Trying to book a hotel in Budapest. What is a pension???
 

I'm trying to book a hotel and noticed that there are the typical B & B's, hotels, hostels and pensions. I've never heard of it. What exactly is a pension?

Like a small hotel, without the amenities i.e. room service, air condtioning,restaurant, etc. They often include breakfast. Check TripAdvisor for reviews of various pensions. Many are highly regarded as an alternaitve to more expensive hotels.

British and Irish people would know the term "guest house", which has much the same meaning. I don't know if that helps you.

Pension is a B&B.

Pronounced, in many countries, pen see ohn.

The term is going out of favor, in favor of B&B.

could also be considered a boarding house.. depends on the set up.

Some B&Bs are very small - just a couple of rooms in someone's house. A pension is more like a larger, more professionally run B&B. Usually they have at least 10 or 12 rooms - may be uptto 20 or so, breakfast room, often guest lounge and usually staff other than family.

They are simple, low-cost and will not have all the amenities of a hotel (but check since some are upgrading). Typically "pension" was the name used in Italy or France while it was gasthaus in Germany and B&B in the UK.

>while it was gasthaus in Germany
Not really, a "Pension" is called "Pension", "B&B" are more like "Privatzimmer", a Gasthaus is a place to sit and eat, sometimes with a (few) rooms upstairs. (not to confuse with a "Gästehaus").

Padraig's and Martyharly's responses come closest to my image of "pensions" in Budapest. Amenities are less than in most hotels: Bathrooms may be shared, for example.

The term, whose Hungarian equivalent is "Panzio", is sometimes applied to quite large establishments.