Nereus Park Hotel

We keep coming back for a few different reasons. Even in high season, it’s peaceful, and there’s a private Balaton beach. The kitchen staff are happy to accommodate requests, and the rest of the team are helpful too. Bikes are available, and SUPs can be rented in summer. There’s also a nice playground and a small outdoor pool for kids.

I’ve been coming to this beach or lido every year for over 45 years, since I was a child spending summers at Lake Balaton. I’ve never stayed at the hotel, so I can’t speak about it from experience, though it seems exorbitantly expensive. The beach used to justify its higher price compared with others nearby: it felt safer to leave your things while swimming, there were shady trees and a well-kept lawn, and it rarely got overcrowded. In the past few years, though, it’s gone downhill. Most of the shade trees are gone, and the young replacements aren’t well cared for. The lawn is scruffy and isn’t mown often enough, leaving flowering clover and lots of bees, so you can’t comfortably walk around barefoot anymore. Prices keep going up without better service to match. In 2024 they even closed the snack bar. Lángos is now only available on weekends, there’s no fish at all, and the hotel restaurant offers just two or three meal choices. You also have to pay extra for a ticket that lets you leave and come back in. This may have been my last visit. The municipal beach next door costs much less and has better amenities. What a shame.

Staying here feels like stepping back 30 years. The food is hearty, and the staff are friendly. One of the waiters even helped me learn some Hungarian. The internet isn’t good, but it’s a chance to properly unwind, go for lovely swims and take walks.

We spent two weeks here and held our wedding at the hotel. The staff were friendly, accommodating, and took great care of us. We enjoyed the volleyball court and table tennis, and the location is excellent, with a private beach and free sun loungers. Our room was comfortable and had a balcony, fridge, and hairdryer. Great value, and I’d definitely recommend it.