Budapest Museum Central

Getting around from here was easy, with all kinds of public transport close by, and the location is excellent. The room itself could have been cleaner, and sheets and towels should be changed regularly. This place felt more like an Airbnb than a hotel, even though we booked five days through Booking. The pictures shown on the map and on Booking were of nearby landmarks and shops, not the property itself. Its main entrance was unnerving, like an old apartment building in a thriller, and the rooms are on the second floor while residents live on the upper floors. Reception is open only from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. The woman we met there on our first day was very polite and informative, but we didn’t see her again.

Inside our room, things were clean, comfortable, and pleasant, and the young people at the desk were so accommodating. Azelia even washed our clothes with great care. Azalea and the blond girl from the morning were especially lovely hosts, though I’m sorry I forgot her name. There’s no breakfast, but the coffee in the room was tops. We had a room facing a patio, if anything, while some rooms look onto the museum. Getting to that nice hallway and room took a lot of effort. The hotel sign had graffiti, and the large door and the area in front were dirty. A simple power wash shouldn’t cost much. After the entrance, there was a dark corridor that lit up with movement, then an old iron second door requiring the same security beeper, about six steps, and a dingy elevator that barely fit two people with luggage. On the hotel floor we passed another door, then one more with a beeper before reaching the front desk. During the day and before 10 pm, one of the young staff members was usually there. Other people live in the building too, so we tried to be considerate; one morning when we left early, someone beside our room shushed us. I gave three and a half stars for the attentive staff and cleanliness, and one for the outside and aesthetics. The photos were misleading, and all the hoops to get inside brought the rating down.

Mr. Muhammed greeted us at the entrance during our two-day trip to Budapest and was exceptionally helpful and polite. He gave us detailed information about the city, and I’m very grateful. He was the most caring and hospitable hotel receptionist I’ve ever met. The rooms were clean, and the hotel is centrally located, within walking distance of everywhere.

I’m going to ask for my money back. The place takes cash only, and after 10 PM there’s no staff around to help, even when a girl was crying in the hallway. The noise was awful. My room was filthy: coffee stains on the desk, a loose tap, and long hairs on the bedding. I even had to make the bed myself. When I asked for a proper duvet, they only had separate ones. How does a hotel get basic laundry wrong? One overwhelmed receptionist seemed to be running everything, poorly. I arrived at 1 PM as my booking said, then waited an hour to check in. This place is worse than a hostel. Avoid it at all costs!