and around area (where all the party life of Budapest takes place and the ruin pubs location) is absolutely half way from the Prestige or Boscolo.
The Boscolo area literary stay alive all the time, while the area around the Prestige looks almost deserted after 8-9pm, to say the least.
Concerning the hotels in particular, I can not say anything about the Prestige, since for the time being I didn't have a single client staying there. If I am not mistaken it has opened just this April or so.

All in all if you are in for parties and fun, I think Boscolo's location is much better. If you are a history, sightseeing buff, then go for the Prestige.
However I can tell you 100 %, Boscolo located in authentic, real (read: frequented by locals) Budapest location, while Prestige is in the Government and "made for tourists" area.

Bobandco

The Boscolo is too far out. The Prestige is too isolated. In the same price range is the Ritz Carlton. That would be my choice. Perfect location. Cheaper, the K&K Opera is pretty hard to beat. You could also get a really nice apartment for about half the cost of these hotels.

bilboburgler

Another vote for the K&K Opera, really nice staff, good position

okszi

Hi there,
Sorry Bobandco, but being a local and a guide for 20 something years, I am extremely surprised when someone says that the Boscolo is too far out.
From what?????????????????????????????
The Gozsdu court, I presume you know what is that, and some of the most famous ruin bars (this, along with the baths was one of the point of interests of Bruno and hey, they are a fun young couple only in their 30-s!) located closer to the Boscolo.

Just to your kind information:
The Ritz Carlton's RE-IMAGINATION

As part of our ongoing to commitment to providing exception service and facilities, the luxury hotel will be closed as of November 15, 2015 to undergo a total transformation and re-imagination. We look forward to welcoming guests to a new journey as The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest in early spring 2016. For more information, please contact us at +3614295500.

And now, the MOST Important thing:
My long time guiding experience, tells me, that if someone is asking about the Boscolo or the Prestige, he is not doing this for fun.
NO! These are his/her standards or simple requirements. Some people and especially those living on a bright side of life (and why not?) do like to stay in style and luxury.

I am pretty much sure that if budget would the main thing, then their question would be concerning the Opera K@K and alike hotels or private apartments.
In the intimacy of the internet people are not shy anymore asking for budget concerning recommendations of hotels, restaurants etc.
So if the question was about the Boscolo and the Prsetige it means they are looking for style. So simple, correct me if I am wrong.

I do not pretend the Opera hotel or the private apartments (I DEFINITELY prefer those to any hotel, during my own travels) are bad or whatever. No, they are just from another league.
Just like that.

Probably the one and only alternative to those two, would be and that would be my personal choice, the Four Seasons Hotel, Gresham Palace.
Location, Service, restaurant etc.

bilboburgler

okszi

you may be right you may be wrong, the hotel name may have come up in a water cooler chat or travel magazine who knows, only the OP knows what they want

All we can do is offer what we know based on comments we read, even then I've seen people say

"I don't like" when they actually mean "I've never tried" or "my mother told me that I wouldn't like". I've even met people who don't like leaving their own country but want to go on holiday abroad. So we also offer ideas to open up their minds because that is what travel is sometimes for.

Generally (there are always exceptions) we don't challenge other people's advice on this board except when it is technically wrong.

Your high end might be my budget etc.

Have a great day

okszi

Bilboburgler,

I didn't have a SLIGHTEST attempt to challenge anybody's advice!
I just wrote my personal opinion which is based on 22 years of guiding people. You know tourism is not only my profession. No, it is even an absolute hobby of mine. A way of life to say.
So based on this experience I know that if someone asks for those hotels, then he means it. Well, at least in 99% of the cases.
If it would be asking recs for the Boscolo, Prestige and let's say Victoria hotel, then I would assume the OP is looking for a hotel with decent location and stars or status is not important concern.
Only a week ago I had a 32/29 couple from Israel. They stayed at the Four Seasons and they had only the Boscolo as second possible option. NONE other hotel was even open for discussion. That's it. Maybe I am wrong, no problem. It's just the experience that comes out all the time.

I also wish you a great day and happy travels.

bilboburgler

no worries mate

Bobandco

I have owned businesses in Budapest for going on about a dozen years now. Despite the fact I spend an inordinate amount of time in Budapest I still look at the city in a lot of the same ways a tourist would; which is very different that the way a citizen of Budapest would.

The Boscolo is ridiculously far out for a tourist that is spending 2 or even 4 days; especially if its their first trip. Thank you for the news on the Ritz. I enjoyed it when it was the le Meridian. In the same category the Corinthia Hotel is somewhat better located, and for that matter so is the Four Seasons and there are a number of nice boutique hotels that are well situated. I will admit that since I own a residence in Budapest I don't stay in hotels and so am not the one to make hotel recommendations, but I can make recommendations on what parts of town to stay in. I found this on the internet and I think it is excellent advice: https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resi...int=file%2cpdf